Oddly enough, you can change the graphics card on a laptop. Although only in the case of some models that make use of a type of expansion module designed for it. We explain how to identify them and what kind of improvement you can make on them. So that your computer does not fall short when it comes to running the most cutting-edge games.
We usually have the idea that in a laptop its graphics card cannot be changed. Which is true if it is on the same chip as the processor. However, there are models with a dedicated graphics chip with its video memory in the middle of the laptop’s circuitry. They are called gaming laptops or workstations for content creation.
Well, popular wisdom tells us that it is not possible to change the graphics card of a laptop. Although this is not always the case, since there are cases where the graphics card is located on a separate board. Making use of a variant of the PCI Express connectors where graphics cards are connected with a different shape than desktop ones. They are called MXM modules . Well, in many cases said module is not soldered and we can replace the graphics card of our laptop with a more powerful one. Of course, these modules are much more expensive than a desktop graphics card.
How to change the graphics card of a laptop
First of all you have to take into account that you may not be able to do it, since not all models can. And it is that in recent times it has sought to make increasingly thin laptops. This has been achieved by replacing certain components with others. Well, the reduction in height has led to MXM modules for graphics cards in laptops becoming increasingly scarce. However, there are still models on the market that include them and you may be one of the lucky ones.
Well, the graphics cards for laptops that can be changed are those that are on a separate board, placed on top of the main one and which we call MXM. So to know if your laptop has that capacity, you should open it and take into account the type of Mobile PCI Express Module or MXM card you have mounted on your laptop.
- MXM-A is 82 mm wide and 70 mm long , gives a maximum power of 55 W and is designed for graphics cards with 64 or 128 bit buses. That is, 2 or 4 memory chips.
- MXM-B, on the other hand, has a larger length, 105 mm . The maximum consumption is 200 W and is intended for graphics cards with 192-bit or 256-bit memory interfaces. That is, 6 or 8 memory chips.
So if the graphics card is in an MXM module you can change it for one of the same type. Of course, it is important to take into account the thermal system you use. Not in vain, in the case of the MXM-B we find some graphics card models for high-end laptops that use cooling systems that cannot fit in our laptop. So you should look at the specifications of the MXM module with which you want to change the graphics of your laptop and see that they are the same in terms of consumption as the one that was previously in your PC.
