Can I install a GPU in my Laptop?

[LilTwist]

I just got a brand new laptop from bestbuy the other day and it currently only has intel hd 5500 graphics in it I am wondering if it is possible for me to install a gpu in it I know there are upgraded versions of this series of laptops that do have gpu's in them so I am wondering if it is possible that I can add a gpu in my laptop to beef up the gaming capabilities now like I said there are other versions of this laptop that are better because they have i5s in them and they also have dedicated GPUs in them as well so I am wondering if the mobo in my new laptop might be the same as the better laptops and there might be a gpu chip slot or might there be some kind of external usb graphics I could use I at least want to put in a 850m or 950-960m gpu chip in it

this is the laptop I just got 3 days ago
http/www.bestbuy.com/site/asus-15-6-laptop-intel-core-i3-processor-6gb-memory-500gb-hard-drive-matte-black/6374138.p?id=1219661390049&skuId=6374138

here are my specs

Brand: ASUS X555LA
CPU: 5th Gen i3 5005U 2.0GHz
Ram: 6Gb
Graphics: intel HD 5500
OS: Windows 8.1 64bit

 

[Barty1884]

from what i heard you can upgrade gpu on some lenovo laptops not sure which ones.

wouldn't I need a PCIe slot in my laptop to be able to upgrade the gpu? I doubt I can upgrade my laptop I only spent 350$ on it but the moderator says they are usually soldered on the board

I've also heard the possibility of upgrading the GPU in some top-of-the-line Lenovo's.

The answer still stands though, you'd actually need a dedicated GPU (and PCIe slot) to 'upgrade' a laptop.

Theoretically, GPUs in laptops could be upgraded (assuming PCIe slot, assuming the CPU won't throttle the GPU, assuming you can 'unsolder' and 'resolder' and assuming BIOS support), but in a practical sense, it wouldn't be worth anybodies time.

 

[NinjaGaiden]

these days you can unsolder and resolder a compatable gpu and grease it too

in 99.9999% of laptops today you cant install a GPU (the exception is the MSI GT80 Titan, but that is already a desktop replacement), so, no. you cant upgrade a GPU inside a laptop.
anyway, you got a 350$ laptop that comes with windows, so you shouldnt have expected any amazing gaming performance...

I can replace/upgrade the GPU in my MSI GT70, but yes, the majority of laptops seem to have the GPU soldered to the mobo these days.

 

[BinarySoldier1010]

I know this thread is old but someone along the way said you cannot upgrade the hard drive in this laptop and that is incorrect. Sure, you have to dismantle the chassis to get at the hard drive, but it is certainly upgradable in this unit.

I have the exact same laptop, and I dropped in a 525 GB Crucial SSD and an 8GB 1600 Crucial DDR3 stick. $10 for an enclosure and I got a nice 1TB external USB 3.0 drive out of the deal.

I actually get VERY playable frames in a lot of games. Anything Source engine runs between 50-60FPS on medium-high settings. Rocket League averages 40-60FPS on medium settings. DiRT 3 and GRID Autosport run BUTTER smooth on high. Hell, I even get about 25-40fps in Overwatch on low settings. Not the most playable, but it works in a pinch. Please keep in mind this is running at the screens lackluster 1366x768 native resolution so that certainly helps the FPS. When I connect it to my 50in 1080p TV it's a whole different ball game. However, some of the above are still very playable, albeit not nearly as smooth as one would want them to be.

The ram upgrade gave the integrated graphics a lot more to play with, and the SSD changed everything. Virtually instant boots and a noticeable improvement to frame rates. I know that the general consensus is that they'll only improve loading time, and that was certainly the case in my desktop, zero frame improvement as expected, but I was pleasantly surprised to notice the boost after swapping out the drive. I believe they can definitely help frames when you're putting them into what started out as such a weak system. Now it feels like 6 or 700 dollar laptop for a fraction of the cost.

I picked up this laptop on Walmart clearance brand new (the stuff they keep out back, not advertised you have to ask for it.) For $140 w/ Windows 10 Home. Popped in the above upgrades, and now for under $300 I have an i7 (given its a U series) laptop with 12GB of DDR3 and a 525SSD, dual booted with Ubuntu.

Absolutely love it. Bought it for coding, but never imagined a few cheap upgrades would improve it as much as it has, and I've been in IT professionally for 10 years, and building gaming PCs for almost twice that time.

TL;DR: I wondered the same thing about a potential PCI-E expansion slot as I also saw the upgraded versions of this laptop touting dedicated graphics. I haven't fully pulled the motherboard out, but plan on doing so to replace the heatsink compound with some good stuff at some point, and then I'll know for sure. However, upgrading the SSD and Memory to their max make this a great little laptop for the price.

 

[mmallak]

I just called Lenovo because I picked up a cheap Z710 with no gpu. Not sure how knowledgeable the rep was but he said my motherboard would not need to be changed and there is a slot for a gpu that I could put in there and it should work. He did state that I could go from a gt740m to an 840m. The laptop is in the mail and I will open it up and confirm this information once it arrives. My only question is how to tell what kind of chip is possible to fit into that slot and whether I am really limited to what he said or not. Not much info on this on the internet so I will try to guinea pig it.