Radeon HD 2600 and GMA 4500MHD

[sorens]

Can anyone help me with this: Is the GMA 4500MHD in the Mobile Intel GM45 Express Chipset eqivalent to or better than Radeon HD 2600 with a 256 MB 3D Hardware Accelerator Card?

I realize that this probably a stupid, but I have not been able to find the info anywhere. Intel's tech support refuses to provide answers involving comparisons to other products.

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Better at doing what?

Gaming? The HD2600 is better.

 

[outlw6669]

Welcome to the forums!

To answer your question, NO the HD4500 IGP is not better than an ATI 2600 series GPU.
What exactly are you trying to do with your machine?
If you list your system specs, requirements and budget we could help you chose the best card for your system...

 

[sorens]

Thanks a lot to both of you!

I would like to find out if this system can run Guitar Hero III (see requirements below). Also, if an upgrade is needed, what would you recommend? All of this is totally incomprehensible for me, so thanks again.

EXISTING SYSTEM
HP EliteBook 6930p
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor P8600 • 2,40 GHz, 3 MB L2 cache, 1066 MHz FSB
Mobile Intel GM45 Express Chipset
4 GB RAM
Vista business



PC MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS for GH III:
Operating System: Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista
CPU Processor: Intel Pentium D (Dual Core) 2.8GHZ or AMD Athlon 64 3500+
Memory: XP - 1 GB RAM, Vista – 2GB RAM
Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card
Video Card: 3D Hardware Accelerator Card Required – 100% DirectX 9.0c compatible 128 MB Video Memory
Video Card (ATI): Radeon X800
Video Card (Nvidia): Geforce 7600
Media Required: 4X DVD-ROM drive

RECOMMENDED SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4GHZ or AMD Athlon Dual Core 4400+
256 MB 3D Hardware Accelerator Card
Video Card (ATI): Radeon HD 2600
Video Card (Nvidia): Geforce 8800 GT
2 GB RAM

SUPPORTED MOBILE CHIPSETS:

NVIDIA GEFORCE GO 7600 (XP Only)
NVIDIA GEFORCE GO 7800
NVIDIA GEFORCE GO 7900
NVIDIA GEFORCE GO 8400
NVIDIA GEFORCE GO 8700
Intel GMA X3100, 4500MHD, 4700MHD

 

[outlw6669]

Unfortunately, upgrades to the main system components of a laptop is very tricky.
Most of the time, you will not be able to upgrade anything.
The few times it is possible, it is rarely cost effective.
Looking at your Laptops Specs, I highly doubt it is possible to upgrade the GPU.
Although it does have an optional ATI 3450 upgrade, it lists two logic boards, one with IGP and one with out.
As such, I doubt your GM45 logic board has the same layout as the PM45 one.

Luckily for you, Intel's HD4500 IGP is on the supported list!
This means you will be able to play on your laptop but you will probably have to lower your resolution or in game quality to do so.

 

[sorens]

Too bad... I guess I will try it out as it is, then.

One final thing: I am a bit worried that the min requirements specify that a "3D Hardware Accelerator Card Required – 100% DirectX 9.0c compatible 128 MB Video Memory" is needed. It this something that I need IN ADDITION to the HD4500 IGP that I have --- or am I OK here?

Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.

 

[outlw6669]

No, you are fine there.
Your IGP performs all 3d acceleration for your system and is fully DX9c/DX10 capable.
It shares up to 512Mb of your systems RAM as video memory so no worries there.
It can do it all, just not as fast as a dedicated card.

 

[sorens]

Yet another question:

When I recently bought the HP laptop, I was under the impression that it came
with a Mobile Intel(R) GM45 Express Chipset. However, in the systems
info it states that it is a "Mobile Intel(R) 4 Series Express Chipset
Family"

Is this the same? Is the GM45 part of the 4 series chipset?

Cheers,

Soren

 

[caapro]

i had to ask the same question with my toshiba laptop, i noted the serial number on the back and went to there site. turns out my Mobile Intel(R) 4 Series Express Chipset was the GM45. I want to upgrade my gfx in the future and according to the documents the gm45 is compatable to have a external gfx card and im hopeing this one http://ati.amd.com/technology/xgp/index.html tho im not totally sure atm.

the gm45 is supposed to have a pci-e 16x gfx port and im not even sure if thats the expresscard slot yet

craig

 

[caapro]

the gm45 is this gfx chip - Mobile Intel® GMA 4500MHD

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

Caapro you cannot upgrade to XGP unless the laptop has rhe XGP connection like the Fujitsus, which it doesn't.

You are stuck with that chip.

 

[magicbullet]

i'm sure you will be able to play it. dont worry, just need to lower some details in the game.

 

[caapro]

Caapro you cannot upgrade to XGP unless the laptop has rhe XGP connection like the Fujitsus, which it doesn't.

You are stuck with that chip.

I was worried this might be the case, seems bizzare they would make a new product that wouldnt fit to laptops of today. Im crossing my fingers that there willl be a work around, i mean normal usb ports can go from standard 1.0 to 2.0 with just software.

on the note of the gm45 gfx chip, it runs full vista areo glass has upto 1300mb shared memory - mine has 800mb availible and is dx10 but in 3d games it struggles when theres to much on the screen. also says in my info that it has 128mb dedicated memory - i would expect it to handle alot better tbh with them stats - but nvm.

craig

 

[caapro]

Hope im not derailing to much but can anyone shed light on this,

The GM variant can be enabled to support either integrated graphics or external
graphics. When external graphics is enabled, the x16 PCI Express Graphics attach port
is utilized, and the internal graphics ports are disabled.

its from the tech document for the gm45 chipset.

craig

 

[TheGreatGrapeApe]

You confusing things.

The XGP is an external format, it's primarily an ATI thing (they were first to put true external power in the LASSO solution from a few years back), but like so many things it depends on adoption of the interface, it's a hardware thing.

What you're reading about the GM is the abilities of the chip, and it's nothing much to support internal and external graphics on the chip itself, they've been doing it for years, just like integrated desktop chips. But what it needs is a way to interface with external graphics.

Right now what it primarily does is allow you to use it for low level graphics for basic work and then use another ONBOARD chip like the GF9600 or HD3650 for the heavy lifting like gaming.
Their idea of integrated or external is more like integrated or discrete, not truly external.

Think about how it would work, how can you disable the internal graphics on a laptop when the external has no way of connecting/outputing to the LCD.

 

[tomdrum]

Yeh i wouldnt advise even thinking about upgrading a laptop graphics card tbh, sounds like way too much hassle and costly.

Dont know much about the gma4500 but i have the HD2600, and its suitable for gaming with.

I can run CS:S nicely, and Left 4 Dead runs pretty high and smoothly. It can also manage Crysis Warhead on lowest settings.

Not a bad card at all