Video card substitution

Sergiogodinho · 11-05-2008, 05:46 AM

Hi there!
I'm sorry about my english. It's not very good.
I wnat that someone explains me how can I change the video card in my PC. I have the ACER ASPIRE 5602 WLMi with the windows XP and my video card is the Intel(r) graphics media accelerator 950. Now i'm thinking to buy the ATI 256mb video card and i wanto to know how can I change it in my portable pc.
thank you for help me

**BCCOMP** · 11-05-2008, 06:36 AM

Hi,
You can't replace the video card as the Intel graphics media accelerator 950 is intergrated (part of) the motherboard.
Bill

bahamut27 · 11-05-2008, 07:40 AM

Hi there Sergio

If you're the "real" Sergio let me start by saying I love your songs ;) Yes I'm portuguese too

As for your question:

Its not as easy to upgrade your laptop like if it were a "normal" tower PC. A "normal" PC nowadays has a PCI-Express slot where you can insert and replace a video card easily - you basicaly remove drivers, shut-down PC, open PC and replace card, power on PC, install new drivers.

Your computer is a laptop/portable computer so I doubt you'll be able to do that upgrade simply because laptops have its GPU (Graphical processor unit) integrated to the motherboard (also laptops don't have slots available for upgrades). Also keep in mind that for an upgrade to take place, you'd have to swap GPU chip on Motherboard since its this one that is connected to your laptop screen - don't know if there's a single laptop on the market today that allows it... maybe in the future?

**BCCOMP** · 11-05-2008, 08:11 AM

The only laptops that you can replace the video card are ones that have an MXM card.
These are also limited at the time, due to the new technology:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_PCI_Express_Module

**BCCOMP** · 11-05-2008, 01:02 PM

Hi,
Thanks for the PM.
I think you will be limited, but the grapics card does share memory from the motherboard (base memory 128MB).
If you up your memory to 2GB (max for this motherboard), you maybe able to allocate up to 224MB of memory in the BIOS according to these specs, but I can not confirm this:

http://www.ciao.com/Acer_Aspire_5602..._TFT__15345939
Scroll down to Product Info.

But I have my doubts that you will beable to play your games successfully, even if the game requires 180MB for video graphics. This does not leave alot of free memory for your graphics (44MB).
Bill

11-05-2008, 05:46 AM	#1 (permalink)
Sergiogodinho Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 1 OS: windows xp	Video card substitution Hi there! I'm sorry about my english. It's not very good. I wnat that someone explains me how can I change the video card in my PC. I have the ACER ASPIRE 5602 WLMi with the windows XP and my video card is the Intel(r) graphics media accelerator 950. Now i'm thinking to buy the ATI 256mb video card and i wanto to know how can I change it in my portable pc. thank you for help me

11-05-2008, 06:36 AM	#2 (permalink)
BCCOMP Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New York Posts: 7,108 OS: Win XP SP3 / Windows 7 Beta / Open Suse My System	Re: Video card substitution Hi, You can't replace the video card as the Intel graphics media accelerator 950 is intergrated (part of) the motherboard. Bill __________________ PC Wizard \| Everest \| Power supply info \| Memtest86+ PC Running Slow Speedfan

11-05-2008, 07:40 AM	#3 (permalink)
bahamut27 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 7 OS: winxp sp3	Re: Video card substitution Hi there Sergio If you're the "real" Sergio let me start by saying I love your songs ;) Yes I'm portuguese too As for your question: Its not as easy to upgrade your laptop like if it were a "normal" tower PC. A "normal" PC nowadays has a PCI-Express slot where you can insert and replace a video card easily - you basicaly remove drivers, shut-down PC, open PC and replace card, power on PC, install new drivers. Your computer is a laptop/portable computer so I doubt you'll be able to do that upgrade simply because laptops have its GPU (Graphical processor unit) integrated to the motherboard (also laptops don't have slots available for upgrades). Also keep in mind that for an upgrade to take place, you'd have to swap GPU chip on Motherboard since its this one that is connected to your laptop screen - don't know if there's a single laptop on the market today that allows it... maybe in the future? Last edited by bahamut27; 11-05-2008 at 07:49 AM.

11-05-2008, 08:11 AM	#4 (permalink)
BCCOMP Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New York Posts: 7,108 OS: Win XP SP3 / Windows 7 Beta / Open Suse My System	Re: Video card substitution The only laptops that you can replace the video card are ones that have an MXM card. These are also limited at the time, due to the new technology: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_PCI_Express_Module __________________ PC Wizard \| Everest \| Power supply info \| Memtest86+ PC Running Slow Speedfan

11-05-2008, 01:02 PM	#5 (permalink)
BCCOMP Mod Hardware Team Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New York Posts: 7,108 OS: Win XP SP3 / Windows 7 Beta / Open Suse My System	Re: Video card substitution Hi, Thanks for the PM. I think you will be limited, but the grapics card does share memory from the motherboard (base memory 128MB). If you up your memory to 2GB (max for this motherboard), you maybe able to allocate up to 224MB of memory in the BIOS according to these specs, but I can not confirm this: http://www.ciao.com/Acer_Aspire_5602..._TFT__15345939 Scroll down to Product Info. But I have my doubts that you will beable to play your games successfully, even if the game requires 180MB for video graphics. This does not leave alot of free memory for your graphics (44MB). Bill __________________ PC Wizard \| Everest \| Power supply info \| Memtest86+ PC Running Slow Speedfan