GeForce 440 Go: Actual Laptop Gaming?

[SerraYX]

Well, I need a new system for college. At first, I was just going to repeat what I did last year and build a desktop that was fairly average. But then my parents told me that they would prefer that I had a laptop for easy transportation.At first I was kinda skeptical because laptops have always had poor 3D performance. So I browse Dell's site (as much as Dell may suck for desktops, their laptops seem pretty well built) and notice the new GeForce 4 440 Go chipset, and look it up. I'm referred to this site:

GamePC Review

Now, the performance looks pretty good, and using Dell's configuration I could get a P4 1.6 Ghz, 384mb DDR system, with a 440 Go 64mb chip for a little over $2200.

Any opinions or other reviews?

 

[Woodchuck2000]

It'll perform fine in all of todays games. Just remember that it's a ge-force 4MX and thus has no DX8 features. It won't be very good for future games that make use of Pixel/Vertex shaders but for anything around today it'll be fine.

 

[Rand]

It's respectable enough, generally performs similarly to ATi's Mobility Radeon 7500 boards which should be quite adequate for most current games. If your willing to drop the resolution a bit it may even be a decent solution a year+ from now.

 

[Athlon4all]

I agree with everyone else, the GF4 Go 440 and the R7500 are very decent mobile solutions being able to play pretty much any game on the market if at maybe low resolutions on the latests ones but for the majority you'll get plenty good frame rates.

 

[Atrail]

I wish I had one!
I have the 32mb GeForce2Go in my Dell laptop and I can play any game out there.
Morrowind, RTCW, etc...
440 card is qutie a bit more advanced than mine so I am sure it performs much better.

 

[SteelCityFan]

I have the GeForce2Go as well and have no problems running games..

In a 1.2Ghz PC, the GeForce2Go scores about a 2500 on 3dmark2001se. ATI 64MB about a 4500, and the GeForce4 about a 5500... rougly.

 

[SteelCityFan]

One more thing...

as long as Dell releases a Bios for your model that supports a newer video card, you can upgrade them. Just call Dell Spare parts for the order. Somewhere on Dell's support site is a detailed description of how to swap parts out.

I have the 8100, and it will take both a ATI 7500 and the GeForce4Go as an upgrade. Not too expensive either. Back when the ATI card first came out it was only about $170. It is probably cheaper now.

 

[Soccerman]

ok, my I have to know.. one of these days I'm going to get a (most likely) used laptop.

this means that I'll be wanting one that can run the latest OS, (which means lots of RAM, and probably a 400mhz CPU), and some sort of office software (the older the better probably, considering how bloated it can get). I don't need DVDROM, or a CDRW or an amazing video card (perhaps a Rage128 equivalent, or maybe a Mobile Radeon). just one with probably 16 or 32 megs of RAM.. CDROM would be nice though!

also it must be possible to buy a new battery, becuase I know how batteries can get crappier and crappier over time.

so my question is, what series notebook from Dell would be proper for this? what other notebooks could I look at if upgradeability was a requirement (like being able to add more RAM, maybe even a video card later on, maybe a hard-drive as well).

I hear the 4100 series is ok for some of the latest video cards. what else can u upgrade on one of those (I'm guessing RAM is one of the potential upgrades)?

 

[Matthew Witheiler]

Give me about 45 more minutes and the answer you seek should be on the main site. I will post again when it goes up.

 

[vash]

Here is my laptop box:
P4M 1.6Ghz
512 Megs of RAM
Geforce4 440

It games quite well on this 15" LCD.

vash

 

[Soccerman]

whoa cool! advanced warning on an article! yay I feel special! heh. thanks btw, now I have to stay up for another 45 minutes! doh.. I'm pretty sad aren't I?

 

[Dudd]

I agree everything posted here. I have an Inspiron 8200 with the Geforce 4 Go, and it's plenty fast enough to play GTA3 and Morrowind at 1600x1200 on my UXGA screen. Obviously the cool DX8 features in Morrowind don't work, but for a laptop it's as good as it gets.

 

[ElFenix]

I hear the 4100 series is ok for some of the latest video cards. what else can u upgrade on one of those (I'm guessing RAM is one of the potential upgrades)?

the 4100 uses the mobile radeon, not the mobile radeon 7500. the 7500 is faster than my 7500 AIW, which is a pretty darn fast little card. the mobile radeon, otoh, is more like a radeon ve. that is, its really not a radeon.

unless, of course, they changed the 4100 without my permission.

 

[Matthew Witheiler]

Hey guys, it's up. Check it out at http://www.anandtech.com/mobile/showdoc.html?i=1642. Hope you enjoy.

 

[ElFenix]

We love to see a good battle and the one being waged on the mobile graphics front is just beginning to warm up. Trust us.

mobile rv250, eh? any chance you'll review the i8200 that gf440go was in? did you get the ultrasharp? its nice. more viewing angle.

 

[Athlon4all]

Good review as always Matt.

 

[MWink]

I agree with what everyone else is saying. I have an Inspiron 8200 (see sig for specs) and it can play almost any game at its max resolution. Desktop replacements are really here now!