video card upgrade question.....

[freekobe]

I know that certain questions on this forum are redundant, but I think this one is unique, if only because my laptop is 3+yrs old....

I have a Dell Inspiron 4000 running Windows XP. I don't think my video card can support 1600x1200, but I'd like to get a new monitor that has that resolution.

Where can I find an appropriate video card? Are they generic, i.e. will any random video card run in my Dell? How much should I expect to pay?

All help is appreciated. Thank you.

Kobe

[cain06]

Monitors (http://www.nextag.com/serv/main/buyer/outpdir.jsp?nxtg=15217f_8975D181E0398673&search=16 00x1200+monitor&OVRAW=1600x1200+monitor&OVKEY=1600 x1200+monitor&OVMTC=standard)

Video Cards (http://shopping.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=Am6bn4yLSVyLXn9x79osfa4EgFoB;_ylu=X3oD MTBhNjRqazhxBHNlYwNzZWFyY2g-?p=ati+radeon&did=)

You can get a nice setup pretty cheaply.

[o0mr_bill0o]

i'm pretty sure that video cards aren't user replaceable in dell laptops... with that said, you should be able to find out if your current video card can support 1600x1200 by googling it and finding out its specs...

[freekobe]

appreciate the links....my question is more of a compatability issue - will any of the cards in the links work with my older Dell Inspiron 4000?
Inspiron 4000 specs (http://support.jp.dell.com/docs/systems/ph2o/specs.htm)
The system has 512MB Ram and runs on a Pentium III processor.

From the specs, it appears as though the laptop cannot support anything above 1024x768 (unless I can upgrade)
Thanks again.

[o0mr_bill0o]

[ QUOTE ]
appreciate the links....my question is more of a compatability issue - will any of the cards in the links work with my older Dell Inspiron 4000?
Inspiron 4000 specs (http://support.jp.dell.com/docs/systems/ph2o/specs.htm)
The system has 512MB Ram and runs on a Pentium III processor.

Thanks again.

[/ QUOTE ]

no, the first guy apparently didn't read your post. pretty much none of those cards will work in a laptop. if the video card is replaceable in an inspiron 4000, you're still going to have to find a specific mobile video card, and one that'll work with the inspiron 4000, and i'm not really certain what's out there with regards to your specific laptop.

[freekobe]

OK. I figured as much. Guess I'll have to do some digging. Thanks. If anyone has suggestions, please post em.

[slickpoppa]

you won't find the information on any dell website. go to the windows control panel and look up what the exact model of your video card is. then google that at find out what the max supported resolution is.

[freekobe]

I called Dell a few months back and they told me that my current video card will not support a 1600x1200 external monitor. I give the service tech a 90% confidence rating.

Assuming he was right, I have two options: new computer or new video card.

It sounds like replacing a laptop's video card is an ordeal and may be impossible.

Has anyone ever had to do this?

[nnoobi]

Most likely your laptop does not have a video card but rather a video chip inserted and likely soldered to the motherboard.

In my experience I have never heard of anyone self-upgrading the video on their laptops.

Your opening the case will void any waranty you have.


rabbit

[freekobe]

Ah....guess that ends the discussion then. Very frustrating that my laptop is not 1600x1200 compatible. Guess that means I'll have to search the archives for new CPU recommendations...

[o0mr_bill0o]

[ QUOTE ]
Ah....guess that ends the discussion then. Very frustrating that my laptop is not 1600x1200 compatible. Guess that means I'll have to search the archives for new CPU recommendations...

[/ QUOTE ]

ahh, just so you know. CPU is not an abbreviation for computer, it's an acronym for central processing unit.

[david050173]

[ QUOTE ]
Most likely your laptop does not have a video card but rather a video chip inserted and likely soldered to the motherboard.

In my experience I have never heard of anyone self-upgrading the video on their laptops.

Your opening the case will void any waranty you have.


rabbit

[/ QUOTE ]

Some of the dells have there graphics on a daugher board so it might be possible to upgrade. I am pretty sure the 4000 doesn't have this though. Even if it did, I doubt it is price competive though with buying a new laptop.

[freekobe]

well, maybe i'll have to look for one of those too. thx for the headsup on that acronym.

[fatherofmany]

It might be worth asking the Dell support people directly if it's possible to disable the onboard video on that model and use a pcmcia graphics card instead. I'm 99% sure that's not the case though.

Availability of those cards seems limited (the best one I know of isn't made any more and has to be hunted down second hand) and somewhat expensive for what you actually get performance wise.

You're probably looking at a new setup to get 1600 x 1200.