The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    gddr3 to gddr5

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by Jalen9762, Apr 16, 2011.

  1. Jalen9762

    Jalen9762 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    9
    Messages:
    393
    Likes Received:
    71
    Trophy Points:
    41
    on the amd hd 6850m notebook card are you able to change the video ram from gddr3 to gddr5? is it possible in anyway if it is how hard is it? Currently on my acer 8950g the card runs gddr3
     
    Jalen9762, Apr 16, 2011
    #1
  2. Simplified

    Simplified The Most Awesome

    Reputations:
    428
    Messages:
    766
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    You can't change the graphics card ram. The memory chips are fused on the card
     
    Simplified, Apr 16, 2011
    #2
  3. Peon

    Peon Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    406
    Messages:
    2,007
    Likes Received:
    128
    Trophy Points:
    81
    Maybe if you had a professional soldering station...
     
    Peon, Apr 16, 2011
    #3
  4. sgogeta4

    sgogeta4 Notebook Nobel Laureate

    Reputations:
    2,389
    Messages:
    10,552
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    456
    You would also need quite a bit of technical skill...
     
    sgogeta4, Apr 16, 2011
    #4
  5. Meaker@Sager

    Meaker@Sager Company Representative

    Reputations:
    9,431
    Messages:
    58,189
    Likes Received:
    17,900
    Trophy Points:
    931
    Yes changing memory chips has been done however changing type could be tricky:

    1: GDDR5 would require a modified bios.
    2: GDDR5 is much more picky about trace routing in terms of interference.
     
    Meaker@Sager, Apr 17, 2011
    #5
  6. svl7

    svl7 T|I

    Reputations:
    4,719
    Messages:
    3,758
    Likes Received:
    134
    Trophy Points:
    131
    Really? Wow, didn't know this. Do you have a link to such a mod?
    I thought there would be an issue with the RAM controller...
     
    svl7, Apr 17, 2011
    #6
  7. Meaker@Sager

    Meaker@Sager Company Representative

    Reputations:
    9,431
    Messages:
    58,189
    Likes Received:
    17,900
    Trophy Points:
    931
    The controller is built in and AFAIK the pads have the same layout (notice that cards can have mutiple white outlines around the ram? Thats for different types)

    The bios would tell the chip which mem controller to activate or which mode to set it in.

    The only mod I know of was someone taking the ram off their graphics card and putting higher rated stuff on and he did get higher mem clocks.

    However even going to all that effort, the bios issue may scupper you.

    However if you really want to be bat **** crazy and win the internet:

    1. Extract your system bios.
    2. Find video bios.
    3. Remove bios and replace with GDDR5 version.
    4. Repackage bios.
    5. Flash bios (system will now not boot).
    6. Open up you system and remove the motherboard.
    7. Replace mem chips with GDDR5.
    8. Replace board in system.
    9. Hope the machine will now boot since the correct memory type.

    However I am unaware of any GDDR5 6850's atm.

    If you have the time and cash to replace the system if it all goes wrong, would be a funky project.

    I would only recommend people with extensive knowledge and access and experience to BGA soldering do this.
     
    Meaker@Sager, Apr 17, 2011
    #7
  8. TomJG90

    TomJG90 Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    46
    Messages:
    425
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    You also have a much greater memory speed. Seriously , your better off selling the laptop and get a new laptop.
     
    TomJG90, Apr 18, 2011
    #8