Can the GPU be upgraded in this model?

Hi, I was thinking of buying this laptop Acer AS5738PG-6306 and wanted to check if the GPU can be upgraded for better gaming? I would appreciate any input or recommendations, thanks.

Item Description Top of Page


Enjoy multimedia brilliance with the Acer Aspire AS5738PG-6306 notebook showcasing a vivid 15.6" HD touchscreen LCD, dual-core processing, 320GB hard drive, and Dolby Home Theater cinema-style surround sound. Added digital media features, convenient quick keys, and versatile connectivity make it easy to multitask, get creative and enjoy your favorite entertainment at home or on the road.
15.6" high-definition CineCrystal wide touchscreen display
Lets you view Websites, share digital photos and watch movies with 1366 x 768 resolution (WXGA)
ATI Radeon HD 4570 graphics
Provide 512MB of dedicated DDR3 video memory
Intel Core 2 Duo T6600 dual-core processor
Delivers 2.2GHz speed with an 800MHz frontside bus and 2MB L2 cache
4GB of DDR2 shared dual-channel system memory, 667MHz
Offers fast response time for efficient multitasking and quick boot-ups
320GB SATA hard drive, 5400 rpm
Stores up to 90,000 photos, or up to 79,000 songs, or up to 38 hours of HD video
SuperMulti double-layer 8x DVD drive
Enables you to watch movies and burn DVDs and CDs in 11 different formats
Wireless LAN
Connects wirelessly to a broadband modem (cable or DSL) or to Wi-Fi hotspots using an 802.11b/g card
10/100 Ethernet LAN
Connects to a broadband modem (cable or DSL) or a network using the wired RJ-45 port
Built-in 56k modem
Furnishes dial-up connection through a wired RJ-11 port

Additional Features
HDMI video output for HDTVs
VGA port for external monitor
Microphone port
Headphone port
Four USB 2.0 ports provide convenient connections
6-cell, rechargeable lithium-ion battery (up to 2 hours and 27 minutes)

Software
Genuine Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium edition. To learn more about the features of Windows 7, Click here.
Microsoft Works 9
Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007, trial version
Norton Online Backup
WildTangent Demo Games

Support and Warranty
1-year limited warranty

 

Hi Asere, and welcome to the forums!
The 5738PG is a relatively new model, so we aren't certain whether or not it has the MXM upgradeable graphics card in it. Considering Acer does support MXM, it's possible, but not safe to assume just yet.
Read up on MXM here, and take a look at what the cards look like. Then, if you feel confident in opening up your machine, you can take a peek and see for yourself.

 

Thanks for welcoming me I was hoping you would answer my question. The thing is I haven't bought the machine yet. I wanted to make sure I could upgrade before making the investment. By any chance do you know of similar models in that same price range that can be upgraded?

 

Upgradeable GPUs shouldn't be the focus of your purchase. They aren't supposed to be upgraded by the end user; the whole point was to avoid having a different motherboard for every GPU the manufacturer wanted to put in a laptop. As a result, the cards are hard to come by and not always compatible.

The list in the Acer MXM thread I linked to before has a list of all confirmed MXM models, but most of those use the previous-generation MXM cards (MXM-I, MXM-II, etc.) and not the newest ones (MXM-A, MXM-B). That might be a good place to look.

 

I think I've seen this somewhere. Isn't the HD4570 a soldered-on card? I have seen an HP laptop taken apart with one on it, but of course that's HP. I did see an Aspire 6530G with this listed as MXM-II, so that's 2.1, but since this one's new, I'd bet this comes in the new 3.0 package.

Whatever the case, and if I were the one to choose this, I'd buy this not because it is likely upgradeable, but because it's a touchscreen laptop with a winning price! lol j/k.

In all fairness, the card seems to have enough grunt for moderate gaming though.