Laptop Video cards

What is with all the cards now a day's that are not separate from the mobo. I think its a good thing really, there is no reason to have seperate hardware from each other besides for the fact of upgrading but technology changes fast enough upgrading any more you might as well get new everything instead of one peace of equipement. Is there a name for video cards that are apart of the mobo and cant be taken off that are still dedicated cards compared to ones that can be removed?

Is there a way to tell which cards are removeable and which arn't besides by pictures? The reason behind me asking is I think like 99% of the people that use laptops that have cards in them that are not seperate from the mobo have no clue. Why is this?

 

Even if the GPU is soldered onto the motherboard, most people would still call it 'dedicated' graphics, as long as it's a separate chip, and not part of the CPU or chipset. GPUs that are truly removable/upgradable are really only MXM cards, which are referred to as such, and are generally only found on high-end dedicated gaming laptops. It's safe to assume that if a laptop doesn't advertise MXM graphics, that it's probably not upgradeable.

 

I hope they start making some mxm media center laptops aimed towards general use in smaller form factors, that would be cool heh. Taking a look at how logical it is for people to buy laptops for just gaming isnt very much so. I think having more options to the end user would make things maybee cheaper and better in the notebook biz.

I realize the difference between the mxm and non replaceable video cards. I was wondering if there was a name people use for the cards that are not mxm.

 

Cards that are not MXM are either integrated into the processor (core i3/i5), integrated into the chipset (e.g., Intel GMA), or a dedicated graphics chip that is soldered on to the mainboard, usually with it's own dedicated memory. For details on cards and performance ratings go to:

to notebookcheck.com.

You'll find a comprehensive list of all types of mobile graphics solutions.

Also, with MXM, keep in mind that even if a laptop has an MXM slot, upgrading the card can sometimes be tricky due to the MXM interface version as well as the design of the original heatsink. For example, I have an MSI laptop and an Alienware, both have the same type of MXM slot, but I can't put the MSI's graphic card in the Alienware, and vise versa, due to incompatibility with the heatsinks.

Here's a good site for reference on upgrading MXM cards:

http://www.mxm-upgrade.com/

 

I would be, but that would never happen. Laptops that aren't business or gaming oriented are produced and sold at bottom dollar, and you just can't justify the additional expense of the MXM slot. Also, for smaller form laptops (say under 15") the extra size of the MXM card will make it difficult to design while keeping the smaller form factor.

 

an mxm slot would be always justifiable. the cost would be minimum. even a netbook could have a slot. it doesn't mean it had to have a card.
it would be very economical to use mxm.
the only problem surrounding upgradable graphic cards is that OEM's and ODM's ear way much more profits selling new notebooks instead of just selling graphic cards. MXM as more then 10years. it's not a technical difficulty.
the same for external graphic cards. it would be so easy to implement for example AMD XGP. external pci-e 16x cables and connectors do exist for a long time. no one implements it.
standards are the way to go. everyone can change the cpu, ram, hdd. notebook OEM's and ODM's don't make any of those and don't get money from selling. that's why you can easily change them. on the contrary mxm cards are made by notebook OEM's.
I remember when MXM started to appear. some brands like HP for example were so afraid of losing their business that they used to solder mxm boards to the motherboard. no reason for them to do that since there were some screws holding the card.
this problem will never be solved. the average notebook buyer +99% doesn't even known what a "GPU" is. people don't complain. brands don't want to change their business.
the only way this could ever happen is to a brand to start implementing. but then one of 2 things will happen: the company will be bought by another one (remember dell and alienware, voodoopc and hp) or everyone else will start to implement.

 

I go there weekly it seems any more.

Thanks for the analysis also very enlightening. I do really agree with 99% of the user base not knowing what a GPU is though. Thats why I made my own analogy about the situation. Theres no reason not to have mxm available on 13-14 inch laptops as long as the video card is made for the form factor. It doesnt have to be touted as gaming laptop, it can just be a media center laptop labeled.

 

There are many 14" acers with MXM. They are pretty good laptops if you can improve the cooling and game with a 9600m GT which is fully compatible along with the ati 4650.
This in particular is not issue of heatsinks that do not fit... It fits but its not good enough to keep temps quite under control.

I think its a bit too much to ask that manufacturers make all MXM cards to fit 1 or 2 heatsink designs. My thinking behind this in part is, we are computer people, right? We often figure out things that non technically minded people would take ages to figure out and do not even begin to understand.
...And we cant make some small mechanical modifications to pieces of copper for a good performance gain?
E. G. MSI gx630 can now use type III cards and this mod was pretty easy. Although I used a dremel I think this would be possible with some strong metal shears or wire cutters.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/msi...2-1-type-iii-cards-9800m-etc.html#post7085984

As far as the original subject, you have to go with the brand and era... 15-17" HP elitebooks all use standardish MXM, the 8*10 series has the vbios integrated in system bios but the ones made later were more normal.
A lot of gateways and emachines are based off acers, so if you have dedicated graphics then you can find the equivalent acer and see if its MXM. Toshiba uses removable graphics pretty often, usually with vbios integrated in system BIOS and an MXM connector but proprietary card shape.
And of course there is MSI who uses MXM on all their G series and thats pretty much how you can tell. Also they hardly ever make notebooks with a small type II or A card that cannot fit a bigger card, even if there was never a heatsink for it.

 

you sir have a limited knowledge of the mxm specifications. well the problem is not really yours, it's OEM problem since they don't trully implement MXM. that's why you ask for 1 or 2 heatsink designs. There's no need for that.
the MXM specifications already have 4 "standards".
ir your case the MSI GX630 does have a MXM III type slot but it doesn't respect the mxm standard since it doesn't have an heatsink capable of having an MXM III card, that's why you mod it.

it was supposed for you to upgrade without anykind of mod. since it has a MXM III slot it would respect all the thermal, electrical, and mechanical specifications of the type III and it you could change to any card type you wanted I, II, and III except IV.
anyway, there's no cards available for sale. they could implement it, like a very few ones do (not because they wanted but because it's easier and cheaper), but then you couldn't buy the cards.

 

I was not asking for only 2 different heatsink designs although truthfully it could be done.
I was saying the same thing and agreeing with what you just said LOL. I know the problem is not mine.

the MXM implementation in the gx630 is good enough for me. Thats why I said no one should be asking for multiple heatsink designs.
I don't even believe in the 4 standards of MXM 2.1 to be honest. My mod obviously supersedes that. The physical stuff like that is just not important to me as long as there is room in the chassis of course. The only reason I don't buy some MXM laptops is really because of the bad BIOS support for all cards.

The only thing I really disagree with in what are saying is that the MSI gx630 wasn't "supposed" to be upgraded like this.

The fact that there is BIOS support and room in the chassis goes to show that someone was planning for it to use MXM III cards at some point during its design and engineering stages.
If that was a a decision big enough for that person to remember, I think they would be very happy to see what I've done. At least I hope so.

 

If I'm not mistaken, only AW (15/17) and Sager have this option from what I've gathered on these boards. As for Sager, it could be some/all; I have no idea.

 

Multiple heatsink versions for different MXM types?
A lot of the MSI GX series is the same as a GT series but with a different heatsink for bigger or smaller cards...
Its weird:
type A/II | B/III
msi gx620| gt627
___gx720| gt725
___gt640| gx640
___gx730| gt735

All the same motherboard with different heatsinks.
The gx660 has no type A and the gx630 no type III AFAIK