Intel HD 4000 Integrated Graphics - Is it any good for FM?

[DB1]

As the title says would this card be any good?

Looking at a new computer, need a lap top due to room.

The core is as below.

Any advice please

Intel® Core™ i5-3210M Processor (2.5 GHz, 3.1 GHz with TurboBoost, DMI 5 GT/s, 3 MB Cache

[Guest]

HD4000 series will be fine for FM, for anything else you need to consider a dedicated gfx card.

[thomit]

You are buying a laptop with hardware that's on it's way out. You should look at machines with the new generation Intel processors (i5/i7-4xxx. The onboard graphic chip is considerably stronger, in fact it's the area of the new prosessors that has improved the most.

There are now 3 "grades" of Intel graphic chips. The slowest is HD 4600. It's still clearly better than the old HD 4000. Next is HD 5100, also called Iris. Top is HD 5200, also called Iris Pro. With that you can play most games, and is so strong that a majority of pc users will find it quite adequate for their needs. It's nearly as strong as Nvidia's GT 650M dedicated graphic card, perhaps even beating it in some areas.

[Guest]

There is very little difference between the i-3xxx & the i-4xxxx series cpu's, if there is a reasonable saving to be had buying the outgoing version then it's worth saving the money.

[thomit]

There's some major differences. The onboard graphics is one, as I said - the other is considerably better power saving features, and should mean considerably longer use on battery. The processing itself is the bit that has not been improved much - about 10% efficiency improvement, they say.

[Guest]

Theoretically yhe power saving only helps in idle which won't be of much help when running cpu heavy processes like FM where both chips have very similar benchmarks, the difference in gpu processing will be of little benefit for FM & is still too weak for any other serious gaming.

[thomit]

Slight difference of opinion there; no big matter.

My point is: If you are going to buy a computer with the outgoing generation hardware in it, you should get a substantial cut price. I'm in no doubt that many dealers will try to offload these older laptops they're stuck with at full price, or just slightly cut. You shouldn't buy one if that's the case. Demand a substantial rebate.

[Guest]

Which is why I mention the price factor to start with.

Same price = No brainer (assume you're have a Gen 2 i-series or older), go with the newer version, cost saving for going with i-3xxx series then take the saving.

[DB1]

Currenly running a desktop with 3gig ram. Intel core 2 quad cpu2.4ghz with Nvdiea geforce gt 240.

FM runs great with 3d on full detail.

Not very hot on tech and don't want to buy a laptop that i cant play fm on

[Guest]

The basic spec you listed will be fine, just look for it listed at a discounted price.

[TacticalGenius]

I'm running Intel HD 4600 and the FM match engine graphics are comparable my old PC's HIS Radeon 4850. As long as FM is your only graphics concern, Intel HD 4000 will be fine.

Though as Thomit says, in a laptop there is a lot to be said for the iX-4XXX generation Haswell processors, unless the iX-3XXX generation is substantially cheaper.