Technical question

I already knew that proffitt, the question is, how much does it really hurt performance?
Like I said, if you have 1000MB system RAM, then does it really matter a wit that you have 64MB of it being used for graphics display? This is a very technical question I think because you have to take into account the differences in RAM type (system ram type, anf GPU type).
Does anyone know how the system performance is impacted if system ram is at full capacity and being used by a shared GPU?

Regardless of your attempted analysis of how much the system slows down with shared video RAM versus separate dedicated video RAM one thing is clear and needs no discussion:

You cannot play any robust game like Half-Life 2, Doom 3 or many others the newest Warcraft, etc without dedicated video RAM -- look on the game box and it requires a video card which is dedicated video RAM.

So, get your shared video and find out later you can't even run something at all without the dedicated video and then your point will have been made.

You can go ahead and get shared/integrated video if you want a lighter notebook (under 5 pounds) as nearly none of those have dedicated RAM anyway.

Just remember that you can't just go out and buy a video card at any time (even on an inexpensive E-machines desktop with an open expansion slot) on a notebook later. You are stuck.

I had a Compaq 2000 series with shared video (Pentium 4M) and I returned it and got the HPZT3000 /Compaq ZT3000 series (I have 32mb dedicated video but 64mb dedicated video is now required as a minumum for most newer games and even that can force reduced settings --128mb is ideal but more pricey and limited on certain models only) and I can tell you unequivocally that my new Notebook runs Yahoo videos more smoothly (via DSL 1.5mps) on the dedicated RAM notebook.

The shared video RAM (up to 64mb shared) was choppy and the audio cutted out and this was with a Pentium 4M cpu -- and 512mb RAM.

With the same 512mb RAM and the Pentium M Centrino processor I get completely smooth Yahoo videos ........

im using a P3 995mhz 256mb 16mb shared GPU laptop right now, and yahoo works fine for me too

But I think i agree with you for the most part.
In my last post here I was talking about deciding between an HP 1040 and a sony s, I decided to go with the HP even though it does not have dedicated memory because i realised one simple truth. If you want a laptop with good graphics capability, chances are it will be over 6lbs, and have fast battery drain. The sont came with a dedicated ATI 9200, but the extra $500 you pay for the laptop is just not worth that. Even with the ATI 9200, at 32MB it is far too feeble to play any of the new batch of games. I guess I will have to stick to my x-box. On the bright side Halo 2 is console exclusive for now

I think there are a few notebooks in the 5.5 range (like the IBM T42, etc) that have dedicated RAM but yes most of the PC 15.4" or 15" widescreen notebooks are in the 6.2-6.9 pound range (the Toshiba M35 is 6.3 and the HPZT3000 is 6.5 and the Dell 8600 is 6.9 -- that has the 128mb dedicated video option and the ATI 9600/9700 video card).

Yes, the HP DV1000 series is great and only 5.3 pounds if you don't need the dedicated video.

Keep in mind that difference between 5.5 pounds and 6.2 pounds (if you got a Toshiba M35) is not much at all but the notebooks are bulkier as the HP DV1000 has only a 14" widescreen versus the 15.4" widescreen.

Anything up to a 15.4" widescreen can easily be carried in a notebook backpack though like Targus, etc.. I have not seen anything like that for a 17" LCD.

I wrote the CPU can't access RAM while the Video GPU is reading from RAM. That's TIME that the CPU could be running a ZERO instructions per second or halted.

Forget the memory it eats. The overall CPU speed takes a hit.

Bob

okay, thats what I was wondering. Now we are at the heart of the matter. its not that bad that the GPU takes ram from the system, the real problem is that the proccessor has to work harder.

If the CPU internal cache runs dry, then the CPU halts.

Bob