10-14-2010, 10:17 AM

Sup guys,


I have the 15" MacBook Pro, 2.66GHz i7, Hi-Res Anti Glare Screen, 4Gb RAM, 7200rpm 500Gb drive, obviously with the 512mb nVidia GeForce GT 330M!! my question here to all the tech people would be: As the nVidia GeForce GT 335M (yes GT 335M not 330) which is not used the MacBook Pro has the same size, etc. as the GT 330M in my MacBook Pro, is it technically possible to exchange the GT 330M with the GT 335M?? As the discrete graphics cards in the MacBook Pro's 15" and 17" are connected through the PCIe BUS isn't it possible to remove it?? and put a different one into its place?? has anyone ever attempted this?? This thought just popped up yesterday, if this were possible i think it would be perfect for upgrading your MBP if you use it for 2-3 years or longer.

As much info on this would be very much appreciated

--------> Im only asking this for information purposes only!! Please no one tell me that if my machine doesn't fit my needs I should sell it and buy a different one!! Thanks!! <----------

Thanks guys

10-14-2010, 11:15 AM

I believe that no motherboards in the MacBook line have no soldered components and then even if you could swap out the cpu/gpu could you get the correct drivers to make
everything work as it does now.

10-14-2010, 12:54 PM

Member osxx is correct. The MacBook and MacBook Pro line, whether the GPU uses discrete memory or not, have the graphics chipset surface mounted to the logic board. That's why Apple changes the entire logic board whenever a unit with a failed GPU is brought in for repair.

The only current late model Mac that I know of (other than the Mac Pro) which has a removable card housing the GPU is the 27" iMac.

10-14-2010, 01:42 PM

hmmm ok.
i thought the discrete graphics card was removable, cuz i have taken apart lots of laptops (unfortunately no mb or mbp) and i was always able to just take the entire GPU out the motherboard, just like you can with the cpu. literally just pops out. hmmm
well they replace the entire motherboard but i doubt its because thats the only solution. Apple is such a big company it is cheaper for them to just swap the entire motherboard than to pay a worker to take apart the notebook to replace one chip!! (just like with ipods etc. they just replace the entire device, when you have a small fault like the headphone jack is broken, instead of taking in the device and replacing the headphone slot)
i attached an image of the current macbook pros 15" motherboard. you can see the GPU and in my experience it comes right off when pulled!!!?????? im not sure if thats the case with the macbook pro though. i could be wrong of course
Anyone ever taken apart or repaired a macbook pro to that extent to know??

10-14-2010, 01:55 PM

The CPU on recent Macbook and MBP's does not come out either. Soldered to the main board.

10-14-2010, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by The_Pro

hmmm ok.
i thought the discrete graphics card was removable, cuz i have taken apart lots of laptops (unfortunately no mb or mbp) and i was always able to just take the entire GPU out the motherboard, just like you can with the cpu. literally just pops out. hmmm

What made you think this???...if you do not have any Macintosh laptop experience (Macbooks, Macbook Pros's)...it's a bad thing to "assume". Besides...Apple has been making laptop computers since roughly 1989...and I can pretty much count the number of laptop models that had an upgradable cpu or gpu on one hand! In fact...I can't even think of one Apple laptop model that had an upgradeable gpu...an upgradeable cpu Yes (and these were VERY few)...but not an upgradeable gpu.

Originally Posted by The_Pro

well they replace the entire motherboard but i doubt its because thats the only solution. Apple is such a big company it is cheaper for them to just swap the entire motherboard than to pay a worker to take apart the notebook to replace one chip!! (just like with ipods etc. they just replace the entire device, when you have a small fault like the headphone jack is broken, instead of taking in the device and replacing the headphone slot)

Don't you think that if that was a less expensive way to do a repair that Apple would already be doing it. Apple is VERY big on customer service. By swapping out the entire motherboard a customer gets their computer back faster! Many times the same day if going to the Apple Store. If an Apple technician had to replace a single chip (solder/desolder)...if it's even possible...the repair would take a lot longer.

Also...what we don't know is...maybe the motherboard(s) that are removed are repaired later...recertified as 100% working, and used for future motherboard replacements.

The bottom line is...you have a 15" Macbook Pro with a non-upgradeable cpu and a non-upgradeable gpu. That's the way it's been for a very long time with Apple laptops/notebooks. If you know how to successfully replace/upgrade the cpu or gpu in a Macbook or Macbook Pro...please please please do it...and then write up a DIY for the rest of us!!!

- Nick

10-14-2010, 02:47 PM

Originally Posted by The_Pro

hmmm ok.
i thought the discrete graphics card was removable, cuz i have taken apart lots of laptops (unfortunately no mb or mbp) and i was always able to just take the entire GPU out the motherboard, just like you can with the cpu. literally just pops out. hmmm
well they replace the entire motherboard but i doubt its because thats the only solution. Apple is such a big company it is cheaper for them to just swap the entire motherboard than to pay a worker to take apart the notebook to replace one chip!! (just like with ipods etc. they just replace the entire device, when you have a small fault like the headphone jack is broken, instead of taking in the device and replacing the headphone slot)
i attached an image of the current macbook pros 15" motherboard. you can see the GPU and in my experience it comes right off when pulled!!!?????? im not sure if thats the case with the macbook pro though. i could be wrong of course
Anyone ever taken apart or repaired a macbook pro to that extent to know??

It is done this way to keep them thin,light and controlled to their spec also you will find that the competition does the same thing on their ultra thin and light models.

10-14-2010, 08:09 PM

It is done this way to keep them thin,light and controlled to their spec also you will find that the competition does the same thing on their ultra thin and light models.

Again correct. I don't know of a late model PC notebook computer that sports a separate card for the GPU. As a matter of fact most of the newer desktop models being produced likewise have the GPU, sound, ethernet, etc, all integrated on the motherboard. It's just less expensive to do it that way and actually provides better efficiency.