Is it possible to replace X1400 in T60 with another card?

[beagle72]

I have a T60 15.4 wide with the X1400 video card. Is it possible to replace this card with another model? Such as a FireGL or any other video card that uses the same interface?

I am comfortable disassembling the machine, which I assume would be necessary. Since this T60 does not have the integrated gfx, it seems like the X1400 should be a plug-in card of some kind?

Would replacement cards have to meet specific criteria? Does the BIOS perform an 'approved devices' check for video cards like it does WLAN?

thanks!

[SHoTTa35]

laptops aren't desktops with universal compatible parts. cases are not made to a specific standard and therefore motherboards aren't either. So you couldn't design a replaceable card and have it work in all cards... therefore GPUs can't be replaced. You would have to remove the whole motherboard to get a new one.

[rmcder]

I have a T60 15.4 wide with the X1400 video card. Is it possible to replace this card with another model? Such as a FireGL or any other video card that uses the same interface?

I am comfortable disassembling the machine, which I assume would be necessary. Since this T60 does not have the integrated gfx, it seems like the X1400 should be a plug-in card of some kind?

Would replacement cards have to meet specific criteria? Does the BIOS perform an 'approved devices' check for video cards like it does WLAN?

thanks!

The Hardware Maintenance Manual indicates a different system board assembly for the two video cards. That suggests that they are not interchangeable (and, in fact, suggests that the video is somehow integrated into the system board). The manual also makes no mention of removal and replacement of a video card, which is also problematic. You could open it up and take a look...

[Padhead]

I thought that the x1400 was an integrated card, not a discreet card?

[SHoTTa35]

The way they they diffrenciate cards these days makes it sounds like a "discrete" card is a seperate card (even tho it kinda is). With the intel x3100 the video is built into the chipset which makes it "integrated" while the nVidia/ATI cards are a seperate chip all together. The Thinkpad T6x/X6x/R6x systems all come with the Intel 965GM as far as i remember (G for graphics). They are similar to some desktops in that you can expand/upgrade your graphics card by putting in one in the AGP/PCI-E slot and turn off the integrated one in the BIOS. Basically the samething was done but it's not an option in the BIOS.

So the x1400 still comes with a Intel chipset, Intel 950GM i think... the system also has the ATI chip tho "integrated" into the motherboard still but it's a "discrete" chip.

[msb0b]

X1400 is a discrete GPU as in the graphic functionalities are provided by a chip separate from the CPU or the north bridge. For comparison, Intel X3100 integrated graphics is part of the GM965 north bridge.

The X1400 GPU is soldered directly on the system board (planar) so it becomes part of the board. It is difficult to remove for a properly trained technician with the right tools, and impossible for a layman. BGA package is a pita.

[Padhead]

shotta and msbob great replies..

so... is the x1400 upgradeable? ie , leaving it in place, disabling it in the BIOS, then adding a discreet GPU, and whitelisting it in the BIOS?

OR

ALSO I do have a great friend that does component level repairs/upgrades on MOBO.. AND he is a Thinkpad junkie. He is very affordable (for his friends)

[SHoTTa35]

no.. it's not possible to upgrade the GPU as was stated. It's built into the motherboard and even with skills it's hard to remove and replace it with a working one (because of pin compatibility and the fact that it's hard anyways... That's why they have robots doing these things.) Then after that you'd need to mod the BIOS not for whitelist but so that it can accept the video card. Laptops are not so "open" as their desktop cousins. These are custom designed/made systems that require special parts to work.

You couldn't add (another) discrete GPU because you wouldn't have anywhere else to put it. Normally in any system you have:

CPU - Northbridge - Memory
| - Graphics (integrated, maybe disabled)
| - Other slots
| - Discrete GPU
| - Audio
|
Southbridge - IDE/SATA drive


That and others are on the motherboard and designed as so. So in a laptop that's all used up but in desktops you have those slots (PCI, PCI-E, AGP and all) to upgrade and add stuf.

To add another graphics card you'd need the advanced dock (not the mini) With that you can put a PCI-X? card in there from a desktop and get better gaming performance. That's why they make those and charge an arm and a leg for them

[Padhead]

thanks Shotta, great info.

and i actually have an advanced mini dock. that I going to plug a TV into.