How To Differentiate Between Integrated Graphics And Dedicated Graphics Cards?!!!

I'm looking for a new laptop. I felt the ATI 3200 graphics solution wasn't up to much in terms of playing games. But I've been told some laptops have 'proper graphics cards'.

I'm confused I can't tell my integrated graphics from my dedicated graphics?

I'm looking on general information on what to look out for when hunting for laptops, being able to tell the difference between a dedicated laptop/tablet graphics card and integrated?

I've been to this web site but still cant tell the difference between dedicated and integrated:

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Graphics-Cards-Benchmark-List.844.0.html


any help on this would be much appreciated

 

Anything not by Intel is a safe bet. For nVidia GeForce, try to get something that begins with a 4xx or 5xx and the 2nd digit higher than a 5 (460, 480, 485, 580, etc.).

ATI, try to get a 5xxx or 6xxx and 2nd digit higher than a 7 or higher (6770, 6870, 6990, etc.).

The above are all very powerful cards and should run most recent games in medium or max settings.

 

Not always. In the case of the ATI 3200, it's basically an older IGP from ati (couple years), and the Sandy Bridge Intel IGP (HD 3000) that's on the newer i-series chips will knock the pants off the ATI 3200 (as well as other weaker igp from nvidea and ati such as the ati-6310 and the nvidea gt 320m).

If you want to figure out if a graphics card is dedicated, look for "Dedicated Ram". This will give you a clear indication that the card is separate and not siphoning off the motherboard Ram.

If you've got a question on a specific card, you can always ask about them here. Not all dedicated cards are created equally.

 

Hm The only integrated cards I've seen are either Intel or ATI, Nvidia seems to be mostly going with discrete (and in hybrid laptops it's usually ATI(i)+ATI(d), or Intel(i)+NVIDIA(d)).

Rule of thumb is, first number is the generation, with Nvidia look for 4xx or 5xx, with ATI look for 5xxx or 6xxx. Second number is the power, with Nvidia, look for x2x or up, with ATI, x5xx or up. Anything lower than these perimeters will be outdated (won't be able to do Dx11, for instance) or too weak to play new games.

 

Oh, I meant to target the cards that are good for gaming.

 

With ATI aim for the second number to be 6 or above, eg 6650 with Nvidia, well they dont do integrated graphics any more.

 

mbp with core 2 duo, that should ring a bell

 

And here I was about to come in with a comment about how all you have to do is load up Crysis and see whether you get more than a black screen.

Are you buying a new laptop, or something?

 

MrFong, Intel core i2xxx can load crysis, as can any modern AMD integrated graphics along with the new fusion APUs, so really, not going to tell you much.