Integrated or Dedicated Graphics Card

[BeN82]

hi everyone,

According to conventional wisdom, unless you are a hardcore gamer, a dedicated graphics card is pretty much unnneccessary.

FM is pretty much the only game i really play, so I would like to ask whether users of dedicated or integrated graphics card actually feel a difference.

[T4RG4]

These days I play no other game on the PC other than FM. Yet I have a dedicated graphics card.

I'd say the majority of people with 3D performance issues are using integrated graphics. Integrated graphics are often very poor performance wise. Dont let the relatively simple graphics of FM fool you into thinking anything will run it. FM 3D seems to require a fair bit of horsepower.

However, I'm sure some people using integrated will be able to answer far better than I can (I'm biased! :) )

[BeN82]

I played FM with an integrated graphic card. What you said might be true because I do notice the processor gets really noisy when the 3D is running.

[TomDixon77]

Integrated graphics cards also use your RAM, where a dedicated card wouldn't.

[Neji]

Dedicated everytime.

[Kotoro]

A low end dedicated could beat any intergrated graphics in terms of performance. (or should) So always look for dedicated.

[RyanBRFC]

As a hardcore gamer I have a dedicated GFX card and my FM runs as smooth as a babies bottom! :p

[Arkim]

Dedicated, don't think twice about it.

[kopitelewis]

how do i find out what my graphics card is and how much memory and stuff it has?

[Marty01]

how do i find out what my graphics card is and how much memory and stuff it has?


Depending what system you have, fast way is:

click Start
click Run
type in dxdiag

There you should see info about your CPU, RAM Memory, Motherboard etc.

On the top there are Tabs, click on Display and there you'll see info about your graphic card.

[kopitelewis]

thanks for this. :)

256.0 MB. is that good or bad?

no wait it says on system, memory: 958MB RAM. is that it?

[Marty01]

thanks for this. :)

256.0 MB. is that good or bad?

You checked it already? Wow, thats was really fast.

Well, 256 MB RAM is not a lot. Check hardware requirements for this game. Graphic card is most important factor when it comes to 3D games. CPU matters too.

[kopitelewis]

i think i could free up a lot more though. and can i buy/download a better graphics card?

[Marty01]

i think i could free up a lot more though. and can i buy/download a better graphics card?

You can buy better card and swap it with the one you have. You can also buy more RAM to add it to your system.
Just make sure what you have and buy only what you definitely need.

Find out what motherboard you have. Parts have to be supported by motherboard you have.

[kopitelewis]

okay thanks mate i think this will make my computer and fm faster. :)

[Marty01]

Np, just dont buy RAM faster that you have since it will work with the speed of the slower one.