Do I need a better graphics card ?

[Baddar247]

Hello,
I'm trying to play the punisher game on my laptop and I have the following specs:
Windows 7 home premium 64 bit
ATI mobility Radeon hd 5470
Is this going to work or do I need a better graphics card for an ATI only or can I use GeForce ? Please advise.

 

[13thmonkey]

you can't use anything, its a laptop.
It'll be ok at low settings and native resolution, but watch out for the heat

 

[Brett928S2]

Hi

Laptops are not for gaming because you CANNOT change the graphics card....if you want to game seriously...buy a GAMING PC ...

All the best Brett

 

[HEXiT]

??? laptops generally arnt for gaming you mean... there are plenty of high end laptops that are sold as gaming platforms and they do the job well enough... please dont rubbish something completely because you dont think it deserves the time of day in your book... after all not every 1 wants to sit at a desk playing games... they want to sit on the couch with the rest of the family or in the car or on the train...

seriously brett over the last week or so i have seen you become very militant... calm down coz its not good for your rep.

 

[jaguarskx]

The vast majority of laptops do not allow you to upgrade the video card.

The best suggestion that I can make is if you are going to buy a laptop for games in the future, then you should buy one with a good video card to begin with. That means you need a decent budget.

Gaming laptops that do allow you to upgrade the video card typically start at $1,500+ (USD) and you need to verify that upgrading possible because not all of them will allow you to do so. Also, laptop video cards are generally expensive and are not directly sold to people. Therefore, you need to rely on eBay.

 

[Gothams Finest]

seriously brett over the last week or so i have seen you become very militant... calm down coz its not good for your rep.

Thats certainly the polite way of putting it.

Too many misinformed and egotistical members joining up lately with a bad attitude.

 

[13thmonkey]

I'm actually thinking of leaving as a result of so much bad advice being given by people (none here right now I think), and often the OP takes the first piece they see, and ultimately that makes us look bad.

 

[diellur]

Laptops are not for gaming because you CANNOT change the graphics card....if you want to game seriously...buy a GAMING PC ...

You can't discount laptops as gaming machines because you can't change the GPU. They're not as upgradeable as PCs, but then again not everyone wants that. The gaming system I had before my current one was a laptop, which did me for 2 years. And point of order, you should really recommending people BUILD a gaming PC, not BUYING one...

I'm actually thinking of leaving as a result of so much bad advice being given by people (none here right now I think), and often the OP takes the first piece they see, and ultimately that makes us look bad.

Sad to hear that. The good thing about this forum is the fact that the people who DO know what they're talking about can generally counter the bad advice. Most people know to look around a bit and not just take the first answer, I hope.

 

[13thmonkey]

I'll stick with it for now, often think whats the point, and so many old hands have gone, or don't input anymore.

 

[diellur]

I'll stick with it for now, often think whats the point, and so many old hands have gone, or don't input anymore.

Give the new guys a chance.

 

[13thmonkey]

been here for a decade nearly, will be a hard habit to break, learnt a lot, taught a lot.

 

[psychodegu]

You can't discount laptops as gaming machines because you can't change the GPU. They're not as upgradeable as PCs, but then again not everyone wants that. The gaming system I had before my current one was a laptop, which did me for 2 years. And point of order, you should really recommending people BUILD a gaming PC, not BUYING one...

Yeah, I agree with the building part, because come time to upgrade and they will have no idea what to do.

For the OP, At any given performance a laptop can do, a desktop would be cheaper. It get even cheaper if you DIY, then their is upgrading.

 

[13thmonkey]

Yeah, I agree with the building part, because come time to upgrade and they will have no idea what to do.

For the OP, At any given performance a laptop can do, a desktop would be cheaper. It get even cheaper if you DIY, then their is upgrading.

Not strictly true, I brought two lenovo low end laptops for £250/ea, 2GB 250GB core pentium I think, but when you account for monitor + keyboard + mouse + case + psu, I can't build a fully working desktop for £250, and they perform basic stuff well, they can even run AOE III.

But generally there is a limit beyond which laptops cannot perform, and when getting anywhere near these points (basic gaming) desktops are cheaper, desktops then go way beyond this.

 

[psychodegu]

Not strictly true, I brought two lenovo low end laptops for £250/ea, 2GB 250GB core pentium I think, but when you account for monitor + keyboard + mouse + case + psu, I can't build a fully working desktop for £250, and they perform basic stuff well, they can even run AOE III.

But generally there is a limit beyond which laptops cannot perform, and when getting anywhere near these points (basic gaming) desktops are cheaper, desktops then go way beyond this.

Well yes that is true, but that exception goes in the face of the OP 's want to play progressively more and more demanding games.

 

[13thmonkey]

single purpose low end machine laptop=yes
when the purpose goes beyond general purpose use and into gaming then desktop.
As a buyer you need to understand what you are buying, i believe that you need to buy a pc (including all of the research that implies) and not be sold one as they are not consumer devices like televisions yet.

 

[psychodegu]

single purpose low end machine laptop=yes
when the purpose goes beyond general purpose use and into gaming then desktop.
As a buyer you need to understand what you are buying, i believe that you need to buy a pc (including all of the research that implies) and not be sold one as they are not consumer devices like televisions yet.

This is why computer into themselves are a hobby, with the added benefit of being able to work, consume media, and play games off them. Totally worth the learning pains of research and first build difficulties, IMHO. Once you bite the bullet and build one, computers are a lot easier and less mystical.

 

[13thmonkey]

Agreed, because they are sold as consumer devices, like a TV, and a low end TV will do everything that a high end TV will do, it just might not be as sharp etc., but PC's don't.

Imagine if not all TVs allowed all programs to be seen because they weren't good enough. Then people would research TV's. A part of the problem is that people think that a bit of gaming can be done on anything.

 

[cile007]

if I say that you can play every game for now. No you dont need any grafick for now