Dell Laptop GPU Question

[forcedsquint]

I'm looking for a non-gaming Dell laptop and am considering the 600M, 630M, or XPS M140. These systems are configured with either the "Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900 (up to 128 MB Shared)" or the "64 MB DDR ATi® MobilityTM RADEONTM 9000 4X AGP".

I know shared memory is bad news, but I know nothing else about these two cards. Does the Intel card have a higher clock speed even though it uses shared memory? Are there any benchmarks on the two? This has really become the determining factor in my decision.

Thanks.

 

[fbrdphreak]

Are you sure its GMA900 or ATI MR 9000? MR 9000 is an AGP part and these new systems use PCI-E for discrete graphics. The ATI option should be an MR X300.

The intel card would suck complete ass for gaming, but is just fine for 2D.

The MR X300 will fully support Windows Vista, the GMA900 will not.

I'd get the MR X300 just for future usage, but it too will suck at gaming.

 

[forcedsquint]

I'm positive on the parts, my part descriptions in quotes are a cut/paste right from the Dell web site.

For example, the XPS M140; Intel® Media Accelerator 900TM (integrated, up to 128MB Shared)

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/product...=en&s=dhs&~page=2&~tab=specstab#tabtop

600M; 64 MB DDR ATi® MobilityTM RADEONTM 9000 4X AGP

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/product...=en&s=dhs&~page=2&~tab=specstab#tabtop

So do you think one is better than the other for efficiency in Photo Editing, etc.

 

[mparr1708]

Originally posted by: forcedsquint
I'm positive on the parts, my part descriptions in quotes are a cut/paste right from the Dell web site.

For example, the XPS M140; Intel® Media Accelerator 900TM (integrated, up to 128MB Shared)

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/product...=en&s=dhs&~page=2&~tab=specstab#tabtop

600M; 64 MB DDR ATi® MobilityTM RADEONTM 9000 4X AGP

http://www1.us.dell.com/content/product...=en&s=dhs&~page=2&~tab=specstab#tabtop

So do you think one is better than the other for efficiency in Photo Editing, etc.

This is because the 600m uses the older 400 fsb pentium m on the 855 chipset instead of the newer 915 chipset with the 533fsb pentium m. The 855 chipset is indeed an AGP chipset and not pci express.

 

[phisrow]

For 2D work it should pretty much not matter at all, at least until Vista hits; but at least the Mobility Radeon won't steal some of your system RAM, which is always nice. Go for the discrete graphics, unless you'll save a real bundle by choosing integrated(and you care).

 

[forcedsquint]

Kewl, thanks. Sounds like even though the Intel is all shared memory it would still serve me better for what I'm going to do with the machine due to it's newer architecture and broader throughput.

 

[forcedsquint]

Yeh, it's a toss up. Man, I have no idea why they put integrated graphics in the XPS M140, or at least don't offer a decent upgrade.