OT: Who knows all about computer graphics cards?

Beerfish · 01-26-2009, 11:52 PM

I have a dell desktop a few years old. It has a Nvidia GeForce 7800 GTX card. It currently runs most of what I need it to run.

I am thinking about buying a Dell system 17 laptop and the best card that series has is a 256 ATI moblilty Radeon HD 3650. I read on a few web sites that this card is comparable to an Nvidia 8600.

These numbers can be deceiving so I have heard. So my question is, is the ATI card in the laptop at least as good as the one in my desktop?

BaysideSteve · 01-27-2009, 12:07 AM

I don't know about that card in particular, but I bought an Asus with an NVidia 9500m chip in it this summer and it's been really good to me - gets around 2/3 the framerate of my desktop with an 8800 GTS at a slightly higher resolution. The system was about half what I would have paid for a Dell with similar specs and I have to say it was a good decision in the end - but I have been lucky with it not breaking on me so far. If you are truly concerned about performance you may wish to consider one of the Asian manufacturers.

JetsVille51 · 01-27-2009, 12:19 AM

You will get better performance out of a desktop GPU then a laptop because in a laptop the chipset is designed to run cooler w/ lower power consumption.

The faster you're running, the more power you will consume thus you will generate more heat. Desktops handle this stuff better and you'll get a much better performance.

Last time I checked ATi was winning with the recent new GPU's with the 4870 being the best bang for the buck right now...

el_dub80 · 01-27-2009, 08:23 AM

You just need to make sure you match up the correct slot type card with the replacement. I believe the 7800GTX was an AGP card..........lemme google.....nope, I'm wrong it's a PCI-E card. I'm running 2 8800GTX's right now in SLI. :yes:

Leonard26 · 01-27-2009, 08:48 AM

I know this isn't exactly what your looking for, but here's a comparison chart of desktop GPU's:

[url]http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-graphics-card,2118-7.html[/url]

I haven't been able to find anything similar for laptops....

JetsVille is totally correct about laptop vs desktop GPU's, and that's why I only game on my desktop, and work/surf on my laptop.

What games are you hoping to play? The 7800GTX is still a pretty solid card and can handle most game except on the highest resolutions.

Maybe a reformat and a RAM upgrade is in order on the desktop? You could then save a few bucks on the new laptop....

mcsully · 01-27-2009, 08:56 AM

Huge Gamer here.. And I'll tell you a secret.. Unless you spend about $2000 or more on a laptop for gaming, don't do it.. The best res you'll get to frag is 1024x768.. Anything more you'll have to lower your card settings to medium and set it up for performance.. So those games you'll be spending 50-60 bucks on, you won't get what your paying for.. You'll lose out on the graphics and game play..

You can get a desktop with a Quad chip and 3 gigs of memory with an NIVIDA 8800GT for 700..

Carlton · 01-27-2009, 09:00 AM

[QUOTE=mcsully;2988089]Huge Gamer here.. And I'll tell you a secret.. Unless you spend about $2000 or more on a laptop for gaming, don't do it.. The best res you'll get to frag is 1024x768.. Anything more you'll have to lower your card settings to medium and set it up for performance.. So those games you'll be spending 50-60 bucks on, you won't get what your paying for.. You'll lose out on the graphics and game play..

You can get a desktop with a Quad chip and 3 gigs of memory with an NIVIDA 8800GT for 700..[/QUOTE]

He speaks the truth. Laptops just aren't good for games. Even if you drop $3k+ on a nasty one, you'll be thinking how much better your desktop would have been for half the price.

Beerfish · 01-27-2009, 09:47 AM

Thanks for the opinions. I don't really intend to play a lot of games on the lap top but would like it to be able to run some of the game 'toolsets' out there. I had two schools of thought, try and buy a new pretty good lap top that will serve for a bit of surfing, word processing and spreadsheet work and run things like low end games and game toolsets. or buy as cheap of a lap top as possible, perhaps used to just use for word and excel and wait for another year for a major upgrade to my desktop.

Carlton · 01-27-2009, 09:50 AM

Ahhh gotcha. I think you'll be ok to play games at decent FPS on that, although probably not brand new ones for a long time. (as the requirements increase). I just got a macbook pro even though I usually swear off macs and it's very decent for just about everything I throw at it.

01-26-2009, 11:52 PM	#1
Beerfish Hall Of Fame Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 19,082	OT: Who knows all about computer graphics cards? I have a dell desktop a few years old. It has a Nvidia GeForce 7800 GTX card. It currently runs most of what I need it to run. I am thinking about buying a Dell system 17 laptop and the best card that series has is a 256 ATI moblilty Radeon HD 3650. I read on a few web sites that this card is comparable to an Nvidia 8600. These numbers can be deceiving so I have heard. So my question is, is the ATI card in the laptop at least as good as the one in my desktop?

01-27-2009, 12:07 AM	#2
BaysideSteve Rookie Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Bayside NY Posts: 503	I don't know about that card in particular, but I bought an Asus with an NVidia 9500m chip in it this summer and it's been really good to me - gets around 2/3 the framerate of my desktop with an 8800 GTS at a slightly higher resolution. The system was about half what I would have paid for a Dell with similar specs and I have to say it was a good decision in the end - but I have been lucky with it not breaking on me so far. If you are truly concerned about performance you may wish to consider one of the Asian manufacturers.

01-27-2009, 12:19 AM	#3
JetsVille51 Thinks he's funny but probably comes off as a pessimist All League Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Manhattan Posts: 558	You will get better performance out of a desktop GPU then a laptop because in a laptop the chipset is designed to run cooler w/ lower power consumption. The faster you're running, the more power you will consume thus you will generate more heat. Desktops handle this stuff better and you'll get a much better performance. Last time I checked ATi was winning with the recent new GPU's with the 4870 being the best bang for the buck right now...

01-27-2009, 08:23 AM	#4
el_dub80 With the 1st pick of the 2014 draft, the NY Jets select ... All Pro Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 6,294	You just need to make sure you match up the correct slot type card with the replacement. I believe the 7800GTX was an AGP card..........lemme google.....nope, I'm wrong it's a PCI-E card. I'm running 2 8800GTX's right now in SLI. :yes:

01-27-2009, 08:48 AM	#5
Leonard26 Practice Squad Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 32	I know this isn't exactly what your looking for, but here's a comparison chart of desktop GPU's: [url]http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-graphics-card,2118-7.html[/url] I haven't been able to find anything similar for laptops.... JetsVille is totally correct about laptop vs desktop GPU's, and that's why I only game on my desktop, and work/surf on my laptop. What games are you hoping to play? The 7800GTX is still a pretty solid card and can handle most game except on the highest resolutions. Maybe a reformat and a RAM upgrade is in order on the desktop? You could then save a few bucks on the new laptop....

01-27-2009, 08:56 AM	#6
mcsully licking my chops for Madden 12 All Pro Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 1,733	Huge Gamer here.. And I'll tell you a secret.. Unless you spend about $2000 or more on a laptop for gaming, don't do it.. The best res you'll get to frag is 1024x768.. Anything more you'll have to lower your card settings to medium and set it up for performance.. So those games you'll be spending 50-60 bucks on, you won't get what your paying for.. You'll lose out on the graphics and game play.. You can get a desktop with a Quad chip and 3 gigs of memory with an NIVIDA 8800GT for 700..

01-27-2009, 09:00 AM	#7
Carlton Teh jobless idle spawn of wealth guy. All Pro Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 7,379	[QUOTE=mcsully;2988089]Huge Gamer here.. And I'll tell you a secret.. Unless you spend about $2000 or more on a laptop for gaming, don't do it.. The best res you'll get to frag is 1024x768.. Anything more you'll have to lower your card settings to medium and set it up for performance.. So those games you'll be spending 50-60 bucks on, you won't get what your paying for.. You'll lose out on the graphics and game play.. You can get a desktop with a Quad chip and 3 gigs of memory with an NIVIDA 8800GT for 700..[/QUOTE] He speaks the truth. Laptops just aren't good for games. Even if you drop $3k+ on a nasty one, you'll be thinking how much better your desktop would have been for half the price.

01-27-2009, 09:47 AM	#8
Beerfish Hall Of Fame Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 19,082	Thanks for the opinions. I don't really intend to play a lot of games on the lap top but would like it to be able to run some of the game 'toolsets' out there. I had two schools of thought, try and buy a new pretty good lap top that will serve for a bit of surfing, word processing and spreadsheet work and run things like low end games and game toolsets. or buy as cheap of a lap top as possible, perhaps used to just use for word and excel and wait for another year for a major upgrade to my desktop.

01-27-2009, 09:50 AM	#9
Carlton Teh jobless idle spawn of wealth guy. All Pro Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 7,379	Ahhh gotcha. I think you'll be ok to play games at decent FPS on that, although probably not brand new ones for a long time. (as the requirements increase). I just got a macbook pro even though I usually swear off macs and it's very decent for just about everything I throw at it.