Upgrading a Graphics Card? <<<Read Before Posting>>>

One of the most commonly asked qustions around here is "Can I upgrade my graphics card?"

The answer is no, so don't ask.

And also - if you have a top-spec machine, don't ask "Can I run this game at high settings". Read the Graphics Card Guide, it breaks down video cards in their respective classes and will help you out.

 

NO, YOUR GRAPHICS CARD CANNOT BE UPGRADED!!!

Haha, just had to do it. Especially considering it was my idea to begin with.

Edit:

And before we get complaints, yes, some (VERY FEW) notebooks that use MXM or AXIOM graphics have upgradable graphics card. If your notebook has this option, chances are it will be touted SO MUCH by the manufacturer that you already know about it and don't need to ask. So don't.

 

So why is there a stickied thread in the Dell forum that says that certain laptops actually can get a video card upgrade?

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=1562

Not trying to be a pain. Simply looking for clarification.

 

That's with a Dell. We're going for a general and accurate statement. 99% of notebooks cannot be upgraded. The other 1% are the Dells and MXM/AXIOM notebooks.

 

Got it. Thank you.

 

the i9300 can be upgraded right?

 

Yeah, I think so.

 

As long as it's with another Dell video card. You can't for example take the 7800GTX out of a NP5720 and stick it in a Dell, but I believe the 7800 that is in the e1705 can be installed into the i9300, but I believe you need a 9 cell battery, and a ac adapter, but that may only be when upgrading from the X300 to a 6800, not for sure on that part.

Matt

 

I recently bought a SavRow Blade-75 laptop, which apparently features upgradeable graphics ( http://www.savrow.com/Racing/blade-75 )

It already has a Nvidia 7800 GTX so I won't be upgrading for a while, but its nice to know its possible...

 

Looks like a Clevo M570.

 

Agreed 99% of notebooks on the market cannot be upgraded unless they are MXM/AXIOM and even if you were to upgrade your MXM/AXIOM card, who knows if the actual notebook frame could run that next generation card "safely"

What I mean by running the new card safely is that the new video card will most likely (unless they find a way around this) kick up extra heat that could lead to system crashes or damage to your componets. There's a great diffrence between the amount of heat that a 6600 go and a 7800 GTX generates

We really won't know if MXM/AXIOM cards can be upgraded safely for an example upgrading a 6600 go to a 7800 GTX and beyond until people actually start upgrading them which I don't see happening for atlest a year or 2 becasue, if you have atleast a 6600 or a x700, you can pretty much run any type of game just fine.

 

Remember to add, that is it DOESN'T state MXM/AXIOM, then it's not upgradable no matter what card, unless it's a Dell

 

Actually, MXM specifies everything, not just mechanical constraints, including power usage, how much power on which rail etc.

The real problem is manufacturers hardly ever seem to claim 'MXM compliant', meaning they copy the form factor etc, but they do not neccesarely comply with respect to power etc.

 

There are three different types of MXM modules:
-MXM 1: For ultraportables
-MXM 2: Thin-and-light (15.4" most likely)
-MXM 3: Desktop replacements

If you have an MXM notebook, you can only upgrade to another card in that class.

 

i upgraded my desktop video card
but its different then a notebook

 

i got this gateway notebook
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7628613&type=product&id=1130986342926
and i heard in a forum that if you have a PCI-Express video card on your laptop you can upgrade your video card. but you have to buy a battery that can support the new video card. is this true?? and is my laptop upgradeable in any way?? i saw the laptop at best buy and it is pretty thick(so i guess it's a desktop replacement)

 

How exactly are the Dell's different in upgrading? I cannot find anythiong on their site that says the cards are upgradeable.

 

Dell cards you can upgrade the card...as long as the other card was available in that model.

Like people with the E1705 Dell offered the 7800Go and now the X1400. So if someone gets the one with X1400 they can later upgrade to the 7800Go.

It works that way on a couple of the models.

Hope this helps.

 

Can you upgrade the video card yourself or you must send it to DELL service support?
I didn't know you can buy mobile graphic cards... I tought it was only manufacturer previlege.. something like that.

 

Sigh~ Somehow, this problem with laptop are always happen, so a lot of people willing to get a desktop, but not a laptop... Although laptops are portable...
I hope laptop's graphics card will just like desktop in the future, because it's upgradeable!

 

Hello !

Some companies allow us to upgrade our notebooks.
For example, Keynux allow processor, graphic card, memory, hard disk, optical drive, extension cards (right expression?) upgrades.
Maybe, such an upgrade is quite expensive, but I like it anyway.

 

I just wish they would make something like a PCMIA slot graphic card..would be nice

so u dont really have to get a 2k+ laptop for top performance on games....
hey, they made a pc slot for sound upgrade, audigy 2 ZS, maybe they can make for graphic card? but maybe they just dont want to?

 

That question has been asked many times - it is impossible to have an external graphics card. Try a thread search.

Chaz

 

You cant have an external videocard because a USB 2.0 is around 480 MBps max. AGP 2x is around 2 GBps...we have PCI-Express now, so imagine how many USB you would need to have 1 more fps with an external graphics card..

Charlie-Peru

 

This may be a dumb question, but if you buy a Dell e1705 with an ATI x1400, can you purchase a seperate nVidia 7900GS and just swap it? I know that Dell offers both configurations for the same model. I just wondered since they are the same model, and offered with the same cards as upgrades if you could just upgrade it yourself. I am assuming no though, because of different motherboards?

 

Yes I think the motherboards are different. One is nVidia based, the other ATI. I dont think it is possible, also because X1400 is MXMII and 7900GS is MXMIII.

Charlie-Peru

 

Thanks, I knew it was a stupid question ;-) I should have know there were many many differences. I just hope someday, somehow, somewhere, they would be able to make an upgradable laptop that would be pretty standard throughout the whole world.

 

Dell doesn't use the MXM format at all; they have a modified version that only works with their own notebooks.

I don't know if the motherboard are different, it isn't cost effective if they are. They're probably the same board, except with the 7900 card you have a bigger power supply.

Chaz

 

So based on that, would it be possible then to upgrade from a 7800 to a 7900? or could the power supply still run a 7900 when there was a x1400 original?

 

I recently bought a E1505 and asked one of the salesperson if you could upgrade the graphics card. They replied that the answer is no, so I'm not sure if it's possible to upgrade the cards and where to even find them.

 

When asking such questions one must do the math:

Position (not job) - Credibility + self proclaimed technical smarts = Salesperson

TheRealist

 

Yep thats the formule my brother uses. I am the technical guy tough...

Charlie

 

would the clevo M570U aka sager 5760 be using a MXM card(nvidia go7900, 512mb)? If so is it I, II, or III? Would I be able to swap it with a DX10 card when they come out? Thanks!

 

It does not use MXM, more of a modified, manufacturer-specific version of it. The only way it can be upgraded is if the manufacturer releases one. There is absolutely no way to tell whether they will come out with a DX10 card. I doubt it; by the time it is in laptops, the M570U will probably be replaced.

 

Just a thought.. if x1400 can be upgraded to 7800Go in an E1705, then why is it not possible to upgrade the x1400 in an E1505? do they have different slots for the X1400?

 

I would like to expand your bit-lacking upgradable graphics section. I like ther rest of the guide.

---

There are currently Three standards for notebook graphics upgrades.

1. Clevo:

Clevo mostly makes DTR notebooks for Sager, Alienware, Widow, Eurocom, and others. Their notebooks that offer modular graphics are physically compatable. There are BIOS incompatabliies between D700/900 cards and M560/570/590 cards, which prevent proper function. The D900T has had many mobo revisions to meet power requirements, proper mobos are listed below. To see your d900t mobo version, remove the RAM cover and there will be a sticker.

For more info on this, visit http://www.notebookforums.com/thread131439.html for the bios incompatabilities.

http://www.notebookforums.com/post1679264.html#post1679264

D900 Cards:
6800 go DDR1/2 (for use in D900T all revs)
6800 go DDR3 (requires heat plate modification for launch model D900T)
Mobile Radeon X800 (requires mobo 4.2/4.3 and heat plate)
Geforce Go 6800 Ultra (requires mobo 5.2 and 220W AC Adapter)
Quadro FX 1400 (all D900T revs)
Geforce Go 7800 GTX (requires mobo 6.1 and 220W AC Adapter)
GF Go 7900GTX 256 (requires mobo 6.1 and 220W AC Adapter)
GF Go 7900GTX 512 (requires mobo 6.1 and 220W AC Adapter)

If you have the D900K, you do not have to worry about these power requirements, as the 900K mobo supports them all and all ac adapters are 220W.

M5xx Cards:
Mobile Radeon X700 128 (Used in sager 5710, known as Clevo M570A, dual battery option available. Upgraded with a D900 7800GTX by an unknown NBF user, had 4 squares problem. Upgrade to X800XT possible.)
Mobile Radeon X700 256 (Used in M560A/Sager 5320, was upgraded with a D900 7800gtx which required physical modification of the heatsink assembly and gave the normal "4 squares" problem. See link above.)
Mobile Radeon X1600 - Altcard for 570U Clevo model / Sager 5760. Upgrade to 7900 has not been attempted as of 7/17/06.
Mobile Radeon X800XT - Altcard for 570A notebooks, could be used with dual battery unlike 7800gtx.
GF Go 7800gtx - Used in Sager 5720, dual battery not possible. 7900 upgrade not attempted yet.
Gf Go 7900gtx - Used in Sager 5760/570u, upgrade from 256mb to 512mb available for $50 + card exchange.

I repeat, YOU CANNOT USE D900 CARDS ON 570 series notebooks without problems on the LCD. External monitors will still work fine.

Cost of a new D900 7800gtx mobo is $450 at RJTECH.COM, or sager will do the upgrade for $800.

Upgrading between 7 series cards is not a good move due to cost.

2. Dell

Dell has 2 separate ways to upgrade your video card:

AGP:

AGP is outdated and a new lappy is a better bet.

- The 9100 and XPS can be upgraded to the 9800 Mobility Radeon 256mb. This card can still handle modern games when unlocked, but is $300+ on ebay.

- 8600/8500: can be upgraded to 5650 go or mobile radeon 9600 pro turbo.
- 8200/8100 can get the MR 9000 or Geforce Go 440.

PCI-E:[/b}

-The 9300 can be upgraded to the 7800GTX or 6800 Ultra from the X300 or 6800 by using a 130w AC adapter and 9 cell battery.

- The E1705 with integrated graphics cannot be upgraded to any card. X1400 to 7900gs upgrades are possible.

Visit the DELL section on NBR or NBF for more info on XPS.

3. MXM:

MXM is the new standard pushed by NVIDIA for universal upgrades. Currently, Armia and Uniwill have full compatability. Gateway cards do not work properly.

Visit www.mxm-upgrade.com for more information.

Ice-Tea on Notebookforums.com is very knowledgeble on this topic.

4. Ghetto:

There may be other ways to upgrade your notebook, but these cases are rare and far between:

- Mobo replacement: For example, you could update a sager 5660 with Radeon 9000 to a Sager 5690 with Radeon 9700 by replacing the mobo. This usually works only when the gpu is on the mobo. This method has largely fallen out of style due to PCI-E graphics.

- Bios Hax: In the Dell section of Notebookforums, people are trying to hack the I6400 X1400 bios to update a I6000 with an X300

- Other: In a Clevo D800P, someone was able to take out the MR 9600 and pin-solder in a desktop 9600XT. This method is not very common as it requires special equipment.

---UPGRADING GRAPHICS IN MOST NOTEBOOKS WILL VOID THE WARRENTY.

 

So what about an i9400 with an ATI x1400,can I go to an x1600 or x1800 ???
Or are you just talking about switching brand names,I'm just starting to get into laptop architecture so please bare with me...

 

Unless Dell offers in that model, then no.

 

It is true Chaz

The problem about dell is that their video card's slots come vertical, so unless they make a video card of their own, then there is no way to install one.

I know many guys here disagree with my point of view about upgrading to nvidia 7900 on an E1505...
But with professional modifications if you have the means, I say it can happen.

 

Thanxs for the info Chaz

 

Hi, I don't know if this has been discussed ...

I own a Compal CL50. I bought it about two weeks before they came out with the new CL56, and as far as I can tell, the only difference between the two is paintjob and video cards.

The CL50 uses an ATi Mobility Radeon 9000, while the CL56 uses a 9200. It is my hunch that a 9200 from a CL56 will most definitely work in a CL50.

I've looked everywhere for a 9200 out of a CL56, but I've never had any luck. I want it more for the sake of just having it and to see whether or not I'm right than actually having a better video card, lol.

Anyone have any thoughts on this? Whether or not it will work, or where I could find one? Cheers.

 

Probably won't find that card - the cards for most notebooks are proprietary, as in, they will only work for that notebook. the card might not even be removable (it may be soldered to the motherboard). Either way, going from a MR9000 to a MR9200 will equate to very little performance gain. It's not worth it to upgrade.

 

I know the cards are proprietary. Like I said, I suspect literally no difference between the CL50 and the CL56.

I have actually seen many CL50 MR9000 cards on eBay and other places ... it's just the CL56 MR9200 that I can't seem to find at all. This is strange, considering that the CL56 replaced the CL50 and was much more popular.

I am pretty sure that I can perform the swap because all the pictures of CL50 MR9000s I've seen have the card connecting with just a connector and not soldered on. I would check my own card to see, but to access it, you need to remove the CPU heatsink, and I don't want to go throught the hassle of reapplying thermal paste, etc. Besides, I'm pretty sure the pictures I've seen are accurate.

Again, I want the upgrade just for the sake of doing it.

P.S. Hey, I didn't know Donald Stratton surfed these forums! Hey Donald, the CL50 I'm talking about was one I bought from you guys! (As a PowerPro M 5:16) Do you have any thoughts on what I'm suggesting? I'm sure you know the internals of these two models way better than anyone else here.

 

Could I have a bit of real geek help?

I have an Inspiron 6400 with an X1300. I've asked Dell whether I can upgrade it to an X1400 and I've asked 5 Dell people - 2 said yes and 3 said no. I'm not very impressed with Dell customer/tech support LOL!

I've been told no, because it's integrated and so can't be upgraded, and yes, because Dell also supply the same model (UK model) with an X1400. I'm left to decide between the answers Dell have given me!.

I've found a source for an X1400 card or chip, not sure which it is, now I want to know whether I should buy it (ebay) or not, ie whether I can fit it or not.

Does anyone know better than Dell seems to know???

 

You can upgrade it as long as you already have one of the dedicated cards already in there. If you had an E1505 with integrated GMA950 graphics, then it could not be upgraded because that is integrated into the motherboard.

 

Is it not possible to upgrade a notebook with Integrated graphics by adding a card into the PCI Express slot??

Also is that what a Type 2 PCMCIA 2.1 slot is?? Can I add a graphics card that way?

 

Hi Chaz, thanks very much for the help.

 

Impossible! Sorry

 

Some of the big size laptop can do, right?

 

what about lenovo 3000 n100 0768 ? is there a chance to install a new gpu for it ?is the integrated one solderd or can it be disabled & install a gpu in pci-e slot ( i don't know if my notebook has a free one or not) ...help .....i'm addected to games & the gma 950 is not enough..