integrated graphics

I was wondering if an integrated graphics is a good choice for running adventure games?

In a word, no - not if you want to be able to play any and all adventure games. If that is the case, you would be better off with a standalone video card with dedicated memory to play adventure games. With integrated graphics you would probably be able to run some of the newer adventure games but not all. It all depends on what exactly you wish to be able to play.

The techies can provide more details.

In two words, no and then no again. Most integrated cards are now part of the CPU or processor, not the motherboard. They are fine for playing youtube videos and running some of the low end casual games. But if the card is integrated, it means that it is sharing its resources with the rest of the computer system. If you have a stand alone card, as Marian says, the resources of the video card are dedicated only to the game or applications that requires video.

awesome Draclvr, thank you. This is what I am looking at purchasing. Is this sufficient for playing casual and occasional adventure games like Tex Murphy?:

DELL INSPIRON 17 Laptop

Intel Core i7 Quad Core 3612QM 2.1ghz +8192mb + 1000GB + DVD Burner Multi Drive

Windows 7 HOME PREMIUM 64-BIT EDITION + WIRELESS INTERNET +WEBCAM


Office 2007 Professional Plus Package - Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Groove, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher Genuine Intel Power Inside Fully-Protected with Anti-Virus
This auction is for a OUTSTANDING laptop from Dell. The laptop is very very fast and upgraded to the max with unbelievable upgrades. It boasts a fast Intel Core i5 Edition 4210M Processor 2.1ghz processor with Turbo Boost Technology up to 3.1Ghz, that will handle your every day tasks with ease. 4-Core laptop processors are the latest available processors for laptops and i7 Series is the most optimal out of i3, i5, and i7 families.It has an outstanding amount 8GB of DDR3 memory and 1TB SATA drive where all your software and games are stored for super fast execution and that's big enough to hold thousands of pictures, songs and much much more. This whole machine is built for super fast performance. Laptop has 17.3" WideScreen LED LCD with HD Resolution 1600x900 Maximum Resolution which is powered by Intel HD 4000 video card with 128MB Video memory.This machine has many features like DVD Burner, Webcam, BlueTooth, 3 USB Ports, HD Screen, HDMI.

Well, it all sounded good until I read that it has a Core i5 CPU in the text, but in the heading you have, it says it has a Core i7 CPU. Which is it?

Then towards the end it says it is powered by Intel HD 4000 video. This is integrated CPU video and is an older version from 2012. I wouldn't expect it to play any of the newer higher demand adventure games.

Great. Thanks. I'll keep looking

I don't know if you are interested in games like the new Obduction game, but to give you an example of what you will need to look for if you plan on playing any games like it, here are the system requirements - which are pretty hefty.

http://gamesystemrequirements.com/game/obduction

If you plan on staying with casual games and older games with low system requirements, then you won't need as much video card power.

Ok. Thank you. I will look for a laptop with those requirements just be safe. Thank you so much for your advice

I don't know what your budget is, but this is not a bad gaming laptop from MSI. It even has a 4 egg rating at Newegg. Don't know how long this price is good for though. You will have to scroll through the deals just above the items to get to the laptop.

MSI Gaming Laptop

link is taking me to Rosewill RX307-PU3-35B - 3.5" Hard Drive Enclosure - SATA III, USB 3.0, Energy Saving, UASP, Black Aluminum & ABS Plastic

You need to click on the little arrow above that listing in order to scroll through the deals - the laptop is among those.

Silly me. still not seeing it...lol...finally see it

That's why I said you needed to scroll through the options to get to the laptop! You are just excited after your adventures for Team Ana!

And this morning, Newegg sent a promo with some refurbished Lenovo gaming laptops. All have stand alone video cards - I think one is an AMD and the others are GX 940 or above.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductLis...-9SIA9RF4NB5645

I am looking at that one on New Egg but I get confused on graphics cards. Does this one look good?

Product Line: EliteBook Model:
8540w
Graphics Processing Type: Dedicated Graphics Operating System: Windows 7
Operating System Edition: Professional Screen Size: 15.6"
Country of Manufacture: United States Processor Type: Intel Core i7 1st Gen. M620
Media: DVD+/-RW Processor Speed: 2.67GHz
Screen Resolution: 1920x1080 Memory: 8GB
Graphics Card: NVidia FX 880M with 1GB dedicated DDR3 Hard Drive Capacity: 320GB
Type: Notebook Warranty: 60-Days
Brand:
HP
Color:
Gray

It's not the best, but would play most games. However, it would probably not play Obduction very well, if at all. The processor is only 2.8 Ghtz. That video card only has 1 GB dedicated graphics. The only 8640W Elitebook I saw at Newegg also only had 4 GB of RAM.

All this depends on two things... first of all, obviously your budget! And second, exactly what kinds of games do you want to play... If high system requirement games like Obduction are not a priority for you, then you can go cheaper and play most adventure and casual games. Obduction is kind of the exception to the rule right now, but it just all depends on what you want and can afford.

Keep in mind that this one has Windows 7 on it - which is fine - but in just 3 years Microsoft will stop supporting Windows 7 and you will have to either take it off the internet or purchase Windows 10 for it.

I really play casual games most of the time with some adventure games like Tex Murphy, Sherlock Holmes type. I really with Win 10 I wouldn't be able to play my casual games from Big Fish.. That was the main reason why I was looking for something that didn't have Win 10

Windows 10 will play all the Big Fish casual games with virtually no exceptions. So far the only one I've heard of was one of the Mystery Case Files Games - Dire Grove if I remember correctly. I have dozens of them and every one plays. If all you are playing is older adventure games, then you don't need a big powerful gaming laptop. It's just if you want to play any of the newer games, you will need more than a cheap laptop can provide.

The only games we're running into that won't play on Windows 10 are once that came with certain forms of DRM. Microsoft has also updated Windows 7 to block this DRM too. You can get around it in Windows 7, but it's not easy for the casual gamer.

It's interesting (and reassuring) to hear you say this about the Big Fish games - because every single time a Collector's Edition is released now, there are usually a long string of complaints from customers in their tech forum, running Windows 10, about getting black screens and other problems. It would be easy to draw the conclusion from this that Windows 10 is problematic for a lot of these games. Maybe it's user error? I don't know. But this may be why exalthim2 said what she did.

Well that's good to know. Thank you

Interesting... When you purchase a game, you definitely need to look at the compatible operating systems. If Windows 10 isn't listed, the it will be a problem. But they have been very good about checking all the games and listing compatible operating systems and most still list Windows 10. I haven't bought one in a couple of months, but I've had Windows 10 for 14 months now and haven't had a problem.

Good to know about the others though... I'd be curious to know if the games listed Windows 10 as compatible. If they did, then I assume there might be some other issue.

These have all been the newer Collector's Editions released since the advent of Windows 10, and they all say they support Windows 10. So, who knows?

That's kind of disturbing! I know when I was testing games for Windows 7 and then for Windows 8, I contacted Big Fish and they told me they thoroughly tested these games on the operating systems they listed.