Thread: Upgrading a laptop vid card.

  1. #1
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    Upgrading a laptop vid card.

    How can you find out which laptop's have an upgradable vid card and which don't?

    I want to learn OpenGL 4.0 but vid card only supports 3.0.

    The laptop is a refurbished hp and I can't find the model type (I am sure its in system info somewhere.)

    Is there a quick way to tell before I waste 200 on a graphics card or should I just drop my tax return on a new PC?
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  2. #2
    [](){}(); manasij7479's Avatar
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    Is there anything specific that you need from OpenGL 4.x at this moment ?
    Version 3.3 has everything interesting, at least when learning.
    AFAIK the point of that version was back porting new stuff where technically feasible.

  3. #3
    Master Apprentice phantomotap's Avatar
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    O_o

    Limiting yourself to OpenGL4 at the start of your education is ridiculous.

    I can see not wanting to use version of OpenGL that only support the old fixed function stuff, but almost everything you'd get to use, feature wise, that would be a natural part of OpenGL4 is stuff that you can also get with vendor extensions.

    The API core and a lot the "way" of OpenGL is identical.

    Is there a quick way to tell before I waste 200 on a graphics card or should I just drop my tax return on a new PC?
    Are you really planning on learning to program?

    If so, I'd advise that you spend your money on good books.

    Soma

  4. #4
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    Limiting yourself to OpenGL4 at the start of your education is ridiculous.
    I have used previous versions of OpenGL before. I posted a sudoku game that randomly generated millions of games on sourceforge that is linked through this site and 2 years old. It is not the "best" GL project ever, but it shows that I am not at the "start of my education."

    You have responded to posts I've made over the last 3 years so I don't even understand why your answer refers as if I am just beginning programming. Beyond that I actually want to learn the newest features of OpenGL as I am tired of being quite a bit behind modern gaming with the projects I am doing.

    Are you really planning on learning to program?
    No I just wanted to spend as much time as I could on this website harassing real programmers about questions they may or may not know. Seriously? What would possess you to answer a question with insults rather than anything that had to do with the actual question that was posed?

    I would just go to the local stores and ask if I could buy a video card for my laptop but sadly they seem to know quite a bit less than I do which is not something to be proud of. Last time I went to buy an IDE and they looked confused out of their mind's and it was at this point that I decided the rest of my computer purchases would be made online with the advice of helpful and more knowledgable people. I spend way to much of my time trying to earn the $(not the PHP variable) that I would be seemingly wasting on an uneducated purchase.

    O_0 X.X 0.o
    Last edited by Lesshardtofind; 01-03-2013 at 03:39 AM.
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  5. #5
    Master Apprentice phantomotap's Avatar
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    You have responded to posts I've made over the last 3 years so I don't even understand why your answer refers as if I am just beginning programming.
    What would possess you to answer a question with insults rather than anything that had to do with the actual question that was posed?
    Wow.

    You are a ridiculously fragile person.

    Soma

  6. #6
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    Not really fragile as much as argumentative, but how does your answer get me any closer to a resolution?

    That would be my obvious goal for posting in a forum.
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  7. #7
    Master Apprentice phantomotap's Avatar
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    Not really fragile as much as argumentative, but how does your answer get me any closer to a resolution?
    I find the original question to be distasteful by implying an almost certainly false need.

    I did not offer an answer to the question. I only offered my opinions on the topic naturally poised by the question.

    If you don't like that, feel free to leave the internet; you'll find that most people will happily do the same thing.

    Honestly now, if you aren't fragile, how did you interpret anything I said as offensive?

    Soma

  8. #8
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    You are probably right I most likely mis interpreted your response. I am honestly just trying to learn the most modern implementations of 3d graphics. It is obvious that you have both experienced more formal education than I and know more about all subjects of computer programming than I.

    My apologies for being fragile in my responses. Let's just say theoretically I have a whole lot of money to blow on both books and a video card/a new pc. Can I get a valid suggestion on non depreciated information?

    And if anyone knows an actual method for checking if a laptop video card was upgradable that would be awesome too!

    Thanks for your time!
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  9. #9
    Master Apprentice phantomotap's Avatar
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    Let's just say theoretically I have a whole lot of money to blow on both books and a video card/a new pc.
    O_o

    Let me put it his way, regardless of your motives or the need for OpenGL4, I would consider spending money on trying to upgrade a video card for a laptop to be a true waste of money (bad) instead of indulging some extra cash (fun).

    However, regardless of what you think about my response I was both being literal and honest.

    I think you'd be a lot happier buying $200 worth of books if you are really interested in this stuff. It has nothing to do with the API by the way. That isn't relevant. (Well, okay, it is relevant in that you must know something of the API in order to use it, but ultimately that will not be a large part of your world.) The important bit is having shoulders to stand on while you gain experience. The API, say OpenGL versus DirectX, will eventually become more about politics than anything to do with programming. However, the experience you gain from working through $200 worth of graphics programming books will be pretty hardcore invaluable.

    *shrug*

    I'd certainly be happier with the books.

    And by the by, I read the post before the massive edits, the old "fixed-function" model (`glbegin'/`glend') is probably going away, but the programmable model is available in earlier versions of OpenGL. You should be able to start learning that API now on your 3.0 card.

    Soma

  10. #10
    SAMARAS std10093's Avatar
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    Lesshardtofind phantomap only provided you his opinion. You are the one that's is going to decide what do. It's your life

    Also mind that the ohter user wanted to help and he found himself into a conversation, trying to convince you for his good intentions. Will he do that again in a future question of you?

    //edit because of the italian keyboard
    Last edited by std10093; 01-03-2013 at 07:08 AM.
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  11. #11
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    There is a very real possibility that upgrading your video card simply isn't possible. Some vendors utilize the MXM standard for some of their models (read: very few), which means you can buy a new MXM card (expensive and difficult to find), and switch it yourself.

    However, the VAST majority of laptops use graphics that are integrated on the motherboard, which means no upgrades. EDIT: Or they use some kind of proprietary PCI-Express connection.

    Alternatively, you could spend a fortune on some exotic external graphics solution, ASUS came up with this a few years back:
    Hands-on with the Asus XG Station external GPU
    It was expensive, very expensive. And the connection to the laptop was through ExpressPort, which meant the latency was horrible compared to a PCI-Express connection in a desktop, so it performed quite poorly i believe.
    There are also USB solutions, but these perform even worse i would think.

    ...or, you could just buy a new laptop like the rest of us do every once in a while. They're not meant to be upgradeable, it's bad for business.
    How I need a drink, alcoholic in nature, after the heavy lectures involving quantum mechanics.

  12. #12
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    They're not meant to be upgradeable, it's bad for business.
    Yes I am seeing that. I read another article that sad if the laptop came with the default video card for the model it is not upgradable either. I just bought this laptop two months ago so don't really want to buy another already.
    I think a new PC is going to be the way to go with this. And some good books as phantomotap suggested.

    Last trip to Barnes and Noble had me dissapointed. Ever other book was something on the order of the "real guide to hacking" or "learn to program in 10 days". I couldn't find much with any substance in it. I guess they stock what sells the most though.

    Thanks for all the info.
    Virtual reality hello world http://www.rodneybrothers.com/vr/vrh...rld/index.html in html and javascript.
    Viewable with dodocase, google cardboard, OR, and other compatible VR gear.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lesshardtofind View Post
    Yes I am seeing that. I read another article that sad if the laptop came with the default video card for the model it is not upgradable either. I just bought this laptop two months ago so don't really want to buy another already.
    I think a new PC is going to be the way to go with this. And some good books as phantomotap suggested.

    Last trip to Barnes and Noble had me dissapointed. Ever other book was something on the order of the "real guide to hacking" or "learn to program in 10 days". I couldn't find much with any substance in it. I guess they stock what sells the most though.

    Thanks for all the info.
    2 suggestions:

    If you want to do graphics, get a desktop. There really is no good way of getting portable graphics of any noticeable horsepower, not even nowadays.

    Buy your programming books online.
    How I need a drink, alcoholic in nature, after the heavy lectures involving quantum mechanics.

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