Protip:

[mcity]

If your computer barely, just barely, meets the minimum specs for, say, Assassin's Creed 2, you will not be able to run it at any appreciable quality.

Anyone know where I can get a decent laptop graphics card for not too expensive? Preferably one that's 256MB or so.

I mean, PC Gamers brag about not having to upgrade for several years. For console gamers, that's just plain called a console cycle. And then PC gamers try to make a virtue out of their opaqueness. They make getting a video card to run seem lik membership in the Freemasons.

Comments

[simplypeachy.livejournal.com]

It's very rare to be able to upgrade laptop video cards - their design simply makes them unsuitable for gaming. Usually the video hardware is soldered to the motherboard, and those which can be upgraded quite often have a very limited option.

[mcity.livejournal.com]

So, basically, I'm humped.

Did you know that Ubisoft won't even let users turn down the framerate? I could get a viDock, but that's $200 for the case alone (http://www.villageinstruments.com/tiki-index.php?page=Store), and I only have eSata, not PCIe. The only thing for it is to run some sort of $300+ jury-rigged USB>ExpressCard>ViDock>graphics card Frankenstein's monster of a setup and hope it actually works.

Welp, time to uninstall AC2 until I can get a better computer.

[simplypeachy.livejournal.com]

Ubisoft, ah joy. I won't be buying any of their games since their obnoxious "you have to be online to play singleplayer DRM".

If you want to game on the PC you should put money towards a desktop. Much easier and cheaper to upgrade.

That being said, it might be worth putting money into more RAM for the laptop, or a 7200rpm disk, but at the end of the day if it doesn't have enough 3D grunt, neither of those will help much.

[mcity.livejournal.com]

Actually, this is one of said games. I research my impulsive decisions very carefully; it only checks when you start up the game. After that, you can unplug. I would have to log in to Steam to open up the game anyway, so a few extra seconds couldn't hurt.

I have to tote this back and forth across the Atlantic every nine months, and live in a dorm room slightly larger than a shoebox, so no desktop. Any desktop portable enough to carry back conveniently, IIRC, is going to be difficult to upgrade. Maybe when I finish my degree and get a proper job and a proper flat.

I've specifically been playing low-end PC games on this laptop. Prior to AC2, the most strenuous one I've played on is Trine, and it still inexplicably stutters, despite having four times the recommended RAM (http://www.game-debate.com/games/index.php?g_id=642&game=Trine). And I'm pretty sure my RAM is already maxed out.

I swear, I thought this thing was going to catch on fire, with how hot it was. Even with the improved card, I'd play it in short spurts.

[mcity.livejournal.com]

Or, alternately, are willing to basically risk $300 just to play one game.

I can hear my rationalization subroutines starting up already.

[simplypeachy.livejournal.com]

Just like mine do when I look at bicycle trailers...

[mcity.livejournal.com]

Actually, I could do with a bike too.