Acer MXM Models and Cards

[Meaker]

Got an HD6770 1GB GDDR5 MXM type A on the way for testing. Will take it a little time for it to arrive.

[triturbo]

Awesome news! Keep us posted as always

[Meaker]

The picture provided.

[moral hazard]

I have a question about the vram on that card, it shows "t2" so that should be 1200mhz right?

But notebookcheck says the vram runs at 1600mhz.

What's going on here?

[Meaker]

You can put over rated ram on the card.

So stock clocks will be 800mhz but depending on the mem controller it could go to 1200mhz or beyond (then dependant on both the ram and mem controller).

You will notice on a lot of Nvidia cards that the mem speed is much lower than its rated because its the memory controller on the graphics card holding it back.

ATI tend to use more simple (but narrower) mem controllers that clock higher, they have stronger analogue components per bit.
-------------------
Looking at the desktop 6670 benchmarks, when combined with T0C ram it was reaching 1.15ghz, if the MXM module designers have not done something stupid I am hoping for some epic memory clocks. It should ship tomorrow morning by DHL express.

EDIT: Just to make sure you know that 1600mhz is the DDR speed right? They dont even make 1600mhz GDDR5. 800mhz (1600 DDR) is the default speed.

EDIT2: Ah the T2C modules also support 800mhz 1.35v mode, will have to wait and see then.

[u6b36ef]

@ Meier (with ref. to your post on the 24th March)

I have had the same situation as you with a 5920 and a 9500M GS - black screen, lights, fans, and no boot. For a year I have been trying to understand the fault, and eventually decided the card must be dead. However, recently I discovered the card is OK.

Just out of curiosity I tried the suspect card in a 9920 and it displayed on an external monitor. That was proof that my suspect 9500M GS works. (In this test it was expected that a known working 9500M GS in 9920 would only display on an external monitor. That is another story though). Having been told the 9500M GS came from an Acer 6920, I looked at the card info in GPU-Z and noted the vBIOS version. It was ver 60.84.69.00.36. I looked up the vBIOS at TechPowerUp, and made notes on other vBIOS versions for 9500M GS. Another was 'stated' specifically to be for an Acer Aspire 8920 which was ver. 60.84.69.00.33

There is one other clear version, so is that is the vBIOS version that needs to be used in the 5920. (Ver. 60.84.62.00.40). There is however a G84-626-A2, and maybe that is the compatible card and vBIOS.

This conclusion has to be why people experience a boot fail with purchased 9500M GS, in the Acer 5920. Unfortunately also it is impossible to flash the 9500M GS vBIOS to another version in the 5920. The boot failure seems to prevent vBIOS flashing.

I needed help and proof, that the 9500M GS categorically should work in the 5920. I have had chats with folk in the nVidia forums. Some there have 9500M GS replaced by Acer for failed 8600M GT failures, (under warranty). Therefor it must be that a specific 9500M GS vBIOS version works in the 5920 and other vBIOS's don't.

If you mentioned that you wanted to buy the 9500M GS for a 5920 then you might well have a case for a return to the vendor. Good luck.


@ Mithrandir_Martin (ref. you post 15th April)

I think because of this info I posted here for Meier, it might be wise to avoid the 9500M GS, for the 5720. However I think there are other cards that work in the 5720, that don't in the 5920. You may be lucky with 9500M GS. Before a purchase it might be advised to ask the vBIOS version of the card you want to buy. Maybe ask for a return policy if it is not compatible.


For all users:
The wider ramifications are that vBIOS versions may be the reasons why some GPU cards work in some laptops and not in others. Instead of it being the laptop system BIOS which is often blamed as the culprit. Eg the 9600M GT.
Secondly; if you have an Acer 5920 with a working 9500M GS, maybe don't attempt to 'update' the vBIOS.

[FragZero]

I have a question about the mounting holes found on mxm II / III cards

on

MXM technical before 3.0

I read I-II cards have 41mm and III+ cards have 46mm cards, what does this mean? is this the distance between 2 holes?

Is it possible to mount an mxm II card on a mxm III heatsink? (or the other way around)

[moral hazard]

Yes, the distance between the holes is different.

It is not possible to use an MXM III heatsink with an MXM II card.

[FragZero]

Not the end of the world to drill new holes and retap some thread.

However how did ppl upgrade from 6600 => x1800 (II -> III) in the past? Or weren't all those cards following the rules like they should have.

edit: and a 8930g mxm III with a 9600m mxm II inside? (can't find a pic of the heatsink)

edit2: found the 8930g explanation, they have a custom bracket inside between the heatpimp and gfx card

[akbisw]

Meaker, i would love to spend 200 usd on something like 6770