Question for the IT experts

Joined: Oct 13, 2005 Posts: 724

I have bought my daughter a notebook for xmas ready for her foray into the world of universities next year. Unfortunately she now wants to ditch the tower in her room and just use the notebook, something I didnt reckon on, and being a Sims (urgh!) addict wants to install it on that. The notebook uses shared graphics and can just about cope if everything else is switched off. I am comfortable around a big chunky tower but notebooks are another world as far as Im concerned. The question ("finally" I hear you say Very Happy

) can you recommend an external graphics adapter suitable for a notebook ?
I hang on your every word o' great ones Wink

Joined: Nov 19, 2005 Posts: 57 Location: Cambridge

Take it back to the shop and get a different laptop.

Unfortunately with a laptop it is difficult to get around a graphics card problem.

You may be able to get a USB / 1394 / PCMCIA adapter that can function as an external card and bypass the onboard chip.

Try to get some more memory into the laptop also.

Sorry to be a bit negative on this but I have seen problems simular to this before.

Saracen.

Sad

Joined: Oct 13, 2005 Posts: 724

Not a problem, the notebook can support 3gig memory so will probably chuck in a load more than the 512 it has. Could be fun, never seen the inside of a notebook before Confused

Thanks boss!

Joined: Jul 02, 2005 Posts: 1344

Oooo but the thing is... notebook memory is alot more expensive Razz

Joined: Aug 08, 2005 Posts: 309 Location: Yorkshire

Aye Cyrus has a point.... All laptop components tend to have a price tag that would make attilla the hum think twice!

Joined: Nov 24, 2005 Posts: 161 Location: Bolton

Here are a couple of good sources for Notebook memory without going through the Notebook manufacturer (who are invariably mega-expensive): -

a)Scan International (www.scan.co.uk)
b)Crucial (www.crucial.com)

My first port of call would be Crucial (even though I'm a mate of Shelly, the MD of Scan)as they supply memory specific for your notebook and you get it next day by Special Delivery included in the price.

However Crying or Very sad

your problem will be the shared graphics card. I don't know of any company who supply an external graphics card for laptops. As has been said earlier, try and swap it for one with a dedicated graphics card.

RPU