Sometimes a decent laptop fails to satisfy your gaming needs when its GPU cant handle minimum gaming requirements.
If you get stuck in such a sad dilemma, I bet one question is poking into your mind!
Is it possible to upgrade the laptops GPU?
The answer isNo!But you might go for an eGPU if your laptop supports that.
In this article, Ill cover both factors with in-depth explanations.
So, stick to this article till the end line.
The integrated one shares the same silicon die with the CPU, also known as iGPU.
Whereas the discrete GPU has separate silicon die and specific PCB.
And you could call it dedicated graphics, too.
Both CPU manufacturing giants Intel and AMD offer integrated graphics for laptops.
The integrated GPU comes with the CPU and can handle minimal graphics-centric tasks and gaming.
Not all, but some AMD processors have an in-built graphics processing unit, which is known as APU.
This naming might sound terrible, but thoseAMD Radeon graphicsin the AMD processor lineup are best in class.
you’ve got the option to play mid-level games and graphics-related works with any latest Ryzen APUs.
But if youre thinking of changing this GPU, its not possible.
And the same thing goes for Intels iGPU.
Youll getUHD 770as iGPU with Intels 13th genRaptor Lakeprocessors.
Conversely, the discrete graphics on the laptop are more powerful than the iGPU.
It draws power from the laptops PSU unit separately from the CPU, like the desktops graphics card.
For example, a desktop-grade 1660 Ti graphics card can outrun a laptops 1660 Ti card easily.
Nvidia card models names ending with Ti are more powerful than the basic ones.
If youre curious, search forwhat Nvidia Ti series GPUs offerand look at the specs.
Youll know for sure.
Desktop graphics cards connect with the motherboard with a PCIe port.
Thats why its like a mission impossible to upgrade a laptops dedicated GPU.
GPU might start to fail after using it for a long.
If thats the case, you shouldtest for a failing GPU.
Can I Upgrade the Graphics Card in Laptops?
Speaking of the iGPU, its part of the CPU.
Thats why its impossible to change it.
Additionally, you cant also upgrade the laptops discrete GPU too.
Gaming laptops come with a dedicated GPU, and those laptops are expensive.
But the sad news is you cant upgrade those discrete laptops GPU.
Modern games and graphics work requires tons of graphic processing.
However, some laptops, likeDell Alienware Area-51m,support upgrading the CPU & GPU.
They use anMXMport for the GPU to connect with the motherboard.
Ill talk about MXM later in this article.
Not only those laptops but also the MXM connector-based GPUs are more expensive.
So, think twice!
Moreover, you’re able to connect an external GPU to a laptop.
But before getting into that, you mustcheck if your GPU is working wellby looking at its usage.
If GPU utilization is below the line, you canapply several fixes to solve low GPU usage.
What are the Options to Upgrade the Laptop GPU?
But these laptops are super expensive.
Mobile PCI Express Moduleor shortMXMis a connector slot for GPUs.
Youll find it on the laptops PCB board to mount the dedicated GPU.
This MXM slot uses the PCIe to connect GPUs to the laptops PCB board.
Laptop manufacturers use those slots for high-end desktop replaceable gaming laptops.
So, you might change or upgrade the GPU if you own a monster gaming laptop.
Now, lets jump into other methods to add an external graphics card to the laptop.
Here are the possible ways to add an external GPU to the laptop:
1.
This mini PCIe to PCIe x16 connector uses only asingle PCIe lane.
As a result, itll limit the bandwidth and surely bottleneck the installed graphics card.
This procedure is cheap but problematic at the same time.
So, I wont recommend this setup.
But its faster than the mini PCIe to PCIe x16 eGPU Kit.
As a result, youll face GPU bottlenecking issues with this kit, and its expensive too.
So, I am not recommending this either.
Thunderbolt 3.0 eGFX Dock
Thunderbolt 3.0 eGFX dock kit is perfect for adding an external desktop-grade GPU.
Its super fast and highly reliable too.
Among the eGPU docks, the hyped ones are as follows:
These docs are plug-n-play throw in.
So, you only need to connect the Thunderbolt port connector from the Dock to the laptop.
And this kit has a built-in PSU inside the Dock, so you must power it separately.
Youll find Thunderbolt 3.0 ports in high-end gaming and business-class laptops.
These ports are USB throw in C but more powerful than the traditional throw in-C ports.
AThunderbolt 4.0port can transfer data with a blazing-fast speed of up to40Gbps.
So, look for a Thunderbolt port if you have a high-end laptop.
Remember, every Thunderbolt port is a bang out-C port, but not all bang out-C ports are Thunderbolt.
If the pop in-C port is Thunderbolt, youll see aLightning Boltlogo beside it.
Then give power to the Dock.
You just installed an external eGPU on your laptop.
For testing purposes, I have tried Thunderbolt 3.0 eGFX Dock with myDell latitude 7390 2-in-1laptop.
Also, I installed theGTX 1650card in it.
The result was mind-blowing because now I can play almost every AAA-titled game in it.
FAQs
How to know which GPU I have on my laptop?
If you have a dedicated graphics card on your laptop, go to WindowsDevice Manager > Display Adapters.
From there, youll see your discrete GPUs model name.
Which are the NVIDIA laptop GPUs with MXM connectors?
What is the latest Thunderbolt port version?
Thunderbolt 4.0 is the latest version, and it supports transferring data up to 40Gbps.
However, some high-end gaming laptops support GPU upgrades, but those are expensive.
Alternatively, you might install an external graphics card on your laptop.
Moreover, itll be best to go for another laptop with a more advanced GPU than your current one.
Updating a laptop GPU is more expensive than buying a new one.
Thats all I have to share.
For more info, knock me in the box below.
