[ankurcd]

Dear Forum Members,

Ok.. just to understand the Graphics issue clearly (I have seen many threads regarding this here and want to put the issue in clear perspective)... I am presently doing great watching DVDs and playing PC Games like Sniper Elite on my IBM ThinkPad T42. I don't know what Graphics capability it has... my thinkpad is Pentium M Processor 1.5 GHz with 512 MB RAM. By online specifications I see that it probably has 32MB RADEON 7500/9000 or 64MB RADEON 9600. (Can anyone tell me where I can check what Graphics card I have?)

Ok, now I see that the Macbook I am planning to buy (very very soon) - has a "Intel GMA X3100 graphics processor with 144MB of DDR2 SDRAM shared with main memory3"... isn't it still better off than a "32MB RADEON 7500/9000 or 64MB RADEON 9600" ???

I mean if the Macbook's graphics capability is even same as the old T42... it should be good enough along with other amazing features ... - with the exception of PC games of course...

So how good or bad is the Macbook's graphics in comparison to my old T42? This will help me to have a clear idea ... thanks everyone...

[jogi]

Intel GMA X3100 - Review - Tech.co.uk

Might help you a bit...

[mduell]

There's a huge difference between those three options in the T42. Right click on the desktop, choose Properties, and then click on the Settings tab. It should say "Display: 1. (Multiple Monitors) on ATI MOBILITY RADEON xxxx" or something similar to that where xxxx is the model number.

As far as a performance comparison goes, 3DMark scores are a good indication of performance across a variety of games.

For older (2003) games:
X3100 1768
R7500 155
R9000 832
R9600 2500

For current (2006) games:
X3100 474
X600* 280
* The 9600 and X600 are similar in performance, but the 9600 is too old to find the newer benchmarks for. R7500/R9000 too old to even find an analog for, but based on the 2003 scores you can see they would both do pretty poorly.

X3100 is better than any of the available options in the T42 for current games, and better two of the three T42 options for older games. If you're satisfied with the T42 graphics performance then you should be happy with the X3100 graphics performance.

[ankurcd]

Originally Posted by mduell 

There's a huge difference between those three options in the T42. Right click on the desktop, choose Properties, and then click on the Settings tab. It should say "Display: 1. (Multiple Monitors) on ATI MOBILITY RADEON xxxx" or something similar to that where xxxx is the model number....

....X3100 is better than any of the available options in the T42 for current games, and better two of the three T42 options for older games. If you're satisfied with the T42 graphics performance then you should be happy with the X3100 graphics performance.

Fantastic information for me... thanks a lot mduell!

[butterfly0fdoom]

OOOOOHHHHH I went from a T42 to a MacBook myself (if you ignore the iBook I had between the two). For basic applications and games, it's an improvement. But the integrated graphics setup still has some limitations for high-end games (I couldn't get my T42 to run the newer Sims 2 games interestingly enough, but I think that was due to driver issues, not the graphics card itself).

But either way, the MacBook's graphics are definitely at least on par with the T42's graphics.

[mduell]

Originally Posted by ankurcd 

Fantastic information for me... thanks a lot mduell!

C'mon, ya gotta tell me which graphics your T42 has.

[ankurcd]

Originally Posted by mduell 

C'mon, ya gotta tell me which graphics your T42 has.

Oh sorry mduell - my T42 has "ATI MOBILITY RADEON 7500"... thanks again for the details..

and thanks "butterfly0fdoom".... I have no reason left now - not to buy a Macbook.... except the fact that it is $400-500 more expensive in Europe than in America... and the that doesn't even have the DVD writer.... geez... only if Apple had universal pricing ... rest of the world wouldn't feel so left out...