Laptops and Graphics Cards

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
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The Darkside
Can you add or change a video card in a Laptop. For example, I want a new Laptop and one with intergrated graphics will do me now but say in a few months when I decide I want to play some basic gaming, I would like to add a graphics card or whatever so I can play these games.

Is this possible?
 
Some manufacturers, particularly in the very high-end price range, have upgradable graphics. If you want a small laptop or something not very expensive, you're out of luck.
 
Just because it's upgradeable doesn't mean a replacement MXM card is out. Basically a laptop is non upgradeable, apart from memory (still limited) hard drive and perhaps CPU.

First you have to find a laptop with MXM I/II/III slot, then whenever a upgrade is available find if the thermal disspipation of the current GFX cooler is suitable.
 
You also have BIOS support, the cooling issue I said earlier (ie a Mobile X700 will have a lower spec cooler compared to a 7800GTX Go) battery, and power supply issues (ie the Dell M70 videocard thread on notebook forums, you needed to flash the BIOS with a hacked firmware file, upgrade the battery to higher cell count, replace the charger with higher watt capacity)
 
Cheers folk.

So really I need to fork out £1000+ for a laptop or buy a mid spec laptop and spend a few bob on a new graphics card for one of my desktop machines when needed.
 
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