Video Card Suggestions?

[AJB77]

Hello Tech Junkies a.k.a "nerds".

 

I have purchased a new computer, and have been trying to run COD4 on it. However, it doesn't do so hot. It's just a laptop, you see. I went on to this http://cyri.systemrequirementslab.com website, and it did an analysis of my laptop for me. It said I "passed" on all areas except video card. Now I'm wanting to get a new video card, but am not willing to pay a ton of money for it ($200 tops). Any suggestions?

[FiveMagic]

Usually larger laptops with dedicated videos cards are interchangeable (Costs alot though), but with smaller laptops its harder to find parts that will work correctly, also if your video card is intergrated you won't be able to changed it.

 

Whats is your video card? Or even better what is your specific model?

[General]

^what Black said

 

I hope you bought this laptop for college or for home use, And not for gaming, otherwise youre in for a rude awakening.

[TulsaGeoff]

Only solution I've seen is what Joe Dirt posted on the subject a month or two ago. It utilizes some external video card setup. I'd return it if possible if you are wanting a gaming setup and get a desktop. COD 4 doesn't require much in terms of pc power, but it needs some type of descrete low/mid-level videocard.

[ajnl]

thats why i prefer desktops for gaming...can easily change video cards, ram, processors, etc.

Edited September 7, 2011 by ajnl

[FiveMagic]

I'd return it if possible if you are wanting a gaming setup and get a desktop.

 

You can game on laptops quite easily, you just have to know what your getting. If you want it to last long then you HAVE to use a second fan, 99% of laptops fans are way too small which causes it too die rather quick. When doing work you don't have to worry about the heat unless its hot in your house ect, if i'm gaming i grab my 12 inch fan, put on my desk and point it at the laptop it keeps it nice and cool.

[LA_Kings_Fan]

You needed something like THIS ...

 

too bad it's not 2008 though ... every company making any type of portable/external video card setup seems to have abandoned them years ago.

 

btw, the post JOE DIRT made a month back was for this ... http://sewelldirect.com/ViDock-4.asp ... notice IT TOO has been DISCONTINUED ... so the short answer ...

 

is NO ... buy a Desktop if you REALLY want to GAME !

[AJB77]

CPU Recommended: 2.4 GHz dual core or better You Have: Intel® Core i3 CPU M 370 @ 2.40GHz CPU Speed Recommended: 2.4 GHz dual core or better You Have: 2.4 GHz Performance Rated at: 5.4 GHz RAM Recommended: 1 GB (2 GB for Windows Vista You Have: 3.8 GB OS Recommended: Windows XP/Vista You Have: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Edition Service Pack 1 (build 7601), 64-bit Video Card Recommended: 3.0 Shader Support recommended. Nvidia Geforce 7800 or better or ATI Radeon X1800 or better You Have: Intel® HD Graphics Features: Recommended attributes of your Video Card Required You Have Video RAM 256 MB 1.7 GB 3D Yes Yes Hardware T&L Yes Yes Pixel Shader version 3.0 4.0 Vertex Shader version 3.0 4.0 DirectX version Recommended: 9.0c You Have: 11.0 Sound Card Recommended: Yes You Have: CyberLink WebCam Virtual Driver Free Disk Space Recommended: 8 GB of uncompressed free hard disk space (plus 600 MB for Windows swap file) You Have: 402.1 GB DVD-ROM Recommended: 6X DVD-ROM You Have: hp CDDVDW TS-L633R

These are my computer specs - as the online test said. It gave what is "recommended" to run COD4, and what I have. My laptop is just a run of the mill HP, albeit new. I purchased it mainly for school purposes, but was hoping I could find a way to game a little more too. It seems like the only way to do this is to get a new video card.

 

Black, like you pointed out, my laptop gets pretty hot. I get worried that only a couple of rounds of play I might ruin something.

[TulsaGeoff]

There is not a simple way to get a new video card. Cooling stand is not a bad idea. Have you tried a low graphics config file for COD4? People use them to boost their FPS and use them if their PC is not quite up to par. It should help significantly if you are using the stock graphics from the menu settings.

[rolf]

Every laptop gets hot when gaming. Don't worry, they can handle it. Most of the time I destroyed a laptop of 10 years ago with overheating, but they weren't that advanced in solving overheating

 

Anyway, Intel HD graphics are the default in laptops, but aren't meant for gaming. Upgrading the GPU is very likely a no-go, since your laptop isn't a 'state of the art overpriced' laptop. If it doesn't run, it just doesn't run. Setting lower values (especially resolution and 'smoke-fanciness') might be working, but I wouldn't count on it too much

[FiveMagic]

Heres a website for your video card:

 

http://www.notebookc...HD.23065.0.html

 

Being intergrated its not very suitable for gaming. Be weary of heat, too much heat for too long will slowly fry the laptop (happened to my previous one)

Edited September 9, 2011 by FiveMagic

[LA_Kings_Fan]

Note: about heat build up ... one thing people with Desktop computers USUALLY remember to do is take a can of compressed air and blow out all the dust build up around the fan intakes and CPU areas, etc. ... when I had my old Toshibia laptop years ago and it got exceptionally hot ... I figured why not try it on a laptop too ... sure enough you'd be SHOCKED at how much more dirt and dust gets sucked up into a Laptop after awhile. When shooting the compressed air, try to remove as many cover panels {battery, HDD, RAM, etc.} as possible and really get air into every little spot you can. BLOW 'EM CLEAN ! the life you save may be your Laptops !