The Proliferation of Integrated GPU's...

Maybe it's just me, but is anyone else here absolutely amazed at the level (a virtually monopoly!) of integrated GPU's that appear in notebooks that are sold in national chain stores?

After finally realizing that games were starting to draw me in D ), and subsequently concluding that purchasing a notebook with the best GPU I could get (hey...I'm a student, so price is still important!) would be the best way to go, I was pretty shocked to find a very limited number of notebooks in local stores below $1,500 that offered a dedicated GPU. Even more worrisome was finding that most come equipped with the GMA 950...

$1,500 & I get the GMA 950!?!

Just a few questions:

1. WHY!?!
2. Should one look to the ignorance of consumers, price wars by sellers, or something by the O.E.M.'s when identifying the root cause of this "trend"?

 

Answers:
1) Because they can, because they hope we don't know the difference, and because there might be some other strong point to the notebook. Mostly because of the first two reasons though.
2) Price wars can be knocked off the list...they actually lower the prices rather than give less for more. Mostly they count on us saying it's Sony (or whomever), it's $1500, it must be good. They go home, turn it on, and it's slower than molasses and they don't know the difference. Sony (or whomever), on the other hand, didn't spend $400 putting a GPU in there, so they make another $400.

Usually shopping online can get you a machine that is far better at the 1.5k price point.

 

Integrated solutions are cheaper than dedicated solutions. Most consumers buy notebooks not for gaming or other graphics intensive use (they get a desktop or have more money instead), so it's all good.
I am sure you can get a laptop with a MR X1600 or Go 7600 for $1500 easily. It's just that gamers don't usually get their machines from most of the local stores you went to.

 

The average mom and pop consumer could care less. They don't play games and don't want a hot running laptop. Photos and internet users will have no problems with the intergrated gpu.

Gamers and wana be gamers had better do a little homework on what's out there.

Read these forums and find a GS7900 equipped laptop for less than $1,400!!!

 

Thank you for the replies.

I was able to pick up a new E1505 with a X1400 for $799.95, but I'm still amazed at what I came across in all of the local stores...

 

Regarding "price wars", they do give the end consumer more for less, but I was thinking that to meet a certain price point, they would spec-out a GMA 950 instead of a low-level dedicated GPU...if X notebook was $60 more than Y notebook, yet both had the same features (in the eyes of Joe & Jane Average consumer: both have a 128MB video card!), then obviously most will pick the X model.

And regarding the second statement/paragraph, I must fully agree with you!!!

 

I know this is wrong forum to be arguing for integrated graphics, and personally I would never buy or run any of the current crop, but battery life is a m,ajor concern for many that one area where int graphics can excel. The thin and light crowd are also almost exclusively integrated as well.

Aside from the lackluster performance from most integrated cores, the cannibalizing of system ram is IMHO the worst feature. Apparently ATI/AMD is going to release a "high-end" integrated core with some onboard dedicated gram, something like a x700 with some AVIVO, etc from the x1000 series. I would find this perfectly acceptable in a low[er] cost notebook.

 

Well also the radeon x200m had 128mb dedicated on some HP laptops, also cares lets say a ati radeon x1300 has only 64mb dedic.to boast it up to 128mb, watchout for that, nvidia uses the term turbocache which is the same thing

 

That's what I'm waiting for. Flying through Aero, nailing any game a year old or more, doing well for Spore. It's all I could hope for.

 

Well, i can get the Fujitsu Xi for less than $1500. It has 1 of the more powerful gpu here. Anyway, shop online and u normally get better deals.

 

Can't wait for the X1250 in a 12.1", that'll be my next purchase.

 

I know that would be cool like a dell 700m with a x1250 and ulv core processor so battery life would be 5 hours or more and a cheap price tag. plus it would still play some games allright and if you turn off the details the games would still look good as a 12.1 inch would be much smaller and show much less imperfections.

 

Its a simple concept.. as stated before.

Gamers have to do thier homework.

If your just looking to go out and get a laptop.. anything will work. however, if you intend on using the laptop then its up to you to know what things can and can not do. Just like anything else in the "shopping" class items... if you have something in particular you want.. or want to do then you research it.. other wise.. you just get whatever and your happy with it.

Gamers are just like anyone else.. mechanics need the right tools.. so they will check to see how often they use what.. why order a tool you won't use? Or if your a store manager at a fast food resturant are you going to get an item that takes 15 minutes to make?

Gamers have to weight the pros and cons.. and maybe go out on a limb a bit farther.. but, thats because computers matter more to them.

 

I agree with the mechanics need the right tools, I have some cheapo sets at home, my nicest stuff is craftsman but man if I go to my dads work and use his snap on tools (snap on is the best brand is automotive tools) I get the job done so much faster sometimes I would save up to an hour just by using his bigger better selection of tools so I does make sence to know what you need to get.