the model numbers must be different. reading reviews carefully is must before purchase then. however i still think top cards will get maxwell. let's see how nvidia deal with this

note: this is the how-to for gpu upgrade for alienware m17x r4, non-3d model.

first, some explanations. in terms of display panels, there are two type of models for r4:
1. 60Hz screen - non-3d model. supports dedicated gpu (dgpu) and integrated gpu (igpu);
2. 120Hz screen - 3d model. supports only dedicated gpu.

the difference in terms of bios settings between two models in the context of gpu upgrade are:
1. 60Hz screen (non-3d) - PEG (for dgpu) is disabled and igpu is enabled by default; and
2. 120Hz screen (3d) - PEG (for dgpu) is enabled and igpu is disabled by default.

the above bios settings are hidden in stock bios and you cannot change them.

however, in order to do a gpu upgrade in r4 (especially in non-3d model), you need bios options to be set to PEG enabled, and igpu disabled (like the defaults in 3d model) this is when unlocked bios by slv7 at techinferno.com comes into play. his unlocked bios allows you to change the required bios settings. since this is an unofficial bios, you must run it in legacy bios mode. (that means in bios you need to switch from UEFI to legacy mode, and disable secureboot). also, you need to install windows in legacy mode for compatibility reasons.

so the steps are really simple (based on the tutorial, http://forum.techinferno.com/alienware-m17...tml#post91201):
1. flash your r4 with A11 stock bios. in the bios menu, load all defaults and press F10 to save the changes (http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/us/en/19/DriverDetails/Product/alienware-m17x-r4?driverId=Y9N0G&fileId=3210573985). just runt the dell bios installer and it will downgrade/upgrade your bios automatically. make sure the battery is installed and power source is active;

2. prepare the dos bootable usb and flash the bios (http://forum.techinferno.com/alienware-m17x-aw-17/1964-%5Bm17x-r4%5D-unlocked-bios-versions.html grab the unlocked bios, [FPT]-M17x_R4_BIOS_A11_-_[unlocked]V2.zip, necessary files to create the dos bootable usb, FPT tools, and prr tool from the first post);

3. configure the unlocked bios (http://forum.techinferno.com/alienware-m17x-aw-17/6688-m17xr4-upgrade-gpu-gtx780m.html#post91201)

4. install new card; check the placement of thermal pads (http://forum.techinferno.com/alienware-m17x-aw-17/6688-m17xr4-upgrade-gpu-gtx780m.html#post91201)

5. reformat and reinstall windows in the legacy mode;

6. for w8/8.x, disable driver signing and reboot (http://forum.techinferno.com/alienware-m17x-aw-17/6688-m17xr4-upgrade-gpu-gtx780m.html#post91201)

7. install gpu drivers with modded .inf; first go to http://forums.laptopvideo2go.com/ NVIDIA Video Drivers and Tools section, and find the matching modded .inf for your geforce drivers (tagged with 'Mobile OEM'). extract the geforce drivers from geforce.com with 7zip or winrar. then put the modded .inf into Display.Driver folder (overwrite it if necessary). finally run the installer.

8. after successful install of drivers, enable driver signing and reboot (http://forum.techinferno.com/alienware-m17x-aw-17/6688-m17xr4-upgrade-gpu-gtx780m.html#post91201)

9. done

for w8/w8.1 users, the next time you wanna update your gpu drivers, just repeat steps 6, 7, and 8.

This post has been edited by horns: Jul 4 2014, 11:52 PM

as long as the socket type and power requirement are still compatible with the specs of mxm 3.0b, i think there should be no problem. (yeah i hope so too lol!)

if that's the case, i will just opt for a new unit. modifying until that extent is never my intention. i still prefer to change parts within the limits of the machine.

all models with top cards come with 240W power bricks. yes 240W should be fine for m17x/17. but what if the upcoming gpu needs more power than that? i am talking about 330W power brick mod. (like what 18 has) it involves putting the id chip from 240w into 330w brick. (to trick the machine into using the modded brick as power source)

looking at the trends, power consumption should be reduced in every cycle of new releases, and it's likely not a problem. however no one knows for sure.

nice

create a backup image asap if you prefer to have oem branding stuff.

however in order to see its true power, imo a better way of running the machine is with ssd (not ssd caching), and do a fresh windows install.

that's the same trick. the thing with these electronics is that although it works flawlessly, you cannot be sure how long it can withstand the modified power source. (like previously some lyp sales people telling everyone that laptop ram with 1.5v rating worked for haswell laptops)

I agree all im saying is that i prefer to do things without physical mods. (It's just self preference)

In theory, yes nothing will be affected in terms of internals.

Edit: if there is a compatible 330W adapter for 17's that i can use without doing any physical mods, i will definitely use that. (It's a good thing to have it: more stable supply, way less stress to the adapter and battery)

This post has been edited by horns: Jul 7 2014, 02:16 PM

there is no sifu here. we all learn and share

after the creation of recovery media, go to dell support site and upgrade the system with latest drivers and bios. as for regular dust cleanup and maintenance, just consult the manual. (they have very good manuals. never got lost with it. it's a good reference to plan your upgrades also)

yeah.. a ssd with a fresh windows will be the best change for the laptop. it's fine to do it yourself (there is a windows os media cd in the box just for that. however a bootable usb helps make the installation even faster). after the fresh install, create system image for the purpose of recovery. maintaining that will make your life to restore system way easier.

lol! maybe you can upgrade to 880m when the price is cheaper

actually what's the cause of your issue?

yeah i saw that too. i wonder what caused the issue

weird stuff. how come it only happens at home but not at office? what are the differences between the two environments?

my best guesses are:
1. remove the folder, C:\Users\your_username\Documents\AlienFX
2. uninstall and reinstall it

sweet. buta-buta one lol!

no i got lucky. again.

it's called a dfo (dell factory outlet) unit. malaysia version: http://www.dell.com/learn/my/en/mydhs1/cam.../dell-outlet-my

unfortunately, it's like no dfo unit of aw is ever published there.

yes you can get a base model and then slowly replace the parts inside it. however the extent of upgrades (your meaning of future proof) depends on the models. (for instance, 17 and 18 are all good for most upgrades. there is a limit of parts that you can do the same with a 14. you can check out the respective owner manuals to grab some ideas, or just consult sellers like putochip123) this way it can be obtained at relatively cheaper price.

there is nothing wrong with it. it's just how you plan your budget. however, please bear this in mind: for laptops, after-market upgrades are not cheap. sometimes it's relatively cheaper if you just get the high-end one. also, there might be differences between the base model and high-end systems. (e.g. power brick, heatsinks, fans) you might need to replace those as well during the upgrades.

This post has been edited by horns: Jul 13 2014, 12:38 AM

the idea is to get a picture of what you can and cannot do with a particular model. it's like a lot of work but i feel that i need to know clearly about all these. a 17/18 are much better for upgrades than a 14. (for instance, 14's gpu is soldered to mobo. future gpu upgrades depend on availability of mobo's with high-end chips. and personally i don't like nvidia optimus, so i choose a 17/18 because they can let me set to use discrete gpu only)

there is no need to break the bank for items like a laptop. just plan your purchase and you should be fine.

Welcome. Yeah we seldom have desktop users here

oh. yeah acer laptops are better for common usage, not extreme use. i still have a very very old acer laptop lying around. surprisingly it is still alive and kicking (but in slo mo usually )

by the way, currently running linux mint in an r4. it's not bad. i can even disable touchpad

you knew it's a pointless upgrade from 680m.

oh you still run stock parts. put in a ssd for OS, at least, then free up the hdd for downloads and data storage. satisfactions guaranteed. i actually never seen the layout and contents of the stock drive in my aurora. when it arrived i just pull it out, put in ssd and did a fresh install right away.

.. then your beast hasn't been unleashed

that's why i don't like about small cases. luckily you found it out much earlier (although worst comes to worst, it is still backed by dell warranty support, it is quite a turn-off when things like this happen)