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12" Powerbook GPU swap with a 15" powerbook gpu
- Thread starter szsiddiq
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You can't do it.
The graphics components are soldered and incorporated into the logic board - the PowerBooks (and iBooks, MacBooks, MacBook Pros, Mac mini and 17" and 20" iMacs) don't have graphics "cards" as such, the bits are just merged into the logic board design.
i meant with some resoldering - not saying i could do that - but if i could, could the logic board theoretically support it? looking for EE's or CE's to answer this lil question for an ME
no.
im no electrical engineer but ive seen hard soldered chips like these GPUs before.
there is absolutely NO way you could remove the GPU from the board.
im no electrical engineer but ive seen hard soldered chips like these GPUs before.
there is absolutely NO way you could remove the GPU from the board.
im sure it wouldnt be the easiest thing to do, but im just curious to kno if a hardware swap would do it, or if there are firmware/driver differences that would just not allow this to work
sorry, i meant the GPU, if it could be removed, regardless of the difficulties, would the logic board support it?
I disagree with the others. I think it could be done, with great difficulty and skill.
Try googling around.
David
It can't be done. Period. End of story.
If it is an academic exercise and we are going to make the assumption (albeit a false one) that the GPU could be swapped between the machines, we would have to know which 12" PB and which 15" PB as there are many different revisions with a few different GPU's.
But it is quite pointless as it can't be done. The GPU is surface mounted. There aren't pins sticking out the other side of the logic board that you could desolder.
If it is an academic exercise and we are going to make the assumption (albeit a false one) that the GPU could be swapped between the machines, we would have to know which 12" PB and which 15" PB as there are many different revisions with a few different GPU's.
But it is quite pointless as it can't be done. The GPU is surface mounted. There aren't pins sticking out the other side of the logic board that you could desolder.
I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but the graphics "chip" isn't just one chip. It's a series of many pieces all soldered onto the motherboard. Sure, you could remove all of them, but you'd end up with a paperweight and some change.
And I am an engineer (albeit not an EE).
And I am an engineer (albeit not an EE).