Video Card Slot for Notebooks?

[fighterpilot]

I was just wondering if there has been any serious consideration about making a notebook video card expansion form factor to allow for expansion video cards in notebook PC's. I know that the power requirements are the biggest concern with notebooks, so obviously a stock GeForce 7800GTX wouldn't be feasible.

However, if they made a standardized slot and specifications for an expansion video card, it seems like there would be some interest in that for both consumers and vendors.

That's the one thing that kills a notebook or laptop PC as an option for many. Onboard LAN and audio seems to be quite good these days. You can usually upgrade your memory and hard drive even.

The only parts that remain out of that equation are the CPU and video card which are the most critical, at least as a gaming platform. 90% of the games I play don't require a top end powerhouse PC, just the few FPS games or Battlefield 2 that I do play, I can play on my dedicated game machine. And would probably work on my older Small Form Factor Shuttle (SN41G2 V2, Athlon XP 3000+, GeForce 6600GT, 2x512MB PC3200), just with options dumbed down.

Bottom line, is it too much to ask for a standardized video card expansion slot? Even ATI and nVidia wouldn't have to offer 10 different options as they do with AGP or PCI-Express, but one or two of each generation.

 

[mb]

http://www.nvidia.com/page/mxm.html

 

[RockGuitarDude]

Are all 6800go laptops made with MXM?

I was looking at the Alienware site and it says 256MB NVidia® GeForce? Go MXM 6600 [+$250 or $8/mo.] for the m5500 model and 256MB NVidia® GeForce? Go 6800 on the m5700 model. Does that mean the m5700 isn't using MXM?

 

[fighterpilot]

Originally posted by: supafly
http://www.nvidia.com/page/mxm.html

Cool! Thanks, I didn't realize that was available. Great idea, it might actually make a laptop a viable desktop replacement for gaming, especially if you travel quite a bit.

I just hope it has widespread and continued support and there are ATI offerings as well.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Even with MXM though it doesn't make it easy. Look at the Inspiron 9300/9400/XPS M170/E1705.

Cards use the same connector internally, but the cards don't interchange between all of them because of internal construction differences. gg dell.

 

[Brainonska511]

Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones
Even with MXM though it doesn't make it easy. Look at the Inspiron 9300/9400/XPS M170/E1705.

Cards use the same connector internally, but the cards don't interchange between all of them because of internal construction differences. gg dell.

Different heatsinks too and you also need to make sure that the computer's BIOS supports the addition of a third party gpu.

 

[Raduque]

Originally posted by: Brainonska511

Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones
Even with MXM though it doesn't make it easy. Look at the Inspiron 9300/9400/XPS M170/E1705.

Cards use the same connector internally, but the cards don't interchange between all of them because of internal construction differences. gg dell.

Different heatsinks too and you also need to make sure that the computer's BIOS supports the addition of a third party gpu.

Yep, which means i'm gonna have to do some haxing when I can get my hands on an E1505/i6400's X1300 vidcard.

 

[fighterpilot]

Great... Well at least this is a good start. CPU and GPU swappability is really holding back laptops as a true desktop replacement.

I know that you need to compromise with smaller scale PC's, but at least offer the option to update! My wife's laptop is now about four years old, which we now use as a travelling PC, and she replaced it with a desktop. This laptop has an AthlonXP 1800+, 512MB RAM, 40GB hard drive, but only 32MB graphics! While CPU and memory-wise it could handle most RTS and even many FPS games, the GPU at only 32MB really puts a damper on any possible gameplay. I can't even play Civilization 4 on it!!! If only I could pop in a better graphics card, even a 9700 Pro or Ti4600 equivalent card, it would suffice. But denied.

Oh well. Looking forward to future possibilities!

 

[Yeormom]

This is old technology~ been around for quite sometime in many forms and fashions.

 

[fighterpilot]

Originally posted by: Yeormom
This is old technology~ been around for quite sometime in many forms and fashions.

It may have been around, but it was never standardized or common like PCI or AGP slots. That is my point. Come up with a completely new standard that is common in laptops. That's all I'm getting at.

 

[lazybum131]

Originally posted by: fighterpilot
It may have been around, but it was never standardized or common like PCI or AGP slots. That is my point. Come up with a completely new standard that is common in laptops. That's all I'm getting at.

You won't be able to come up with a standard for all laptops, MXM has three different incompatible sizes due to different size and heat requirements (ultraportable, thin-and-light/mainstream, DTR). I could see it working for DTRs for sure though since they have enough space.

For ultraportables and thin-and-light laptops going with soldered video cards saves space and makes them thinner.

DTR laptops are already quite good as gaming laptops. The Go7800GTX is nothing to laugh at, not very far behind desktop cards unless you count in SLI. CPUs in most laptops are replaceable too, just usually harder to get at for major OEM laptops.