[Dell IdeaStorm] Proposing a "GPU upgrade package" for M18x (and perhaps M17x)

[DarkSkies]

Dear community,

in another thread I proposed the idea of Dell releasing/selling "GPU upgrade kits" for owners of M18xR1 who would want to upgrade to the newest cards appearing this year without the necessity of buying a completely new laptop, especially as R2 doesn't really bring anything new (with few smaller exceptions). Plus, we have already pimped up our M18x enough and why exactly should we replace them? We just want new cards.

The NBR discussion on this starts there and span for another few thread pages:
New M17x R4, M14X R2 and M18X R2 are coming - Speculation thread.

Official Dell employee, Dell-Bill_B, recommended bringing the discussion to IdeaStorm so it just may be taken into consideration, especially as initial community response was very positive.

This is the IdeaStorm thread I've just started:

Dell could offer "GPU upgrade kits" for M18xR1 (and perhaps other models, e.g. M17x)

Feel free to comment, either here or at IdeaStorm. So far the idea seemed both convenient to several of us, m18x owners, as well as lucrative enough for Dell. I bet upgrade packages like that could also be offered for M17x.

Thanks for your attention.

For their inputs, thanks go to: blink_c, BlueW01f, Dell-Bill_B, Scott_RC-TEK and TheBluePill

[vs3074]

Don't forget M15x

[SkittlesXD]

Threw in my two cents.

[DarkSkies]

Thanks. If you're on other forums/places where you meet Alienware owners, feel free to promote the IdeaStorm thread/voting.

[Deimos Leone]

I don't think they will accept this as Dell like any other company is interesting in increasing sales. Selling only GPU or CPU isn't the same as selling a completely new laptop.

So... if you want more, buy a new one. But still, if the difference isn't that big, why should you?

[DarkSkies]

Do you mean sales of R2? That's actually discussable. Quoting myself from another thread:

If Dell offers 'an upgrade kit', worse case scenario, R2 sales should remain the same, if not go higher. Note that to buy R2 most of us will have to sell R1, so somebody out there is going to buy an m18x anyway. If fewer R1 are available, their price will be higher, and people hence will go back to the source instead of buying 2nd hand, perhaps simply choosing less expensive setups. At the same time quite many R1 owners will invest in the 'upgrade kit'. This means Dell will keep on selling both R2s and the kits.

On the other hand, there is also a lot of people owning R1 who will simply do nothing and keep R1 as it is since it cannot be upgraded, meaning Dell will neither sell new R2s nor profit from selling an upgrade package. Thinking most simply, no upgrade kit = lower (or at least the same) number of R2 sold, but no profits from the kits.

I wasn't the only one making point such as that.

So... if you want more, buy a new one. But still, if the difference isn't that big, why should you?

That's right, that's why buying R2 isn't exactly such a sound option. The only difference will be IV CPUs (which can always be bought in regular retail stores) and new generation Nvidia/AMD GPUs, which unfortunately are not available on retail market. Hence the idea of upgrade kits so you can actually get only new cards from a official source still rocking your "old" R1. And you don't have to worry about matching parts, e.g. heatsinks and so on, since the 'package' will include those too etc.

Edit: Plus, to get R2 most will have to sell R1, naturally, for money reasonably lower it was bought brand new. In other words, to get R2 you have to pay extra, so why not to simply buy an upgrade kit and keep upgraded R1? Much more convenient. You don't have to re-order R2 and worry about for weeks before it's delivered.

[unreal25]

I don't think they will accept this as Dell like any other company is interesting in increasing sales. Selling only GPU or CPU isn't the same as selling a completely new laptop.

Correct. It has been proven again and again that the only time Dell cares about their customers (as most of the other major big companies) is when critical mass emerges and threatens with lawsuits or the complains come to such a number that its not profitable to do replacements (e.g. M11x-R1 hinge problems).

I can't think of a parallel universe in which Dell would do this. In fact, I am surprised they aren't actively making their things more proprietary like Apple.

There is also of course that problem that they would have to think how to treat the warranty if customer screws something up. And it's not like most of their onsite techs would know how to properly do it, either.

It's a nice idea for customers and it would be great if there would exist DIY assembled laptops out of separate parts like what you can do on a desktop computer. But again, I don't see Dell pulling anything like that. If nothing else, they (and most other companies) wouldn't dare to risk and put something like that on the market. They can just copy Apple and make an much inferior products offered at somewhat lower price.

When was the (last) time you saw something creative and original come from Dell? I guess the now-discontinued M11x is the closest they did?

[peppergrass]

well, I'm all for this..

Isn't one of the "selling points" being able to upgrade parts in the computer.. ( memory, HHD.. ) what's any different then a video card?


people are doing it anyways, dell is the one losing money.. yes it would make dell hire someone else to do videos , write-ups, visuals..... but they would in turn be paying a little price to please there customers, and thus winning future buy's and the free support, spreading the word..

[Deimos Leone]

well, I'm all for this..

Isn't one of the "selling points" being able to upgrade parts in the computer.. ( memory, HHD.. ) what's any different then a video card?

I am not quite sure, but probably because it is more complicated and as a result more risky to change a GPU in a laptop without damaging it. Same with the CPU, where you also need BIOS change. And DELL isn't interesting in changing "broken" laptops, because their owners were careless changing certain components.

You should understand, that a laptop isn't the same with the desktop computer, where any unskilled person (Noob) can change GPU in 10-15 min.

[Mr. Fox]

Some of the things being posted here are not exactly correct. It is very simple to swap out CPU and GPU components on the M17xR1/R2/R3 and M18x. It takes about 30 minutes if you know what you're doing. It does not require special skills compared to working on a desktop PC. (Maybe a little more patience the first time, and an ability to read and understand a service manual, but nothing more than that. Care is needed to avoid breaking some of the cable and ribbon fasteners if you don't know how they operate.) Upgrades do not void the Dell/Alienware factory warranty. Owner-induced damage is not covered under warranty, but that would be expected.

Dell already offers upgrade parts as long as the components are supported by the model. (They don't support upgrades for components never supported--i.e. 6990M CF in the M17x R2--but, that does not prevent the endeavor.) For example, if you purchase an M18x with GTX 460M, you can buy kits (from Dell/Alienware) to upgrade to 6970M CF, 6990M CF, GTX 580M SLI. The kits are fully assembled GPU/heat sink assemblies. You can also purchase individual components. What you buy through Dell/Alienware should be covered by a warranty.

You can also upgrade your CPU through Dell/Alienware.

Dell/Alienware will be selling 675M and 7970M GPU kits as well. As soon as I have clearance to post them, those part numbers will be made available to the Community.

Here is a list of what they offer for GPU parts and kits right now:

M17x-R3

• VDV04 N11E-GS GeForce 460m
• 87XRJ N11E-GS GeForce 460m Kit (Video card VDV04 + Thermal Assemblies J9H7X)
• YT99J N12E-GS GeForce 560m
• 8H4G6 N12E-GS GeForce 560m Kit (Video card YT99J + Thermal Assemblies J9H7X)
• 3MF8R N12E-GTX2 GeForce GTX580m
• RFYN9 N12E-GTX2 GeForce GTX580m Kit (Video card 3MF8R + Thermal Assemblies V1K2G) (For the throttling at 78C°)
• V9XKH AMD Blackcomb XT 6970m
• WFWCW AMD Blackcomb XT 6970m (Video card V9XKH + Thermal Assemblies YHP1P)
• V5TGF AMD Granville Pro 6870m
• 5MKH5 AMD Granville Pro 6870m Kit (Video card V5TGF + Thermal Assemblies VH0YK)
• RDRGR AMD Blackcomb XTX 6990m
• CK7HW AMD Blackcomb XTX 6990m Kit (Video Card RDRGR + Thermal Assemblies YHP1P)

M18x-R1

• V9XKH AMD Blackcomb XT 6970m Right
• 074TJ AMD Blackcomb XT 6970m Right Kit (Video card V9XKH + Thermal Assemblies 29NC1)
• JNXHW AMD Blackcomb XT 6970m Left Kit (Video card V9XKH + Thermal Assemblies Y8T9Y)
• RDRGR AMD Blackcomb XTX 6990m Right
• 1Y9YM AMD Blackcomb XTX 6990m Right Kit (Video card RDRGR + Thermal Assemblies 29NC1)
• XCVCG AMD Blackcomb XTX 6990m Left (Video card RDRGR + Thermal Assemblies Y8T9Y)
• RYVMN AMD CrossFireX Cable
• VDV04 N11E-GS GeForce M460m
• 4C3FW N11E-GS GeForce M460m Right Kit (Video card VDV04 + Thermal Assemblies 5DWH3)
• 8X55H N11E-GS GeForce M460m Left Kit (Video card VDV04 + Thermal Assemblies 0TYGV)
• YT99J N12E-GS GeForce GTX560m
• 3WWGG N12E-GS GeForce GTX560m Right Kit (Video card YT99J + Thermal Assemblies 5DWH3)
• FXXC9 N12E-GS GeForce GTX560m Left Kit (Video card YT99J + Thermal Assemblies 0TYGV)
• 3MF8R N12E-GTX2 GeForce GTX580m
• 3Y6PW N12E-GTX2 GeForce GTX580m Right Kit (Video card 3MF8R + Thermal Assemblies Y3WC7)
• PR9WN N12E-GTX2 GeForce GTX580m Left Kit (Video card 3MF8R + Thermal Assemblies JW8P7)
• GDMRG GeForce SLI Cable