Can You Change Graphics Card On Laptop?

There are many laptops with the same processor, RAM, and other hardware components. However, there might be a lot of differences in performance or graphics capability due to different graphics cards. A Graphics card is an essential part of a laptop that enables the user to enjoy visual content such as videos and games. A laptop with a better graphics card can support high-resolution videos or images with ease. It also improves performance for graphically heavy applications like video editing software, CAD software, and virtual reality programs. In this blog post, we will help you understand whether you can upgrade the graphics card on your laptop and how to do it if possible.

Can You Change Graphics Card On Laptop?

Theoretically, yes, but in practice, it’s not so easy to do. Laptops often do not have easily accessible components (like a removable graphics card), and if they do, replacing them can be tricky. One thing you can try is to replace the laptop’s lid with one that has a different design. Some designs are better optimized for cooling, which may improve the performance of your laptop (and therefore its graphics card). Another option is to use an external graphics card (eGPU). 

How To Change Graphics Card On Laptop?

1. Understanding The Limitations Of Laptops

Laptops are unique in that they are mobile devices that are configured to run on a specific operating system (OS) such as Windows 10. The laptop’s hardware components come configured with software that is compatible with the OS installed. As such, certain things are impossible for laptops to do by default. In addition to this, running basic tasks such as gaming – which requires considerable resources and processing power – would be impossible on a laptop. To address these limitations, manufacturers have created external GPUs (GPUs) which are essentially external systems that house a graphics card and can be connected to your laptop via a USB-C or Thunderbolt interface. You can also use an eGPU to enhance your laptop’s graphics performance without physically changing the laptop’s graphics card. However, in order to do so, both your laptop and the eGPU must have a compatible connection type.

2. Install A Pc Graphics Card

One of the easiest ways to upgrade the graphics card in a laptop is by installing a PC graphics card. In this method, you open the laptop, remove the existing graphics card, and then install a new graphics card. This is also the most expensive but also the easiest method as it requires no external hardware. The only disadvantage to this method is that you will lose the laptop’s built-in display and speakers. Instead, the PC graphics card will use its own video output and sound. You will most likely need to install a new display and speaker system.

3. Change The Internal Hardware Components

This method requires opening up the laptop and switching out the existing internal hardware components. You can easily change the laptop’s motherboard, CPU, and memory. Depending on the model of laptop you have, this method may even let you change the amount of RAM as well. Installing a new graphics card and changing the motherboard, CPU, and/or RAM is one of the most expensive ways to upgrade the graphics card in a laptop. This is because you’re essentially buying a whole new laptop. However, this method also lets you customize the laptop to your specific needs and preferences.

4. Get An External Graphics Card

An external graphics card is a device that you attach to your laptop via USB-C or Thunderbolt. This device houses a separate graphics card, which your laptop then uses to render images and perform other graphics-related tasks. External graphics cards often let you use your laptop for more than just basic gaming. This is because external graphics cards are often higher quality than the graphics cards built into most laptops. Before purchasing an external graphics card for your laptop, make sure your laptop has a USB-C or Thunderbolt connection. You can also use an external graphics card to enhance the graphics performance of your computer without physically changing the laptop’s graphics card. However, in order to do so, both your laptop and the external graphics card must have a compatible connection type.

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Why Laptop Needs A Dedicated Graphics Card?

• A dedicated graphics card is a separate expansion board that connects to the motherboard of a computer via an expansion slot. It is responsible for the processing of visual content in the computer. The integrated graphics cards are not powerful enough to handle high-end applications such as video editing software, gaming, and virtual reality programs. 
• They are also unable to provide high-quality displays of images and videos on a computer screen. For these applications, you need a separate expansion board with its own memory module to process the data required for displaying images and videos on the screen. This is where a dedicated graphics card comes into play.
•  A dedicated graphics card has its own RAM module and GPU that processes data from other hardware components in the computer system such as CPU or motherboard chipset and presents it to the monitor for display as visual content. This allows you to use your laptop for high-end gaming, video editing, CAD designing, or virtual reality programs without any issues.
• Apart from the obvious need to produce and display visuals, different types of software require different levels of hardware resources. For example, high-end photo editing software or high-end 3D rendering software requires a powerful hardware configuration. Similarly, CAD software and video editing software also require a powerful configuration.
•  If your laptop has a low-end integrated graphics card, it cannot run this high-end software. However, if it has a dedicated graphics card, it can easily run this software. Laptops with high-end configurations usually have a dedicated graphics card. If your laptop has a dedicated graphics card, it has a better chance to run any software smoothly without any lag or frame drop issues.

Which GPU Brand To Choose For Your Laptop?

1. There are many brands such as Nvidia, AMD, Intel, and more. You can choose any of the brands based on your needs. The table below shows the comparison between different brands to help you decide. 
2. Before buying a graphics card, check its compatibility with your laptop. If your laptop has a PCI Express x16 slot, you can install any brand with a PCI Express x16 interface. For laptops with a PCI Express x4 slot, you can install a graphics card with a PCI Express x4 interface only. 
3. The table below will help you choose the best graphics card for your laptop. If you are buying a graphics card for gaming, you can choose any among Nvidia, AMD, or Intel.

How Do Find Out Which Brand And Model Of Your Laptop’s Graphics Card?

1. You can find out the model number of your laptop’s graphics card using Device Manager. If you are using Windows 10, follow the steps below. 
2. Power on your laptop and open the start menu. Search for Device Manager and open it. Expand the Display adapters and click the name of the graphics card. If there is no name, click Standard VGA Adapter. In the Details tab, you can find the name, brand, and model of your graphics card. 
3. If you are using Windows 7 or Windows 8, follow the steps below. Click Start and type “Display” in the search box. Click Display in the search results. Step 2: Click Advanced settings.  Click the Adapter tab.  You can find the name, brand, and model of your graphics card.

Tips To Find The Right Gpu For Your Laptop

• There are many websites that you can use to find the best GPU for your laptop. However, we recommend you use NewEgg as it has a very user-friendly interface to search for the best GPU for your laptop. Let’s discuss the steps to find the best GPU for your laptop. 
• Visit the NewEgg website and search for the best graphics card for your laptop. 
• You will see a drop-down menu where you have to select your laptop brand and model. 
• You can also filter the results by the graphics card model or the graphics card brand. 
• Once you have filtered the results, you can read the description and reviews of the product. You can also read user reviews to know the pros and cons of the product. 
• After reading the description and reviews, you can select the graphics card that you think is best for your laptop.
•  Add the product to your cart and check out.

Conclusion

This article discussed the need for a dedicated graphics card in a laptop. A dedicated graphics card can run any software easily without any lag or frame drop issues. We discussed the difference between integrated and dedicated graphics cards and the importance of installing a dedicated graphics card in a laptop. Furthermore, we discussed the top brands of graphics cards and how to find the best GPU for your laptop. We hope that this article helped you understand whether you can change the graphics card on your laptop and which GPU brand to choose for your laptop.