What upgrades on a Compaq laptop

mission17 · 01-12-2006, 02:07 AM

Hey everyone first time post here. I am gettting a Compaq Presario 700z notebook computer for a good price. The specs on it are:

With 1.3-GHz Mobile AMD Athlon 4 1500+,
256MB SDRAM
20GB hard drive
DVD drive
14.1-inch XGA TFT display
Microsoft Windows XP Home

Now my neighbor is selling it to me for only $300. I know this is a good deal since im only 17 and dont want to spend $2000 on one. Everything is in good working order and there are no problems with it. Now I would like to do some updating to it. I am going to start with adding a Linksys wireless adapter to it to hook it up to the network on our house. Now I am definitely going to update the SDRAM on it but am not sure on how much im getting yet? Finally, I want to upgrade my graphics card. I am looking into the ati graphics cards and was looking at the all in wonder card. Will these updates improve the graphics and speed of my computer and if you have any other tips will you please share them with me.

Thanks for your time,
Jeff

**The_Other_One** · 01-12-2006, 03:00 AM

First off, you can't upgrade the graphics card. It's just impossible so you can forget that.

RAM shoudln't be too hard to upgard assuming it's not already been upgraded. I can't say for sure how much that machine can hold but if you do a quick search with the model number, there should be some specs online about it...

Um...well, thats about all the really user serviceable parts... The harddrive could possibly be upgraded, but you usally really have to tear the machine apart to get access to the drive. Same goes for the DVD-ROM, but sometimes those are propriatary as well...

suprasteve · 01-12-2006, 03:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Other_One

First off, you can't upgrade the graphics card. It's just impossible so you can forget that.

That's almost true, it's possible on some that already have a dedicated card to solder on another one, but it's a bad idea if you don't REALLY know what you're doing and only works for a select few

**The_Other_One** · 01-12-2006, 04:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suprasteve

That's almost true, it's possible on some that already have a dedicated card to solder on another one, but it's a bad idea if you don't REALLY know what you're doing and only works for a select few

I was simply refering to his. I know some actually have dedicated ones that actually fit in littls slots, so they are quite easy to upgrade, but you could probably just get a whole new laptop for the price of one of those cards and a used laptop

ergorest · 01-12-2006, 03:31 AM

Its very hard to upgrade a laptop, you will end up spending $2000 if you try doing this.

I would just buy a better laptop as they are very fiddly to upgrade.

LaptopExtreme · 01-12-2006, 06:44 AM

Sorry, you won't be able to upgrade a video card on a laptop. If you do change it out, all you can do is replace it with the same thing. Even with the modular PCI-E cards, normal judgement would say it can be interchangeable, but no- sockets are different and may not even fit properly into the chassis. With the damage that you'll do, wasted time and money, you might as well buy a new one. Or at least a barebone and swap out the components from your old one. You change out the tiny HD and add another SDRAM stick.

01-12-2006, 02:07 AM	#1 (permalink)
mission17 New Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 17	What upgrades on a Compaq laptop Hey everyone first time post here. I am gettting a Compaq Presario 700z notebook computer for a good price. The specs on it are: With 1.3-GHz Mobile AMD Athlon 4 1500+, 256MB SDRAM 20GB hard drive DVD drive 14.1-inch XGA TFT display Microsoft Windows XP Home Now my neighbor is selling it to me for only $300. I know this is a good deal since im only 17 and dont want to spend $2000 on one. Everything is in good working order and there are no problems with it. Now I would like to do some updating to it. I am going to start with adding a Linksys wireless adapter to it to hook it up to the network on our house. Now I am definitely going to update the SDRAM on it but am not sure on how much im getting yet? Finally, I want to upgrade my graphics card. I am looking into the ati graphics cards and was looking at the all in wonder card. Will these updates improve the graphics and speed of my computer and if you have any other tips will you please share them with me. Thanks for your time, Jeff

01-12-2006, 03:00 AM	#2 (permalink)
The_Other_One Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lexington, NC Age: 25 Posts: 13,430	First off, you can't upgrade the graphics card. It's just impossible so you can forget that. RAM shoudln't be too hard to upgard assuming it's not already been upgraded. I can't say for sure how much that machine can hold but if you do a quick search with the model number, there should be some specs online about it... Um...well, thats about all the really user serviceable parts... The harddrive could possibly be upgraded, but you usally really have to tear the machine apart to get access to the drive. Same goes for the DVD-ROM, but sometimes those are propriatary as well... __________________ Primary- i7 920 \| 6GB RAM \| 9800GT \| 160+160+500GB Secondary- Athlon X2 4200 \| 2GB RAM \| 7600GT \| 80+250GB Netbook - Atom N280 \| 2GB RAM \| GMA945\| 160GB

01-12-2006, 03:31 AM	#5 (permalink)
ergorest New Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 10	Its very hard to upgrade a laptop, you will end up spending $2000 if you try doing this. I would just buy a better laptop as they are very fiddly to upgrade. __________________ Unique Ergonomic Armrests and more!

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01-12-2006, 06:44 AM	#6 (permalink)
LaptopExtreme VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 880	Sorry, you won't be able to upgrade a video card on a laptop. If you do change it out, all you can do is replace it with the same thing. Even with the modular PCI-E cards, normal judgement would say it can be interchangeable, but no- sockets are different and may not even fit properly into the chassis. With the damage that you'll do, wasted time and money, you might as well buy a new one. Or at least a barebone and swap out the components from your old one. You change out the tiny HD and add another SDRAM stick.