What to know:
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This guide will tell you about the different ways you may upgrade a laptop graphics card and which ones work best for you.
The Best Way to Upgrade a Laptop Graphics Card is to Buy a New One
The design of laptops, including gaming laptops, generally ignores graphics card enhancements. In contrast to desktops, which are composed of components designed to be easily replaced and have plenty of room, laptops lack such components and are, therefore, difficult to replace.
Graphics enhancements are available for a limited selection of laptops, including the Alienware Area 51m and its several iterations. Nevertheless, that enhancement program was restricted in scope, prohibitively expensive for the era, and has yet to be reduced in price.
To upgrade the graphics on your laptop, you should purchase a new laptop with a more powerful GPU. Gaming laptops typically feature the most powerful graphics devices.
A Choice Considering External Graphics Cards For Thunderbolt Laptops
If you already own a fantastic laptop and do not wish to upgrade solely for the graphics, an alternative option that utilizes a compatible Thunderbolt interface can deliver excellent GPU performance to any computer.
A limited number of external GPU enclosures support the Thunderbolt 3/4 interface, which enables the connection of a desktop graphics card to a laptop. While not quite as quick as integrating a desktop GPU into a potent desktop, this approach can serve as a viable substitute for purchasing an entire laptop in order to enhance the GPU’s performance. Additionally, it provides access to a wider variety of GPU options that are not constrained by power or thermals, as mobile GPUs are.
These enclosures feature a power supply that requires an external power cable for operation and, in certain instances, distinct cooling mechanisms to ensure the graphics card you install operates at safe temperatures. While certain products may include USB hubs, RGB illumination, and Gigabit Ethernet as standard equipment, these are by no means essential components.
The capacity of an enclosure’s integrated power supply, its physical dimensions, and your budget are all constraints on the GPU that can be installed inside; graphics cards are prohibitively costly. When upgrading from integrated graphics, the graphics capabilities of your laptop will be significantly enhanced when you utilize an external GPU enclosure. However, do not anticipate performance comparable to that of a desktop computer.
You can begin taking advantage of faster graphics immediately after purchasing a desktop graphics card and eGPU enclosure package and connecting them to a compatible Thunderbolt laptop. Plug the components in to begin.
FAQs
What graphics card do I have?
To find out which graphics card is installed on your Windows 11/10 system, navigate to Device Manager > Display Adapters. There, you will observe your graphics device. Launch MacOS, navigate to the Apple menu and choose About This Mac.
How can the graphics device on your laptop be verified to be the correct one?
Navigate to the laptop’s settings if it has multiple graphics cards, such as an integrated GPU and a dedicated gaming GPU, to ensure that the correct card is in use. Open the Nvidia Control Panel settings, for instance, and select a processor that is ideal for specific applications, like video games.