G60 upgrades

[wizkidalex]

Hi all,

To start off, I know laptop limitations and everything.

Now, I have an HP G60t-500 CTO with a Pentium T4400 and 4GB Crucial RAM I just upgraded. All other hardware is stock. I don't have a lot of money so I've decided I want to upgrade this laptop. I know that some models came with an Nvidia graphics card (not sure if they were G60s or CQ60s, but they're functionally the same thing). I would be willing to swap out the motherboard I have for one with the Nvidia card. The only problem is that I can't seem to find part #s for them... it looks like this (http/www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B009R0QXVY/ref=dp_olp_used_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=used) would fit, but I'd like to have the HDMI port. Also, according to notebookcheck.net, it has a GeForce 8200m G, which is a chipset graphics card... does anyone know or know how to find the part numbers for an Intel motherboard with a dedicated Nvidia chip? I know it won't play BF3 but I want to try out SFM and it doesn't register my GL40 chipset GPU as a GPU, so no facial rendering...

I'm also looking at upgrading the processor to a Core 2 Duo or up... I believe it's compatible, can anyone confirm?

Thanks in advance,
Alex

 

[jackspeed]

I have been trying to find an eloquent way to say don't do this but I can't. SO here's what I'm going to say.

DO NOT do this. Save money and get a new laptop, or if you actually have the skills to do this use them to make money so you can get a new laptop.

 

[wizkidalex]

Thanks for the advice. I do have the skills to do this- I have an hourly job as a tech at my local library- but I live in an area filled with iDevices, where nobody cares about repairs. This was a last-ditch idea- my laptop doesn't even have an Expresscard slot for an external gpu.

I guess I'll just save and wait.

 

[jackspeed]

ooc what was your budget for repairs? "here nobody cares about repairs" that is alot of people's sentiment about laptops. This is because of the time, work, money and expertise involved.

I know I do not have the skills to do it. I can build a desktop now easily but not a laptop. If you do more power to you. You might want to just check craigs list maybe you can find something good and there and sell your working? laptop once you have found something.

 

[wizkidalex]

You make a good point. My budget for upgrades was around $150- I found the T9400 for ~$50 or less but the mobo was up in the air. I have a Thinkpad T60 I also just brought back from the dead, and a Dell Inspiron E1505 that I'm considering adding a GPU to. I don't mind used parts.

I've been wanting to build a desktop but I travel around a lot form state to state (CT-NY-MA) so I'll have to stick with laptops.

I love to take things apart, so fixing laptops is fun for me...