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Buying a laptop. Integrated vs dedicated graphics UPDATED
    #15251337 -

So, time to get a new laptop. I'd like to get some thoughts on what route I should take from you guys.


First of all, what I will be using it for.

-AutoCAD but only the 2D, no huge 3d rendering going on.
-Word processing, spreadsheets powerpoints and general work related stuff.
- Light gaming. Nothing at all resource intensive really, I lusually play "retro" (i.e. old) games. Minecraft, and I might give strarcraft 2 a go.
-General internets stuff.

So I was figuring that because of the AutoCAD and a bit of gaming I would need something mid-level, decent but not too fancy.
By what research I have made I have come to the following options:


Well in budget:

- First generation Intel i5 processor + dedicated graphics card

- Second generation Intel i5 processor + integrated grahpics.


Slightly over budget:

- Second generation Intel i5 processor + dedicated graphics

The rest is basicaly the same in all the brands and models I have been looking at:

4GB DDR3 RAM
500ish GB HD
15'-16'Screen
Similar weight and size.

So my question is this:

By what I have read on comparison sites, the 2nd gen Intel i5s run quite a bit more efficiently which means extra power and/or less heat depending on how hard you are using the equipment at a given time.

I'm interested in this, but are the advantages of having a dedicated graphics card bigger that that of using a 2nd gen processor?

Is having both the 2nd gen processor and dedicated graphics worth the extra 200$ (aprox) over the compromise options?

Do integrated graphics really suck that much or does using 4GB RAM pretty much compensate for that?

Should I consider maybe dropping to an i3 2nd gen and getting integrated graphics if I prefer to stay in budget?



Thanks

Edited by Nibin (10/21/11 03:33 AM)

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Re: Buying a laptop. Integrated vs dedicated graphics [Re: Nibin]
    #15251404 -

> Do integrated graphics really suck that much or does using 4GB RAM pretty much compensate for that?

RAM rarely compensates for video performance.  Without knowing what kind of integrated graphics and dedicated graphics you are considering, we can't really help much.  You usage is in a gray area where dedicated graphics might help a lot, or none at all... it really depends upon the chipset.


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Just another spore in the wind.

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Re: Buying a laptop. Integrated vs dedicated graphics [Re: Nibin]
    #15251418 -

If I understand correctly, Windows 7 generally hijacks half your RAM if you don't have dedicated memory for video.


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This website is GIVING ME THE SHITS!!

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Re: Buying a laptop. Integrated vs dedicated graphics [Re: Seuss]
    #15251422 -

Do you have to go with intel? I just bought an hp dv6, and I love it. AMD A8 quad core processor with an integrated graphics card and a HD 6620M card and 8 gbs ram. I paid $750 out the door, but didn't bother paying anyone to set it up of antivirus.


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I eat mushrooms to meet hippie chicks.


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Re: Buying a laptop. Integrated vs dedicated graphics [Re: qbe]
    #15251437 -

dedicated! integrated is good but if they fail on you to where you need to replace them, much more expensive. alienware charged the piss out of me for my readeon 3870 integrated graphics card when it crashed out cause it was integrated into the motherboard.


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What he opens, no one can close. What he closes, no one can open.

-From the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands-

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Re: Buying a laptop. Integrated vs dedicated graphics [Re: Seuss]
    #15251564 -

Seuss said:
> Do integrated graphics really suck that much or does using 4GB RAM pretty much compensate for that?

RAM rarely compensates for video performance.  Without knowing what kind of integrated graphics and dedicated graphics you are considering, we can't really help much.  You usage is in a gray area where dedicated graphics might help a lot, or none at all... it really depends upon the chipset.


Hmmm, I didn't post specifics as there are various options I am looking at:

A few  of them are:

Core i5 2410M + AMD HD6470M 1GB ded -> Slightly over budget

Core i5 2410M + Intel HD Graphics -> Compromising on dedicated

Core i3 2310M + NVIDIA GF410M 1GB -> Compromising on processor

Core i3 370M + ATI HD5470 512MB -> Compromising on processor


On the AMD question, I do prefer to use intel. In my personal experience while AMD has never given me problems on desktop computers the AMD laptops I have used all had heat problems or seemed to be underpowered. Maybe I am wrong, I'm open to being corrected. But heat is a big issue in my situation.


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Newcomers guide-----> For all things shroomy

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Re: Buying a laptop. Integrated vs dedicated graphics [Re: Nibin]
    #15251599 -

I'm not sure as to the status with today's Intel chipsets, but I know that in the past, the G-series chipsets (those with integrated graphics) would not only use system RAM as video memory; this effectively also halved the memory bandwith available to the CPU in favor of the GPU. So in layman's terms: not only did you loose some RAM, you lost big-time in terms of RAM speed.

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Re: Buying a laptop. Integrated vs dedicated graphics [Re: koraks]
    #15252522 -

> Intel HD Graphics

There are different versions of this and their performance is vastly different.  The newer stuff is supposed to be pretty decent.

> I'm not sure as to the status with today's Intel chipsets

The new stuff does not have dedicated video ram, but it shares the L3 cache with the other cores in the CPU.


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Just another spore in the wind.

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Re: Buying a laptop. Integrated vs dedicated graphics [Re: Seuss]
    #15253688 -

SC2 alone is demanding when you consider the performance differences between the vast majority of integrated vs dedicated video.  You can easily shoot for the low end of around $700-800 and get a great laptop if that's possible for you.

Probably an nVidia 510M.  i5 cpu... just do the RAM and HDD upgrade yourself.


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Science is a way of thinking much more than it is a body of knowledge. - My hero, who will be forever remembered, Carl Sagan.


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Re: Buying a laptop. Integrated vs dedicated graphics [Re: 5HTSynaptrip]
    #15254882 -

All the ones (except the over budget one) I have been looking at are around the 500€ mark. The one with i5 processer + dedicated graphics is an extra 200€.

As gaming is not really a priority and I am due a new desktop soonish too, so I really don't want to pay the extra for both.

So basically the dillemma right now is between a better processor with the intel HD Graphics 3000 (an i5) or a lower end processor (i3) with dedicated graphics.

With what kind of applications will I notice a lower processing power if it comes with a dedicated graphics card?


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Newcomers guide-----> For all things shroomy

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Re: Buying a laptop. Integrated vs dedicated graphics [Re: Nibin]
    #15255218 -

UPDATE

Found one I quite like the look of:

Intel core i5 2430M
RAM 4GB DDR3
NVDIA GForce GT 540M 2GB dedicated
500GB 5400 SATA
15.6' screen

Price 555€. Bear in mind that trying to convert the price from euros to dollars doesn't really work as even though we have good exchange rates right now PC manufacturers have not dropped prices so we are basically fucked.


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Newcomers guide-----> For all things shroomy

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Re: Buying a laptop. Integrated vs dedicated graphics [Re: Nibin]
    #15255713 -

http://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-GeForce-GT-540M.41715.0.html:
Quote:
The performance of the 540M lies between the Radeon HD 5650 and 5730 in our first benchmarks. Therefore, the 540M is about 10% faster than the GT435M using DDR3 graphics memory. Using GDDR5 it may be as fast as the HD 5750 / 5770.

Paired with a fast CPU, demanding games of 2010 should run fluently in medium to high details and SXGA resolution. In our tests for example Call of Duty: Black Ops and StarCraft 2 ran fluently in high details and 1360x768. More gaming benchmarks can be found in the lower section of this page.


Better performance than the Intel HD 2000/3000 and you don't lose your system memory and L3 cache to the graphics system (GPU).


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Just another spore in the wind.

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Re: Buying a laptop. Integrated vs dedicated graphics [Re: Seuss]
    #15255785 -

Yep, I already read that on notebook check :laugh:

Already bought it, should be here either tomorrow or monday.
It is from a reputable (as reputable as big electronics vendors can be) vendor, the brand is known and anything equivalent is 150€ more.

I hope that the cheap price is because the company just bought a shitload of laptops and not because there is something wrong with the equipment they are not telling us about.

Thanks everyone.


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Newcomers guide-----> For all things shroomy

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