Upgrading My Dell XPS L502x's Graphics Card

[ddak08]

Hello my name is devon. I am posting this to ask what graphics card i should go to next for and upgrade. My current Specs are...

Processor: 2nd Gen Core i7 Intel i7-2630QM / 2 GHz ( 2.9 GHz ) ( Quad-Core ) .
Memory:8GB / 8 GB (max) .
Hard Drive:640 GB - Serial ATA-300 - 7200 rpm .
Operating System:Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Edition .
Display Type:15.6 in TFT active matrix .
Max Resolution:1366 x 768 ( HD ) .
Graphics Processor:NVIDIA GeForce GT 525M .
Optical Drive😀VD±RW (±R DL) / DVD

I was wondering if you guys could help me out and maybe give me a video link to a tutorial on how to change the graphics card to what you suggest if possible. I am a very experienced gamer and am wiling to sped the money i need to have the best overall computer i need. I dont want a graphics card at the top of the market because i dont have that much money to spend on one. Try to find one in the lower to mid ranged market priceing plz. I hope you guys can help me out, Thx. 😀

 

[ddak08]

Optical Drive: DVD±RW (±R DL) / DVD-RAM**

 

[getochkn]

Short answer. You can't. The graphics are integrated on the motherboard and not upgradeable.

 

[ddak08]

I heard you could, according to this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yklqhb7PRXY

It say you can, idk if it has diferent specs but i am just trying to find out.

 

[getochkn]

I heard you could, according to this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yklqhb7PRXY

It say you can, idk if it has diferent specs but i am just trying to find out.

It does have different specs. Just because 1 Dell has an upgradable video card, it doesn't mean all Dell's do. I looked up the specs on your laptop, downloaded the service manual and there is no mention anywhere in the manual about being to replace the video card. Service manuals tell you how to change every piece on a laptop, so since your manual doesn't mention it, I am going with the answer that it's soldered to the board. Pictures of the motherboard also show the Nvidia chip soldering on to the board, so again I'm going with no. Some random youtube video that not's your model doesn't mean anything.

 

[ddak08]

It does have different specs. Just because 1 Dell has an upgradable video card, it doesn't mean all Dell's do. I looked up the specs on your laptop, downloaded the service manual and there is no mention anywhere in the manual about being to replace the video card. Service manuals tell you how to change every piece on a laptop, so since your manual doesn't mention it, I am going with the answer that it's soldered to the board. Pictures of the motherboard also show the Nvidia chip soldering on to the board, so again I'm going with no. Some random youtube video that not's your model doesn't mean anything.

Ok thx very much, now i need help deciding if the computer i have is good enough for what i do. I generally game, i am a webmaster, and i love to code and program when i have the time. I was wondering if the graphcis card i have now is good enough for what i do, and i want your opinion on getting the m18x alienware laptop compared to the m17x alienware laptop. I was just thinking is it worth it? or should i upgrade to a better laptop now? My dell xps is only about a year old, and if u dont reccomend the alienwares what would you reccomend? After all the revews and information i took in on the alienware m17x and m18x they are basically the same in comparison. I just dont know the diferences and i was wondering if you could help me out a bit? Thx.

 

[getochkn]

I'm not a huge fan of Alienwares, they are expensive and you pay. What are you looking for to spend?

 

[ddak08]

I'm not a huge fan of Alienwares, they are expensive and you pay. What are you looking for to spend?

I am lookiung to spend no more then 2000 dollars if it aquires my expectations. You are not a huge fan of alienware, neither am i but i dont know of any other Gaming laptops that arnt cheap or overly expensive, do you have one in mind?

 

[getochkn]

Are you set on a gaming laptop or keeping your current laptop for laptop stuff and build a gaming desktop? It's hard to get a decent quality gaming laptop and when you do, you spend lots of money and everything is more expensive. For $1000, you could build a monster gaming rig that could handle most games out there right now on max

 

[ddak08]

Are you set on a gaming laptop or keeping your current laptop for laptop stuff and build a gaming desktop? It's hard to get a decent quality gaming laptop and when you do, you spend lots of money and everything is more expensive. For $1000, you could build a monster gaming rig that could handle most games out there right now on max

I would like to conact you. Do you perhaps have skype? I was thinking of building a computer but ive never really had the chance to do it. I would like to do that so could you add me on skype so you could maybe help me get started? skype: devon.poirier1

 

[Marcus Davies]

Hi guys,

I have been having trouble with my video card on my dell xps 15 l502x for some time, constant game crashes needing to switch machine off to get out of.

I have tried updating all drivers, re installing all software even tried using a modded bios with lower voltages for the gpu. The only thing that comes close to working is to underclock the gpu. Even with this done there is still the occasional crash but enough to be very annoying.

I think i am starting to come to the conclusion the vid card is damaged in some way (even though it has worked flawlessly for about a year).

So probably i need to change the motherboard?

Is there a newer board with better specs i could put in if i am going to have to change it anyway?

Any help i could get on this problem would be appreciated, cheers!

 

[DDWWALS]

Hi guys,

I have been having trouble with my video card on my dell xps 15 l502x for some time, constant game crashes needing to switch machine off to get out of.

Hi Marcus

It sounds like you might have an overheating issue, laptops (namely the heat-sink that comes off the graphics card / CPU) become clogged with dust / dirt / hair and other debris over their life's especially if the fans are run at full speed for long periods which many high performance laptops are. Just having carpet floors or a cat/dog can cause quite a buld-up of crap on the fan and heat-sink, one way to tell is hold your hand over the exhaust port and see if it feels like the air is flowing freely out or does it feel slow and hot?

If you feel comfortable about cleaning it out yourself there are plenty of tutorials on how to take apart your specific laptop, you can get new thermal paste for cheap and it should work like new again.. That is of course unless your graphics card actually has a problem in which case yes you will need a new motherboard, but for no cost you should try to clean it out at least that will help confirm or deny your suspicions.

I suggest something like Arctic Cooling MX-4 rather than ArcticSilver5 because the MX-4 is safe to use on your graphics card as well as CPU and will do as good a job as AS5 (and probably much better than the factory thermal paste).

Most laptops need regular cleaning every few years just like a PC, some probably even need it more-so.

 

[apoorvh1]

HI,

I had recently opened up my dell L502X for cleaning out the dust. Seems the graphics chip is just pasted onto the mainboard with gum/paste/plastic. I have not tried to remove it but with correct tools, one should be able to separate it out of mainboard.
That said, was wondering what new graphics chip I can put in in place of the original card. Any suggestions on compatible nvidia chips?

Thanks!

 

[TVerres]

HI,

I had recently opened up my dell L502X for cleaning out the dust. Seems the graphics chip is just pasted onto the mainboard with gum/paste/plastic. I have not tried to remove it but with correct tools, one should be able to separate it out of mainboard.
That said, was wondering what new graphics chip I can put in in place of the original card. Any suggestions on compatible nvidia chips?

Thanks!

That paste you saw is actually the heat sink putty that transfers the heat from the chip onto the heat sink. I had actually changed out the putty on mine as my brother bought a tube and it was enough for two. As for the actual connection of the chip: Usually they are soldered onto the board, and would require a soldering iron to remove.

In regards to the NVidia chips, I'm actually looking into this myself. Currently the NVidia GE Force GT 550M that I have in here is terrible. Every so often, the game would lag and the sound would be jarred like you were playing something in extreme slow motion. At that point, the video would crash out, you'd be sent to your desktop with a nifty "Display driver stopped responding and has recovered - Display driver NVIDIA Windows Kernel Mode Driver, Version XXX.XX stopped responding and has successfully recovered". I was told by my brother that the laptop and card combination is the cause of a massive headache that we are both having while playing games. I'm about to look for some AMD options, before I just abandon ship on the Dell and find something else.

Edit: I would like to mention that I did try to have the most recent update in drivers, I did downgrade, clean install, etc. It literally has to be the compatibility of the card and laptop, or the fact that NVidia is doing a bad job in making a compatible driver for the card and the laptop.