Adding pci video card

[mereTz]

Hi there,

I'm the proud owner of a refurbished Lenovo T400 - 6475FP1, with a P8400, 4GB DDR3 and an Intel GMA video card.

I know that the T400 has a switchable graphics card series ( they start with 2 not 6 ) and i'm thinking, the motherboard should be the same for all the types of T400's right? then it would mean that i could buy a pci video card and make mine with switchable graphics right?

If i'm right, then what kind of card is good? 

If i'm not, could you explain why?

Thanks a lot

[ColonelONeill]

The only other T400 motherboard with discrete graphics is the ATI Mobility Radeon HD3470, which is quite weak by current standards.

If you don't need it to be mobile, you can consider an ExpressCard solution.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/gaming-software-graphics-cards/418851-diy-egpu-experiences.html

[mereTz]

Thx for the idea, but i have a PC for that ) The point of upgrading the video card on my laptop was to use it on the go, when i'm not at home with my pc.

So you are saying that i cannot put a additional video card on this mainboard that i have? Or that the only card is the hd3470?

[lead_org Microsoft MVP Contributor · Accepted solution]

the ATI graphics card is soldered to the motherboard, the only way you can upgrade your graphics card on your T400, is to physically change your motherboard to a T400 motherboard with an ATI graphics card.

[mereTz]

Thanks for the info. I thought you had some sort of pci-e port where the secondary graphics came in

[lead_org Microsoft MVP Contributor]

the only lenovo thinkpads laptop to have mxm solution is the W70x series.

[TheDude]

There is one other solution.  If you can find an Advanced Dock (not a mini-dock) you should be able to put a PCIe card up to about a HD7750 in there, or at least a 6570.  It will only give you that power when docked.

[mereTz]

this i didn't know, and it is a fine solution. Thanks for the info.