Octane 2 Pro, upgrade GPU possible?

[Silversnake]

Hi guys first time poster here.

I am about to order the Octane 2 Pro. I know that Pascal is around the corner but I need the laptop asap (sold mine 2 months ago and have 3D rendering projects waiting to be done), and I do not mind getting the GTX980 now knowing it will be cheaper in few weeks, but worried about long term as Pascal seems to be so much of an upgrade.

Will I be able to upgrade the current Octane 2 Pro with a new desktop GPU? I could maybe do that in a year or two.

I do not know if the current desktop GPU installed in there is something standard (I can replace it in the future for new ones) or it is a singularity (special version for laptop that they will not do again) and that I will never be able to upgrade it.

If I can't upgrade then, I'll probably have to suck it up and wait.

Thanks!

 

[Oussebon]

I think it might be theoretically possible to upgrade, though if it is it would rely on being able to buy Pascal MXM format from a reliable source, and presumably a custom bios (assuming someone makes one) for the Clevo chassis, use of which I think would void the warranty.

Although it's as powerful as a desktop GPU, it's not actually a desktop GPU (despite the size of the laptop) so it wouldn't as straightforward as upgrading a desktop GPU where you just whip the old one out, pop the new one in, and maybe don't even need to update drivers.

 

[SpyderTracks]

The 980 laptop card was the first of its kind and with pascal dramatically shortening the gap between desktop and mobile gpu's (according to expectations at least), it's possible it won't be continued.

Then you have the format, I don't know what format the card is in, if it's mxm or a soldered chip, but it's likely to have been specialised for the chassis.

Then lastly, to make a gpu upgrade, you also have to flash a compatible bios to recognise the new card. Clevo don't support this so your only option is a modded bios like premamod which will void any warranty.

Then, you have the cost, mxm upgrades are substantially expensive, a 980m card will go for around £700 after delivery costs from Germany.

Basically, it's very unlikely I think that pascal will continue the desktop gfx option as I don't think there will be a need to as mobile chipsets are going to perform close to their desktop counterparts.

Obviously, all this is conjecture.

 

[Silversnake]

Damn, thanks for the replies.

Then it is starting to make more and more sense to wait but do not want to wait until Christmas.

Any news about when Pascal laptop will be available? I guess the release dates announced are for standard desktop cards.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Damn, thanks for the replies.

Then it is starting to make more and more sense to wait but do not want to wait until Christmas.

Any news about when Pascal laptop will be available? I guess the release dates announced are for standard desktop cards.

That's right, they've only announced the high end desktop cards.

But if maxwell release is anything to go by, the mobile versions were released shortly after. I would say they'll be available by July.