Laptop equivalent of NVIDIA Riva TNT2 32 MB Graphics Card

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bhuiyan · #1 Post by **bhuiyan** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 1:12 am

Dear ThinkPad Experts

I have a Desktop machine with a dedicated nVIDIA RIVA TNT2 32 MB Graphics Card connected to a IO-DATA 17 inch LCD monitor with 1280x1024 resolution. With cleartype ON, Windows XP displays web pages beautifully.

I also have a ThinkPad T41 with ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 32 MB dedicated card, feeding a 14.1 inch monitor with 1024x768 resolution. However, with cleartype ON, Windows XP displays web pages not so beautifully.

Both the cards are obviously dated. While I was buying the desktop card some 3 years ago, I actively avoided a gamer's card. And it still is fine for the things that i do with that machine. I guess laptops do lag desktops' graphics card performance-wise, but is it possible that the above Radeon 7500 is just not comparable to the above desktop card? May I then know which one is comparable?

Regards

Shoaib

Daniel · #2 Post by **Daniel** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 1:21 am

Perhaps it's just the display on your Thinkpad isn't as good as the one on your desktop?

bhuiyan · #3 Post by **bhuiyan** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 1:38 am

I use a refresh rate of 75 Hz on the 17 inch IO-DATA monitor running 1280x1024, fed by the desktop RIVA card. But WinXP hides the screen refresh rate of 75, running at only 1024x768 for the T41, fed by the Mobility Radeon. As you al know from the display setting, it says that this is potentially damaging or will cause unstable display for the ThinkPad. Both of them are running windows. Is there any conclusion to make from this observation about the cards or about the displays? If it's not the card but the display, than which thinkpad display will be comparable to the above desktop combination?

Regards

Shoaib

RCube · #4 Post by **RCube** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 2:23 am

1. LCDs do not need to be run at 75hz. It makes no difference for LCD. You can run them at 40-50hz and it won't make any difference. They don't refresh until something changes. The CRT refresh rate thing doesn't mean anything in LCD world. So no...upping the refresh rate will not get you better pictures. Lower your desktop's LCD refresh rate to 60, I bet you won't notice any difference.

2. define "beautifully". :p What do you mean by that? Your desktop display text clear/shaper? Better color definition? Better contrast? Brighter?

The fact is desktop LCDs are better than most laptop LCDs. They have higher contrast and are brighter.

bhuiyan · #5 Post by **bhuiyan** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 2:59 am

[quote="RCube"]1. LCDs do not need to be run at 75hz. It makes no difference for LCD. You can run them at 40-50hz and it won't make any difference.

Thanks RCube, I did not know that.

2. define "beautifully". :p What do you mean by that? Your desktop display text clear/shaper? Better color definition? Better contrast? Brighter?

display text clear/shaper? Yes/Yes.
Better color definition? How to say

Better contrast? Don't think so.
Brighter? how to measure?

Really embarrased.

Shoaib

monty cantsin · #6 Post by **monty cantsin** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 1:55 pm

bhuiyan wrote:display text clear/shaper? Yes/Yes.
Better color definition? How to say
Better contrast? Don't think so.
Brighter? how to measure?

Really embarrased.

Well, I doubt that this will significantly improve your experience, but you could try to fine-tune your settings with one of the many (free) ClearType tweakers that are out there, for instance:

http://www.microsoft.com/typography/cle ... uner/1.htm

http://www.ioisland.com/cleartweak/

Laptop equivalent of NVIDIA Riva TNT2 32 MB Graphics Card

Laptop equivalent of NVIDIA Riva TNT2 32 MB Graphics Card

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