Toshiba Satellite M115-S1061 Upgrades?

I am looking to upgrade my Toshiba Satellite M115-S1061 Laptop to the best possible components that it can handle. I bought this computer for extremely cheap as a shell computer. Most of the components are stock and I am wondering what the best upgrades I can put into the computer to optimize its performance for gaming. I also am wondering how difficult it would be to to replace the graphics card as it is an integrated motherboard chip set. Here are the default Technical Specs for my model.

-Thanks Much, Tyler

Leave it alone, save up for a new lappy. That is the most honest advice I can give you.

That 200M chipset is a limiting factor, for video as well as CPU support. Figure as well, you don't know what the BIOS will support. You cannot replace the graphics card on that model.

Any money you put into this system is money you will never get back. 5 or 6 years is a long time for a system. If you can find some RAM really cheap ($20-30 tops), anything over the original 512meg will help.

Today's laptops have about double or triple the RAM and Hard drive space

The only thing you can upgrade is the RAM and the hard drive

The release date was October 23, 2006 so it live out its life

My recommendation is save up for a new system

So I wouldn't be able to get a new motherboard graphics card chip-set and install it to upgrade the graphics? Like I said I bought this computer as a shell computer and was looking to completely revamp the entire system.

If...you could find suitable parts...who would install them? How much would you pay for said installation?

As a general rule...you will pay more for older/obsolete (by sales standards) parts/components...than you will for newer, better components.

I believe that...all things considered...it's better to treat older notebooks at they are intended to be treated (by the manufacturer)....replaced by something better that presents a better valuation than could be obtained by extenseive repair or upgrade efforts.

Dssktops are different, having a greater potential for repair/replacement/upgrading of individual components.

Louis

So I wouldn't be able to get a new motherboard graphics card chip-set and install it to upgrade the graphics? Like I said I bought this computer as a shell computer and was looking to completely revamp the entire system.

Maybe you could get a better motherboard/GPU/CPU combo. The problem is you are limited, very limited, to a small number of motherboards that will actually fit that chassis. Laptops don't have a specific form factor for motherboards. Motherboards and cases are tightly matched as far as what fits what. There is no semi modern motherboard that will fit that chassis. You are limited to components from that, dare I say, "vintage". You might throw in a better CPU (3-4 generations old), but what does that get you knowing the limitations of the current motherboard/GPU............nothing really.

Any money you put into this system is equivilent to burning it and watching it go up in smoke. You might get a newer SSD to replace your hard drive, assuming you can install the original OEM OS on it, but your transfer speeds are limited by the chipset, plus XP doesn't support TRIM and other functions on SSDs. Memory will help a little, but no modern system used that type of memory anymore, so that purchase is throwing money away on something that cannot be put forward into a new build.

I just cannot see any sort of viable (economic/performance) upgrade path.

Are there any "semi-modern" external hardware upgrades that would provide a viable upgrade path? If not what would be a good computer to purchase for a cheaper amount and have a good path to upgrade and improve the system?

I hope I am being clear, -Tyler

Are there any "semi-modern" external hardware upgrades that would provide a viable upgrade path? If not what would be a good computer to purchase for a cheaper amount and have a good path to upgrade and improve the system?

No real external upgrades.

You should understand that buying any laptop, with the purpose of upgrading it, is next to pointless. You can add memory, you might add a bluetooth module, you can even swap in a bigger/faster hard drive/SSD when you want, but other than that, not many options. Make a list of exactly what you want your system to do, what capabilities you need, and purchase accordingly. Don't count on upgrades to keep a laptop on the curve.

I am not against trying to upgrade a lappy. I have 2 currently. My old HP DV5000 got relegated to automotive diagnostic/data recording. I upgraded the Sempron to a Turion (same ATI 200M chipset, so I know the limitations of it), threw in a 7200RPM HD, another 512meg of memory, and a better wireless card (3 tries on that one because of BIOS white listing). Total cost, $140 for the upgrades, and except for the memory, likely would not do it again. The CPU upgrade was really pointless, but Newegg had a sale/clearance on loose mobile CPUs......................

My current lappy, Acer 5755g, got an upgrade because I couldn't read a product description properly. I thought it came with bluetooth, but it didn't. It got a new Intel wireless/bluetooth combo card, new 8 gigs of memory, and a few weeks ago, an SSD.