Thinkpads Forum

Hi,

I am goint to buy a T400s (2.40GHz and 250GB hdd version), but i have some doubts about its graphics card, the Intel 4500MHD.

I read some benchmarks about this card and i know that it is a bit poor about performances, but i will not play any game on this notebook, I am just wondering if i can have some problems with for example 3d desktop effects, windows seven aero or compiz on linux; this card will run without problems for these tasks ? or for example hd video from youtube.

This card is at the limit for these tasks or it is more than enough?

I hope it will run nice and smooth/fluid for desktop effects.

A last question, how much ram from the system it will use? can i select the max amount of memory that it will use?

Thanks for the help
Bye

The card is way more than enough. It is about on par with ATI X1300 from the T60/R60 series, better than most of the dedicated solutions of the T4x.

I have a T400s (love it by the way) and the Intel 4500MHD graphics are fine for desktop use. I even push things with two different monitor configurations: a single Dell 30" monitor running 2560x1600 at home and two 24" Dell monitors running 1920x1280 at work. Everything works fine.

-Todd

laughingtonto wrote:I have a T400s (love it by the way) and the Intel 4500MHD graphics are fine for desktop use. I even push things with two different monitor configurations: a single Dell 30" monitor running 2560x1600 at home and two 24" Dell monitors running 1920x1280 at work. Everything works fine.

Thanks for reply.

Which OS do you use? Vista or w7 with aero?

Right now Vista with Aero but only because I needed a solid driver for the Qualcomm GOBI 3G radio for a trip I'm taking this week. I've run the Windows 7 RC on my X301 and it was great so I expect to switch to Windows 7 on my T400s next week when I'm back.

-Todd

dr_st wrote:The card is way more than enough. It is about on par with ATI X1300 from the T60/R60 series, better than most of the dedicated solutions of the T4x.

Hmm, interesting comparison. Is there some test data to support this? Either way, as soon as I'm getting my T400s I will run benchmark comparison between my T60 with x1400 and 4500MHD

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Intel-Grap ... 883.0.html
(Generally a very good source for mobile GPU information and comparisons).

I have integrated Intel 4500HD card on my desktop and its quite enough for desktop use.
It can't quite play 1080p material though
At least I haven't been able to get it to smoothly play those. 720p works fine though.

zmyrgel wrote:I have integrated Intel 4500HD card on my desktop and its quite enough for desktop use.
It can't quite play 1080p material though

It should be able, unless your desktop CPU is really really weak. I can get smooth 1080p on my T60 T7200 with GMA950.

My guess is that you just need to install a proper decoder. K-Lite codec pack always worked well for me.

Ditto. The only things that the 4500 graphics really don't have the horsepower for are newr FPS games and some professional 3D graphics applications. Everything else, including basic 3D games, any video, any normal UI, should be fine.

laughingtonto wrote:I have a T400s (love it by the way) and the Intel 4500MHD graphics are fine for desktop use. I even push things with two different monitor configurations: a single Dell 30" monitor running 2560x1600 at home and two 24" Dell monitors running 1920x1280 at work. Everything works fine.

-Todd

I'm wondering if you drive these two screens both digital (1 x dvi and 1 x displayport) or one digital and the other one analoge.

Txs, Jan

Sorry for the delay.

With my X301, I've run dual display with displayport + analog.

With my T400s, I run dual displayport using the docking stations two ports.

-Todd

You don't need to worry about Compiz on Linux, it runs smooth and fine, it's detected out of the box by Fedora 11 and probably all other modern distributions. Intel have some of the best drivers for Linux.

Em...sorry to hijack the thread. My T400 will hopefully arrive by the end of the week.

Just wondering whether 4500 could handle CS 1.6 in OpenGL mode?

Anyupdate on this? How has the card worked. Is it okay with 1080p?

I regularly watch Blu-ray Discs (1080p) on my T400s without any problems. Even works in power saver mode on battery power.

I've tested the Intel 4500MHD on several games when I'm bored, and many older games will work decently with it.

I've played Company of Heroes on all low settings at 1440x900 marginally (I can play online and the campaign, but the cutscenes look ugly), and Warcraft 3 at low settings at 1280x1080. I've also played Red Alert 3 with relative success (decent framerates, low settings). I'd say it's superior to an Nvidia Geforce 6150, which might not be saying much.

I haven't really tried anything with the Source Engine, but I'm sure the older Goldsrc engine should be fine (HL1, CS 1.6.)

Compiz and Vista Aero have both worked fine on the Intel card, drivers are immediately recognized in Debian, and Compiz works right out of the box. (Sort of) The Intel 4500 MHD is decent enough. There's even a video of it running Crysis.