Do I need Dedicated?

The only games I play are Microsoft Train Simulator, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 and Half-Life 2, and there is a video on YouTube of HL2 running on the Intel GMA X3100 very successfully. If this is anything to go by for the other two games then do I really need dedicated? Also, how does the shared NVIDIA GF7150M 559 MB stack up against the Intel GMA X3100 384 MB? Thanks in advance.

 

Read all the stickies.

Read them again.

Read this one 3 times:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=173312


The 2 GPUs you mentioned are both among the worst GPUs being sold today. They can play games, but aren't gaming cards. If gaming is at all a priority, buy a laptop with a mid-range or better dedicated card.

 

I game very little, and MSTS is ooooold. I am a member of a CSS clan but I game from 30 minutes - 1 hour at a time, so gaming is of little consequence. Thanks mate!

 

I think your underestimating them.
On my ATI IGP I get good performance in a lot of games. The Intel card will have no problem with those games. But, you may want to get the dedicated card just in case, you might decide to start gaming later.

 

OK, and I apologise for not reading the stickie, I'm just out of my head with getting the new notebook that I just rushed in, sorry. Anyway, it doesn't look to me that on that stickie it compares the two cards I mentioned. So I need to ask, will the NVIDIA card beat the Intel? If not, I'll go for the cheaper Intel laptop.

 

I'm pretty sure the Intel card could beat the 7150 but, its a close race, so go with the cheaper laptop Just out of curiosity, what laptops are you looking at, that could help very much.

 

How long you game is irrelevant. Playing FS2004 or HL2 for 1 minute won't make them run smoothly at max settings. On an integrated card, they'll always run badly.

Integrated GPUs, even the best ones, mean playing recent games at nearly the lowest settings. If you read the stickies, you know that already and can decide if that kind of performance is worth it to you.

I think there's even an X3100 Half Life 2 thread---do a search.

 

Go for the 128MB nVidia GeForce 8400M GS

 

I played HL2, CS, and a few comparable others on my old Intel integrated in my Acer, and on lower settings I did ok, between 12 and 45 FPS depending on the game. If you want to save the money, the integrated should be ok, but if you can afford a 8600M GT or a new 9x series, you will do a lot better.

 

i'm surprised you can even run fs9 on that..

get at least a 8400m gs

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZeGok2zdMXA

Intel x3100 high settings HL2.

 

Looking at:
http://www.comet.co.uk/shopcomet/product/435848/FUJITSU-SIEMENS-AMILO-PI-2515/tab/specification
http://www.comet.co.uk/shopcomet/product/407160/FUJITSU-SIEMENS-AMILO-PI2515
http://www.comet.co.uk/shopcomet/product/436097/HP-DV6710/tab/specification
http://www.comet.co.uk/shopcomet/product/425451/ACER-ASP-5920G.373/tab/specification

 

HL2 running at 5 measly fps via fraps, on a small deathmatch map, with no enemies on screen. The poster "boasts" of 20fps at these settings without fraps. Check out the single FPS when he throws/explodes the barrel. Hardly high performance---even from the old source engine, this is terrible performance. Are you trying to convince us, or yourself?

 

I honestly didn't notice this, thanks for for pointing this out.

 

I'd go with the HP, the Acer is crap.
The Fujitsu's aren't terrible.

 

Oh well, the HP is a crap because it's got an AMD.

I say go for the acer , it has the best spec out of all models you linked us to.

The Acer is a bargain no doubt about that, I dont like Acer either but for this kind of price range , you can never find a better deal unless you buy a Dell Vostro directly from Dell.

Also, the Acer has more responsive LCD than the HP.

But that said if you can buy a laptop from Dell , go for the Vostro 1500 or XPS M1530.

You can CTO to get much better deal.

I usually like HPs but not this one, this one got an AMD.

 

I think even with those games, you'll want at least a 8400 for an enjoyable experience.
Besides, Intel IGP's don't have Digital Vibrance Control. That makes a huge difference in color saturation and makes the Intel look lifeless.

 

Go with Acer.

I think that thier brand right now is the best. I think they are already the second best selling notebook makers.

 

From what I can see, that video shows no firefights or anything that gets processor intensive. Its gonna slow down a lot compared to those framerates once the action gets started.

Honestly, get a mid-range card. Even if the X3100 would suffice, if you ever expand your game-library you'll wish you didn't have the X3100. You cannot upgrade either, so get the best you can afford.

 

If your just gonna play HL2 or CSS and older games then a 8400m GS is a perfect solution for you.

 

Thanks for the help guys. I just hope the person who is buying my computer gets the money to me in time so I can take advantage of Dell's £20 off and free shipping offers.

 

Very much recommend a dedicated card in today's computer world.

 

Just skip the AMD HP.

If you get a HP , get it with an Intel but Dell is the BEST, you can CTO better at DELL than at HP.

Acer does not even let you CTO.

 

I'd highly reccomend a dedicated graphics card because they are better then the integrated and they are worth the extra cost too, I think so anyways!