A Mobile PCI Express Module (MXM) is an interconnect standard for GPUs (MXM Graphics Modules) in

laptop A laptop, laptop computer, or notebook computer is a small, portable personal computer (PC) with a screen and alphanumeric keyboard. Laptops typically have a clam shell form factor with the screen mounted on the inside of the upper li ...

s using

PCI Express PCI Express (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express), officially abbreviated as PCIe or PCI-e, is a high-speed serial computer expansion bus standard, designed to replace the older PCI, PCI-X and AGP bus standards. It is the common ...

created by MXM-SIG. The goal was to create a non-proprietary, industry standard socket, so one could easily upgrade the graphics processor in a laptop, without having to buy a whole new system or relying on proprietary vendor upgrades. VIA QSM-8Q90 Module - Module Angle (6856346650)

VIA QSM-8Q90 Module - Module Angle (6856346650)

1st generation configurations

Smaller graphics modules can be inserted into larger slots, but type I and II heatsinks will not fit type III and above or vice versa. The Alienware m5700 platform uses a heatsink that will fit Type I, II, & III cards without modification.

2nd generation configurations (MXM 3)

Smaller graphics modules can be inserted into larger slots. Heatsink mounting remains the same for type A and B modules. MXM 3.1 was released in March 2012 and added PCIe 3.0 support.

Module compatibility

First generation modules are ''not'' compatible with second generation modules and vice versa. First generation modules are fully backwards compatible.

Standard availability

MXM is no longer freely supplied by Nvidia but it is controlled by the MXM-SIG controlled by Nvidia. Only corporate clients are granted access to the standard. The MXM 2.1 specification is widely available. The initial 3.0 technical brief (not the actual spec) can be foun
here
The 3.1 Electromechanical specification can be foun
here

Compliance

A common misconception about MXM is that certain models of graphics cards (e.g. Nvidia GTX 980M) "is MXM 2.1", and therefore any notebook with a GTX 980M fully implements MXM 2.1. However, this is incorrect. While Nvidia defines a lot of MXM specifications, they do not manufacture or design MXM cards themselves, which mostly consist of a PCB with

vRAM Video random access memory (VRAM) is dedicated computer memory used to store the pixels and other graphics data as a framebuffer to be rendered on a computer monitor. This is often different technology than other computer memory, to facilitate b ...

and an Nvidia or AMD

GPU A graphics processing unit (GPU) is a specialized electronic circuit designed to manipulate and alter memory to accelerate the creation of images in a frame buffer intended for output to a display device. GPUs are used in embedded systems, mobi ...

core. Therefore, any model of GPU can be manufactured in MXM, but a laptop released with any particular graphics card model may or may not implement MXM regardless. This is because it is the decision of the ODM whether or not to implement MXM, not Nvidia's or AMD's.

List of MXM cards

MXM 3.x cards

* Unified Shaders : Texture Mapping Units : Render Output Units

References

{{Reflist

External links

MXM-SIG
* XM Upgrade- Site about MXM, with a table of some MXM laptops, detailed upgrade procedures and MXM cards for sale, no longer updated.

- Nearly complete list of Acer laptops implementing MXM. Peripheral Component Interconnect