Vostro 1700 and upgrading graphics card

I'm heavily debating picking up a Vostro 1700 with an 8600M GT to get me through until next year when a DX10 capable card that can actually run DX10 games is available. Is it possible to upgrade the graphics card in the Vostro 1700 to a 7950GTX or whatever is available mid next year?

I attempted to ask this question in the 1700 owner's thread several times but it seems to have been drowned out by shipping delay posts. I also did a forum search for 1700 and 7950 with no applicable results. Thanks in advance for any suggestions or insight.

 

I'm still surprised that people today really think there's real solutions to upgrading notebook graphics cards.

 

I'm afraid not, the gpu is attached to the mother board in notebooks. But the 8600gt is a good card, if you have it with 256 or 512mb and keep the drivers up to date it should last you a while.

edit:

@ Saneless; just a few more years and we probably can

 

Simple answer is you cannot upgrade a notebook's graphics card. What you get at the time of purchase is what you will have for the life of the computer.

 

I very easily and successfully upgraded the graphics card on my XPS M170 Gen 2 from a 6800 Ultra to a 7800GTX about a year and a half ago. Just wanted to make sure there weren't any potential "gotchas" in doing the same on a Vostro 1700.

Thanks for the responses.

 

Sager 9260 - http://www.xoticpc.com/product_info.php/products_id/1932

This one is listed straight from the dealer as "user upgradeable" on the video card. The video card on the Sager 5790 is upgradeable as well, from what I've read. Seems to me that there already are and have been real solutions to upgrading notebook graphics cards...just depends on which notebook you're looking at... which is why I was curious as to whether the 1700 is one of those. Seems it's not so I'll move on to something else which I'm sure will be much more expensive.

 

Ahh, thanks for the correction. Ok, most of them don't seem to be then

 

Next question... I've read that the Vostro 1700 and the Inspiron 1720 are identical except for the case and the options available. Does anyone know for certain that the 8600M GT on the Inspiron 1720 is hard wired into the motherboard or is it a PCI-e slot?

I'd pull the trigger on a 1700 or 1720 immediately if I were able to replace the video card in a year. This is essentially what I did with my M170 Gen 2 last year and it worked out great. I'd get a Sager that you CAN upgrade but, for business and tax purposes, I would need to finance the purchase with a Dell Preferred Account. If I could finance the Sager, I'd jump on it.

 

Post back if you purchase the Vostro 1700 with the Dell Preffered Account.

I tired this a couple weeks ago when the vostro released, and could not use the Dell Preffered Account that I have.

 

you can not use dpa in dell buisness

 

The 8600GT in the 1720/1700 is connected to the motherboard via a reverse MXM proprietary format.

 

for an experienced user that doesnt care about warranty does that mean its upgradeable??? iv dissassembled and repaired a dozen different laptops but iv never changed the graphics chip before.