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    Looking to purchase a Lenovo t410 (unsure whether to go integrated or discrete graphics)

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by alambpencil, Sep 23, 2010.

  1. alambpencil

    alambpencil Newbie

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    I'm really unsure about which graphics option to go for.
    The laptop will be used with google sketchup, archicad and autocad as well as photoshop and general office applications.
    Will an i5 520m with the integrated GMA HD graphics be good enough for such programs?
    I don't want to upgrade to discrete graphics if I don't have to for obvious reasons (cost and battery performance)
    Any help would be much appreciated.
     
    alambpencil, Sep 23, 2010
    #1
  2. tonydee

    tonydee Notebook Enthusiast

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    discrete is essential for me with CAD programs, not sure how graphically demanding autoCAD is.

    I use my T410 for mechanical parts in solid edge, and there is a big difference in performance (thus work productivity). My school's engineering library desktop workstations can barely handle the 3D lighting effects I need to work quickly on complex projects.

    It was only a $100 upgrade to discrete for my T410, now I get no visible lag when quickly rotating complex 3D objects on screen and I get all the lighting, shadow effects and Anti-Aliasing i need to work quickly on large projects.

    In terms of battery life, performance is going to cost you battery life. but you can always scale down performance settings in both your CAD program and your CPU when running on battery.
     
    tonydee, Sep 23, 2010
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  3. lead_org

    lead_org Purveyor of Truth

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    the discrete graphics card on the T410 is pretty bad, if you do complex modelling, then it would struggle.

    What i suggest is to get the T410 with integrated GPU and then get a DIY Vidock or even the off the shelf vidcok 2, and get a half decent desktop graphics card to do the modelling (but this requires an external LCD, or go with the nvidia optimus capable graphics card which can use display image on the internal LCD).

    If you are tight on budget get the DIY Vidock, and then get a ATI 3870 graphics card then softmod it to a FireGL V7700.
     
    lead_org, Sep 23, 2010
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  4. User Retired 2

    User Retired 2 Notebook Nobel Laureate NBR Reviewer

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    T410 Intel HD + US$220 GTS450 DIY ViDock Optimus x1 1.0 will give you better performance, lower running temps and better battery life than the T410 NVidia 3100M option. Just ensure you have an external LCD for best performance.

    The same DIY ViDock setup could be applied to smaller systems which have an expresscard slot. Eg: 13" Dell E4310, Toshiba R700, or 12" Lenovo X201/HP 2540P. Dell Outlet are doing 25% off the E4310 which works out to be just over US$500 for an i5 system.
     
    User Retired 2, Sep 23, 2010
    #4