Sager Np9280... looking to upgrade graphics card.

[eristarisis]

Evening all

In a random twist of fate: I was given a gaming laptop for my birthday two years ago, by people who are NOT gamers - fifteen of them got together - and got me the Sager NP9280 with specs as follows:

•17" WUXGA "Glare Type" Super Clear Ultra Bright Glossy Screen (1920x1200)
•Intel Core i7-975 Extreme 3.33GHz w/8MB Cache 130W
•12,288MB (12GB) DDR3 1066MHz Triple Channel Memory (3 SODIMMS)
•1,024MB PCI-Express nVidia GeForce GTX 280M DDR3 DX10 (User Upgradeable)
•Combo 8x8x6x4x Dual Layer DVD +/-R/RW 5x DVD-RAM 24x CD-R/RW Drive w/Software
•320GB 7200RPM (Serial-ATA II 300 - 16MB Cache)
•No HDD RAID
•Built-in Intel Wi-Fi Link 5300AGN - 802.11A/B/G/N Wireless LAN
•Internal Bluetooth 2.0+ EDR
•Built in 3.0 Megapixel Camera
•Internal 7-in-1 Card Reader (MS/MS Pro/MS Duo/MS Pro Duo/SD/Mini-SD/MMC/RS)
•Sound Blaster Compatible 3D Audio - Included
•Basic Black Business Case - Included
•Full Range Auto Switching AC Adapter - Included
•Smart Li-ion Battery (12 Cell)
•Windows Vista Home Premium (64-Bit) + Free Windows 7 Upgrade Coupon
•Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student Edition - (Word/Excel/PowerPoint/OneNote)

Obviously warranties are no longer valid so I'll have to buy the new graphics card and also find a guy to install it - I'm a gamer not an engineer folks. I can't rewire a plug without blowing my hands off....

Given the specs of the system, what is the most powerful graphics card I can get away with, so that I don't have to upgrade and can play Dead Island, Space Marine, RAGE and other games without needing an upgrade in the next year or two?

Thanks!

 

[jaguarskx]

Damn you got good friends.

Several years ago I couldn't convince 8 of my friends to band together to buy me a $250 universal remote as a gift. Instead, they collectively bought me gifts valued in excess of $250 which were all more or less useless to me. Damn bastards....

Anywaste, I think the fastest MXM 3.0b format card is the GeForce GTX 560M. However, laptop graphic cards are generally not sold to the public. Your best bet is to try eBay unless you know of a store that sells laptop graphic cards.

 

[eristarisis]

Damn you got good friends.

Several years ago I couldn't convince 8 of my friends to band together to buy me a $250 universal remote as a gift. Instead, they collectively bought me gifts valued in excess of $250 which were all more or less useless to me. Damn bastards....

Anywaste, I think the fastest MXM 3.0b format card is the GeForce GTX 560M. However, laptop graphic cards are generally not sold to the public. Your best bet is to try eBay unless you know of a store that sells laptop graphic cards.

Thanks for the reply. I figured it would be the GeForce GTX 560M. Yeah I have good friends but it took me three and a half years to convince them to get me the laptop. They spend a couple a grand each on gifts (that like you) i didn't need or want....

 

[popatim]

580M comes in MXM goodness too.

 

[David 617]

BE CAREFUL! you dont have enough power for the 580m nor do you have enough cooling.
ur 280m uses ~80watts of power, while the 580m peaks at a whopping 214 watts!

id go with the 550m.

BARGIN - Ebay http://www.ebay.com/itm/NVIDIA-GeForce-560m-MXM-II-module-/180737294206?pt=PCC_Video_TV_Cards&hash=item2a14c83f7e#ht_500wt_1413
starting bid is $5.00 - 6 days left -as of oct 12

here's a new one - http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-1-5GB-Nvidia-GeForce-GTX-560M-Video-card-/110756981177?pt=PCC_Video_TV_Cards&hash=item19c9a169b9#ht_2322wt_146

 

[eristarisis]

Evening all.

I've managed to get the GTX 560M and put the card in... now I can't install the damn driver. My tech guy is at a loss to find the driver. so does anybody know where I can get a compatible driver fort his particular graphics card for the laptop described at the start of this thread?

I'm bothering on pissed and depressed over here...

 

[popatim]

right from the nvidia driver download page...

Product Type: - select GFORCE
Product Series: select GForce 500M (notebook)
Product: select GForce GTX 560M

make sure you get a discount from your 'tech' for embarassing you like this.

 

[eristarisis]

Been there, done that, unable to download the drivers...

 

[David 617]

??? i have the 560m and that is what i use. try this -
http://drivers.softpedia.com/get/GRAPHICS-BOARD/NVIDIA/NVIDIA-Verde-Notebook-Display-Driver-28562-for-Vista64-Windows-7-x64.shtml
if you have some sort of switchable gpu button, make sure its set to on.

 

[HAZBONES]

I have a Sager NP9280 and I too got a GTX560m video card to upgrade my old 285m.

I called the Sager Tech support and they said the NP9280 does not support the GTX560m video card. They said I can only upgrade to a 480m and have to buy it as part of a $900 kit.
Is this true?

If not, before I tear apart my 9280, can you tell me if there was something I needed to do to get my 560m card into the laptop?

 

[HAZBONES]

I tried to put the 560m into my laptop but it did not recognize it. Did I need to update something or was Sager correct that the 560m cannot go into a 9280?

 

[coppatop]

What ever happened with this? I have the same laptop, and was also thinking of upgrading mt card. Did anyone sucessfully get it in?

 

[coppatop]

Also, did the 560m fit in without problems, and the only issue is the drivers? Did you need to upgrade the bios? Will the heat be an issue?

 

[Corretje61]

hallo eristarisis,
i ve got the same one (Clevo D900F and i just put in a i7-980X) andhad mine send to MXM-upgrade (go to their site )and they have put in a Amd HD 6970.
i ve also got the 12 Gb ram triple channel (and a bios-upgrade).
i also use to have a Nvidia GTX-280 and even a Nvidia GTX-580 fits in (mxm-3.0B connector)and they fix the cooling for you.
hope i have helped you a little bit,gr Cor

 

[coppatop]

Corretje61,

I am confused -- you sent your laptop IN to get upgraded? Is it impossible to do it on your own? How much did it cost? I am looking to upgrade my video card to something other than the GTX480m.

 

[gunslinger18]

I've installed the 560M for my NP9280 and my BIOS doesn't recognize it. Anyone have resources on this? Could someone who's had the 560M installed by their vendor post their BIOS files?