Upgrade Acer Travelmate 5740 Graphics?

I have an Acer Travelmate 5740. An amazing computer with only 1 downside... I have ridiculous Intel 4500MHD graphics... is there anyway I can upgrade this with either a Nvidia or ATI laptop graphics card..?

Tons of other Travelmate 5740's come with such cards. Could it be possible to open her up and install something if I bought the card?

Thanks and massively fingers crossed. I love this laptop, if it had better graphics I'd be happy with it forever. The 4500MHD just doesn't cut it... seriously it doesn't even support AA for gods sake!

Many thanks in advance!

 

No it has Integrated card. You can,t upgrade the GPU in 99% of laptops.

 

Why, on the acer website does it say then that it has switchable graphics? Apart from that, how are the other Travelmate laptops with awesome graphic cards so different to mine then... how can you add a better graphic card into those but not into mine.. ?

 

what is the full model number 5740 ----

 

It's in Chinese or whatever but it says 5740 NEW50

 

its should have a number like Acer TravelMate 5740-6291

 

You can forget to solder a certain connector onto the motherboard.
What is your current graphics card? Are there any graphics switching utilities?

If you REALLY want you can upgrade the motherboard (if in fact you dont have the connector) I think I've seen them for around 200$ but if you find it for a little less and resell your old one it can be worth it.

If you do that I have a pretty good graphics card that will fit. Its like a gts 250m gddr5.

 

Well I have an Embedded Intel 4500MHD which is a piece of garbage to be honest... it does HDMI etc on my 32" LCD TV pretty well but that's about all it can do... also it draws a lot of memory from my already used 8GB of 1333Mhz Kingston DDR3 ram but it's still really not all that powerful...

Ok is it this number 5740-332G32Mn ? It's above the serial no. and the barcode on the bottom.

It's an awesome computer with an i5 and 8gb of ddr3 etc it's just the graphics that is garbage. If I could stick something like a Mobility 5650 or something in it I'd be more than happy to pay someone to do it...

A 250m with ddr5 would be lovely... this embedded card doesn't even support Anti Ailing.

 

I looked at specs for a few diff models 5740-6291,5740-6592 all have Integrated card.

Acer TravelMate 5740-6529 - Core i5 430M 2.26 GHz - 15.6" TFT Review - of

 

Thanks a ton for the ongoing help mate.
I have something closer to this actually: Review Acer TravelMate 5740G-524G50MN Notebook - Notebookcheck.net Reviews

Except I don't have that ATI card.. I have the Intel 4500MHD...

So is there a way I can find out if I have this sort of 'connector' on my laptop?

 

Yes. I just did it for you. You don't.
I should have remembered that only 1 of the i3/i5/i7 acers has the MXM slot, sorry.

BUT WAIT - thats actually good news
It means the ATI 5650 comes with the motherboard. They are only 160$
Acer Travelmate 5740G motherboard MB.TVH02.001 - eBay (item 400159307994 end time Feb-26-11 19:15:40 PST)

 

Are you sure that would fit my computer? So I could just pull my Mobo out and pop this one in and the 5650 is already in it? I'm on the verge of drooling if that's the case

 

You cant upgrade and if you start replacing MB and GPU it would be cheaper in long run to buy a new computer. You can,t upgrade the GPU in 99% of laptops. They are built into motherboard even the high end laptops with a dedicated GPU.

 

So you're telling me that I cannot put this Mobo into my laptop...? Which means if I buy this from Ebay it _will not_ fit?

 

no im saying look at the cost of MB GPU and see if its worth it.

 

Lol. Read on to see what I posted before bikerboy replied... mobo + GPU is 160$, seriously, and your old one will go for 100$ easy.

(~?)1% !!!

the new50 thing? thats actually Compal (the manufacturers) model number. Unlike acer they don't differentiate between all the different 5740.
If you check the image it says new50 right on the motherboard.

I would take your laptop completely apart before you decide to do this, the motherboards should look pretty much the same. You will probably need a new heatsink. However... keep in mind that if I didn't frequent these forums, or if I wasn't into Acer, other people wouldn't recommend or even tell you this is possible even if they knew. Be VERY careful with your laptop motherboard. Not a novice technicians activity.
but yes other than that it should 'just work'.
Also it was hard to tell if it had the 5650 (madison) for sure but I figured that out, it definitely does. TVH02.001 for sure, others may have intel or 5450 (park).

The last and least problematic potential issue - Port layouts could be a little different - Might have to file some plastic on your case I've done it before, don't think its a very serious problem unless your case is metal, lol

 

Well if I buy a new computer that is better than this one I'll be looking at anywhere from 800€ to 1200€ if I want something with the 5650 in it... it's that or I buy this mobo and swap it with what I already have and I get the 5650 _with_ the new mobo (which doesn't look any different from the one I already have), ports are all in the same place it seems. I haven't actually seen the mobo I have with this laptop but still.. if I can fit this mobo from ebay into my laptop and it comes with the 5650 which is at least a million times better than the 4500MHD then I would much rather pay $160 for a new mobo + GPU than buy an entirely new laptop all over again... I think anyone would be.

I don't mind getting 'dirty' the only thing I do is spending money on something that will not fit into my computer and will not work... I just need to know if it will fit into my laptop. I don't see any real difference with the Mobo ports etc. but I don't know what my current one looks like...

 

Yes niffcreature I noticed the New50 when I looked at the picture. It all looks the same to me on the 'left' side, hdmi, usb, vga etc all in the same place. However on the other side I cant for the life of me even with 5 years of computer ripping-apart know-how see if it should be the same (2 usb ports & the optical drive).

I have nothing wrong with cutting my computer apart it works beautifully and I've spent tons of money as it is. A new mobo and gpu will just add to the large harmonious family of parts on my laptop. As long as it will fit and I will not be wasting my money. If I have to file an inch or so off the side I don't care.

I just have that little thought in the back of my head.. what if it doesn't fit, what if it doesn't fit. So you're saying the 5740 series laptops all have the same sized/layout New50 mobos?

I kind of need a definite answer before I take upon myself to do this.. though if there is any way I can repay you both with rep for your tremendous help I would like to

I'm almost done with this issue, I just have to go to the shop now and I'll be back in a bit. Thanks a lot so far to both of you though.

 

Yea, basically just don't screw up. Then it will be an awesome upgrade. with that pricing its even potentially a better deal than buying the version with the 5650 to start out with

ACTUALLY it seems new50, new70, and others use the same mobo layout... with different size case and screen acer is awesome.
Its funny because I thought that motherboard was for an Aspire and acer had changed in that the TM and AS are the same, but they aren't, you're very lucky those are for sale with the rareness of knowledge on travelmate parts.
I'm 99.9% sure it will fit, when I thought it was an aspire mobo I compared this pic with the one on the Ebay listing. (can't hotlink it, sorry)


Look at the RAM slots, WIFI card and HDD (all you can look at, duh) and compare the connectors on the motherboard.
Oh, and the other side is made up of daughterboards, you just have to connect the cables to the motherboard.

...One more pic you might find interesting, tho it may get deleted by a mod lol

Spoiler

The graphics card is madison.

 

not a bad deal if it works. remember it will void your warranty if its still in effect.
good luck keep us informed.

 

niffcreature, OP said he had Cantiga graphics, Ibex Peak is Intel HD Graphics/ GMA5700

In any case, I would honestly just save up for an ASUS G series notebook, as they can be readily upgraded to another ASUS card. You can find a used G50VT on Ebay for 300-350. Spending all that money for a GPU and motherboard you could run into warranty issues down the line, not to talk about the headaches of getting everything working.

Newegg had a refurbished G60 ASUS with the GTX260M already for 630 shipped.

 

Alright, be more than happy to keep you guys informed. Indeed it's actually a money saver to be honest. Got laptops in Finland here going for 1,300€ and the best graphics card, yep, the 5650. I got this Laptop from Ebay for $650 AU, that was with the 2 year extended warranty and acers guarantee for some sort of travel subsidy on top of that 'Travelmate Warrenty Passport' because it's a travel laptop.

Well thanks a whole ton for all of the support guys, sorry my rep level sucks. For a $60 or so upgrade that puts my laptop at the price tag of other laptops around here (those with i5 processors as well and only 4gb 320gb hdd's etc), after I sell my mobo back on ebay seems like a really good deal to me. Voiding the warranty isn't a big concern, I don't have much of that left anyway and I've kept this laptop in beautiful condition, dust has never touched it's surface. I know enough about laptops including how to do this upgrade (as long as the mobo fits) and I know a lot of people here who can fix this for me if it breaks. Money comes and money goes...

Currently with this: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD (GMA X4500MHD) - Notebookcheck.net Tech

9 Fps on Call of Duty Black Ops... on LOW

To this: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5650 - Notebookcheck.net Tech

Basically it's a whole new world of opportunity.

Black Ops high: 44 Fps , Ultra: 22.5 fps (With some tweaking should be an easy 30 Fps)

But that's not the point, I just want to go back to playing AoC again.

Many thanks for your help. I'll do some more research of course and also contact the seller to ask if it will fit, he might have some extra info on that, who knows if it's been modified a tad and may or may not fit. Better safe than sorry. But for a $60 or so upgrade less postage and handling, I'm a happy camper.

Many warm regards.

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EDIT: I actually found another Mobo on ebay from the same seller, it's slightly different (looks the same) the one you showed me: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400159307994&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
Mainboard TM5740G Intel LF Madison Pro 1GB VRAM without 3G (MB.TVH02.001) (What exactly is the 3G anyway?)

The one I found: http://cgi.ebay.com/Acer-Travelmate...?pt=AU_Laptop_Accessories&hash=item255dcb5d03

The difference is the one you showed me is: MB.TV H02.001
The one that I found myself: MB.TV K02.001

Do you know what the difference is exactly? If the 'TV H' is the 5650 what exactly is the 'TV K' ?
Sorry if this is an annoying, unnecessary question. Either way I did a google for the one I found and I couldn't find anything except it MIGHT be the same board with the 5650 or that it is the same board with the 5650 it just doesn't have 'the 3G' whatever the hell that is. A look on Acer's website doesn't explain much either... the same guy on Ebay is selling both... I dunno which one I should get. Maybe the TV H like you suggested niff, just to be sure..

EDIT AGAIN: Thanks Tsunade_Hime but I'm pretty much sold on this idea. I don't need a 'refurbished' computer and I seriously don't want to spend more than about $200 anyway. Think about it, after I sell my Mobo it's only around $60 less the postage. Either way I'd like to pursue niffcreature's advise My GPU is actually Montevina not Cantiga unless you know something I don't

 

Ah I found this the holy grail:

Spoiler

-Illegal material removed-

Basically page 181 right at the bottom. It says the TV K is the 5470 512Mb
The TV H is the 5650 and the TV F is the Intel garbage I have now this .pdf also tells me how to properly tear apart my computer. Now I have to hope this mobo fits without any problems. Cant find any info on the 3g still but they all seem to come without this '3g' weird...

My Laptop is apparently just the 5740, not the 5740G. If I buy a 5740G mainboard is it going to be compatible?

 

Intel GMA isn't garbage, it suits 80% of people's needs just fine. You can do low resolution gaming with Cantiga graphics.

Knowing you were doing gaming, you shouldn't have bought a notebook with integrated graphics..

 

As long as the 5740 and the 5470G has the same base enclosure setup with all the ports on both machines in the same place, then the G board should fit in your existing 5740 base enclosure.

OEM's don't often waste their development funds designing two separate base enclosures for integrated systems and dedicated systems. They just end up using one variant on both systems. However, it is worth noting that the integrated system might have some ports blocked out with plastic covers for things that only is supported with a dedicated setup. However, I am pretty sure they are easy to remove internally once you do a motherboard swap.

The biggest mistake new computer buyers make. They want to game but they never researched the hardware they need to game with and end up buying a budget, productivity system that wasn't designed to do any graphics work or gaming.

 

It is pretty garbage to be honest.. in my opinion anyway.. It's not even half as powerful as something like a 7500...

Either way I'm happy to try this out. I didn't buy this laptop to game, I knew absolutely wholeheartedly that it wouldn't be able to do squat. I didn't realise that even CS:S was out of range (on low for crying out loud) but I knew that I wouldn't even be able to play something as simple as a flash game with this computer. However times change and people change. I find that I am constantly cursing this computer because the GPU doesn't live up to what the CPU and the rest of it can do in a heartbeat.

I'm happy to try this out and buy the motherboard. I'm still waiting for a reply from the person who listed the item on ebay if it will fit or not. Both the 5740 and the 5740G look exactly the same, the only difference is obviously the graphics card. After reading that .pdf that IS the only difference, what type of GPU they have, apart from that everything else looks entirely the same after magnifying the image. I've seen the bottom of my computer hundreds of times nothing looks different. I haven't seen my Mobo (yet) but it all makes absolute perfect sense where everything goes.

Spoiler

I'm not sure I understand this... completely. I don't think you're talking about cutting parts off the new mobo haahhaa. I don't mind filing off a few cm" if it's not a perfect fit though.. but could you please re-explain this? The .pdf I found seems to have pretty clear-cut instructions on how to take apart my computer I actually feel much better with them and was even prepared to do the process without.

EDIT: Nevermind that, I just thought for a clear second haha

Thanks also for both your input

 

The person WILL tell you it WONT fit. But it will. BTW that service guide was illegal to distribute lol.
Theres actually a good possibility you can take the graphics even farther... but it would be hard to find right now... Just thinking about the 5745g etc
What I did was put a 5720g motherboard in a 5315 upgrading the chipset, everything. I had to cut holes for DVI, s-video, firewire, a volume knob, and expresscard slot. LOL

I don't understand how this laptop has intel 4500? you don't have a core 2 duo do you?

Anyway, mann guys once again I discourage members trying to definitively say whats worth it or not for another member when they don't really ask, also repeating whats already been said.
Yep acer uses a ton of the same motherboard layouts, this post should obviously sum that up:

Spoiler

 

For starters;

Montevina is the Intel platform, Cantiga is the reference to Intel Mobile Express Chipset 4 aka 4500MHD, just like

Santa Rosa in my Vostro 1500, if I had the GMA X3100 graphics, codename Crestline.

My friend with an Acer Timeline 3810TZ with a Pentium Dual Core @ 1.3 GHz, 4 GB RAM, 4500MHD graphics, and he can play Day of Defeat Source @ 1368x768 with 40-50 FPS.

GMA was bad pre-Crestline days. Most games wouldn't even start if they detected GMA graphics. And again, GMA was not designed to play video games, it was meant for low cost, low power, low heat, display solution for people.

And modern GMA (Intel HD/GMA 5700) can actually play modern games. SB IGP was able to play SC2 on low resolution lag free.

 

Uh, what do you mean 'for starters'

I know all that already.

I'm asking, the OP has hm55 or hm57 and i5 or i3, so how can he have 4500 series graphics?
Didn't know that was possible. Thats all.

 

It was redirected at OP.

OP said he had 4500MHD, so that's what I assumed his notebook had.

 

Ok sorry.

Puzzling then if it really is basically intel 45 + 55/57, that doesn't seem possible much less a way to cut production costs.

 

Wow you guys are all amazing with your help I really never expected this

The ebayer actually said this:

and this:

So looks like it's all systems go from here.

Interesting how that guide is illegal to distribute, I wonder why it is accessible from acer's technical support page... Oh well.. it'll sure help in this matter. In my honest opinion It's MY computer I should be able to find instructions on how to pull it apart and change if it if I so choose. It voids my warranty, simple, that's punishment enough.

I don't know much about the codenames of GPU's to be honest I just call them by their names or whatever.. makes it easier to remember.

He can play DoD:S? I can't even play CS:S on Low without extreme frame skipping... but that's not the point.

The spoiler picture niffcreature is in that 'illegal' .pdf that I posted lol funny how it's got another websites 'copyright' tag on it... *cough* I wanted to upgrade my computer and instead I'm uncovering a conspiracy! and becoming a wanted fugitive in the process LOL.

The intel chip I have is the GM45 is the best one that they made apparently, supports the most memory etc etc.

Honestly I think the person who sold me this laptop could sell it so cheap because he probably got a batch of these notebooks without decent graphics. So advertise the i5, 500gb hard drive etc and leave out the part where you wont be able to do squat in the way of even playing flash games hahahahaha!

Point is, I'll buy the chipset, cross my fingers, keep my saw handy in case I need to make a few more *cough* 'cooling vents' in my computer and I'll just see how it goes. Hopefully it'll fit without an issue, hopefully with the 'illegal' guide that I have now taken off my previous post I'll be able to finish the brain surgery on my computer and all's well that ends well. I'm happy with a 5740's 5650, it's basically the top of the mid range cards, should be able to do AoC anyway on high with low shadows or something not to mention at least not inhibit me from other tasks.

If there is a much better card then I might as well buy a new computer because the mobo will cost more. I don't have a micrometer to measure distances and I'm not that power hungry, I just want to be released from my chains.