Laptop graphics

[zack247]

Hi everybody, i just got a new laptop, a gateway t-1616, and ive noticed that its graphics have a little less power than i would prefer.
there is no dedicated Vram, as i have noticed on the motherboard, and in the bios i can allocate up to 256mb worth.

now for questions:
-is there any possible way i can allocate more ram for Vram?
-Dont say its impossible!-can i replace the graphics chip (ATI mobility radeon x1270) with a more powerful one?
-can i add dedicated vram to the motherboard?

ive done BGA chips before, both resoldering and removing/replacing, i have enough skill to be able to do this.

my current system specs are:
-AMD Turion 64 X2 1.90GHz
-2GB DDR2 memory
-ATI mobility radeon x1270
-14.1" 1200x800 WXGA LCD

whatever i can do to get the graphics better, i will.
and i dont mean decreasing the resolution in games, ive already done that, my graphics either need a better GPU, more Vram or both.
NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE.

 

[jaguarskx]

Video chips in low end laptops use system memory as their VRAM. If the whatever ATI app is used to allocated RAM doesn't allow you to allocated more 256MB of RAM, then perhaps you can search for a hack.

Dedicated VRAM cannot be added since the x1270 uses system RAM.

The x1270 is soldered into the motherboard since it is integrated into the 690G chipset and is sometime referred to as a "northbridge". The chipset basically controls the various components in the laptop such as the PCI slot, sound, ethernet, the type of RAM used and of course the integrated video. The 690G chipset is not pin compatible with AMD's 700 or 800 series.

Solution:

Return the laptop for a refund and spend additional money on a laptop with better video. Generally speaking, there are only a few laptops that allow you to upgrade the video card and they basically start at about $1,500. Additionally, finding a compatible laptop video card (MXM 1, 2, or 3 format) is rather difficult and expensive.

 

[zack247]

i cant return the laptop, i got it used from kijiji.

so maybe i cant replace the chip or add dedicated memory, but you said something about a hack?
anything to improve my performance here would be nice,do you have any ideas about how to do this hack to allocate more ram as vram?

 

[k1114]

I have a m-1617 with the exact specs, (gateways suck btw), I bought this 3 years ago I believe, and have regretted since but I only use it to browse and some older games so it's sufficient.

The ati driver for the x1270 is messed up, its actually a 128mb card and shows 383mb on the latest legacy driver they offer, an older driver shows the correct 128mb but has more issues.

Windows will auto allocate shared ram, I currently showing 958mb (383+575) video memory in dxdiag. I haven't been in the bios for awhile but you can check if there's an option to change the amount of shared ram. But adding more won't help as the card is just too underpowered.

It's really a low end laptop by today's standards. New laptops at around $600-700 will get you a laptop with a decent gpu to play new games at medium.

 

[zack247]

the only problem is im not able to afford a brand new laptop, im stuck to buying used ones.
my old laptop that failed (acer aspire 5670) had some pretty good graphics, plugged in it had 512mb and on battery it had 256, i just wsh it had been possible to turn off the hypermemory feature so i could have the 512 all the time.

im assuming your gateway had the same turion as mine does, did yours ever have heat issues? there isnt any intake vent on the bottom of my gateway, so it gets real hot real quick, but if i run it with the cover off, it gets quite cool, in facti once had the laptop shut down from a overheating problem.

they designed the fan intake rather poorly on this model (possibly even this series), there is maybe 3mm of space between the fan assembly and the motherboard, and thats all the space theyve left for intake, i think im going to cut out a vent on the CPU + ram cover to let the air in, my laptop is at 63* right now with just two tabs open in firefox on windows 7.

 

[k1114]

Yes exactly same specs and they look exactly the same. The only difference is screen size, mines 15.4" 1280x800. I use a cooling pad although I don't have it plugged in and I clean out the fan regularly. Having the battery in seems to heat it up a lot as well so mine is always out when plugged in.

If you could get a desktop, they are cheaper with better specs.

 

[zack247]

i have a desktop, but i cant take it with me to school so i figured i should get a new laptop, i have to do somethign in english class :lol:

 

[zack247]

Best answer selected by zack247.