dedicated (Radeon 3470) or integrated (Intel 4500HD) GPU?

[kabsi]

I'm interested in upgrading my Thinkpad. I'd like to have at least the same resolution as I have now and I am looking for an processor with reduced TDP (Pxxx range). I figured that the R series will deliver this.

Currently, R400/R500 are offered with either integrated Intel® GMA X4500HD GPU or dedicated ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3470 GPU.

I didn't like the integrated GPU I had a couple of years ago in my desktop system. Graphics was slow and I had to disable XP window effects (menu fade in/out) to make it work smoothly.

What is the current status of integrated GPUs, especially the one I mentioned above?

I don't do games on my notebook but I want to run Google Earth, World Wide Telescope or Sketchup which all need DirectX 9 and some 3D engine, I guess.

Will the "Intel X4500" be sufficient?

[kabsi]

Benchmark results from notebookcheck.com using 3DMark 2001

Radeon 7500 : 4137
Intel 4500HD : 5877
Radeon 3470 HD : 12579

In this respect, the new Intel 4500HD performs as bad as my 5 year old Radeon 7500.

[Tony Chan]

But 7500 is not DirectX 10 compatible. It's not even DirectX 9 compatible. I don't play games and I use Vista 64, and X4500 is plenty for my everyday work and Aero is as good as my Desktop. X4500 is way way better than eariler versions like x300 or gma 900.

Upside of using integrated graphics is it runs cooler, give you an extra hr of battery time, and potentially less driver related issues. This fits my usage pattern of a mobile device.

[kabsi]

Thanks for describing your personal experience with the integrated GPU. Real world experience can be more convincing then abstract benchmark results. The "extra hour" is very tantalizing.

On the other hand, I also want to run Linux. When it comes to drivers, Linux is not as good as Windows. So you have to check before you buy whether the hardware is supported. I've read about successful installations on 2732-69G, which has a dedicated Radeon 3470 graphics.

Does anybody know whether Intel GMA X4500HD is supported and has fast drivers on Linux? This thread is not really inspiring confidence in the Intel chipset regarding Linux.

[ajkula66]

I don't know whether you can get similar models in Germany, but some R400/500 units are offered with nVidia GPUs here...

Product: ThinkPad R400 2784-R1U [change]
Operating system: All [change]

Original description: T9400(2.53GHz), 2GB RAM, 250GB 5400rpm HD, 14.1in 1440x900 LCD, 256MB nVidia GeForce 9300M, CDRW/DVDRW, Intel 802.11agn wireless, Bluetooth, Modem, 1Gb Ethernet, Ultranav, Secure chip, Fingerprint reader, Camera, 6c Li-Ion, WinVista Home Premium 32

Just some food for thought...

[kabsi]

Thanks for your suggestion. In the meantime, I've bought the R500 2732-69G with dedicated GPU. If haven't used it yet so I can not say anything about the GPU.

[Marin85]

According to this, nVidia GeForce 9300M seems to perform slightly better than the Radeon HD3470, and Lenovo put it on the R-series, how interesting...

EDIT: @ajkula66: Where did you find that R400?

[ajkula66]

@Marin85:

You should know better than to ask me where I've found something...

It was offered to me in a bulk of other machines two weeks ago...

[Marin85]

I browsed all German online stores that offer Thinkpads and wasn´t able to find a single T400 with an nVidia gpu. And it´s not like that we don´t receive state-of-the-art electronics here, but you might be very well right, it might be just not offered in Germany. Additionally, I browsed the hell to find such a R400, nor Lenovo US website doesn´t offer such a configuration (at least in the configurator) and googling 2784-R1U doesn´t come up with anything. So, either you are going to have a possession over some extremely rare unit, or you are making fun out of us So, which one is it?

Marin

[ajkula66]

@Marin85:

I passed on that machine, since there were units in that bulk that I was more interested in, but take a peak at this:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... ry=2784R1U

So no, I'm not making it up...although I've been known to own (and sometime sell on this forum) rare, unique and one-off ThinkPads in the past, but most of them were FlexView machines which is the area I'm mostly interested in...

[Marin85]

I guess I should have looked there first

Do the R400/R500 series with dedicated graphics have actually switchable graphics or is it plain dedicated?

So, George, are you going to have hand on a new shinny X200t?

Marin

[ajkula66]

From what I'm gathering, some of the R units have ATi graphics, but I don't know whether they're switchable or not...

And to answer your question: no, I'm not going to have a X200T, although I'd love to test one. Right now I have no need for a tablet, and there were no X200 units in the aforementioned bulk anyway...

Being an IPS hog that I am, I have picked up a bunch of T43/p units, though, as well as a T500 (that one I've already sold)...

[Marin85]

Well, I don´t see anywhere switchable graphics for both ATI and nVidia based R-models mentioned or advertised, so I guess that´s one of the reasons why they are cheaper than the T series.

As for the X200t, it´s a pity, I´d love to hear from our friendly FlexView farmer some reviews on the X200t

Cheers

Marin

[ryan1212]

Where are you finding r400's with the ati GPU? On the US webpage they only have them with the x4500.

[Marin85]

Where are you finding r400's with the ati GPU? On the US webpage they only have them with the x4500.

If I was you, I would be much more interested in the ones with the nVidia gpu (9300 M)

[ajkula66]

ryan1212 wrote:

Where are you finding r400's with the ati GPU? On the US webpage they only have them with the x4500.

This discussion evolved around both R400 and R500 units, and here's an example of R500 with ATi:

Product: ThinkPad R500 2731-20U [change]
Operating system: All [change]

Original description: T9400(2.53GHz), 2GB RAM, 160GB 5400rpm HD, 15.4in 1680x1050 LCD, 128MB ATI Radeon HD3470, CDRW/DVDRW, Intel 802.11agn wireless, Bluetooth, Modem, 1Gb Ethernet, UltraNav, Secure chip, Fingerprint reader, Camera, 6c Li-Ion, WinVista Business 32