Laptop Integrated Graphics

[WhipperSnapper]

So, if I were looking for a cheap laptop (sub $400 - open box / refurbished) that could do a little gaming, would I be better with the integrated graphics of an AMD A12-9700 w/ integrated Radeon 7 or a Core i3 / i5 7th generation with the HD 620? Does the possible improvement in graphics processing of the AMD make up for its core speed / processing weaknesses relative to a 7th generation i3/i5?

Do the specs on this laptop make any sense at all?

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/dell-i...hard-drive-matte-gray/5624362.p?skuId=5624362

It looks like a pathetic Radeon R7 M445 was paired up with an AMD FX 9800P. Would the integrated R7 graphics on the FX-9800P beat or come close to those of the M445? I mean, what's the point of having a discrete GPU chip if it's pathetically weak?

 

[ghostrev]

It depends on a couple of factors. For instance the TDP of the processors on each laptop.
For gaming usually the GPU used in the AMD solution is about 30-40% faster, but the CPU will hold off performance in some very CPU intensive games.

I'd rather recommend trying to find something that has a Nvidia GTX - MX 150

In the situation above the integrated GPU would not perform as good as the Radeon R7 M445, due to the probable thermal throttling, although from a specifications point of view they are about the same (I think they can also crossfire together).

 

[krumme]

I just bought a cheap i3 620 dual ram ddr4 2133/2400 kbl for one of the kids. Much prefer it to amd solution at 15w tdp bracket. A lot of games is severily cpu limited. Goes for old stuff as well as new. Dont go amd. You can lower gfx settings and resolution not cpu demand in mp games.
In gaming a i3 is a fast as i5 because you are power limited anyway and this i3 is as fast as the skl i5 i use. Same experience to me.
It will take a ryzen apu to change that market and still imo the huge benefit here will be for 25 to 35w configurations where you get solid quad core and gfx power. We are still on 14nm but those apu is really worth looking forward to.

And when amd brings 7nm zen 2 apu with hopefully hbm2 cache we are hopefully in for the biggest jump in a decade.

 

[mohit9206]

What's the price point of mx150 laptops?

 

[WhipperSnapper]

In the situation above the integrated GPU would not perform as good as the Radeon R7 M445, due to the probable thermal throttling, although from a specifications point of view they are about the same (I think they can also crossfire together).

If they could crossfire, that would significantly increase the value of such a laptop and the M445 chip then wouldn't be a waste. Can anyone confirm that they crossfire? This is the first time I've ever heard about that possibility for a low level laptop.

 

[ghostrev]

There was a thing called "Dual Graphics" - http://www.amd.com/en-us/innovations/software-technologies/dual-graphics#faq
But I don't see M445 in that list.

 

[NTMBK]

Why not get something like this? https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834316154&cm_re=mx150-_-34-316-154-_-Product

EDIT: Review of the laptop here: https://www.notebookcheck.net/Acer-Aspire-5-A515-51G-7200U-MX150-FHD-Laptop-Review.240090.0.html Good gaming performance for the price.

 

[Tweak155]

Why not get something like this? https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834316154&cm_re=mx150-_-34-316-154-_-Product

EDIT: Review of the laptop here: https://www.notebookcheck.net/Acer-Aspire-5-A515-51G-7200U-MX150-FHD-Laptop-Review.240090.0.html Good gaming performance for the price.

Because it is not sub $400?

I have the HD620 at home and I find it plays games decently enough for me. I typically play Blizzard games (WoW, Heroes of the Storm, SC2, etc) and it runs it fine enough at 1080p. Some of the games I have to turn all the settings down and I'll still only get in the 30's for the FPS, but how much more can you ask for at under $400?

For reference, I have 2 laptops - 1 with the i5-6200u and one with an i5-7200u (dell XPS 13). I only "upgraded" so the wife could have one, I didn't have any major issues with the performance. But I also only use it fairly infrequently for gaming, I have my desktop for that.

 

[NTMBK]

Because it is not sub $400?

I have the HD620 at home and I find it plays games decently enough for me. I typically play Blizzard games (WoW, Heroes of the Storm, SC2, etc) and it runs it fine enough at 1080p. Some of the games I have to turn all the settings down and I'll still only get in the 30's for the FPS, but how much more can you ask for at under $400?

For reference, I have 2 laptops - 1 with the i5-6200u and one with an i5-7200u (dell XPS 13). I only "upgraded" so the wife could have one, I didn't have any major issues with the performance. But I also only use it fairly infrequently for gaming, I have my desktop for that.

The laptop in the OP was also not $400...

 

[Tweak155]

The laptop in the OP was also not $400...

So, if I were looking for a cheap laptop (sub $400 - open box / refurbished)...

It's in the first sentence, if you look at his link the open box is $524.99, my guess is that laptop was just on sale when he linked it.

 

[NTMBK]

It's in the first sentence, if you look at his link the open box is $524.99, my guess is that laptop was just on sale when he linked it.

If the $700 laptop in his initial post is sometimes discounted down to his acceptable price range, then the $700 laptop I recommended is presumably also discounted down to the acceptable price range.

 

[Tweak155]

If the $700 laptop in his initial post is sometimes discounted down to his acceptable price range, then the $700 laptop I recommended is presumably also discounted down to the acceptable price range.

I guess since the MX150 is pretty much brand new I wouldn't expect that any time soon, but if he can find a refurb for $400 that would hands down be the best option right now I think.

 

[Insomniator]

Depends on what light gaming means. Dell has 960M laptops in the Outlet in the $600 range, before any coupons/discounts you could possibly find.

Personally, if $100-$200 was the difference between struggling to play blizzard games on minimum settings with 30fps (intel integrated/radeon 445) and being able to play just about any game out there (960m), I think the choice is pretty clear.

 

[Tweak155]

Depends on what light gaming means. Dell has 960M laptops in the Outlet in the $600 range, before any coupons/discounts you could possibly find.

Personally, if $100-$200 was the difference between struggling to play blizzard games on minimum settings with 30fps (intel integrated/radeon 445) and being able to play just about any game out there (960m), I think the choice is pretty clear.

That is only one of the Blizzard games (D3 - I think it just doesn't run on laptops that well in general). Most of the time I get decent settings, although not as good as what a 960m would allow I'm sure.

 

[NTMBK]

Techspot just did a review of the A12-9800, and compared its IGP with a Geforce 1030 (the desktop version of the MX150), if you want some idea of the difference in performance:

https://www.techspot.com/review/1486-amd-a12-9800/page2.html

Just some more fuel for thought.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

Here's what I ended up getting. My "Make an Offer" price of $401 was accepted, making it $431 with shipping. Here is the Newegg listing with all the specs (but without the Windows 10 upgrade).

When I first saw it listed I was kind of smitten with it but concerned about purchasing used from a pawn shop sight unseen. If it's in decent condition and works properly, this will be a huge steal - a monster combination of processing and GPU power in a gaming chassis. It's also monster sized, put two 8x11 pieces of paper together on the long side for a 17" x 11" footprint. I guess it's really more of a portable computer than it is a laptop. I hope it fits in my backpack. (The one it's replacing is a 15.6" at 15.5" x 9" that's not that much smaller.)

So, how do you think I did? Did I make a mistake with this purchase? Would I have been able to get it with a lower offer? I think if he had offered it upfront with a $400 listing that it would have sold quickly as other eBayers were "watching" it.

 

[NTMBK]

Here's what I ended up getting. My "Make an Offer" price of $401 was accepted, making it $431 with shipping. Here is the Newegg listing with all the specs (but without the Windows 10 upgrade).

When I first saw it listed I was kind of smitten with it but concerned about purchasing used from a pawn shop sight unseen. If it's in decent condition and works properly, this will be a huge steal - a monster combination of processing and GPU power in a gaming chassis. It's also monster sized, put two 8x11 pieces of paper together on the long side for a 17" x 11" footprint. I guess it's really more of a portable computer than it is a laptop. I hope it fits in my backpack. (The one it's replacing is a 15.6" at 15.5" x 9" that's not that much smaller.)

So, how do you think I did? Did I make a mistake with this purchase? Would I have been able to get it with a lower offer? I think if he had offered it upfront with a $400 listing that it would have sold quickly as other eBayers were "watching" it.

If it's in good condition, then it's an absolute steal! Congrats on your eBay skillz That system might be a few years old now, but it's still very potent compared to the budget laptops you were looking at.

 

[Tweak155]

Great specs and you could build some muscle to boot

 

[Insomniator]

Weird and random but good deal! Hope you like it!