Can You Change the GPU in a Laptop? Nope!

Aaron Donald February 7, 2022

Changing your GPU can significantly enhance your gaming experience. However, laptops aren’t always designed with high-quality graphics cards in mind. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to work around the problem.

In this article, we’ll see if there is a way you can swap out a laptop’s graphics card.

Can You Change the GPU in a Laptop?

Unfortunately, the answer is rather disappointing. You can’t upgrade a laptop’s graphics card. A new laptop is the only option to improve your gaming experience.

This implies that the GPU (graphics processing unit) is permanently linked to the motherboard and isn’t detachable like a desktop PC.

Since many modern laptops include the graphics processing unit (GPU), upgrading the graphics requires purchasing a new CPU. Intel, for example, uses the same or identical GPUs all the way up to the Core i7 model. Therefore, you won’t see an increase in graphics performance even if you change your processor.

In addition, your warranty will be null and void the instant you open up your laptop and begin fiddling with its inner workings.

If you want to play PC games, a desktop is the way to go as it’s less expensive and offers far better performance. However, this isn’t the optimal answer for everyone. For that reason, there are some workarounds to solve this issue.

USB Graphic Cards

Laptops can be equipped with a graphics card. However, this is not for gaming. Strangely enough, you can connect one to a USB port. If you do so, you get an extra graphics output and can run an external screen and your laptop screen simultaneously. With a USB graphics card, you may connect a third monitor to your laptop if it already has a VGA, DisplayPort, or HDMI output.

External Laptop Graphics Cards

Another way to boost your laptop’s graphics capability without having to buy a new one is to use a Thunderbolt-enabled adapter. Note that this is compatible with any Thunderbolt-enabled laptop.

A few Thunderbolt 3-enabled external GPU enclosures allow you to connect a PC graphics card to a laptop. Even if you don’t have the money to buy a new laptop, you can still boost the speed of your laptop’s graphics card by using a desktop GPU in a powerful desktop. While mobile GPUs are constrained by thermals and power in the same way, a desktop GPU has a far greater variety of alternatives.

With a separate cooling system for the graphics card installed, these enclosures require an additional power line to power the graphics card and may also have an external power supply. Gigabit Ethernet, USB hubs, and RGB lighting are all optional accessories that aren’t essential.

Physical dimensions, built-in power supply capacity, and your wallet restrict the number of graphics cards you can accommodate in any given enclosure. Even if you’re upgrading from integrated graphics to an external GPU enclosure, don’t anticipate desktop-level performance from your laptop when you do so.

A desktop graphics card and an external GPU enclosure kit may be purchased and connected to a suitable Thunderbolt 3-equipped laptop to begin taking benefit of faster graphics.

Think Hard Before Making the Decision to Change the GPU on a Laptop

There are a couple of ways you could change the GPU on a laptop. However, those approaches won’t work for every device. Additionally, even though you will have a performance jump by doing an upgrade, the graphics still won’t compare to a PC or gaming laptop.

However, the deciding factor is probably your budget. Depending on what approach you choose, it can still cost you more than you would like. It’s probably best to write down all the parts you’ll need to change and calculate the price. Moreover, something can always go wrong during the upgrade, which can result in extra costs.

For that reason, the best solution would still be to buy a new gaming laptop or PC, especially if the upgrade costs are close to the price of a new device.

Would you upgrade your GPU, or would you buy a new device? What do you think is the best way to go about it? Let us know in the comments section below!