Help........Please!!!!

I understand that a graphics's card performance isn't based on how many mbs it has. But what i don't understand is how a 8600GT graphics card is not as powerful as a 7900 GS. I'm thinking of buying a really cheap xps m1710 with the 7900 GS- i cant get the really cheap price with the Nvidia GeForce Go7950GTX. In 1-2yrs will my 7900GS be capable of playing new games?

 

The 7900GS is a very good card. It's basically the low-end of high-end mobile GPUs. If you invested the extra money in it, the 7950GTX would last much longer, it just can't use DX10 features, but it can run the games in DX9 mode. I'd suggest you don't look at the XPSM1710.

Look into a Sager or Clevo. They have very very good gaming machines and they will be cheaper than the M1710.

 

Does the 8600 support dx10? Besides the xps line, and the new inspiroin what other dell notebooks have powerful graphics?

 

Yes, the 8600M GS and GT support DX10. However, just because they CAN handle DX10 doesn't mean they will handle DX10 WELL. From what I am hearing, if the 8600M GT doesn't get better driver support, it won't be too good for DX10 gaming....it will be fine for DX9.

I am currently running a 8600M GT so I know it is a pretty good card. It runs almost all my games on max except a couple. I need to try F.E.A.R. ASAP.

If you truly want optimal gaming performance and you want it to last, the best bet is to wait for a Sager or Clevo to have the option to get the 8700M GT.

 

If you invested the extra money in it, the 7950GTX would last much longer, it just can't use DX10 features, but it can run the games in DX9 mode. I'd suggest you don't look at the XPSM1710.

What do you mean by 'run games in dx9'. Can you name any other powerful dells, i can only get my huge discount there........

 

By 'run games in DX9"....I mean that newer games, although they have DX10 features, you can still play them in DX9 without the extra eye-candy. The 7950GTX will run all of them fine.

If you are dead set on Dell, then what you should do is one of two things:
A Wait and see if the offer the 8700M GT in the 1720.
B Wait for the XPS M1710 refresh and hope that it has a 8700M GT/8800M GTX

 

Would you prefer a 7900s over a 8600gt?

 

Between the two, I'd always choose the 8600gt. It is newer tech, and it is almost as powerful while using less power, and it fits within a 15.4 inch laptop.

?yasutahw, for what you want follow illmatic2609's advice.

Wait for the Dell gaming notebooks to offer an 8700m or 8800m.

If you had the option to get a 7950gtx vs an 8600gt, then it would be a closer argument, because the 7950 is much more powerful.

If you plan on getting a 17" notebook or above wait for newer Nvidia 8700 or 8800 series mobile cards or get enough money together to buy a 7950GTX. It's a stretch to stick with a single 7900 when you might as well just buy an 8600GT. Now, if you are talking TWO 7900's in SLI, go for the 7900, but I doubt you were talking about SLI.

Newer 8 series cards support DirectX 10, which newer games will use to make themselves pretty.

7 series cards only support DirectX9. While powerful versions like the 7950 will be able to play those modern games very well, they will never be able to enable the graphical enhancements brought on by DirectX 10.