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? about GPU

post #1 of 13
12/7/09 at 5:34pm
Thread Starter 
my gateway LCD backlight has gone. I know there is a fix for it, but i am thinking about just upgrading. i don't have a desktop anymore, so the class i have been looking at is desktop replacement. my biggest concern is the GPU. I don't play any games and don't plan on it. But i do some DVD authorizing from home-videos. most of the time when i look at machines with a dedicated video card, the price gets out of my range. so i am wondering if i really need dedicated graphics for dvd authorizing or playing around with DV?????

Thanks!
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post #2 of 13
12/7/09 at 5:53pm
Wow - a still running 74xx-gx machine

I would say yes if you play with video auditing, my personal opinion of course. What is the price range are you looking at?

cheers ...
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post #3 of 13
12/7/09 at 6:20pm
Thread Starter 
one of the better "investments" i made. over on the gateway forum there is a fix for it - i know it is just the wire came loose, because it would flicker for a while now it is just dead. i just don't know if i want to risk fixing it and blowing it up.

i'd like to get away with less than $700 but every time i see a machine with dedicated GPU memory it is up over that. maybe i just need to get over it.

my gateway has done fine with dvds so i thought i could possibly get away without it. i had a feeling i would need it. dell has a deal now for a 15.4" with a GPU with 256 dedicated memory. i can get that for 700 i think but then i get only a 5400RPM drive. so am trying to find all of this stuff (7200 drive, lots of ram, video card) and i can't seem to stay under $1000 even. plus i need firewire and some machines don't come with that.
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post #4 of 13
12/7/09 at 6:28pm
What about HP or Acer? You can try HP main site (online) the next 2 weeks and see if there are some new offers coming up before Christmas. Or Amazon. Same with others I believe.

cheers ...
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post #5 of 13
12/7/09 at 9:56pm
Wasn't there an i7 with I thought a discrete GPU for $800 with coupon. I do not know your current model but from qhn's comment thinking dated. If so anything you get know would likely out perform. $700 while there are options a little push in budget would really open up options. Your comment about 5400 drives? It is not just speed areal density plays a large role in sustained read/writes. My 320GB will crush 160GB @7200 and hang with many 250GB @7200. So do not write off 5400 completely. If your HDD does not have PMR welcome to the world of better performance.

Oh I just read you have a 60GB @7200. I can't tell you how much my 320GB @5400 will crush/kill/destroy yours. It is just the way it is.

Tell me what GPU you are using? What CPU also. I can find you a good option in your budget. If you wanna go higher let me know. $1000 is kinda a magic price point but $700 could work also.
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post #6 of 13
12/8/09 at 9:21am
Thread Starter 
thanks so much for taking the time to reply.

i would like to stay under 1000 but i may not be able to. the laptop is my only pc so i need it to do everything i want, which is basic MS office apps, internet and DV. i don't do much DV but i do take videos of the kids and like to burn DVDs using nero. i also do some itunes but don't need a ton of storage. i have a desktop that my kids use that i have a 500GB WD caviar drive in that i use as storage of my pics and stuff.

my current laptop has a ATI mobility radeon 9600 which has 64mb dedicated memory. it also has an AMD 64bit processor, still running XP. 1.5GB ram.
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post #7 of 13
12/8/09 at 10:09pm
The HPdv6t w/ i7 720QM, 4GB RAM, GPU GT230m, 250GB @7200 $999 after rebate. I think there might be other discounts out there. This will blow you away! It is more than you need in every way but when buying a notebook buying above is better than below. Do you like or do you want to spend less?
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post #8 of 13
12/9/09 at 11:14am
Thread Starter 
i have not heard good things about HP. i love my gateway but don't like best buy. i am thinking about going for a dell on sale right now:

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellsto...en&s=dhs&cs=19

Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64bit, English
Black Chainlink
Intel® Core™ i7-720QM Quad Core Processor @ 1.6GHz (2.8GHz Turbo Mode, 6MB Cache)
512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570
15.6” High Definition (720p) LED Display with TrueLife™ and Camera
4GB Shared Dual Channel DDR3 at 1066MHz
320GB SATA Hard Drive (7200RPM)
8X Slot Load CD/DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive)
56 Whr Lithium Ion Battery (6 cell)
Dell 1520 Wireless-N Card
High Definition Audio 2.2
Standard Keyboard
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post #9 of 13
12/9/09 at 10:31pm
I don't normally post good things about HP. But it is a new model? Also DeLL and HP are actually made by the same companies practically from model to model year to year.
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post #10 of 13
12/10/09 at 2:07pm
Manufacturers are just aligning their products according to what's being considered attractive. If you compare this Dell to the HP DV6, you can see that one offers a better graphic than the other and vice versa in the CPU line-up.

cheers ...
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post #11 of 13
12/12/09 at 10:21am
Thread Starter 
i thought the cpus were the same???!?!?!?! i ended up kicking my budget up and went with the dell. i have been very satisfied with their quality at work and from other ones we have had (i have a desktop that is still kicking 10 years later). for an extra $100 i got a better screen and 6GB ram. i think that should do me. also - if i remember, the HPs don't have a firewire port and the dell does. i need that for my sony camcorder.

i was actually thinking the i7 was the best processor but now i am not sure - is the core duo just as good? i was thinking i was getting top of the line everything basically but just a smaller screen (would have liked 17" but have to draw the line somewhere). i am happy with this puchase - ended up costing me $1100.
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post #12 of 13
12/12/09 at 12:40pm
Looks like a nice choice. Yes the i7 is a better CPU than C2D. Your 720QM running two cores is 2.4Ghz. That is almost equal to a 3Ghz C2D, on four cores that 1.6Ghz bests the C2 Q9000 2Ghz. i7 is just awesome.
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post #13 of 13
12/23/09 at 3:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by thill View Post
... so i am wondering if i really need dedicated graphics for dvd authorizing or playing around with DV?????

Thanks!
Not a requirement, but a recent-model GPU ensures smoother playback for more hefty HD sources and accelerate video transcoding too!
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