Newbie video card Q's

[blueedge]

Hi, from my questions, you'll realize I'm new to notebooks...

What brands of notebooks are you able to install and upgrade your video card? And where can I buy the Nvidia/Radeon notebook cards from? does someone know the prices?

I'm trying to do this all on the cheap, by buying a mid powered machine, then upgrading the graphics card.

Anyone have any advice? Besides, 'just buy a top of the range notebook with a good card already installed!'.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[blueedge]

A follow up to my first question.....

Are all notebooks which have shared memory in the video cards intergrated? How can you tell if they are upgradable by looking a the specs?

 

[RaPTuRe]

<<<What brands of notebooks are you able to install and upgrade your video card?>>>

Dell is the most prominent, I don't know of any others.

<<<And where can I buy the Nvidia/Radeon notebook cards from?>>>

As all removable graphics boards are proprietary, you can only buy a board for your specific model of notebook from the specific company.

<<<does someone know the prices?>>>

You would have to call replacement parts from the company whose notebook you are using.

<<<I'm trying to do this all on the cheap, by buying a mid powered machine, then upgrading the graphics card.>>>

You are not going to get anywhere by doing that. If you buy a Dell computer, it will come with a dell graphics board installed. If you choose a low end one and upgrade it with a high end one, you will still have to go through Dell, and it would end up costing more.

<<<Anyone have any advice? Besides, 'just buy a top of the range notebook with a good card already installed!'>>>

Buy a top of the range notebook with a good card already installed, it is really the only way - unless you go for i.e. a 2nd hand Dell Inspiron 8200 with a slow card and upgrade it to a Quadro 4 Go 700 (4200 core).

<<<Are all notebooks which have shared memory in the video cards intergrated? How can you tell if they are upgradable by looking a the specs?>>>

Shared Memory pretty much means integrated. You can't upgrade the memory of an integrated card, not that it would make a difference if you could.

Ask around I guess, only the Dell Inspiron 8000, 8100, 8200, 8500; Latitude C800, C840, D800 have removeable Graphics cards that I know of.

Anytime, RaPTuRe

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