Toshiba Satellite L505D ES5025

vengeance666

Hey all , I heard that many laptops support changing their video cards nowadays as I've seen many do that , it all depends if the graphic card is built into the motherboard or if it can be removed.

I just want to know if anyone has an idea if Toshiba Satellite L505D ES5025 supports changing it's graphic card or if it's built in ? The graphic card is an ATI mobility radeon HD 4200 ( 256mb dedicated memory and 1900 VRAM ).

Thanks in advance.

AvoK95

I have taken apart the L505D and it isn't swapabl since it's part of its ATI chipset.
Even if it was swappable you'd have a hard time finding parts and even if you do find it, it still would be low end and VERY expensive. Not to mention your standard laptop adapter wouldn't be able to power it up.

Nabs

This module's VGA isn't built in and can be changed. However, you have to realize that changing graphics cards isn't an easy process. A lot of people get theirs replaced and they die too sooner than expected. In laptops, if a VGA is built in, it means it's a part of the board itself. The whole thing comes in one big plate. If it's not, it is wielded to a part of the board, which doesn't make replacing it an easy thing to do.

vengeance666

AvoK95 wroteI have taken apart the L505D and it isn't swapabl since it's part of its ATI chipset.
Even if it was swappable you'd have a hard time finding parts and even if you do find it, it still would be low end and VERY expensive. Not to mention your standard laptop adapter wouldn't be able to power it up.

Then supposing the graphic card dies and it isn't subject to change , the laptop goes to the garbage dumpster ?

AvoK95

vengeance666 wrote
AvoK95 wroteI have taken apart the L505D and it isn't swapabl since it's part of its ATI chipset.
Even if it was swappable you'd have a hard time finding parts and even if you do find it, it still would be low end and VERY expensive. Not to mention your standard laptop adapter wouldn't be able to power it up.
Then supposing the graphic card dies and it isn't subject to change , the laptop goes to the garbage dumpster ?

When you take it to repairs, they heat it using a heat gun and heat the GPU so that it re-solders itself onto the motherboard. They'll say "We changed the VGA". If that doesn't work they just tell you that it can't be fixed. This means you need a new motherboard which is out of the question to be replaced because it has to be imported from outside and will cost a minimum of 280$ so it's not worth fixing it, making you buy a new laptop.