Acer aspire 7720G: Can I upgrade this?

Okay, so I really don't want my x3100 graphics integrated with the intel GM965 chipset. I really want some better graphics like nvidia/ATI, how would I do this? Do I need a new motherboard? What ATI/Nvidia graphics cards should I buy if I can do this?

Here's some info from CPU-Z:

Processor: Intel Mobile Core 2 Duo T5550 @ 1.83ghz
Motherboard: Intel GM965 (Southbridge: Intel 82801HBM)
Memory: 2GB DDR2
Graphics: Mobile Intel (R) 965 Express Chipset Family (Labeled as "Up to 358MB Mobile intel graphic media accelerator X3100 on laptop)

 

This may be of interest to you.

 

I looked around that topic, but everyone seemed to have nvidia's already built in that they wanted to upgrade. What I want to know is if i can replace my integrated graphics? I've heard that you can't do it but i'm not sure..

EDIT: Does anybody know how many free PCI slots this has?

 

Short answer: No, you can't.

Long answer: You'd need motherboard of a 7720G with a MXM-2 slot for a discrete graphics card. Then you'd need to buy a graphics card. There is a thread in this forum about compatible graphics cards. Something like MXM list. Search for it. Look up 7720G on the list and buy one of the compatible graphics cards. In the end, it will probably be cheaper to buy a new laptop with discrete graphics card then to upgrade yours which is already outdated.

Your laptop doesn't have any PCI slots. It has two mini PCI-E slots. One if populated with wireless network card and in the other one is TV tuner if you have one. If you don't, then it's empty. You can use it to upgrade your laptop later, if you want to do so.


Another thing worth considering is use of your Express Card slot. There are external graphics cards available, like Asus XG station, but they are even rarer then MXM cards and are considered more or less experimental technology. Still 7900 or 8600 which the XG station uses should be faster then your integrated graphics card.

 

Thanks for replying.

I think i'd be better off buying a new laptop or PC (infact a PC would probably benefit me with gaming/graphics much more than a laptop) instead of replacing the motherboard (if i had to) and/or buying a new graphics card for my original laptop. Good graphics cards nowadays are too expensive anyway.

I've heard about the express card slot external graphics cards and they aren't for me - they're much too rare (like you said) and I'm not going to all that trouble for some external graphics.

So i'm concluding that i'l have to buy a new laptop/PC in the end. Thanks for clearing it all up though.

 

Glad to be of assistance.

 

Wonder if anyone can analyze this diagram? Will i be able to add a graphics card or what?

 

This isn't going to help you, because we do know the capabilities of 965 and it does indeed support external graphics cards. The question is does your motherboard support them or not. Open the cover with holes in it. Look directly under the fan. If there are two heat-pipes going to the fan and there is an element under the fan, then yes. Else look below the fan and above and to the right of RAM. If there is a slot there, yes. Otherwise no.

If you're in doubt, post picture with the cover off and I'll tell you.