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.

    T420: Can you get an aftermarket 4200m?

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by Kalakzak, Jul 13, 2011.

  1. Kalakzak

    Kalakzak Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    42
    Messages:
    52
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    I was wondering if anyone knows if you can get an aftermarket Nvidia NVS 4200m video card and if so where.

    We have a whole bunch of new T420's coming in but all of them have the Intel graphics. Is it possible to take a few of those and after the fact purchase and install the 4200m card?

    I looked and did not see where they could be had and I did not see a thread here asking this (although I admit I did not look long) so I figured I would ask here.

    Thanks!
     
    Kalakzak, Jul 13, 2011
    #1
  2. Tsunade_Hime

    Tsunade_Hime such bacon. wow

    Reputations:
    5,413
    Messages:
    10,711
    Likes Received:
    1,204
    Trophy Points:
    581
    No the T420 has the GPU soldered on. The only way to upgrade is to change the entire motherboard and possibly the heatsink.
     
    Tsunade_Hime, Jul 13, 2011
    #2
  3. Colonel O'Neill

    Colonel O'Neill Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    300
    Messages:
    935
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Not reasonably; you'd have to swap out the entire motherboard, move over all of the individual components, and void your warranty.

    Maybe an external GPU solution would be acceptable? The 4200M isn't that much better than the Intel HD3000...
     
    Colonel O'Neill, Jul 13, 2011
    #3
  4. Mech0z

    Mech0z Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    80
    Messages:
    506
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Mech0z, Jul 13, 2011
    #4
  5. Kalakzak

    Kalakzak Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    42
    Messages:
    52
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    It is not so much the performance as it is the desire to use Optimus to push out to four displays.

    From what I have seen\heard\understood the native Intel card will not do that with the T420 but the Nvidia 4200m with Optimus will.

    Please correct me if I am wrong.
     
    Kalakzak, Jul 13, 2011
    #5
  6. lead_org

    lead_org Purveyor of Truth

    Reputations:
    1,571
    Messages:
    8,107
    Likes Received:
    126
    Trophy Points:
    231
    if you need 4 displays, then you would need a Nvidia Optimus equipped machine.
     
    lead_org, Jul 13, 2011
    #6
  7. Zuwxiv

    Zuwxiv Notebook Guru

    Reputations:
    14
    Messages:
    65
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    I just want to say - I have the T420s with Intel graphics. I've been very impressed with what it can handle. Neverwinter Nights 2, no problem. Monday Night Combat, seems to run fine. I'm not on the highest settings, but then, what do you expect?

    As for monitors, maybe an eGPU running through USB3 would be the fastest? Or Express Card.
     
    Zuwxiv, Jul 14, 2011
    #7