The Upgradability of the Aspire 7720-6395

Since joining the medical field I haven't been keeping up with my tech knowledge lol. So I'm asking the community if they have any information on how upgradable the Acer Aspire 7720-6395 is? I would like to upgrade the GPU and CPU. I used to have a program that gave me system information, but that was about a year ago and I don't remember where I got it from . Why do you think this model doesn't have anything on the web really? When I first saw it I jumped on it because it was such a good deal in my opinion.

 

take a look at the front page, all the links you will need are there and maybe the answers you are looking for.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=206137

All the best,
Phil

 

The 7720 will support any CPU ranging from the T5250 to the T7700, without any problem....Will have to do a bit of research on the GPU though..!!
If you could give me your motherboard code, printed on the ram bay, I could be a bit more specific....and you might need to upgrade the BIOS to the latest version if you want to go any higher..

 

I believe the 8400GS is a MXM-I GPU on a 64-bit memory interface and is maybe the best in that specific Nvidia Budget Class....The 8600GT 512MB is on a 128-bit memory interface and is an MXM-II GPU, so it is incompatible both ways....so I don't think it is possible to upgrade the GPU..!! Wait for a compatible external GPU....

 

T8100, t8300, t9300 &t9500 CPUS are confirmed with the new 1.43 bios flash

 

7720 uses the same MOTHERBOARD as the 5315

here is my 5315 upgrade link

 

To be honest, nope....the mainboards are not same..!!

Take a look at 5135 link, it is the best guide for starters....

But the 5315 has the GL960 chipset, with the code MB.ALD--.---
and the 7720(G?) has the codes MB.AHE--.---(i965GM) and MB.AHH--.---, etc
So the 7720's mobo is better than the 5315's

But I still need the exact mobo code....and to the OP - is your laptop the 7720G (since it has an 8400GS)

 

they use the same bios,, have all the same solder points... but some connectors were left off to save costs...

they ARE the same board...


but the 5720s and 7720s have more of the board's features enabled!

they are all ACADIA2 motherborads
and the 5315 has a i965 chipset (they adveritse it as a 960 so they can't be sued for not supporting higher features that the chip supports) (( and it's marketing too)

yea a 5315 will never accept a dedicated graphics card... but the solder points to hook one up is there....

it is the same board with some features left off...

BUT THEY USE THE SAME BIOS

 

Ok, agreed.. They do look pretty much the same....
But it is intel who have made a marketing move by making the GL960 synonymous to the celerons and PDCs....(same with the i943)
And the same BIOS is because of the same chipset family and same system management buses installed in all the new Acers released in this past year....

 

the i960 shows up as a i965 as soon as a CORE2DUO is installed...

you are correct that the boards are slightly different.. but they are the same layout with just different features and connectors added or uninstalled depending on the model of ASPIRE they are going to be installed in

 

Acer has got loads and loads of codes and model nos.

We learnt how to distinguish most on the basis of the motherboard nos., but there is more to it....

AS 3680/5570/5580 - ZR1 mobo
TM2480 - ZB2 mobo

AS 5315/5715Z - ICL50 mobo
AS 5720, 7320, 7720, 7720G, 7720Z - ICK70 mobo

Now these codes also have something to do with the mobos, because they have different service manuals and stuff but look literally the same....
I guess its upto Hoggie now....to do some more research on this..

 

we can always leave the indepth searches to hoggie

 

give me a few hours and i will have all the info you need.

 

the ICL50 was used mostly for the travelmate with a c2d but with only the 965gml chipset .but it also found its way in to some aspires.its a rare one.
the ICK70is the same.as above.
zb2 is a 940gml chipset travelmate board.
ZRis a code for nvida graphics and needs a bit more research.
still working on it.
im on the secret site

 

WOW you guys got really indepth and I have no clue what your talking about lol. Thank you for the CPU information. I was looking at getting the T7500

 

I would advise you to go for the T8100 or T8300....but if you are already getting the T7500 at a good price -- go for it..!!

And sorry for hijacking the thread..

 

we makes sure, you don't knacker your laptop

and we love it

Edit: we also never say no or yes, until we have checked everything,

all the best

Hog The Researcher

 

good CPU choice... but i'd go w/ a T8100 or T8300..... thier prices should be VERY SIMILAR!! unles you have a "friend" who is selling you his CPU after he upgrades his!!

the T8xxx's have 1 less meg of L2 cache,,, but that's not a huge difference in benchmarks.... and the NEW CORE SIZE which uses less heat... better CPU all around,,,

 

see what i mean acer mate....see BigO's post.

 

Its all coolness you didn't hijack my thread. I'll look into the T8300 chip. I just updated my Bios to version 1.43 from v1.19 so I think I can support that CPU now correct? I'm also going through and updating all my drivers and what not. I just wish my internet was moving a little faster today lol. The only question I have is with the heat this new processor is going to produce lol. I don't want to damage my laptop since I just got it and all. I've already started hearing the fan hehe.

Edit: Can I ask about RAM? haha. I don't know why I want to upgrade my lappy I just do! lol. I like it the way it is, but it could always be better. Whats the best RAM for a 7720-6395?

 

this new chip will run cooler, use less power, and thus give off less heat.. no need to worry about that..

as far as RAM goes... 3 gigs is all you can support w/o running VISTA 64bit OS... and that may be limited to 3 gigs too..

i would buy PC6400 ram (the pc only supports 667mhz ram speeds, but by using 6400 ram you get a miniscule benifit due to lower latency times of the 800mhz PC6400 SO-DDR2 DIMMS)

and you can only use 1 stick of 2 gig ram combined with 1 stick of 1 gig ram.
4 gigs is recognized by the BIOS and boots up,,, but many people have experienced BSOD errors when trying to use 2 sticks of 2 gig ram sticks...

i think it's a BIOS problem... which may or may not ever get fixed!

 

+1 with what BigO said..
And PC2-6400 ram would be pretty useful when you are UPPing the FSB..
I read on another forum a while ago, that Penryn support was added to the Acer BIOSs, starting from March 2008....Don't know how true is that, unless Acer is making a business move by not adding that support to some BIOSs..!! But your's is a pretty premium Acer notebook, since it comes with Merom-2Ms installed..!!
You can try uninstalling and then reinstalling the respective LAN or WLAN drivers....

Ok, heat issues, I ll try to explain briefly..

Now the T5250 and the T8300 have the same TDP, but the T8300 operates at a lower voltage.... (lower power consumption)
The T8300 has a smaller die size than the T5250.... (lower power consumption)

And TDP comes into play when the CPU is at full load, and the cooling system was actually made for CPUs with a TDP of 35W.. (Which is the amount of power the cooling system in the 7720 is required to dissipate the heat produced by the T8300 or any CPU with a TDP of 35W) {Manufacturers always keep an extra margin for heat issues.}

So, you won't have any heat issues unless the BIOS doesn't recognise the Penryn, which it would, since the 5315 shares the same BIOS, and there have been successful T8300 and T8100 upgrades in the 5315 sticky..

So, if all works well, you should see the CPU running a bit cooler and much faster than the previous one..alongwith a slight increase in battery life..!!

Feel much better after puking it all out..

 

see andag they are the same board... just better aspire models have more connectors soldered to the board...

i just wonder if i could solder the missing the connectors and get the functionality.

 

Yeah, they are the same....maybe some business sorta codes used by Acer..!!
Lucky you if you can upgrade to an i965PM mobo..

 

You guys like totally rock dude. For real. I'm going to be upgrading the HDD too =)....SO...any suggestions haha.

Edit: I fixed the link "The HDD I'm thinking about"

 

That link doesn't seem to work....

SATA HDD..?? I guess so..

WD3200BEKT or Seagate 7200.3 or Hitachi 7K320..!!

I would go for the WD3200BEKT, since it is faster in most benchies as compared to the others....and the retail HDD has a 5 year warranty..!!

7K320 is good, but I read in the H/W forum that it has a vibration problem, so best to stay away..!!

I am using the WD3200BEVT OEM, and it is pretty fast, quiet, cool and cheap..
The 7K200 is a good option too..!!

Check out this thread....

 

Hitachi... all the way.... and a 5k320 should have the same data transfer speeds as the 7k200 due to higher data density on the 200gig platters.. (you do loose just a bit of seek time... but not too much)

plus hitachi drives seem to be more reliable (long term anyway) IMO

 

So I think I got everything to make my laptop everything I wanted and more lol. Thank you guys for all your help and I'll update as I upgrade . Wish I could have done something about that GPU though....Oh well life goes on.

 

Confirm which MXM it is....it might be printed on the GPU or motherboard..!!

 

I can't find a screw driver to take the compartment door off lol.

 

PULL IT OFF... after removing the screws holding it in place

 

I have this exact same model : 7720-6395.

I've upped it to 4gb ram, added a 200GB 7200rpm drive, replaced the 8400m gs with an 8600m gt, and replaced the t5150 with a t9300.

Still running vista, but want to try x64 vista or x64 xp.

Lastly, I want to install the internal bluetooth.

Jim

 

WOW You did exactly what I want to do lol!! Dude how is your system running for you?

 

:laugh: That sounds like a plan. I can't say this enough, you guys ROCK! :yes:

 

Ok, Download GPUz, paynej and give the good guy some info regarding the 8600M GT, by uploading a screenshot of it....A screenshot of CPUz will be helpful too..

OP: Pls upload a screenshot of GPUz..

If you can confirm it is an MXM-II, then the upgrade might be possible..!!

 

Here's my screenshot....not that you asked for it, but I thought it would be fun to do lol.

 

Just to make you feel happy, I think it is possible to upgrade the GPU....
Your laptop maybe having an MXM-II connector (after looking into the SG closely)....I found this, saying the 8400GS is MXM-I, but a MXM-II connector supports both MXM -I and MXM-II GPUs....!! Then I found this....8600GS with Acer VBIOS..!! So, look for a 8600GT on ebay..!!
The 8600GT with GDDR2 should work, but I am not sure about the 8600GT with GDDR3, but both are MXM-II, I think..!!
Check this and this

 

I think that your motherboard has a MXM-II connector....
Compare the image (mounting holes) with the link....


And this is a cheap one, but you would have to reflash the VBIOS somehow..

 

Thanks a lot! I found a GT for $200 from the same seller. I'm guessing that my laptop is compatible because there really isn't a difference between the 7720G and my model....I think the difference is the GPU now that I think about it. And this seller says its compatible. I'll take it apart to be sure though. Its been a year since I've taken apart a laptop though lol. The last one I took apart was a HP ze5300 lol.

 

It looks like a type II 41mm

 

I bought my 8600m gt from amazon for $135.

http://www.amazon.com/VGA-for-Asus-...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1217133467&sr=8-1

You will have to flash the bios on the card.

 

Here's the shot from GPUz...

 

ok there are a few mobo's in the 7720-6395 that are odd.
one off's that are two boards in one or have all the holes sockets and chipets the are unique
would be nice to see some chipset code/markings from a few of you chaps. when you get the screw drivers out next time

 

something doesn't seem right

will get back to you

 

I think the 7720/G has only 2 mobos....one with X3100 and the other with MXM-II....

 

there is a third which they used but stopped producing after only a couple of hundred.
trying to find the id numbers those boards now

 

The system runs fast. I haven't overclocked anything, just did plug and play swaps of my parts.

If it's on for any long period of time (like 90 minutes or so) with the bottom fans covered it will shut off due to heat. So I bought a laptop cooler from Best Buy and it works just fine now.

I've heard on some of the boards that it is my T9300 causing the heat issues; but I tend to think it is the 8600M GT. But either way It's not a big issue for me.

The laptop comes with a tray that supports 2 hard drives. Currently I boot off of the 7200RPM drive and use the original as Drive D. Gives me 450GB of storage (seems obscene on a laptop, huh?)

I want to get an SSD and use it to boot from and see how much faster that will make the system.

Jim

 

That system is going to be a beast! lol. Wow. Whats your battery life like lol.

 

About 2.5 hours set on balanced.

I can still watch a complete DVD on a single charge (or stream a movie via flix onto my TV).

 

If you search here for 7720 you will find a few other threads where I talk about my upgrades and my experiences doing a blind flash to update the video card.