Can you change W3J video card?

Is it possible to put an Nvidia go 7800 card into the W3J?

 

No, both the x1600 and 7600 use different motherboards (chipsets), and you cannot just go and swap between them sorry

 

i think the 7800 is way to big.

The 7700 - which i think is just as fast as the 7800 is probably the right side. Problem is that, although they are supposed to be made to be compatible with one another, they are all really custom fitted to each notebook model.

I'd say the only way you could POSSIBLY do it would be to use the next model of graphics card that appears in the next w3j. But you'd have to find someone who would sell that to you.

but like he says, if there is a 7700 in the next w3j then they will probably have a new board. If it is an x1700 - then maybe - but i hear they arent that great anyway.

 

oops, he said 7800 not 7600. But the 7800, definitly not...too big, wrong motherboard, all wrong!! O and Jacen, I believe the 7700 is MXM, which means it should use the same chipset as the 7600. You could take an A8Jm and take out the 7600, and put in a 7700 if u want..probabaly not worth it though.

 

Although the W3j's graphics card is removable - and quite easily actually - I don't see anyone "upgrading" it in the near future. The merom based W3 isn't supposed to have a different card, although I'm sure that next years santa rosa based W3 will have some next generation card.... now, will that fit? Your guess is as good as mine, but it may..... and if it does, you may be able to make that upgrade. No one can tell you otherwise until it happens. Right now, I don't see any other card in any Asus that physically works in the W3j.

 

That is fine that the 7800 would not fit. So it does have to be made for the right board? I am just trying to see what my options are down the road. I am not unhappy just questioning. I am always trying to make a computer go faster.
1. Also is it an MXM slot or are they still not the same?
2. So say if I could find an x1800 or something they would not interchange?
3. Are the Meroms going to work in the W3J?

 

Right now - be glad the x1600 fits.... that was a completely unexpected update this summer when the W3j came out and it was unexpected because there was plenty of doubt that it would fit with the given thermal evelope requirements..... a 7800, even though I'm sure they could make the card fit, the heatpipe probably couldn't be designed into the system as it's already super packed....

1. the only MXM slot I've seen is that on the Z71v (M7v), although the W3j certainly seems the same.... I don't have a measurement on both, but they're both physically removable cards sitting in a slot much like an so-dimm or a mini pci slot...... I know, obviously on the W3 at least, the slot is pci express...

2. the only thing I could see fitting right now may be the x1700 that they're going to put on the W2p next month........ looking at the cards in the current model compared to the W3, they both look the same, but the W3 has a bigger heatpipe setup already.... so that may be interchangable........ but you're not going to just find something right now, or at least I don't believe so... I'd like to see you try and report back, but I can't help at this time.

3. yes, merom will work........ a bios update will be needed and eventually they'll be coming with them by November.

 

So these are not MXM is that just for nvidia?
I would like to try but I do not know where to even look for one at this point. In a month or so I will try. The x1700 and x1800 seems to be very elusive. I can't remember seeing either on a notebook any where. I do not want to overclock I have before but I am always afraid it may cause problems. Thus the reason for looking for a faster video card. I really like the W3J but it seems sluggish starting up. I have taken the things that I could out of startup. I do not want to take the program that regulates the processor because I can get so much battery life out of the machine with it. Could that be because I converted from fat32 to NTFS? It runs everything fine and has good numbers but I am just curious if that could be part of the slow startup. Or could it be hanging in one of the slower battery saving modes? The x1600 runs everything fine it is the initial startup that has me baffled.

 

Im wondering if your startup slowness is the cpu throttling down. Might be some of your battery saving features thats causing the slowness. You could help speed it up too, if you dont already have 2 gb of memeory, get it.

 

the w3j is definitely advertised as having the gpu soldered into the motherboard.

the a8jm has a removeable card.

Justin are you saying the w3j has a removeable card? And is it the same as the a8jm.

I think youre mistaken

for instance is this the card?

http://estore.asus.com/shop/item.asp?itemid=3284&catid=461

For sale for the a8jm, but not for the w3j.

a8ja also has a x1600 a8jp has x1700, all removeable cards. all the same form factor.

w3j is advertised as having the gpu soldered onto the main board. for space reasons.

Can you double check your information. Do you see the w3j gpu taken apart and you replace faulty gpu cards for the w3j at your shop? Is this the part you order then? I mean , this is very important information if you are correct Id like to know.

 

I'm saying that I can physically see the card seperate from the motherboard, in a slot..... I'm not mistaken... it doesn't mean Asus has a replacement card for in stock, but I can tell you that I can physically take the card out. In fact, anyone with a W3j can take their cpu cover off and see the graphics card off to the side of the cpu..... with a heatpipe over it. You will see the card attached via a socket, which in itself will let anyone else see they can remove it......... You'll need to own a W3j in order to see that.

Asus has that listed as a $50 item..... all other removable graphics cards are listed at about $175-200... so I doubt that's the part, that may just be the whole vga heatpipe assembly.

The graphics card isn't "advertised" as soldered.... it just isn't going to be advertised as upgradable because there isn't anything else out there now to upgrade to, and no word on them being able to stick to a form factor for a long period of time.... so it could be categorized as "removable", but that again is really a waste of time because it means nothing.... If it dies, ok, well you can just replace that instead of the entire motherboard, but it's really not a big deal. Ok, well you'll spent half the price to replace the gpu instead of the whole motherboard..... but while it's under warranty, who cares..... and when it's out of warranty, is that a HUGE reason to buy it? No...

 

I am going to provide you with pictures justin.

Upgradeable? What about to the 7600 in the a8jm? This is what Im getting at.

http://translate.google.com/transla...&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&prev=/language_tools





Is this the card in the w3j? Ok, what I mean is, is that the form factor? the x1700 is exactly the same for the a8jp.

when the a8jm came out it was advertised as a removeable gpu. I mean pretty much exactly like you are saying.

Let me ask this one again. Have you replaced a gpu in a w3j at your shop, did you order a replacement part?


any other w3j owners want to help me out on this? Seems like information you would want to know.

 

Removable, sure but not necessarily modular. I would only assume it would be easier to replace a GPU if it somehow fried then the whole mobo, same with a fried mobo, just take off all the working parts and put it back. Saves cost there I would think.

 

It looks like I am not the only one wondering about this. I am glad more people are interested. The thing I would like to see is an a8jm video card next to a w3j video card. My excitement about the w3j is two fold size and Asus as the manufacturer. So I may have to live with the x1600 but I am not giving up until I know it can't be done. Just to get rid of the hypermemory or whatever it is called would be nice. Not on the x1600 but to have a replacement with 512 onboard or a faster GPU.

 

Please look below and you'll see what I'm talking about. This is a W3j and I just took these pictures for you a couple minutes ago to show you that I wasn't mistaken.

 

Links aren't working, J.

I'm assuming you are uploading them right now?

 

Yeah, sorry..... I know the folder I always put them in and figured out the names I was going to give the photos before they were actually put over in my folder on the server.... just needed to save them photoshop and bam... you were quicker than I apparently...

 

So I guess I can quit asking then. It had a good purpose and that is what I will stick with. Two batteries or two drives that to me is worth the whole enchilada. This got started because I have a 7800 that will be unused and I did not want it to sit around. I guess it can sit and spin.

 

Yea, I'm in a lecture ATM, zzzzz....

I can count the people sleeping with my hands and feet, and I'll still need a few more appendages to fully count...

 

thank you for your straight answer and time.

according to these pictures the form factor is entirely different from the a8jm to the w3j.

Ok, thats not the end though. Id like to see the form factor in the w2j, you earlier said that the part is possibly interchangable with the w2jp.

[edit the part, the x1600 in the w3j, it confuses me as it has 2 connections]

Ok, and one last assumption I have is that the f3jm has the same form factor as the a8jm gpu. I assume this because it uses the same letters and is available in the same markets and has the same gpus.
[edit no vga or assembly in the s96/f3j a m z etc series not compatible]

So, I am learning something I may organize for asus owners/potential buyers. Its possible the gpu of each line is form factor compatible, ie w3 w2 etc

[edit no not compatible. no known compatibility with any different asus models not called the exact same 3 letters such as a8jm a8jp]

[edit yes they have a $50 VGA assembly for the w3j, ok and no gpu. However the fact that theres an assembly for sale shows that it exists I understand what you said earlier]

 

Right, but what I'm saying is that Asus' estore is simply a view accessible to outsiders of what Asus' parts department has in stock...... all of those parts are typically used for warranty and non warranty repair - they're there to buy, but that's not the main use... it's really to get rid of parts no one really buys, but they had to buy a lot of in order to import them...

The graphics cards are all designed around the system..... the nvidia cards are basically in MXM format, but as you can see, the design of those systems are then a bit limited and it may very well be because of the placement of the graphics cards.

The bottom line is that you're not going to organize a group of people to buy graphics cards that don't exist yet........ I'm not saying you can't, I'm just saying that you shouldn't. The W2's graphics card can't be accessed as easily as the W3j and the motherboard needs to be pulled to get it off... I'm not about to do that for the sake of this conversation, but what I will do is come back to you later when we have the W2p's and I'll order in a replacement card just to have it...... and I'll let you know if it'll work then. I'm not sure of the differences between the x1600 and what will be an x1700 in the W2p, we we can find out later.

 

this is awesome that it is removable, it was advertised as soldered

 

Justin,

My use of the word "organize" was just to make an online guide, 'organize' the information of the various parts compatible in asus notebooks ( and possibly other notebooks)

You may have read something else into that. Im not into organizing purchases or upgrades or whatever. You might be, you might have a good idea about it... If the w2jp part fits in the w3j that could be a side business. Maybe not I dont know.
If the possibility exists wouldnt that generate more sales of the model with the possibility?

A dealer is not the correct person to get the answers about upgrading your notebook always. But Justin gave us some data, and I learned a few things from this data as a side effect.

What I did was look at the spare parts and get a better feel for which ones are similar.

Asus e store has a lot of surplus parts. But not all the gpus at all. For old old items it has some but the one I linked is the only one made this year...
But heres one thing different about the gpu in the w3j and the a8jm, is that asus is the manufacturer of that part as well. It probably is not afraid of it ever running out but just the opposite. The 7600 go is what Im talking about.

I have personally no idea which cards would be available to the asus e store. I am HOPING the 7700 go is available in the same channel.

I asked justin pretty directly which parts are available to him and he answered it indirectly. It is a warranty related part. I think he indirectly gave us his opinion on the part compatibility between the w3j and the w2jp also which I wasnt even thinking about....

I think theres some good data in this thread that answers a lot of common questions about these models of asus notebooks.

I have learned something about the a8j series that I want to start another thread about and get some peoples input on.

 

Can you please show me one place that Asus has ever said any of their graphics cards were soldered, let alone the W3j? Please, I'd just like to know who is misinforming the public and if it's Asus, they're not idiots, but should know better... if it's someone else, it may be expected.

Also though, don't look too far into this... it's nice, in theory, but it's not awesome... only because it doesn't mean anything. There's a shot in hell you'll ever be able to upgrade that card... so please don't get your hopes up. I was simply showing it as a matter of proving a statement..

Finally, those that may have been curious... the bottom panel on the W3j which covers the cpu and gpu and extra ram slot does bump out from the bottom of the chassis a bit more than that on the W3v. The graphics card was in the same position on the older model, but the cpu cover was just that and did not extend over the gpu as the W3j model does. Given that they have made easier access to it does not mean they'll put out new cards, however given the popularity of the W3 and give it's only half way into it's life cylce at worst.... we're likely to see at least 2 MAJOR W3 updates - April of 07 and probably April/May of 08 before the W3 dissappears into the abyss by early 2009....... However a lot can change between now and then and the only way a graphics card will be available for possible upgrading would be if the card put into these future models allows for the same form factor to be used on one or two future chipsets from Intel..... given the past three chipsets from Intel, there have been basically as many changes in the way Asus has to construct graphics cards for them.... so it's anyone's guess.

 

Ok, a few things here... based on your posts, I'm curious where you're coming from. I'm not reading too far into them, rather reading them and taking them at face value... when perhaps you want me to read into them further?! Are you a young person or perhaps from another country? Reading through your posts, I just feel I may be missing something and hope it's just miscommunication rather than misunderstanding... However for now, I just want to address a handful of comments.

1. If you or anyone else want/need parts, we have them, we sell them, that's not a big deal at all...... the big deal is there's no warranting parts like that and Asus will not certify them for say a different system.... so basically, if you're going to buy something at will because they're the same size - it's a risk..... I run a business and yes there is no surprise at the end of the year money is made.. but as a senior member of this forum, there are certain things I like to test out on my own before I let others make what may be a stupid mistake... I'm not sure what you'd call that, but I really don't want to see someone waste money or ruin their machine.

2. Ok, you say "a dealer is not the person to ask about upgrading your computer"..... ok, I may see your point, but I have just about as much experience, if not more than everyone in this forum combined.... yes I know that's tooting my own horn, but when it comes to these systems and pulling them apart and putting them together and basically down to the bits an pieces... I've been doing it for more than five years. Trust me, if you'd be willing to search the forum I've done my share of offering modifications and coming up with solutions to changes people want..... I swapped a P3 motherboard for a Centrino based motherboard in an old M2, I've given dedicated graphics to Z63 owners, I covered a laptop in leather a year before Asus even considered it, I backlit a keyboard on an M6 before it was the big question of the day...... As you can see... I get really pissed at being called a "dealer".... I'm the number one Asus fanatic this side of Taiwan and just because I found the gem that was an Asus notebook before other people and thought it should be brought into this country doesn't change my passion for their products. At heart, I'm simply our first customer... an R&D guy that gets his new toys months before consumers...... It's a habit, and a very expensive one at that..... I've owned more than 50 Asus notebooks in the last five years (that's probably 33% of what everyone else on this forum owns collectively) and I'll simply say this... there isn't a notebooks anonymous..... but if there were, "hi, my name is Justin and I have a disease."

3. As far as your knowledge of Asus is concerned, you must first know they are the number one manufacturer of motherboards in the world.... some people then still have the question lurking in their head "well do they make the motherboards in their notebooks?" .... of course... They're also pretty much the number one graphics card maker in the world as well..... and yeah, they design and make their own cards based on the chips from ati and nvidia... so they have complete control over those cards outside of the limitations in different chipsets..... You talk about finding graphics cards on Asus' estore, and you're looking for something to upgrade to, but what you're missing is that it's going to appear in a notebook first and likely months before they have spare parts....... you're looking around as if you're going to find something now and on top of that, assuming it's going to work. I can tell you that all of the nvidia cards that Asus has made that are seperate from the motherboard, are in MXM format........ the ATI cards on the other hand have been in 3-4 different formats........ but then again, in both cases, most of them are still part of the motherboard becasue they design of the system dictates the space provided for the components.....

I think after you read this you may understand a little more...... but basically, if you've made it here, you at least read what I wrote and I just want to say - if you have a special request and you'd like me to try something, simply ask me. I do the research here and I test things on my bill..... it's fun most of the time, but it's time consuming and can be costly, but to find a solution for possible issues like yours are what I really enjoy doing.... so contact me at your leisure through email and I'll be glad to mastermind an experiement.

 

Thank you.

I agree with you that you are very helpful with hardware information. I am trying to say that some dealers are not.
But Im not interested in talking about it because Im actually just trying to compile data on the parts and the compatibility.

My next question is this z62j, seperate 7300 card? same format as a8jm?

If you have a model to test. I was actually going to ask for help from a z62j owner.

As far as GPUs, Im pointing out that ASUS is the manufacturer of the 7600 go in the a8jm, but not the ati x1600 in the a8ja. And you see it for sale in the parts store, but not the x1600. Coincidence? Possibly.
The manufacturer of the gpu card usually says right on it. Who is the manufacturer of the w3j card? I dont know what percentage of mobile gpus asus makes. I actually only have the data on those two cards lol. One asus makes one asus doesnt.
I read what you said and learned something. I am trying to put together the reason why the 7600 go is for sale and the x1600 in the w3j is not. Do you have a better theory?


Thank you for your time.

My main interest in this is actually the possibility of buying an a8jm, and upgrading the gpu through the e store one day. But compiling the data on all the models would be helpful to the consumer in general I think. I think this is a daily question here.

edit im sorry I will actually send you an email about the possible parts compatibility.

 

Thanks for the great pictures. I was wondering if it would be possible for you to find out what type of graphics memory that the W3J's X1600 uses.

http://www.techpowerup.com/articles/overclocking/vidcard/106

Supposedly the choices include:

Hynix HY5RS123235FP-2 16MX32 GDDR3 500MHz FBGA 136 Lead Free M56P
Hynix HY5RS573225AFP-2 8MX32 GDDR3 500MHz FBGA 136 Lead Free M56P
Hynix HY5PS121621BFP-25L 32MX16 GDDR2 400MHz FBGA 84 Lead Free M56P
Hynix HY5PS561621AFP-25 32MX16 GDDR2 400MHz FBGA 84 Lead Free M56P
Hynix HY5RS123235FP-14 16MX32 GDDR3 700MHz FBGA 136 Lead Free M56P
Hynix HY5RS573225AFP-16 8MX32 GDDR3 600MHz FBGA 136 Lead Free M58P
nfineon HYB18T256161AFL25 16MX16 GDDR2 400MHz FBGA 84 Lead Free M54P
Infineon HYB18T512161BF-25 32MX16 DDR2 400MHz FBGA 84 Lead Free M56P
Infineon HYB18H512321AFL16 16MX32 GDDR3 600MHz FBGA 136 Lead Free M56P
Infineon HYB18T256161AFL25 16MX16 GDDR2 400MHz FBGA 84 Lead Free M56P
Samsung K4J52324QC-BC20 16MX32 GDDR3 500MHz FBGA 136 Lead Free M56P
Samsung K4J52324QC-BC20 16MX32 GDDR3 500MHz FBGA 136 Lead Free M56P
Samsung K4D553235F-VC25 8MX32 DDR1 400MHz FBGA 144 Lead Free M56P
Samsung K4J55323QG-BC20 8MX32 GDDR3 500MHz FBGA 136 Lead Free M56P

Obviously the best would be the Hynix memory rated at 700MHz. That looks like memory originally intended for the desktop X1600XT so that would probably have the best clocking room. Do you know if all W3J's use the same graphics memory? Or do they all at least have GDDR3? A W3J with DDR1 as it's graphics memory would be very disappointing and have higher battery consumption too.

 

Based on ATITool, my W3J has some memory that's rated at around 450MHz, so what does this tell us? Many W3Js owned by forum members are clocked about that figure.

 

If you follow mastha212's thread on overclocking X1600 in W3J, you should know that he succeeded to overclock his W3J over 510MHz, maybe more (530 or 540MHz), so why worry?

 

Asus basically makes anything with a pcb board... When you say they don't make the ati cards, who would you like tell me makes them? I'm just curious because the only thing I've ever seen in an Asus notebook that they don't make that's technically on a board is the ram...... I've seen broadcom modems with their name on the pcb, but outside of that, I can't say that I have. I've had 1,000's of these asus systems in pieces in front of me.... so I'm in a position to not only see these pieces outside of the system, but you get to know all of the language written on them over time.

Asus' estore stock has NOTHING to do with what you think it does... They're parts department was sick of getting stuck with parts they don't go bad, but that taiwan was forcing them to stock and taiwan was forcing them to buy a certain quantity of them...... they brought in far too many for the dealers to buy up on their own, so they just put everything that was above and beyond what they need online - trust me, any part, in any system can be had, but not to the public...... Certain graphics cards not being on the site only indicates one thing - lack of abundant stock.... those parts aren't on there to please the public and likewise, as one person suggested somewhere, certain items aren't on there because of their fail rate (that was one of those thought through ideas that really has no basis)..........

As for the other cards, I'll take a look, but I swear the z62j's gpu is pat of the motherboard... but like I said, I'll take a look.

 

PROPortable I will send the business to you that I can. I wish I had been able to get my W3J from you. At the time I was in need of a working computer A.S.A.P. and got it from another place I could get it right then. I still kind of wish I had gotten the A8JM. I like the Nvidia cards a little more. Thank you for the help.

 

I know. I'm just curious. The 450MHz stock memory frequency and 500MHz overclock ability points to the use of 500MHz GDDR3 memory which incidentally seems to be one of the most common configurations. I would guess that models that only score in the mid-low 3000s in 3DMark05 use 400MHz memory. I was just wondering if ASUS was particularly forthcoming in using higher specced 600MHz or 700MHz memory in their high-end models. It's quite possible that higher binned memory running downclocked would be cooler and more power efficient too, so there are benefits.

 

Asus most deffinately underclocks all of their graphics cards..... in terms of what memory they're using, that's not exactly a selling feature, and one that I can tell you probably changes batch to batch..... however the memory speed is sure to stay consistant.... call Asus and see if their techs know... I doubt they will, but they may..

 

Saphire is the manufacturer of ati x1600 I will show you pictures of the two cards.

The 7700 and 7600 say manufactured by asus on the card in a seperate word the ati card has a code that shows the saphire manufacture

http://www.google.com/translate?u=h...?storyid=2360&langpair=zh-CN|en&hl=en&ie=UTF8



im sorry google is down for me. edit back with the article on asus manufacture of 7600 go in about 12 hrs

 

Ive noticed the model number on the w3j has changed to w3jp, due date 10/6

 

Where did you see W3Jp?

 

I saw W3J- and F3Jp (F3 with X1700), but where is W3Jp?

 

The W3jp is the merom model..... they still haven't left Taiwan, but should hit customs during the second week of October, and to dealers by the end of October...... or November sales.

The W3jp is ONLY set to change it's cpu to Merom - while other models, such as the W2jp will also be upgraded to the x1700, it is not set for the W3jp. Just as a note, the F3jp will not be coming to the US.

 

So W3Jp = W3J-? OK then...

 

I seriously don't know where all the + and - and random suffixes come from really heh...

 

From Asus, of course!

http://usa.asus.com/products4.aspx?l1=5&l2=61&l3=0&model=1072&modelmenu=1

 

Yes, the term W3J- is from Asus' website. But not W3Jp.

 

No..... first of all, there have never been a "+" used by Asus, only random dealers trying to seperate one shipment change from another......

The "-" is only in there before as far as Taiwan goes, the "p" was just set like last week....... so "p" will stand for merom models on the 945 chipset on certain models... while it's going to be different for other models because the format wasn't thought out in my opion and that's probably because there wasn't originally going to be a change to this platform till next year where a whole new naming convention could be used....

For example... here are some merom models and how they are changing from yonah:

W2Jb - W2p
W3J - W3Jp
A7J - W7C
A8Jm - A8Js
F3Jm - F3Jv
W7J - W7jp
A8F - A8Fm

I think some of those may change, but that's what they're planning on going with.

 

Blah, too many suffixes

Why keep the Yonah 'J' when its the Merom, perhaps 'P'?

 

This may be a little off the subject. Asus told me that the merom would work in the W3J. This may be the reasoning for the naming strategy. Sorry they did tell me that a bios update would have to take place. It would be so nice if they would come out with an x1700 to go along with it or something without hyper memory???!!!!!

 

ok and then the next question is w7jp. Is that an upgraded gpu?