Just how bad is the integrated video on Dells budget PC's

[rogor]

My Dad asked me about the value of the budget systems you see from Dell (Demension 3000 ect.) Most of the specs seem "ok" but they all seem to have the Integrated Intel Extreme Graphics 2 onboard video.


Has anyone ever used a machine with this onboard video? and how does it perform with 3d?

He's giving it as a gift and this person has Diablo 1 and 2, but he's not a heavy gamer. I stay away from integrated video myself but it's hard to find a budget system (less than $500) with even an AGP slot. Thanks for any advice.

 

[mkygod]

Not very good if youre looking to play any of this year's 3D games. My brother has the same model (w/ 2.8 ghz)and on Needforspeed2, it ran horribly at 800x600 on low and all pixelly. It runs OK only if theres one car on the screen. Hitman: Contracts seemed to be playable though, but it had some graphical anomalies.

For diablo1 and 2 it should be pretty decent i think. My bro plays Mu Online on his fine.

As for upgrades, youd be hard pressed to find anything better than a Geforce5200 or Radeon 9200 on a PCI card, which would run most games decent on low settings. Hope this helps.

 

[rogor]

Thanks for the reply mkygod. Shortly after I posted I found a [/i]Tom's Hardware article on integrated video which pretty much confirmed what you said.

The performance of Intel's i865G Extreme Graphics was nowhere near convincing in a gaming environment, making us wonder what exactly the self-serving "extreme" adjective described. Extremely slow, maybe?

It would be nice if Dell could throw an AGP slot into their budget board design. It would give people a nice upgrade path and I have to wonder if it would really cost all that much more. As long as I'm wishing for things I guess I could wish that they'd sell AMD :disgust:


edit: I didn't read your post carefully enough. That pci video would probably work for a future upgrade, it is a low cost system after all. Thanks again.

 

[Maggotry]

The newer pc's here at the plant are Dell's with the onboard extreme graphics. They're fine for office apps...but that's it.

 

[Thegonagle]

Oh no! He can't give a computer that has no video card slot to a gamer! (Even a "not a heavy gamer" type of gamer will want to try a new one every now and then.) He'll be begging for an entire new computer by February. Tell your pop that he needs to step up to the Dimension 4700, which has a PCI-Express slot. Or else get the best possible PCI vid-card right away; that might keep him quiet until next Christmas.

 

[flamingspinach]

FYI, GTA: Vice City seems to run fine on Intel Extreme Graphics 2. ... in 640x480.... with massive jerkiness when the HDD is active... >_>

-fs

 

[Shide1]

Office apps only.

 

[imported_Computer MAn]

I would try and get a system with an AGP or PCI-E. My friends brother has integrated graphics it would run diablo 2 ok but now that he wants to start playing the new Medal of Honor and Half Life 2 he would have to buy a whole new system.

 

[Rike]

Intergated video is NOT for games. It's for office apps, web surfing and email. Besides, I would want a system that was already a dead end the minute I bought it.

 

[Hikari]

Even the 2D is garbage. I have the same graphics on my work PC. In a PCI slot I have an old Voodoo 3 PCI. I can whip windows around faster on the monitor connected to the Voodoo3 than I can on the Intel-operated one. I can't begin to imagine the 3D aspects.

 

[Slowlearner]

I have 30 odd Dells at work - for reliability and quick service. All low end Dells, specially the ones with integrated graphics are dogs. Please nothing less than 4700, even the cheapest video card is better than integrated v. Avoid the C models too. I have only returned one Dell so far in the past 5 years, and guess what it had integrated video.

The only use where integrated video is acceptable is a server.