s6231 and onboard graphics

I've never owned a notebook before and have never had to deal with onboard graphics. I am considering the s6231 as a supplement to my desktop. I am a film major and may occasionally need to edit sequences and/or mix sound on this notebook.. would I run into problems with the onboard graphics being too slow (perhaps even slowing down the system) when editing.. ram and hd speed can virtually be taken out of the equation with a firewire drive and upgraded ram..

would i be better off with a notebook with dedicated video like a sony s460?

any other recommendations around this 4 lbs range? thank you.

 

What program are you using for encoding?

 

sorry to confuse.. not encoding.. real time rendering of multiple video streams... like overlaying graphics in realtime, dissolves, fades, etc... most likely in dv format, but perhaps occasionally in mpeg4 or xvid


*edit.. i saw your sig and i considered the thinkpad, but its a pound heavier.. and the display on the thinkpad can 't match the fujitsu.. any other thoughts

 

Actually the FlexView screen on the T42 is quite good. It is bright and offers wide viewing angles. Especially if, like me, you do not like the glossy screens. If you are rendering, a better video card is probably in order. The Sony S series seems to switching over to the hybrid cards like the 6200 go card which has a smaller amount of dedicated memory then can draw off the system memory if needed. They are not as good as the dedicated ones. Couple I would look at are the Asus W3v with the x600 card. It is a little over five pounds, but has the glossy screen like the Fujitsu. I have heard heat can be an issue if you are really pushing it. They also just announced a $200 price drop on the W3v. If the budget is more of a concern, the Acer 3204 with the ATI 9700, might be a good option. It has a matte screen like the ThinkPads. They tend not to put top flight cards in smaller notebooks because portability tends to be more important. Heat as already noted can be an issue. If you look at a larger screen, you can probably get a better card. I’d still upgrade the hard drive for better system performance. Good Luck.

Asus W3v review:
http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=2375

Acer 3200 Review:
http://reviews.cnet.com/Acer_TravelMate_3200/4505-3121_7-31155213-2.html?tag=tab