Can I replace a video card in a laptop? This question is asked by many. The direct answer is yes. You can do this on some laptop models. However, there are a few questions that you must find the answer to before attempting to do so.
Can your laptop be updated? The first thing you need to find out if you can replace the video card in a laptop is to do some research. First, find out if your laptop is one of those that can be updated. After all, some laptops are not updated at all. This is due to the fact that the video card in many laptops is soldered and cannot be removed.
Is there an available graphics card? If you find out that your laptop is upgradeable, you need to find the right graphics card. Unlike personal computers, laptops require very specific graphics cards, and few companies make them because too few laptops can be updated. Video card manufacturers know that a simple PC can be easily upgraded, and many do it. And only some users are wondering if it is possible to replace the video card in a laptop. Therefore, manufacturers focused on creating video cards specifically for computers. This leads us to the next question - the cost of a video card. Since laptop video cards are not a very common product, their cost is corresponding. You will need to decide what is cheaper: a video card and its installation or a new laptop with the best video card already installed (which may be more cost-effective).
Despite all these difficulties, if a video card malfunctions, some people decide to replace them. Here are some tips for doing this at home:
1. Make sure you turn off the laptop. Remove the batteries to prevent electric shock or short circuit.
2. Determine the location of the video card. On some laptops, you can access the map through the bottom of the computer.
3. Wash and dry your hands. Be sure to apply an antistatic agent to them before starting work.
4. You must work very slowly and carefully, because the laptop has fragile parts, and breaking them is pretty easy.
5. Separate the screen by unwinding the hinges on which it is attached.
6. Remove the keyboard. It can be held in place with screws or clamps.
7. Most parts of the laptop are made of plastic, so be careful to remove any plastic cover.
8. Disconnect the cables that connect the display to the computer.
9. Now you can remove the external shell of the computer, but then again - it can be held on screws or on clips.
10. Replace the video card.
11. Reassemble the laptop in the reverse order by carefully checking all connections and fixtures.
Note that this is a general guide, the exact steps for your laptop may vary slightly. You can usually find the maintenance manual for each individual make or model on the manufacturer’s website. Often it is given in PDF format, and you can print the pages you want. Replacing a laptop video card takes a lot of time, and if you decide to do it yourself, it requires steady hands and a lot of patience. In any case, installing a video card in a laptop is a painstaking task akin to brain surgery. You will have to disassemble the laptop almost completely, carefully marking all the tiny screws and the holes into which they are inserted. This process can take at least 90 minutes, provided complete privacy.
But still it would be better to contact the service center for help and let the professionals find out whether it is possible to replace the video card in a laptop. And if so, then entrust them with the fulfillment of this technically difficult task.