Can I upgrade my graphics card?

Question

I have an ASUS U46E variant that's pretty much just a jacked up version of the standard U46E. It uses an i7 processor instead of an i5. It has 8gb of RAM instead of 4. I couldn't tell you what motherboard it uses. It's a powerful little computer, except for one problem, the graphics card. On paper it looks great. It has dedicated graphics so the graphics essentially run off of the processor. whenever I see if I can run a game using it the system reuqirements lab, it always says my computer is insufficient, and every requirement usually far surpasses the minimum, besides for the graphics card, it always says my graphics card is insufficient. When I look on the expanded info of my graphics card, every aspect of my deidcated graphics crush the requirements, it just doesn't work for some reason. The only thing needed to make this a beast of a little gaming computer is a new graphics card. I've been told I can't change the card on this computer, but I need more verification. Is there ANY way under the sun to upgrade this card? Can I take it to a computer repair store and have them find a good one to fit my computer and install it for me? Can I get some sort of external device that might plug in through my USB port to boost my graphics? Anything at all? Any method that can take this from an amazingly high-spec pile of useless junk to the most effectively economic saavy gaming machine ever made?

Answer 1

"On paper it looks great. It has dedicated graphics so the graphics essentially run off of the processor."



It's not dedicated. That's integrated. There's actually no physical card in the computer. The GPU is built onto the CPU die itself.



" I've been told I can't change the card on this computer, but I need more verification. Is there ANY way under the sun to upgrade this card? "



Unfortunately, what you have is an ultrabook that has no provisions for video card upgrades at all.



"Can I take it to a computer repair store and have them find a good one to fit my computer and install it for me?"



No, there's nowhere to even put a discrete card in that computer.



" Can I get some sort of external device that might plug in through my USB port to boost my graphics?"



Nope, USB is far too slow to handle the bandwidth needs of a discrete video card.



"Any method that can take this from an amazingly high-spec pile of useless junk to the most effectively economic saavy gaming machine ever made?"



Nope, If you had a Thunderbolt port on it, then there would've been some hope, but unfortunately your computer lacks that.

Answer 2

Are you sure of the model? The ASUS U46E doesn't have a dedicated mobile graphics chip; this model ( http://www.asus.com/Notebooks/Superior_Mobility/U46E/#specifications ) has only integrated Intel graphics- which is basically non-upgradable. What you currently have, with the inclusion of your Core i7 upgrade is as good as you're going to get, and integrated Intel graphics are generally not that great for gaming.

Of the same series, the U46SM and U46SV do have the Nvidia GT 630M and GT 540M dedicated mobile graphics chips respectively. Upgradability, if even possible at all, depends almost entirely on if the motherboard and BIOS can support higher spec chips in the same series as the existing graphics chip.

Both of these Nvidia graphics chips are pretty decent and certainly will at least run most games; how well is pretty much dependent on the particular game/s and the game settings. If you are certain your laptop DOES have dedicated graphics, then you probably have one of the two models I mentioned above (they are the only other models in that series that I am aware of). and http://www.systemrequirementslab.com is not detecting and reporting the correct GPU; the detection utility on this site is not wholly reliable- this is something I've experienced with one of my laptops that has integrated Intel craphics AND a Nvidia dedicated graphics chip; "Can You Run It" auto detects the Intel graphics and NOT the Nvidia chip and thus gives a graphics "fail" in it's report. This is of course inaccurate and I currently have Skyrim and Diablo III running quite well on this laptop (with a Nvidia GT 540M BTW) so just bear that possible inaccuracy in mind, and check your hardware specs against the game's requirements manually anyway.

Answer 3

particular, i'm truly particular of it! however the actual-time video games like Oblivion, Gothic 3, Flight Simulator X. in case you could desire to make your laptop to deal with those video games. I suggested which you will improve a million GB RAM to make your laptop swifter. picture card? i could say any 7 sequence playing cards or Geforce 7800 GT, GTX or as much as Geforce 7950 GT could make Oblivion seem greater advantageous and greater advantageous framerates. yet once you like a less high priced cost for picture playing cards, you need to purchase any 7 sequence with GS.

Answer 4

If your laptop has a Thunderbolt port, there are some options which are available and a couple options which may be available fairly soon. Sonnet and Magma already have some chassis' which will work for this. The downside is the cost, which is upwards of $400. However, Village Tronic is working on their fourth generation Vidock, which will connect to Thunderbolt by means of a bridge which goes from Village Tronic's new V2 connection to Thunderbolt. Silverstone, along with Asus is working on the T004 which is expected to sell for $200-250 and will go directly from PCIe to Thunderbolt. Development on those two enclosures has pretty much come to a halt recently because Intel refuses to give them licensing and certification. Due to Intel's restriction, I have created a petition: https://www.change.org/petitions/intel-allow-silverstone-and-asus-to-sell-the-asus-xg-station-2-and-allow-villagetronics-to-sell-the-4th-generation-vidock-in-essence-allow-the-sale-of-affordable-egpu-enclosures

Answer 5

Your dedicated GPU/Graphics card is built into your motherboard. You wont be able to upgrade your GPU because the lack of room (since its a laptop) and because of the fact that your motherboard wont be able to support it.

Answer 6

TY for the big wall of text