Computer Hope
Hardware => Hardware => Topic started by: [email protected] on August 26, 2009, 02:00:20 PM
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I have a Toshiba Satellite A505-S6960 laptop. I need to upgrade the video card to be able to play a game that I just bought. I am told I need to have at least a 256MB DirectX 9.0c compatible video card with pixel shader 3.0.
I called Toshiba support and they said that it is possible to upgrade the video card in my model of laptop, but they said it may possibly cause some other problems, I believe maybe making some software incompatible or the driver or something. I don't really know. Does anybody know if changing the video card causes more problems than it is worth? It would be a real bummer if In was unable to play the newer games on my brand new laptop.
Also, if I were to upgrade, I really have no idea what to buy. How do I know what video cards will fit in my laptop?
Any help and advice will be greatly appreciated.
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Laptops aren't suitable for gaming in general...
You don't have a video card...you have a video chip.
Replacing it would entail a trip to the shop...dis-assembling the laptop and soldering a new chip in there...
That's provided the MBoard will accept a better chip.
There are add-on vid cards for laptops but be prepared to pay about as much as some new laptops cost.
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yes i have to agree with patio if you wanna play it that bad i suggest you get a desktop. they are better for gaming and also easily upgraded. if you insist on playing on a laptop then be ready to dish some bucks and effort!!!
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You said your laptop is brand new? I would try to get a refund, then spend a little more for a laptop suitable to play your game
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He never stated the laptop was new...
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Laptops aren't suitable for gaming in general...
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He never stated the laptop was new...
It would be a real bummer if In was unable to play the newer games on my brand new laptop.
Query: Do the forum rules permit a username to be an email address? Even if they do, is it a wise thing?
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cost is cut some were
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Laptops are portable computers. They need to be light and have good battery life. Also cost comes into it. For 650 USD you get onboard graphics. If you want a gamer's laptop pay 2 to 3 times that. Or get a desktop PC.
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Query: Do the forum rules permit a username to be an email address? Even if they do, is it a wise thing?
I dont know as those email harvesting bots look for user names or not. If they dont then its fine, but if they do, you will get tons of spam
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high end laptops are ok for games
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I dont know as those email harvesting bots look for user names or not. If they dont then its fine, but if they do, you will get tons of spam
they look for e-mail addresses. the E-mail address is on the page and quite easy to harvest, same as if it was in the message body.
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Thanks for the responses.
The guy at Toshiba support said it WAS upgradable and I also watched a youtube video where a guy demonstrated the replacement of a Dell laptop video card, which was very quick and easy, requiring no soldering, just screw drivers. Is a Toshiba that much different than a Dell?
BTW, I did not choose to use my email address as my user name. I just posted the message and there it somehow was.
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yeah ::) why do you think that there seperate companies. You cant even use the same parts between the two.
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You can use the same hard drive, ram, and processor
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which is mainly about the only thing that can be used. Also any cards as well.
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Their are some laptops that the video card can be upgraded. I know because I had one and upgraded it. But the options for upgrading my video card were very limiting. In other words it really wasn't much of an upgrade. In my case, it was a matter of replacing a dead video card, I got the better card because it was the same price.
A new video card for a laptop is NOT cheap. Over $350 for mine. I would follow the advice given and invest in a desktop. Laptop just aren't made for gaming. Sure, you can buy high end laptops that will perform ok, but at a much higher cost than a desktop.
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are you sure about exchanging processors?
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if they are the same socket and same type, like intel, yes