Can I upgrade my Acer 7720-6398

I just bought a Acer 7720-6398 and I'm wondering if and how I can upgrade the video card and processor (eventually). This is my first notebook and I don't know much about the upgradable aspects of the machine but any help and advice would be appreciated.

 

Negative on the GPU (myriad threads if you want detailed explanations) and as for the processor it depends on what you want to use this lappy for. It will probably take an 8 or 9xxx vintage but might not be worth the extra cash.

 

CPU - Totally possible. You can upgrade to the T81/T83 or T93/95 models. The X9000 is probably compatible as well, but the excess heat might be too much for your system.
GPU - Also possible. The Acer xx20G series tend to have MXM cards in them that can be upgraded. There are some posts on forums of people upgrading their 7720G. You should be looking for an MXM-II card with an Acer video BIOS.
The GeForce 8600M GS can be gotten off eBay for $154, and the 8600M GT for $250.
Heck, in theory you could go for a Radeon HD 2600/3650.
Just make sure you know exactly what you're doing - there are upgrade guides for other models around the WWW, and you should be able to swing a service guide here on NBR.

 

Hi there,

I've buyed the AS7720-6398. I also buyed this video card //cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230306248429 as replacement after reading the current thread.

It seems replacing the videocard in AS7720-6398 is not as easy it is for this model //yeianchao.com/mxmvideoquest/upgrade_4520G.html ...

In fact, I haven't been able to install it up to now... if someone would have done a FAQ or knows more than me about my specific Acer model, that would be nice to share. I would not want to waste 230$ for nothing...

Thank you everyone

 

Hi guys...
Few months ago I end up buying AS7720-6395.
First I’ve changed HDD to 2x200gb Hitachi 7k200 and RAM to 4gb. Then GPU form 8400m GS to 8600m GT DDR2 512mb. That wasn’t best idea. Since that “upgrade”, laptop start rebooting by it self in least expectable moments. Main cause was overheating. The 8600m GT is well known for its issues ( http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=172717).
Roughly month ago I sniped 9600m GT DDR3 512mb from fleebay. Card doesn’t have acer bios although works with no problems. I didn’t experience any troubles with clock mentioned in asus forum. What most important for me, it fixed reboot (overheating) problem. Last improvement I’ve made was CPU T9300. Almost forgot about internal Bluetooth
As for the system I use winxp x64 witch is solid rock for me.

 

Wow, nice work there. You know, with all that money spent on upgrades, you could have just gotten a 8920G or 8930G.

 

killerfrog
1. get service guide for as7720
2. disconnect ac adapter
3. remove battery
4. remove bigger bottom cover with 4 screws
5. disconnect fan power cable from motherboard (one between fan and copper heat pipe)
6. remove fan (3 screws)
7. remove CPU heat sink one in the middle (4 screws with springs) to remove it you have to rise it little bit up about ¼ inch and it should slide right out towards front of you lappy
8. remove GPU heat sink (also 4 screws with springs)
9. now remove GPU card witch should be attached to motherboard with 2 screws
Make sure there is no gap between heat sink and gpu or ram from you new card.
Pages 58-60 from service guide will help you a lot.

 

qaz333
I personally don’t like the design of 8920g or 8930g. Would rater go for 7730g.

 

Hi Boruta,

Thank your for the very good information on the matter.

Could you provide me (and other readers by the same way) the service manual please ?

First time I've opened the computer for changing the videocard, I saw it's not that easy to access it. In fact, it seems I will need to get out the CPU heat sink (as you mentionned in your #7)... but my question about that would be if I will need to buy thermal paste to replace the old one on the CPU ?

****... if I knew that 8600 was overheating......... the Ebay seller told me there will not be any issue about that...... I've also been looking for the 9600, but it seems you have been better than me in it ! Any solution except spending, AGAIN, much more money and loose the 230$ I already spent ?

Fleebay, is that an fancy word for Ebay ?? Please note my first language is French so I might not get every expression or regional slang !

Thank you again for info. Very nice to see I'm not alone in this worst secret ever about upgrading notebook that the industry is trying to make impossible to us to know for any logical reason at a first tought...

 

Boruta, I've searched the forum webpage you've mensionned for the word "heat" but I had no interesting result. Are you sure about the page ?

Only result I had was : "sorry to say guys, but your problems arent heat related, unless you laptop cpu gets past 95 degrees and your gpu gets past 120 degrees. most likely its the nvidia slowdown bug like the rest of us."

Thanks

 

If you do a google search for "acer aspire 7720 service manual" you should find one. I won't post the link because someone will just delete it later.

 

Ok thx paten.

What about the question for the thermal paste and the CPU cooling unit I need to remove temporary for replacing GPU ?

 

It's always a good idea to have thermal paste handy if you are removing the CPU heatsink. You might not need it for the CPU but you are going to need some anyway to put on the new GPU. When I upgraded my CPU and video card in my 7720, I had some Zalman Thermal Grease left over from an old desktop upgrade and used that. Worked fine.

 

ok, so if I don't need for the cpu, I won't buy some as I received just anough for the GPU while buying the video card.

 

sorry killerfrog, my mistake with the link
I was reading this somewhere else probably on the dell forum
and yeah ebay=flebay
if anybody wants service guide please pm with your email address

 

Hey guys.

I just wanted to tell you that I've been able to change my video card without any problem. It now works fine for around 2-3 days. Performances are much better with the geforce 8600m GT than the 8400m Gs. I should say also that fan starts a little bit more because 8600 exits more heat than 8400.

I had to remove the CPU heatsink to remove the GPU heatsink so thermal paste i buyed has been usefull.

Thank you everybody for the help.

 

Congrats on the successful upgrade!

 

HI Boruta...
do you still have service guide for acer 7720G ??? if yes please send me on my email ?

 

You can find the 7720 service manual by doing a google search for "acer aspire 7720g service manual blogspot"