upgrading laptop

Ruz

I bought a cheapish laptop in a hurry last year, but then realised it had a pretty terible video car setup - Mobile Intel® 945GM Express Chipset.
its meant to suppport shader model 2.0 , but that apparently bollocks.
none of the dx shaders work with 3dsmax as do none of the more recent video games releases.
Just wondered if it was possible to upgrade the vid card. ha its not really a vid card, just some on board setup.
The make is an acer aspire dual core 5633 wlmi.

i did google quite a bit on this and its a bit unclear whether you can actuallly upgrade or even somehow enable shader model 2.0.
I have a feeling am stuck with it:(

pliang

Call the manufacturer to be sure but most laptops especially those ones are integrated thus I'm afraid not but why don't you call and find out?

i own one of those as well but it was way back then when I needed to work on school assignments.

steady

I don't know about you guys but I've been eyeing this new ultra compact laptop that ASUS just came out with:

The Eee PC
http://wiki.eeeuser.com/eee_pc_701
Check out some pics of the tiny 7" goodness here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eeeuser/sets/72157602733862625/

It is $400, has no harddrive or cdrom drive, only uses flash memory, comes with a version of linux and open office.

It looks so cool and I am trying to sell some of my old junk to raise the funds to buy one.

Ruz

Its just a shame there is no hack to enable shader model 2.0 as it does in theory support it.
Its not a bad machine really and it runs zbrush fine. I am presuming zbrush is opengl.
steady i am after a work machine really, but don't want to spend a fortune

sonic

Most laptops don't have the ability to upgrade the video card, especially if it only has integrated graphics. If you have the 945 chipset, that means you likely have the GMA900 card, or the GMA950. I thought they supported SM2.0, but if they don't then you're outta luck.

Of note, Dell has a Vostro laptop that you can pickup for around $750 with a C2D processor and a 8600gt.

Ruz

well they do support shader model 2.0 according to the website, but in 3dsmax, anything that is direct x comes out invisible.
really annoying

notman

Actually, that's not completely correct Sonic. Most laptops have a video card daughter board, which you can swap out somewhat easily. If there was a video card option with the shader available with his model/generation, then it can most likely be purchased and installed. As pliang suggested, it may be worth contacting the manufacturer to see what the part number would be (if it exists). Then do a search on Ebay

sonic

notman: most laptops do not have a video card daughterboard. He says he has the 945GM chipset, which means he most likely has a GMA900 or 950 integrated card. These are integrated in to the mobo, and cannot be upgraded. Many manufacturers that do have daughterboards will solder them in so that they cannot be upgraded.

notman

I've taken apart MANY laptops (salvaged from garbage at work) and I have about 5 of the daughterboards on my desk at work. My current laptop(zd8000) has a daughterboard that can be removed also. Dell and HP are pretty good about this. Other makers, I don't know since I haven't torn them apart

I'm not trying to start a pissing match here... just saying what I've experienced I'm an electronics guy, just like I know you are.

hawken

the HP zd series is a pile of shit avoid at all costs

pliang

I have a HP as well but not like I use it for the mentioned above...just for word

notman

[ QUOTE ]
the HP zd series is a pile of shit avoid at all costs

[/ QUOTE ]
hahah, I don't think I'll ever be able to post about my laptop without thinking of you hawken (for the record, my video hasn't melted down yet :P)