How far can this be done? I'm don't know loads about computers and the likes, so I'm just looking for a bit of clarification. Can laptops be upgraded in any way? (for example adding more memory/ changing the graphics card etc.) I have heard that they are not built to be changed whereas desktops are fairly easy to. Is this correct? Sorry if this sounds a bit vague, I'm a bit unsure myself :tongue:

Not much, I don't think. Laptops run on built-in motherboard chips for graphics and sound, but as for CPU and memory..possibly. I don't know too much about 'em. Of course, it'll also vary by manufacturer.

Most laptops you can easily change the RAM. Some laptops, like Sager's, you can change the GPU. However most laptop brands solder the GPU on so you cannot upgrade it yourself. I believe most manufacturers solder the CPU on as well. Desktops are more upgradeable, more powerful, and cheaper. The only reason you should consider a [gaming] laptop is if you need the portability.

Well my laptop can play OB fine, but I mainly got it because I often have a lot of programmes running at once and I need it to be fast. So far it's been great. It would be good if it could run Skyrim as well, but if they aren't upgradeable I may need to consider buying/ building a desktop nearer the time.

I'm not saying that a laptop isn't capable, but laptop cards are less powerful than their desktop counter parts while being more expensive. If you need the portability that's one thing, but other than that you are wasting money compared to building a desktop.

[speculation]
If your laptop is able to play Oblivion I would assume that it can play Skyrim. Bethesda is going from consoles to PC and since it is developing Skyrim for the same consoles as Oblivion it *should* have similar specs. So, if they do a halfway decent job of optimization you should be able to run it fine. [/speculation]

RAM and hard drive = easy to upgrade. Graphics and CPU = virtually impossible.

I actually rather doubt that. The consoles had performance issues with Oblivion, yes, but that's because Gamebryo svcked. In reality, the 360 and PS3 are rather powerful machines that can handle visuals far more advanced than Oblivion's so long as the engine is optimized well for console use (As was not the case with Oblivion). Skyrim runs much more smoothly, but likely demands far more than Oblivion did (Better performance, but still a far more technically advanced game), so a PC that can handle the previous game is in no way guaranteed solid performance. If I'm wrong, I'll eat my hat.

Edit: Simply put, Oblivion's performance was awful because of its engine, but that does not mean a better optimized engine five years later will run better on a machine that runs Oblivion (Unless, of course, you're running a monster machine with Oblivion, but this is more focused on somebody with a machine that can just handle Oblivion). It would probably run even worse, actually.

This is wrong about GPU's. Some re-branded Clevo's (Sager's, etc..) are meant to allow the consumer to upgrade the GPU.



Wasn't aware it used a different engine. Though I'd say any PC bought relatively recently (last couple years) should be able to handle it simply because PC's are so far ahead of the outdated PS3 and Xbox360.

Oh, certainly. These days, PC setups designated as "medium" range are good enough to max just about anything currently on the market, whereas "high" generally refers to a PC with a large amount of future proofing. You won't spend an arm and a leg to upgrade to a machine that can handle Skyrim, unless you want to future proof. If you ask me, though, I think doing a little bit of that is a good idea. It's rather annoying upgrading all the time, so many people opt to pay a huge sum and then game happily for years (And with the jaw-dropping deals on Steam, paying a lot for hardware doesn't seem so bad anymore).

upgrading RAM
replacing your hard drive with SSD

will help a lot and for most laptops it is all you can do


Also there are a few (very few) laptops with MXM connectors that allow you to upgrade the GPU. This is not possible with most laptops, because the GPU is affixed to the motherboard with adhesive or it uses a proprietary MXM connector that is more difficult to upgrade.

If you are lucky enough to have a laptop with an mSATA port, PCI-Express slot (or, more recently, LightPeak/thunderbolt), then there might be an external GPU solution for your laptop.

And in some cases, if your particular model of laptop has an option with higher resolution display, it might be possible to upgrade your display to the higher resolution version.

Ok thanks for all the input. I won't be too bothered if Skyrim doesn't run, but it would be nice if it did. Maybe with a bit of money thrown in I could improve it a bit, but since I think the CPU is going to be the main issue I may just go for a desktop. Thanks again



Just out of interest, I have an eSATA port. Is this in any way the same as the ones you've mentioned?

no, unfortunately. I don't think there are any external GPUs that work with eSATA or USB 3.0. I could be wrong - here is a forum on notebookreview.com with more info: http://forum.notebookreview.com/gaming-software-graphics-cards/418851-egpu-experiences.html

EDIT: and I think it's not mSATA, but mPCI-e (mini PCI-e).

It's interesting to see what Sony is doing with the new Vaio line. They will use integrated Intel graphics, which makes it easier to design a thinner laptop, but have a media dock with dedicated graphics, using Light Peak connection for the dock. Sadly, the media docks will only have mediocre cards, like the AMD 6650m

Ok, well thanks for the further input. Toshiba does seem to suggest that it is to add an external hard drive, so I'm assuming that's the main intended purpose.