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    Graphics hassles

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by Jonquil, Sep 20, 2009.

  1. Jonquil

    Jonquil Newbie

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    Hi all.
    I have the unfortunate issue of owning a dell D620. it is a fantastic little laptop for most things. just not gaming. i was reading up on its specs in the device manager and it claimed that it had an intel 945gm express chipset as the display adapter. i then went and read up on the 945gm and it claimed that it had a pci-express 16 port. Now i know it is not possible to replace the integrated display adapter with another one for laptops as it simply not compatible and the other seperate external graphics solutions i have found have been been rather unsatisfactory due to the fact that most of them use the pcmcia slot for data transfer and this slot just does not have the bandwidth for running more high end external cards. Does anyone know if it is possible to utilise the pci-express port on the 945 to run a seperate external graphics card to its full potential?
     
    Jonquil, Sep 20, 2009
    #1
  2. sean473

    sean473 Notebook Prophet

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    well all these solution require $400 dollars easily which could get you a new laptop.... just put in a little more and you would have a new one...
     
    sean473, Sep 20, 2009
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  3. hustheman

    hustheman Notebook Evangelist

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    sean u find me a good gaming laptop for about 400 and a little more, and i will show u a flying pig

    some people on these boards have been trying to get a diy vidock(the external graphics system) going. The prototype so far is doing wonders for people with integrated graphics, and costs much less that what sean473 says. The proposed costs are 80 bucks for the adapter and however much a desktop gfx card costs

    the threads are here:
    http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=5324240
    and here:
    http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=5061567
     
    hustheman, Sep 20, 2009
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  4. Greg

    Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Actually, there is no PCIe-x16 port on those laptops. The chipset has one, but it is used to connect with the internal graphics card. At least you can think of it that way.

    Sorry, but there isn't anything you can do to increase the gaming potential here.
     
    Greg, Sep 20, 2009
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  5. Jonquil

    Jonquil Newbie

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    Blast! oh well. thanks guys. its such a pity that bandwidth is such a limiting factor for those external graphics cards. snoof. oh well. i will go and play starcraft 1 as that runs. (stomps off back to hole sighing dejectedly)
     
    Jonquil, Sep 21, 2009
    #5