T43 Graphics Card Questions

[Lapsang]

I purchased a T43 a few months back thinking I would be doing nothing more then typical home office stuff and web-surfing. Then my wife got me a few games over the holidays. In particular, two flight simulators - Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 and Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 3. The 2004 works perfectly but the Combat Flight Simulator struggles (slow, jerky graphical display). The graphics requirements of the two differ slightly - 2004 requires 8mb/3D and Combat requires 16mb/3D. I have a Pentium M 1.6 GHZ chip, 1 GB of RAM and about 30GB of free memory so I don't think there are any issues there so I'm thinking it's the graphics card. But from there I'm simply confused.

First of all, I have no idea what kind of graphics card I have. The closest IBM can tell me or that I can discern from the software itself when I go to change the display options is that it's an Intel 915 GM/GMS, 910GMS Express. I don't even know if that's the graphics card. Anyone know how to find out what I have?

Second of all, assuming that it is a deficient graphics card that's causing the slow graphical display issues with Combat, can the graphics card be replaced or is there a better option like an external or add-in graphics card?

And finally, if it can be replaced or an external card plugged in somehow, what kind of graphics card do I want and how difficult would it be for me to replace it myself? I'm relatively competent as long as I have good directions. I used to replace things like keyboards on my Dell laptop.

Thanks.

[davidspalding]

... First of all, I have no idea what kind of graphics card I have. The closest IBM can tell me or that I can discern from the software itself when I go to change the display options is that it's an Intel 915 GM/GMS, 910GMS Express. I don't even know if that's the graphics card. Anyone know how to find out what I have? ....

Search on these forums, or on lenovo.com, for TABOOK.PDF (I think it's item #1 in the forums FAQ...?)

With that in hand, close your laptop, turn it over and look for a machine-type/model number like mine (2668-xxx).

Look that up in TABOOK.PDF. Voila, everything you wanted to know about the sales spec for your model.

You can also hit the blue Access IBM button, click "System information," and one of the three buttons links to specific information about hardware components: keyboard, processor, memory, hard drive, etc.

[Lapsang]

Thanks for the information. Based on what I see I had the choice of purchasing one of the following four graphics cards:

128 MB ATI Mobility FIRE GL V3200
64 MB ATI Mobility Radeon X300
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 300

and I purchased the Intel 900.

(Original description: Customer configured(RAM, HD, Ultrabay, Battery, Preload): P M 730, 14.1 XGA(1024x768) TFT LCD, Intel 900, Modem(CDC), 1Gb Ethernet(LOM), UltraNav, Secure Chip, Fingerprint Reader)

Based on this, is it possible that it's the graphics card that's causing the problems with the Combat Flight Simulator? In which case, what are my options for replacing it (or adding to it) and how difficult would it be?

[Lapsang]

While searching the web, I found the following...

Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900
"Integrated graphics" is a relatively low-cost approach to graphics, designed for the majority of computer users who mainly use email, surf the Internet, or work with productivity programs. In fact, the Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 900 has enough horsepower to do these things across two displays. Where high-performance graphics matter is 3D gaming and other graphics-intensive applications. In these areas, the GMA 900 will pale in comparison to even a $100 add-in graphics card.

Can anybody fill me in on what an add-in graphics card is, if it will work in a T43 and where I can get one (and which one I should get)?

[christopher_wolf]

That simply states it will "pale in comparison" to something like an ATI x300; though, the graphics card is soldered onto the system board in all the T Series systems I have seen, so you can't change what card you already have.

[LtTPfan]

You can buy a Thinkpad Dock II which would allow you to use a desktop type graphics card with PCI interface.

[ZoneMan]

LtTPfan knows whats up, dock does have a slot for a graphics card.

Currently the only model thinkpad that has the ability on its own to update the graphics device without a dock is the G41.
There are many configs, but graphics are the integrated and another with a removeable graphics card under the keyboard.

As for the performance on the flight sim, you could check to see if there is an update for it. Make sure you running the latest drivers for the graphics chip, latest bios and embedded controller as well.
You could also lower the display and detail settings in the software, might take the slide show effect out of it and make it playable


Zone.

[grimmster]

The 900 graphics card uses system memory for it's memory. Perhaps giving it more system memory will help it's performace (though probably not enough for 3d work) but worth a shot.

Can't remember where you change those settings, but I think it was the bios.

[simscitizen]

You might be able to bump out how much RAM the GMA 900 takes from main memory in the BIOs. But mostly you're just hosed. The GMA 900 is an integrated card and designed only for light gaming (its main use is for 2D tasks). If you want to play games, buy a notebook with a discrete graphics card next time.

Moreover, buying a T43 with a GMA 900 cripples the DVI port on the port replicator.