do I need a dedicated graphics card?

I am about to purchase an HP dv5t, and i've read about the short battery life as well as heat issues it sometimes has. I do NOT do intense gaming, although I may play a game from time to time (i.e. I played Starcraft for a bit, and I like Sim City, but don't usually play).

I'm a general user (photos, movies on occasion, music, email, internet, quicken, word processing, etc.).

Is it worth paying the $25 to upgrade from the Intel integrated graphics card 4500 to the NVIDIA M9200? I understand that HP is currently charging below market for those upgrades, so on one hand I was thinknig it may be nice to have "just in case," but on the other, if it eats up significant battery and creates a ton of heat through my normal use, I'd lean against it. Please advise.

Thanks!

 

I believe the 9200 is also an integrated card so there would be little difference in battery life. For movies, it also might be nice to have a "higher" end GPU. It's only $25 so you may as well take it.

 

Think that would be a good idea - adds 256mb video mem for $25. With the media rich enviroment on the web, let alone playing games, think you'll be glad you did.

 

On this Benchmark-List they've ranked the 9200m @ 89 and the 4500MHD @105 so that equals almost 70% improvement in the 06benchmark test. But to be realistic to me that means you'd be jumping out of the fry pan into the fire,.

I believe the 9500M would be the least you'd need to play average + games well and I'd shell out that extra few bucks to get what I need +, rather than save a few bucks then end up with something I'm not happy with. (That's IMO)

About the heat issue only a few have these problems and if I received one with this issue I'd send it back saying " If I can't have one that doesn't over heat, I'll take a refund thanks", battery life, it's hard to find situations where you get to eat the cake!

 

Well, I played games on an even older integrated chipset...
(I think the 915 chipset... - Medion laptop)
Games like Empie Earth 1 & 2

Unless you want pristine grpahics on Sim City I think the Intel would do fine and isn't that an old game too?

I know some people saied Age of Empires doesn't run on the Intel X3100 - well, it did run on my SZ - admitted the 8400GS looked nicer, but stil.

Also - you don't know what design the NVidia is based on - but I'm sure another member can help here.
Is it potentially faulty or not?

I'd say you wouldn't have these worries with the intel card...

 

The nVIDIA GeForce 9200M GS is actually a dedicated graphics card with 256mb of video memory. The nVIDIA GeForce 9100M G used in some Compaq models (in conjunction with AMD processors) is actually has the same graphics core as the 9200M GS, but without the dedicated memory.

The 9200M GS outperforms the Intel GMA 4500MHD by more than 70% on the 3DMark06 benchmark test. The 512mb nVIDIA 9600M GT, however, outperformed the 9200M GS by almost 200% (3x as powerful)! At only $50 right now, the 9600M GT is a STEAL! The only drawback to choosing the 9600M GT, and to a lesser extent the 9200M GS, is the impact on battery life. If battery life isn't your main concern, go for the 9600M GT!

 

That's 50 bucks well worth spending!

 

The GMA 4500MHD will provide a much better battery life as compared to the nvidia GPUs. And the GMA is fine for playing older games, mostly pre-2007. If you're into gaming, then obviously the 9600M will be better. If heat issues bother you, dump the .DV5t.

 

Even the Samsung NC10 netbook will handle older games.

The only place where the nvidia dedicated GPU will bring benefits is in 3D graphics. Better 3DMark scores are meaningless if you aren't needing the better 3D capability (a bit like having a 140mph car when the speed limit is 70mph). The Intel GPU is at least as good for 2D graphics including normal media playback (it includes a built-in h.264 decorder). I would keep with the X4500 with the lower temperatures and battery battery time.

John

 

Movies will play fine with X4500. Even 1080p will.

 

One of the most regular types of post that I’ve seen here at NBR is members asking can they upgrade their GPU, I wonder why?

If you're not going to play games at all, by all means don’t go with the dedicated GPU, but if you know you like to play now and again, it would be stupid not to get that decent dedicated GPU IMO.

Because tomorrow you might be introduced to a game which you enjoy but can’t play because you didn’t shell out that measly extra 50 bucks when you had the opportunity and the funds, I don’t know about others, but that kind of stuff irritates me no end

I know some would say why spend money on something you may not need, but I often see people selling laptops with a years plus of an extended warranty which would of cost hundreds, think of the dedicated GPU as insurance against underutilization!

 

The 50 dollars for the 9600GT is an extremely good investment, it will only keep the value of the laptop higher for much longer.

 

I agree, better resale value!

 

If you really want better low end preformance go with AMD and get the radeon 3450