laptop graphic card for external 22" screen

[Guest]

Hi Everyone,

I am trying to find some hints on what kind of a graphic card should I have in a laptop that would support
an external 22" Acer 5ms monitor? I have a laptop Equium M70-337 with the following graphics adapter:
manufacturer : Intel®
type : 915GM Express chipset
memory : up to 128 MB
memory type : DDR RAM (UMA)

My scrteen is connected with the standard D-Sub cable/connector . The DVD movies are not displayed very smoothly
in full screen mode, also I can see the image tends to "float" from time to time.

I know I can buy a laptop with an Nvidia graphics laptop, however the price is pretty high. Is there any laptop
with a price below or up to £500 that I could use with my monitor to avoid problems with watching DVD's in full screen?
I am also thinking of replacing my monitor with w 22" 2ms screen possibly with a DVI socket.
Anyone knows a good Toshiba laptop with a reasonable price? And a good graphical card?

Thanks in advance,
Richard.

 

[runswindows95]

For that kind of money and what you are using it for, why not just get a desktop?

 

[roadrunner197069]

^ agreed. IMO Laptops are not powerful enough to be desktop replacements, unless you spent $4000+ which is nuts.

I use my laptop when I'm on the go, but at home I'm on the desktop with my 42" monitor and my whole DvD collection on my HDD.

Mine is a Tablet pc, so its nice to write on the screen, and hella easy to edit photos compared to a mouse.

I would use you laptop for on the go stuff and buy a good desktop/ HTPC for home.

 

[SuicideSilence]

^^Agreed X2.
If you can, just get a desktop. If you do need portibility, then why does it have to be from toshiba?

 

[Guest]

Hi Everyone,

thanks for responding. The reason why I don't want to buy a desktop is because I am moving around a lot, so I also need to stay as mobile as possible. Buying a desktop means another big pack to transfer. I am renting apartments, I sometimes move around once in 1 or two years. And those apartments often don't have the right security, not to mention the rubish locks they have in the doors.

I don't use the laptop for gaming, so mainly I wanted an improvement in watching DVD's. I've seen someone here recommended a Toshiba Laptop with an Nvidia card for about $1200, so I was wondering , if that kind of card can support a 22" screen. The problem is when I asked a few companies producing and selling screens, they too didn't know what kind of card should be recommended. I find that pretty odd and I think it would really make buying a proper screen more easy.

I was also thinking maybe I should by a laptop with a 17" screen, maybe they have better and more powerfull graphic cards.

Why Toshiba, you ask? Well I already have a Toshiba laptop. The prices are quite reasonable. I find the one I have - for more than a year now - a real good one, although a bit outdated. I used to use an IBM Thinkpad at work, but I think they are much more expensive. Besides - assembled in China :-(
My Toshiba is also very reliable to me, and that's what counts the most. I look not only at the overall performance, but also things like keyboard layout, USB ports, screen type, other interaces, the quality of the plastics thery are made of, etc.

At work we have HP laptops, and comparing to the prices that kind of hardware is not the kind I like. But maybe I am wrong and there are other brands, that are much better. Let me know what you think.
I just wanted to find out what is peoples' experience.

Maybe someone knows a good web page where I can find that kind of information?

Thanks again,
Richard.

 

[boonality]

You move every year or two and you have to stay mobile? Trust us you'll appreciate a desktop. Just get a mATX in a shuttle case or something.

 

[runswindows95]

By the way, Toshibas and HP's are assembled in China as well.

Far as your problem, ever consider one of these:

http/www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/shopping/computer_can_series.do?storeName=computer_store&category=desktops&a1=Category&v1=Versatile+performance&series_name=s3400t_series

 

[roadrunner197069]

I got a idea, and it will save you loads of cash.

You want to watch movies you say?

Buy a bigger TV and a DvD player/ or Blue ray player.

The laptop you have is fine for school.

If you have alot of movies, its probably harder to move them, then it would be to move a Desktop with all your movies on your HDD.

 

[lostandwandering]

I don't use the laptop for gaming, so mainly I wanted an improvement in watching DVD's. I've seen someone here recommended a Toshiba Laptop with an Nvidia card for about $1200, so I was wondering , if that kind of card can support a 22" screen. The problem is when I asked a few companies producing and selling screens, they too didn't know what kind of card should be recommended. I find that pretty odd and I think it would really make buying a proper screen more easy.

The one you are referring to is probably the Satellite X205: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834114445. If movie watching is your biggest concern, that one is probably a little overkill, but it's still not a bad deal.

 

[piratepast40]

The AMD PUMA platform is supposed to be coming out this quarter. That will give you a fast enough processor for decoding mated with with the 780g chipset (3100 & 3200 series GPU). This may be what you're looking for.