Upgrade Mobile Intel Graphics GMA4500MHD

[dilu]

Hi,

I have a Toshiba Satellite L500-D5310 Notebook.
(PSLU0G-01K005)
Intel Core 2 Duo T6600
3 GB DDR3 RAM
Mobile Intel GM45 Express Chipset.

Is it possible to upgrade my graphics card? Or can I replace the graphics with ATi or nVidia?
In PC-Wizard it shows there is 3 empty PCI-E slots and I can't find any slots outside the notebook.


Thanks.

 

[jaguarskx]

No you cannot. Unlike desktop PC, laptops have very limited upgrade options that are generally limited to the Hard Drive, RAM, and Optical Drive.

In nearly all laptops the CPU and graphics card are soldered into the motherboard. Only certain specfic gaming enthusiast laptops will have the option to upgrade the graphic card. Those rare gaming laptops generally start at $1,500 or more. An example is the Alienware M17x for $1,499.

http://www.dell.com/us/p/alienware-m17x/pd

 

[dilu]

No you cannot. Unlike desktop PC, laptops have very limited upgrade options that are generally limited to the Hard Drive, RAM, and Optical Drive.

In nearly all laptops the CPU and graphics card are soldered into the motherboard. Only certain specfic gaming enthusiast laptops will have the option to upgrade the graphic card. Those rare gaming laptops generally start at $1,500 or more. An example is the Alienware M17x for $1,499.

http://www.dell.com/us/p/alienware-m17x/pd

what is PCIx1 and PCIx16? How can I know whether my notebook supports this (internal/external)?

 

[jaguarskx]

Never even heard of PC-Wizard.

In any case, I am guessing the "PCI-e slots" reported by PC-Wizard are in fact PCI-e interfaces that are probably not being used. A discreet graphic card in a laptop uses the PCI-e interface, but since you have an Intel GMA 4500 graphics core in your laptop, there is probably no space for a graphic card or it has been disabled. Laptop graphic cards uses the MXM Type I, II, III formats which are much different than the format of the card used in desktop PCs.

In short, you cannot upgrade the graphic card in your laptop. Only gaming laptops that already has a discreet video card (i.e. not Intel GMA) might have that capability.

 

[jaguarskx]

Laptops do not have external support for PCI-e cards.