Integrated or Dedicated Graphics

[ZesteR]

Hey guys,

 

For my mother's company, she has been using a small 14.1" laptop. Her problems arise from it hurting her eyes and the inability to view certain programs side to side and have enough real estate to work properly.

 

She wants a 20-22" monitor. She is putting that up to me. Of course there is a price difference and a graphics issue.

 

Her pc will be core 2 duo, from dell b/c that's how she gets her products for her company.

 

I know dell monitors are good, so that shouldn't be a problem.

 

Do I need to get a dedicated video card to support the larger screen? Should I go widescreen? If I need a vid. card, what do you suggest?

 

This computer won't see gaming it it's life with the company.

 

Thanks again <3

 

 

side note:

do u think it would be cheaper to build the pc for her?

also, if I do it, I dont know the differences of the sizes of the towers

Edited November 25, 2007 by ZesteR

[stutters]

re: build v. buy

 

imho, don't build, even if it is cheaper. if her business relies on it, you don't want to be the one on the hot seat when the hdd flakes out. even if they've got servers backups blah blah blah, if her desktop goes down, i'd suspect she'd want it fixed asap, not asa-zester-has-some-free-time.

 

in the other arena, i'd say go with the bare necessity that meets the requirements of the monitor. if the integrated can do it (and saves a relatively decent amount), go that route. and for the love of all things holy, request xp, not vista.

[akaM2]

go dell, dont build. Building really only saves alot of money when gaming parts come into play imo.

 

Also the warranty when its her business computer is better than screaming at you.

 

Go integrated as long as the will support the resolutions, otherwise go with the cheaper dedicated choice.

 

Feel free to put more ram in separately for her though, that she cant get mad at you for

[ZesteR]

well, she did get me a laptop this year, I think I "snuck" enough in for 1 year.

 

I def. will be going XP Pro, business and personal reasons.

 

thanks for the input

[Cujo]

don't just get the plain integrated. the monitor will almost certainly support dvi so go with the cheapest add-on card that has dvi support. alternatively, if buying the business line, put up the extra for whatever the dvi port for the integrated costs. if she's ever going to get vista then definitely get the add-on card.

Edited November 26, 2007 by Cujo

[Metallurgic]

As mentioned before, buy a PC from Dell or some other supplier and get a low end video card that supports DVI.

 

Not building it yourself is a good idea. I wouldn't have thought of it.