How good is the integrated video?

[Bonesdad]

On the Biostar M7VIG Pro? I am building a computer for my wife's parents (currently using a Pentium 3). On the cheap for this one. They don't play heavy duty games or do any video editing or anything. Is the S3 ProSavage 8 onboard video good enough for them? They surf, use Quicken, Word and some simple games (Scrabble etc). Or am I better off to get them a GF MX440 or something?

 

[nemesismk2]

Originally posted by: Bonesdad
On the Biostar M7VIG Pro? I am building a computer for my wife's parents (currently using a Pentium 3). On the cheap for this one. They don't play heavy duty games or do any video editing or anything. Is the S3 ProSavage 8 onboard video good enough for them? They surf, use Quicken, Word and some simple games (Scrabble etc). Or am I better off to get them a GF MX440 or something?

How much memory will the pc have because integrated video usually uses some of the system memory?

 

[Bonesdad]

At least 256MB, maybe 512 MB DDR 2100 or 2700

 

[nemesismk2]

Originally posted by: Bonesdad
At least 256MB, maybe 512 MB DDR 2100 or 2700

There's probably no need to get 2700 memory unless you can get it for roughly the same price as 2100. 256mb memory should be enough for their needs.

 

[Schadenfroh]

integrated is good enough for those uses.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

They're not playing games.

Scrabble, Solitare, and Minesweeper are not "games" - they are distractions.

Onboard will be just fine.

- M4H

 

[mechBgon]

You might keep the A7N266-VM in mind too. I have one at home here. I just finished playing some UT2003 Demo on my home rig, and I was noticing a little notchiness.

mechBgon: Strange... the ol' 32Mb VisionTek GF2 GTS-V card is a trifle slow on the draw today

*plays some more*

mechBgon: Yeah...definitely a little slow. Almost as if... almost as if...


:light:
:Q

mechBgon: DUHHHH! I forgot to put the GeForce2 GTS-V card in, I'm using the onboard video! LOL @ self


So you can even play UT2003 Demo with it, if you have your magic feather It only has a single-channel memory controller, so it's a bit notchy when the going gets rough, but it's waaaaaay better than the ProSavage 8. In fact, I heard one owner saying he got a 3DMark2001 score of about 200 with the ProSavage (the A7N266-VM will crank out about a 1700).

edit: and of course, the onboard audio is sweet too.

edit #2: haha again, I just notice that I forgot to shut down SETI@home before playing, too