msi gx720-1722 barebone gpu upgradeable?

I want to upgrade the graphics card in this laptop it has a 9600m gt inside but the 627 has a 9800m gs inside the graphics card does look replaceable. how and where can i get an upgrade for this laptop. The new msi 720 barebone is questionably fully upgradeable. i know i can upgrade the cpu, but i have heard several different stories regarding the gpu inside this current model. some say it is upgradeable. and some say depends on the specific model. my model is the gx 720 -1722 barebones with t9400 cpu and 9600m gt graphics card. the card itself does look removable with pins. my understanding is that the 720-1722 and that the 720-0322 is not because it comes as a complete system. can someone please tell me if i can upgrade the gpu in this particular model MSI GX720-1722id.

 

You can replace the graphics card but:

a. they are difficult to obtain. You have a MXM 3 slot so MXM 2 & 3 cards will fit. Be careful though as some manufacturers deviate from the MXM specs.

b. you have to make sure you can keep it cooled. If you buy a card with similar wattage to your card and the heatsink covers GPU and RAM you should be fine. Otherwise you may need to buy a new bulkier heatsink (ie buy an ati 4850 and heatsink from a GT725)

 

awesome ninja2000, but what do you exactly mean by deviate? I have nvidia now but if i switch to ati, will i have to just obtain drivers for that specific card. And where can i find different cards for this particular model. ati or nvidia cards will work im assuming. Are there vendors? who can i contact? what are my choices? with all due respect i would love to replace my nvidia 9600m gt with an ati 4850. would i have to upgrade my bios? where do i begin?

 

Will the MXM type 3 Nvidia quadro series work with the laptop? Just wondering as that is the closest thing the the 4850 in my lappy so if it ever does go i can replace it.

 

You shouldnt need to flash the laptops BIOS or Firmware for the graphics card. If you look at the MSI 1722 barebones as an example the same BIOS and firmware is available for the GT720 (nvidia 9600) and GT725 (ATI 4850)

You would just need the graphics drivers after install as per a desktop graphics switch.

Obtaining them is the most difficult part because:

a. You need to make sure it adheres to the MXM spec (ie ASUS have the boards reversed so they wont work in standard MXM slots)
b. You need to make sure you can cool it. So if you buy a 4850 to replace a 9600 you would need to get the correct heatsink to manage the extra heat or bodge your own.

You can get them from ebay but these will mostly be older cards. You can also try sellers who offer barebones as they will sometimes source you new cards.

Its a shame really as mxm offers great possibilities but in reality it is normally a more viable option to just sell your laptop and buy a new laptop with the gfx you want

 

can i just go into bios in the 1722 and overclock. can someone explain how to do this in very specific detail. thanks. what do i need to do exactly.

 

overclock what?

If you are talking CPU then there is the turbo function within windows. This is only any good if you have a turbo button. Mine doesnt
In BIOS you can adjust the turbo overclock from 15% to 25% I think.

If you are talking GPU then this isnt controlled by the system BIOS. You can overclock it through windows or by flashing new values to the GPU BIOS. The latter is only for the very brave or advanced users.