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Written by John M
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Thursday, 14 June 2007 02:25 |
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Changing CPU, HDD or memory may not be that much of an improvement, but what if we add the GPU into the mix? Now we're talking.
In the past, and a recent past at that, having the option to upgrade the graphics processing unit of your laptop asked from you much more money than it was worth. Not only because of the price of the GPU itself, but of the laptop you wanted to upgrade. Asus notebooks aren't cheap, but there's reason to believe that if they don't want to lose this market they will behave themselves.
Thanks to the MXM Type II module it houses, the CS90S will accept a variety of nVidia (ATI will have to wait) GPUs, up to the GeForce Go8600 that was on display at Computex.
MXM modules are installed similar to a SO-DIMM, and there are four types that correspond to differents sizes and/or GPU support. The version here is an updated MXM which includes a heat-spreader in the design. This will allow the use of standardized heatpipes and will leave thermal as your only worry when purchasing a new module down the road. Current MXM (Mobile PCI Express Module) Type II reach 25 watts, that's your limit with this notebook. And when we say "PCI Express", we mean "16 lane PCI Express".
The problem with MXMs is that you don't find them easily. And lack of competition is also bad news if we talk about price. Again, if this market is to exist, it needs affordable parts.
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