Question about graphics cards on laptops

[cranky]

Can anyone who knows about this stuff help me out with what might be an
easy question for you?

I'm looking to replace my laptop. I won't be playing any 3D type games
on the new one, but I will be using it a lot to play DVD movies and also to
receive digital TV via one of those TV Tuner/digital aerial thingies.

So for this kind of use, do I need to get a laptop with a dedicated
graphics card and its own memory
or will one of the much cheaper integrated/shared RAM GPUs meet my needs
without any problems?

 

[MrGrumpy]

Dont know about TV but I have an old laptop, 800 Duran, 256Mb, intigrated
graphics and DVD works fine

 

[Mike Walsh]

Basic integrated video will work fine with DVD and TV. You don't need a powerful 3D video processor. The video processing (for DVD) is done by the CPU using an MPEG2 decoder. Any processor made in the last few years can handle it.

 

[kony]

Can anyone who knows about this stuff help me out with what might be an
easy question for you?

I'm looking to replace my laptop. I won't be playing any 3D type games
on the new one, but I will be using it a lot to play DVD movies and also to
receive digital TV via one of those TV Tuner/digital aerial thingies.

So for this kind of use, do I need to get a laptop with a dedicated
graphics card and its own memory
or will one of the much cheaper integrated/shared RAM GPUs meet my needs
without any problems?

Yes integrated video will suit your needs fine, providing it
isn't some obscure video chipset with poor drivers (though
trying newer drivers is always an option).

If you need to have a guarantee of a particular TV tuner
working with it, you might discuss that concern regarding a
guarantee it would work or the option of a refund on the
notebook if it doesn't, or possibly being able to take this
TV tuner TO a demo model and trying it. It probably will
work, but the more reassurance or recourse you can get
before purchase, the better.

 

[cranky]

Thanks for the advice, folks .

That'll help bring the price back into reach !