Acer Aspire 4736z video card upgrade/add?

So i just recently bought this laptop and was first satisfied with
it's features.
But then.... 64MB of system video memory??
Come on Acer. And so I was thinking if I could add some
graphics like buying a decent video card for it.
BTW, I heard that video cards for laptops are in PCI express.
Can my Acer use it?


IF and only IF this Acer Aspire doesn't have the ability to
use a new video card, is there any other way I could
improve its graphics like getting some of the built-in shared memory
and putting it in the video?

 

As far as I know the 4736z does have integrated graphics by intel.

Laptops have MXM-slots for GPU not PCI express.

I'm sorry, but I think your stuck with the GMA 4500MHD from intel.

Tip. When buying a new laptop double check the specs.

 

If you are not using the Nvidia Graphics 4736 you do not have a PCI-E slot hence no expansion possible to speak of.

 

What's MXM and GPU?
If i have that MXM slot, why am I stuck with the integrated graphics?

 

MXM stands for Mobile PCI Express Module - it's how Acer adds dedicated graphics cards to its newer notebooks. Regular desktop cards will NOT fit (obviously).

Unfortunately, you need to have a dedicated graphics card to begin with in order to have the necessary port to put one in (that means having an Acer with a G on the end of its model number).
Since your machine came with the GMA 4500MHD, you can't upgrade your graphics. Sorry!

As for increasing the amount of memory allotted to the GMA 4500MHD, this is done automatically. Since it barely has any built-in video RAM, it has to borrow from the system memory.

(GPU stands for Graphics Processing Unit, and is largely another word for graphics card)

 

So my total available graphics is 796 MB.
Does that mean that I can play games that require,
for example, a video card of 256 or even 512MB?

 

Some games will run on the newest Intel graphics but don't expect to play any new games. The 4500MHD can barely play old games like BF2 on medium.

 

The amount of graphics memory on the GPU is only one part of determining how powerful it is, and how well it can play games.
The 4500MHD is a very basic GPU - it's better than older Intels and some slower ATis and Nvidias, but it's not designed for gaming by any stretch of the imagination.