Dedicated Video vs. Integrated Video

[Chris Barnes]

How much difference is there between a dedicated video card and the X3100 integrated graphics on Laptops? Can an increased clock speed and more memory substitute for a dedicated card? I am interested in looking at MPEG4 High school football games.

The price of a laptop with a dedicated card seems to be about 40-50% higher than the same computer with integrated graphics. It is cheaper to get a faster processor and memory than a dedicated card and I was wondering if this is an acceptable alternative.

[glc]

Integrated graphics are fine for anything except gaming. I would max out the memory within reason - integrated graphics can grab up to 256mb for its use. Processor speed isn't a very big factor.

[thefultonhow]

If you're getting Vista, the X3100 is sufficient, but I'm pretty sure you'll see improvements in everyday usability with a dedicated card. You could also turn off some visual effects to speed up performance with the X3100. But if you really want a dedicated card, they are often available as a ~$100 upgrade from Dell, Lenovo, et al.