Laptop Video Cards

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jonathanleshin

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Aug 31, 2008
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Can anyone tell me who makes better laptop video cards? And perhaps which are the best/better ones out there? Thanks.
 
What sort of video card? Laptops generally don't really have video cards (outside of what's built onto the laptop mobo). Then again some laptops have a pci-e slot and will allow the installation of a low profile pci-e card. So if you have a laptop that allows a low profile pci-e card then you're best bet is probably a nvidia 9500gt card with a low profile bracket.

A 9500gt will probably need something like a 300w psu or something in the laptop. I don't work with laptops much so I'm not sure exactly how a laptop battery or power supply may work. So you may want to check with the laptop manufacturer on that. The most a 9500gt can draw is 75w which is all a pci-e slot will allow. Although it likely draws much less than that.
 
about %99 of the laptop video card's are non upgradeable. there is 1% that is upgradeable. you cant just put a nomal desktop video card in a laptop it dont work like that.
 
sh0vet said:
What sort of video card? Laptops generally don't really have video cards (outside of what's built onto the laptop mobo). Then again some laptops have a pci-e slot and will allow the installation of a low profile pci-e card. So if you have a laptop that allows a low profile pci-e card then you're best bet is probably a nvidia 9500gt card with a low profile bracket.

A 9500gt will probably need something like a 300w psu or something in the laptop. I don't work with laptops much so I'm not sure exactly how a laptop battery or power supply may work. So you may want to check with the laptop manufacturer on that. The most a 9500gt can draw is 75w which is all a pci-e slot will allow. Although it likely draws much less than that.
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I don't know of any laptops that accept a low profile pci-e card. Could you give an example or two?
 
I didn't mean an upgradeable card. I meant a card for initial build. you know, like the 9300? or the ATI equivalent, which one is better preformer and such.
 
the best? best you can get is a 9800MGTX? i believe

not aware if ati has come out with a m4870 or w/e but i would imagine soon there will be a laptop version.
 
450 said:
I don't know of any laptops that accept a low profile pci-e card. Could you give an example or two?
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Here you go http://www.mxm-upgrade.com/Table.html . I've seen some strange laptop designs before.

Granted I've only ran into a few people with a laptop and a low profile pci-e slot but I assumed the dude might know a little about his laptop so I addressed it either way.
 
sh0vet said:
What sort of video card? Laptops generally don't really have video cards (outside of what's built onto the laptop mobo). Then again some laptops have a pci-e slot and will allow the installation of a low profile pci-e card. So if you have a laptop that allows a low profile pci-e card then you're best bet is probably a nvidia 9500gt card with a low profile bracket.

A 9500gt will probably need something like a 300w psu or something in the laptop. I don't work with laptops much so I'm not sure exactly how a laptop battery or power supply may work. So you may want to check with the laptop manufacturer on that. The most a 9500gt can draw is 75w which is all a pci-e slot will allow. Although it likely draws much less than that.
Click to expand...


You cant put a low profile gpu into a laptop.
They require a special gpu made for laptops. You generally cannot purchase them on the retail level.

There are 2 kinds of "gpus" in laptops, most will have onboard video and no way to upgrade it. Some will have a separate gpu that runs off of its own core and memory. You CAN upgrade these types, but usually only by pulling one out of another laptop, or somehow gain access to vendor oem parts.
 
I saw an article on the web about an external video card that hooked up to a usb port and was suppose to work as good as a desktop with the same video card best thing was if you didn't need it it could be removed, not really portable but very usable as a desktop replacement. It used a pci express video card and you bought whichever one you wanted, I believe it was in a show or something.
 
sh0vet said:
Here you go http://www.mxm-upgrade.com/Table.html . I've seen some strange laptop designs before.

Granted I've only ran into a few people with a laptop and a low profile pci-e slot but I assumed the dude might know a little about his laptop so I addressed it either way.
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A laptop's pcie slot is NOT a low profile slot. Its no where near a desktop's pci-e slot. You have never run into a person with a low profile pci-e slot on a laptop.
 
jackofalltrades said:
I saw an article on the web about an external video card that hooked up to a usb port and was suppose to work as good as a desktop with the same video card best thing was if you didn't need it it could be removed, not really portable but very usable as a desktop replacement. It used a pci express video card and you bought whichever one you wanted, I believe it was in a show or something.
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It was connected via ExpressCard Slot, not USB. An ExpressCard Slot is roughly equal to PCI-E x1 speeds so you do get a performance hit compared to a desktop with full PCI-E x16 speeds. Oh and the item was the Asus XG Station.
 
lloose said:
You cant put a low profile gpu into a laptop.
They require a special gpu made for laptops. You generally cannot purchase them on the retail level.

There are 2 kinds of "gpus" in laptops, most will have onboard video and no way to upgrade it. Some will have a separate gpu that runs off of its own core and memory. You CAN upgrade these types, but usually only by pulling one out of another laptop, or somehow gain access to vendor oem parts.
Click to expand...

Here is another link http://www.notebookforums.com/forum153.html . I just through that in there assuming the dude knew about his laptop. Kind of a yes/no if you have something that allows.
 
To poster obviously do not try anything in those listed threads since you may not be familar with what is said on those links.

The links are only for those saying otherwise.
 
sh0vet said:
Here is another link http://www.notebookforums.com/forum153.html . I just through that in there assuming the dude knew about his laptop. Kind of a yes/no if you have something that allows.
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Mobile gpu's are not low profile desktop gpu's. They are a completely different thing.

This is a low profile gpu.
galaxygeforce9600gtlp55mu3.jpg


This is a laptop gpu.
geforce8800mmxmiiiqo5.jpg


BIG difference.
 
I've been wondering about this to. I have a Dell Inspiron 1720 with an 8600M GT in it. I upgraded my old Dell Inspiron 8600 before from a Radeon 9000 64MB to a Radeon 9600 Pro Turbo 128MB a few years ago. I know it may be possible. I just haven't found any info on it yet =). Shooting for an 8800M GTS at least.
 
Sh0vet, are you a bot or something? Everything you have said so far hasn't made any sense at all.

This is a link to another forum, not to a thread.
sh0vet said:
Here is another link http://www.notebookforums.com/forum153.html . I just through that in there assuming the dude knew about his laptop. Kind of a yes/no if you have something that allows.
Click to expand...



This is another link explaining how to get your hands on a mobile gpu, the 7800gts GO, a laptop only videocard, not a low profile video card.
Here is another link http://www.pbnation.com/showthread.php?t=1352691 .
Click to expand...
This thread is so derailed the original creater is probably like wtf. So this is my last post in here.
Click to expand...
We are just trying to clear up all the bullcrap you brought into this thread so the OP isn't completely confused.
 
I understand most of what's being said here, though it is not what I was looking for. Danny Bui answered my question with the link to the mobile graphics card info page. All I wanted was a list/table comparing mobile graphics card for when I got my new laptop. Anyway thanks for the help!
 
if you are choosing a laptop based around the graphics card, right now the ATi solution is a better choice than an nVidia card
The nVidia 8 series graphics cards and some of the low end 9 series mobile solutions face the dreaded core problem nVidia had with them.
From experience, the ATi 3450 and 3650 cards are in comparison the same speed as a 8400Gs and 8600GT respectively. The ATi cards do not have the core problem, and they run cooler, so if your in the market for a mid level gaming lappy than the 3650 would be a great option.
The 9800mGTX and the 3850X2 are the best gaming mobile graphics cards at the moment.

However those who mentioned MXM graphics cards left out one important factor.
Their are different levels of MXM. You cannot switch say a 8600mGT MXM-2 card with say a 8800mGTX MXM-HE or MXM-3 card. The amount of laptops which have upgradeable graphcs cards are really low. Those with MXM are even lower. (Lots of systems have proprietary graphics slots, so upgrading is possible, but slim)
You must make sure to upgrade to a MXM card which has the same physical dimensions and one which runs in the same power band. Thus really when it comes down to it, there are only a few graphics cards which you can upgrade to.

But for now, if your not thinking of upgrading the gpu, I would say these are fine:
notebook for great battery life (Intel X4500HD/X3100 gpu, or the hybrid graphics technology, like the Lenovo T400 has)
notebook for light gaming (ATi 3450/3650, 8600Gt, 9500GS)
notebook for mid gaming (9600GT, 8700GT)
notebook for gaming (9800mGTX, 8800mGTS/mgtx/mgt, 8700mGTX, 7950GTX, 3870/ 3870X2 (coming soon))

K-TRON
 
Most retailers will stick with Nvidia GPU's since laptops ones with ATI GPU's don't sell very well =).
 
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