best video card 1720

if this is a repost im sorry.
im stationed in iraq, with very slow dial up speeds.
it took me almost 52 minutes just to register to this site.

i have a pretty good inspiron 1720. i have the 128MB NVIDIA® GeForce® 8400M GS.

id like a better card for gaming.
is there one?

thanks for any info
-james
[email protected]

 

Only thing higher than that is an 8600M GT.

BTW, it's not a great idea to post your email address right here in the open.

 

yes i guess your right, i should have used my business address for free advertising.

anyways,
is the 8600m gt a good step up, or would i not even notice any difference? on vista my over all "rating" is a 3.9
my ram, cpu, everything but my graphics is 4.9 or 5.0 but my graphics is at 3.9
i have 2g ram, and have read on a 32b system that anymore ram is a waste. i dont know the difference between 32 and 64 machines. im not a huge gaming person, but being stationed overseas, games are the big thing on down time. also i do alot of graphic design on photoshop, again not sure how much the graphics card affects photoshop.

lastly, is there a write up on taking apart the 1720? you know for replacing the graphics card/ ram? when im home i do custom airbrushing, and i want to fully repaint my system with some burning geiger style graphics.

thanks for any info
-james
WWW.IFITSGOTWHEELS.COM

 

You can download the service manual here
https://dcse.dell.com/ifr/Portables/Inspiron_1720_1721.zip

 

Can't add/upgrade video cards, so your either stuck with the one you have or return & buy a new one with a better one.

 

You can. The Insprions are one of the few notebooks which can be upgraded.

 

Okay then Razor2, give me a site which I can buy a card for it.

 

Call Dell and ask for them, there you can order a card.

 

and to answer the OPs question yes the will be a large difference. if u can get it

 

CHELET, thanks for the link to the service manual! only took me 8 hours to download it.. you gotta love govt supplied internet..


SLY97531, thank yo ufor the answer. i will be looking for, and buying a card as soon as one is located. i will also upgrade my ram, as photoshop and vista eat almost all of my ram.

 

i downloaded the latest driver for the 8400, and it made a world of difference to the graphics. company of heros has fire comign from the tanks engines now instead of the entire tank. when tanks are blown up, people fly from them.

also vista gaming graphics score went from 3.9 to 4.5 with just installing the new driver. (there is a thread on this site how to force the new driver install and it works great)

finally i ordered the new 8600gt card, and since i am here in afghanistan, i will see it in about 30-40 days. (must ship to my house first, then shipped from there to me here)