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possible to upgrade video chip on a ibook g4?
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Actually that is no longer true, both ATI and Nvidia have given the manufacturers the ability to make there new chipsets, ie ATI 9xxx series and Nvidia FX series socket upgradeable. However, they may also solder them to the board to prevent this, the only laptop currently advertised as upgradeable is the Alienware Area51M.
Actually all the inspirons that don't use shared memory have video cards that are separate from the motherboard inside the laptop. They've been that way for a while now. You can upgrade the video card providing the form factor of the laptop is the same. It all depends on what video cards dell offers with what laptop (i.e. a 600m video card would probably not fit in a 8600). But, it's definately possible. They don't advertise it but you have to call up dell spare parts and order one from them.
Before I had my powerbook I had a dell inspiron 8100. The dell inspiron 8200 was released with the same form factor, so the video card was the same size allowing it to fit in the laptop. When the 8100 was released, the only card you could get was the Geforce 2 Go. The 8200 gave the option of the Radeon 9000. So I ordered a Radeon 9000 from dell spare parts, opened up my laptop, replaced the Geforce 2 Go, and bam, it worked perfectly.
Check out the dell inspiron video discussion forum if you don't believe me. They talk about this stuff ALL the time there.
So, if the form factor is the same and multiple cards are offered for the same system, then it IS possible. But dell doesn't like to advertise it.
Before I had my powerbook I had a dell inspiron 8100. The dell inspiron 8200 was released with the same form factor, so the video card was the same size allowing it to fit in the laptop. When the 8100 was released, the only card you could get was the Geforce 2 Go. The 8200 gave the option of the Radeon 9000. So I ordered a Radeon 9000 from dell spare parts, opened up my laptop, replaced the Geforce 2 Go, and bam, it worked perfectly.
Check out the dell inspiron video discussion forum if you don't believe me. They talk about this stuff ALL the time there.
So, if the form factor is the same and multiple cards are offered for the same system, then it IS possible. But dell doesn't like to advertise it.
Yes, shouldn't be too hard.
All you need to do is...
- Find a chip that smokes the current one while meet the heat, power, and size requirements.
- Design a replacement motherboard that include the rewire for the new video chip or hack the motherboard.
- Source some original Apple components to replace the ones you mess up experimenting on your monster.
- Write your own drivers for the new video chip.
If you don't do it yourself you may be able to get it done for the cost of an expensive Bently, maybe a little less.
Not too hard, if your willing to throw enough people and money at it.
All you need to do is...
- Find a chip that smokes the current one while meet the heat, power, and size requirements.
- Design a replacement motherboard that include the rewire for the new video chip or hack the motherboard.
- Source some original Apple components to replace the ones you mess up experimenting on your monster.
- Write your own drivers for the new video chip.
If you don't do it yourself you may be able to get it done for the cost of an expensive Bently, maybe a little less.
Not too hard, if your willing to throw enough people and money at it.
haha, it would be cheaper and less hassle to just get a powerbook 17" and have its much better vid cpu.