Dead GPU

[OldSchool1988]

hey guys, i was wondering can i replace my graphics card in my Alienware Area-51 m17x Laptop since my Nvidia 8800 GTX died, it doesn't appear to be connected so i assume its dead.
So if i can replace my card, can i go for newer ones like Nvidia 670 or 680 if they are available for gaming laptops, i have GTX 670 i think ( mind block lol) on my 5 year old desktop and it works fine but due to traveling need my laptop sorted
Thanks

 

[AirSKiller]

hey guys, i was wondering can i replace my graphics card in my Alienware Area-51 m17x Laptop since my Nvidia 8800 GTX died, it doesn't appear to be connected so i assume its dead.
So if i can replace my card, can i go for newer ones like Nvidia 670 or 680 if they are available for gaming laptops, i have GTX 670 i think ( mind block lol) on my 5 year old desktop and it works fine but due to traveling need my laptop sorted
Thanks

You will have to see if your laptop handle the load of the new card and if it fits in the slot, heat shouldn't be a problem since new graphics card normally run cooler.

Don't expect the GTX 670m to have the same performance as the GTX670 (desktop version) not even close...

 

[darkspartenwarrior]

There's no way it's going to recgonize a GTX670M, a GTX670M and GTX680M were made much later than that laptop, the BIOS won't recgonize it.

 

[AirSKiller]

There's no way it's going to recgonize a GTX670M, a GTX670M and GTX680M were made much later than that laptop, the BIOS won't recgonize it.

What? That's not true... You can put a GTX680 on a P4 platform... The only think you can't do is upgrade the CPU that's newer than the BIOS

 

[getochkn]

What? That's not true... You can put a GTX680 on a P4 platform... The only think you can't do is upgrade the CPU that's newer than the BIOS

This is a laptop with a proprietary bios too, which works a lot different than a normal pc motherboard. I've seen laptops that you can't change the cpu to a faster one, even if it was available at the same time, because the bios is so locked up.

 

[kingnoobe]

You can upgrade the video card, now if you can upgrade that high is a different story. You're just gonna have to google it. To see exactly what your laptop can handle, and I also suggest in going to their forums. You'll probably find more people familiar with alienware over there.

 

[OldSchool1988]

Cool thanks guys, one of the reason i asked was Alienware is probably closest to desktop design wise, one of the reason i bought it, also on my desktop which has 5 year old motherboard i managed to put in GTX 570 which is a newer card compared to my motherboards age

 

[OldSchool1988]

also i only play certain games on PC, most of them before 2009 so upgrading processor its not really imoprtant, my desk ran crysis on quad core 2 no problems, will also upgrade to new 3 GB ram sticks

 

[getochkn]

As said, go to the Alienware forums and ask there, they would know more. The m17x name has been used on like 5 different models of laptop by then, so just googling for m17x video card may not help because it could be a newer m17x version that yours and not supported. On their forum, they could probably help you determine your exact model and what would be supported by it.