G51vx-rx05 owner since 2009. the video card in the G51 series uses a reverse pinout. it's a MXM connection, but flipped. there are supposedly no cards out there really compatible with it. the cards out there will physically mount, but the GPU will end up on the wrong side, meaning no heat pipe connection.

if i'm not mistaken the GTX280m made for some of the other models around this time MAY fit and line up with everything.

the other problem is that the GTX260m was pretty top of the line for that socket and chassis. there isn't a whole lot to upgrade to.


the things to upgrade on these notebooks are the CPU (found some E8325's over at StarMicro for $43), the RAM (up to 8GB), and the hard drive (SSD as a boot drive, your choice for a secondary storage).

these days some stuff for a upgrade can be had fairly cheap. but for the most part you're stuck with the GPU. at this late in the game, the G46 becomes an attractive option.

remember that the A1 version of the G51vx used a quad core CPU, which has a higher TDP than the dual core versions.

there is some headroom for heat.

the big upgrades to make to that laptop would be SSD, more RAM, a faster CPU (intel e8335 would be my pick).

if it was soldered on they wouldnt have it for sale. intel made them for imacs at one point. that's why they have a e designation. they were just a t9800 though. several version exist, the e8135, e8235, e8335, and e8435. they're a socket p processor. several people have swapped them into G-series laptops. the e8435's tend to run a little hot but the e8335 is a 35TDP.

if you'll send me the money for one, i'll buy it, install it in my G51, and post any kind of benchmarks you'd like.