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    Any Mini-PCI modules that help with gaming and graphics performance?

    Discussion in 'Gaming (Software and Graphics Cards)' started by thinkpad knows best, Dec 19, 2009.

  1. thinkpad knows best

    thinkpad knows best Notebook Deity

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    I know there are HD decoders but that is just to take some of the load off the CPU in a notebook and doesn't help any other aspect. Is there any module that can supplement the GPU so that you could get a little better performance? Is there any GDDR3 modules that would supply the GPU with extra VRAM or is Mini-PCI link speeds the bottleneck for this?
     
    thinkpad knows best, Dec 19, 2009
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  2. Gophn

    Gophn NBR Resident Assistant

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    unfortunately there is no mini-PCI(e) device thats going to help for 3D graphics.

    you can look towards a ViDock if you want to have a better graphics card for gaming.
     
    Gophn, Dec 19, 2009
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  3. thinkpad knows best

    thinkpad knows best Notebook Deity

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    I guess not, i see though that the idea did sort of get off the ground with an MSI mobo that offered Mini-PCI format GPU's, but weak ones at that, and nothing compared to today, i guess this was because they would have no heatsink for more powerful ones. They did offer the ATI Rage XL.
     
    thinkpad knows best, Dec 19, 2009
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  4. acaurora

    acaurora Notebook Deity NBR Reviewer

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    Is there a particular reason why you are looking for ways to improve your laptop's gaming performance? Your T61p's spec's look fine, although I think you probably could benefit from more RAM, as well as switching to Windows 7 x64. And Turbo Memory does help, at least in my experience.
     
    acaurora, Dec 19, 2009
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  5. thinkpad knows best

    thinkpad knows best Notebook Deity

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    Yes i thought about upgrading to 2x4GB but i may just sell one of the 1GB DIMMS and put in a 4GB DIMM for 5GB, and i may get a T9500 to keep er a little cooler when i play GTA 4, and thermal paste on the CPU and GPU.
     
    thinkpad knows best, Dec 19, 2009
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  6. key001

    key001 Notebook Evangelist

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    yeah, you can plug in a PE4H/L into your mini-pcie, see the diy vidock thread. unless you mean mini-pci and that's something different than mini-pcie
     
    key001, Dec 19, 2009
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  7. thinkpad knows best

    thinkpad knows best Notebook Deity

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    yes i do mean Mini-PCIE actually. How can you plug it in though when the slot is located inside the laptop itself?
     
    thinkpad knows best, Dec 19, 2009
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  8. key001

    key001 Notebook Evangelist

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    In some latptops it's located on the bottom. I don't even know where mine is
     
    key001, Dec 20, 2009
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  9. moral hazard

    moral hazard Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    moral hazard, Dec 20, 2009
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  10. thinkpad knows best

    thinkpad knows best Notebook Deity

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    I may use the external GPU solution for when the laptop will be at home on a desk, which is most of the time, and then just use the stock 570M (8600M GT GDDR3) for mobile gaming. This would be great especially for my notebook since the GPU has the G84/G86 packaging material defect where it doesn't expand and contract properly when rapidly heating up or cooling down, so the external solution might avoid this problem.
     
    thinkpad knows best, Dec 20, 2009
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