UPgrading an x1400 to a 7800 go?

Hi folks,
Has anyone successfully upgraded their x1400 to a 7800 go in their 9400/e1705? You can order a 7800 go for $350 Can from the dell parts dept. Can you just "pop off" the x1400 and seemlessly replace it with the 7800 go without modifications? Plus, is there instructions on the web on how to install the new card once you get it?

Thanks

 

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins9400/en/sm/video.htm#wp1006368

Four screws unmount the card from the motherboard, ready for the new card. I hope this helps.

 

Are the X1400's different in the E1505 and E1705?

Reason why I'm asking, is, can I put a 7800 Go or something like that in my E1505 despite Dell not offering them yet...

 

Yes, the heatsinks are different in size. The screw pattern wouldn't match up. This is coming off data that I know about the old x300 in the i6000 and i9300.


The e1505's card.


The e1705's card.

 

is just the heatsink a different size, or the whole card?

 

So is there an option for upgrading the 6400/E1505 videocard, or not?

 

No, there is no upgrade option for the 6400 beyond the X1400.

The whole cards look different, just look at the screw configuration.

 

Would it be possible to put the 7800Go in the E1505 with a mod though? I know it will not fit right in, but it seems like you could mod it to fit it in. But could the E1505's motherboard and BIOS support a 7800Go. Or perhaps you would need a BIOS hack. But would the E1505's power supply even be sufficient to run such a beast? If so that would be cool.

 

Would it be possible to put a 7800 GTX in an e1705 as long it already has the x1400 and not the GMA 950?

This video card listing once available on ebay says it's possible.

If so, has anyone done it? What about the 130W power supply? Absolutely necessary?

 

yeah, thats what i am wondering, if dell uses the same form factor for their laptops, not that i would go plugging one in, i just want to know the probability and how easy would it be for them to do it. but like its been said before, putting such a good card in a e1505 would only eat into their sales of the e1705. but hopefully down the road maybe the e1505 will get an "update". has that ever happened before? i think i have heard of some of their laptops coming out only integrated, and coming out with dedicated options later. either way i love my e1505 right now, it has done everything ive thrown at it. im waiting for the semester to end before i try and reformat it with xp pro though.

 

It has been done; however, you need to make major changes to the keyboard support structure for it to work. That means you could possibly break your keyboard or hurt your video card in the long run.

 

Thanks for the info, ccbr01. The 7800GTX would have been sweet, but I'm glad I didn't win the auction for one on ebay - too much risk for installation.

I'll stick with my OC'd x1400 until the 7800 Go's show up on ebay.

 

hey, thanks ccbr01. I did not know that there was a significant difference between the GTX and the regular one.

good to know

 

Psychowes-it is possible that they might "update" the E1505 in the future, as they already have once, when they began offering the ATI GPUs instead of only offering an integrated graphics solution. Originally only the GMA 950 was offered, but Dell realized they were screwing up and began offering dedicated graphics. So let's keep our fingers crossed, shall we?

 

So after a x1400 in an e1505, its not possible to upgrade it anymore? And what about the e1520? If its the same size as the e1505, is not possible to use the presumably more sophisticated video cards that will be released with it i.e. the 8600?