is it possible to upgrade my G53JW's GPU(460M) to 560M?

[Timone]

Want to have a better gaming experience that is all.

Don't have $1k to spare for a desktop. Have about $300 budget...

[fostert]

Don't know about the G53 but the G74's 560M is soldered right to the mainboard (and not socketed) so a strightforward dropping-in of a new GPU is not possible. I would suspect the G53 would have the same permanency, but other G53 owners here might tell you for sure.

[Myk SilentShadow]

The GPU is modular, but upgrading from what I have read is pretty much pointless "you can not upgrade this video card
you "may" be able to put an nvidia 560m in it but what would be the point of that? 560m thermal profile is the only thing that may work but the performance is the same even if you were able to get it to work. upgradable gpu is a myth and very impractical on notebooks"

Source: http://btoforums.com/showthread.php?t=3138 post #36

[Zygomorphic]

That is correct. On another Thread, Marshall@ASUS verified that the GPU on the G53SX is a custom form-factor, so end-user upgrading was not possible. A big disappointment, but it does bring the prices down. I would like to see on the G55/G75 a GPU that the user with work can upgrade himself. Also, the 560M is a slower video card than the 460M, because of the 128-bit bus. On bandwidth, the 460M is faster, on everything else, the 560M is marginally faster, by no more than 10%. The key improvement is the sleep states and the power consumption. nVidia was not trying to jump performance with the 500 series, only reduce the heat and increase power efficiency.

[fostert]

The 460M may have a wider bandwidth, but the question is does the 560M actually saturate the 128bit wide memory bus often enough to make a wider one have a significant impact? Not a graphics card afficianado, but my guess is no.

[Zygomorphic]

I have seen some benchmark comparisons, and the difference, as I said, is marginal. The 460M and 560M are almost identical in performance, though the 560M has significantly better power-saving measures implemented, which leads to an increase in battery life. Also, unless ASUS changed the design from the SW to the SX, where are you going to get the 560M that has the right form factor, without having to buy a whole new laptop?

[TorturedBIscuit]

I think yes, but I doubt you can do it yourself. But think first, is it really worth it?

[Myk SilentShadow]

I think yes, but I doubt you can do it yourself. But think first, is it really worth it?

Yeah.....no, unless the OP is a system builder(OEM) there is no place he can buy a card to upgrade the one in his laptop.

[Zygomorphic]

@Myk is correct. There are a few places on-line that sell notebook video cards, but they are for the Clevo and Sager laptops that use the standard MXM form factor. Everyone else (including ASUS ) uses either a soldered video card or else one with a custom form factor, making it difficult, if not outright impossible to source a replacement/upgrade.

I would advise upping the RAM, if you have not done so already, and/or putting in a Seagate Momentus XT hybrid drive. They make a huge difference, the RAM will probably help gaming, and the Momentus XT will improve Windows boot times. Alternately, put in an SSD. An upgraded video card, like upgrading a notebook processor, is by and large a waste of time, effort, and money. If you really want improved gaming performance on the cheap, buy a desktop.