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    Re-evaluating options..so GMA 950, how good at..

    Discussion in 'Gaming (Software and Graphics Cards)' started by IdontexistM8, Feb 19, 2007.

  1. IdontexistM8

    IdontexistM8 Notebook Consultant

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    ..with AutoGK and other encoding jobs.
    ..DVD playback and some minor editing, VirtualDub etc.
    ..all game emulation, Mame etc.

    No real interest in Vista and it's effects at this time.

    Might be happy to save a few hundred pounds rather than buying more graphical power than I'll need in the medium term.

    Cheers..
     
    IdontexistM8, Feb 19, 2007
    #1
  2. usapatriot

    usapatriot Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    The GMA 950 has no effect on:
    -DVD Playing
    -Video Encoding
    -Video Editing

    The GMA 950 DOES have an effect on:
    -Any 3D Usage
    -Gaming
     
    usapatriot, Feb 19, 2007
    #2
  3. l33t_c0w

    l33t_c0w Notebook Deity

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    I think some of the newer video cards have drivers that support accelerated encoding of video. I don't remember where I read or heard that. It's probably worth looking into though.
     
    l33t_c0w, Feb 19, 2007
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  4. jimc

    jimc Notebook Consultant

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    MAME does not take advantage of 3D hardware so GMA 950 shouldn't matter
     
    jimc, Feb 19, 2007
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  5. Charles P. Jefferies

    Charles P. Jefferies Lead Moderator Super Moderator

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    Generally speaking, if you are not gaming or doing anything with 3D, the GPU shouldn't matter.

    Save the money. ;)
     
    Charles P. Jefferies, Feb 19, 2007
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  6. Paul

    Paul Mom! Hot Pockets! NBR Reviewer

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    The GMA950 will be fine if you're not planning on gaming. That being said, I would still recommend something like the ATi Radeon x200M or the nVidia Go 6150. You'll get many of the benefits of the 950 such as battery life and heat, but you'll also be able to run some 3D apps if the need ever arises. Just something to think about. It should also be pretty cost-effective as well.
     
    Paul, Feb 19, 2007
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  7. jeffmd

    jeffmd Notebook Evangelist

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    Currently no video card accelerates video encoding. ATI is attempting it, but currently their encoder application is %100 cpu only.

    GMA might give you more "problems' with mame then others, but mainly only if its dithering routine is ugly. I had a trident chipset on my toshiba laptop that was absolutly horrid at scaling video resolutions up, so any non native resolution was ugly as sin, and thus most of my mame games looked like crap. No idea how the gma fairs in this area.
     
    jeffmd, Feb 20, 2007
    #7