Budget 31-40k Casual gaming. Should I get 820m or Intel 4400 new enough

v.Na5h

v.Na5h

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I will be asking some random questions. Will be updating this post

1. Is this the right time to buy one. Keeping in offers, tech etc It's not a urgent requirement. Can wait for 3-4 months

2. Should I wait for broadwell/skylake based processors.. And maxwell geforce 900 series.

3. Not finding much time these days.. Like in my college days where I researched for almost 150+ hours to get a desktop
So somebody who has recently bought one with similar requirements suggest one.. 820m based ones
 
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1. keeping your budget aside tech reports from CES say its a good time for buying laptops and pcs. Maybe its because of Broadwell.
4. Are you talking about switchable graphics/optimus tech?
 
The intel 4400 will be able to run the game but there would always be that "this could be better" feeling.

Regardless of how much (or how little) you play, in the end you want a decent gaming experience.

Onboard graphics from intel have a lovely reputation for being lame ducks next to even the most basic, cheapest gpu's from amd/nvidia.

Plus, you can't add a graphics card in a laptop at a later time. Go with the 820m.

As for your fourth question, that varies among laptop models and manufacturers, you will have to consult the detailed specs of the laptop in question.
 
Intel hd4400 is a capable igpu. It can perform better or atleast at par with lower end graphics card. Depending on the kind of configuration you go for. Like for best results you need faster dual channel 4-8GB Ram for optimum performace. I don't see any problem with a casual gamer specially if you are not inclined to run your games at full hd with all your graphics details at maximum.

Also, from personal experience, I would recommend that you always go for intel igpu in a laptop. It would last you much longer and would cost lesser compared to nvidia and amd integrated chipsets in case you need a repair.

Irrespective of what anyone says. Laptops form factor is not at all suited for gaming. If you really want to game then go for a desktop. Else for casual gaming a hd4400 is sufficient and beats graphics cards such as amd 5450 etc.
Gfx 820m might have a slight edge but that's not worth it when you want a long term reliable laptop.
 
redhotiron2004 said:
Intel hd4400 is a capable igpu. It can perform better or atleast at par with lower end graphics card.
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Maybe older gen low-end chips but its slower than any of the current-gen budget chips (730 and r5 240).

redhotiron2004 said:
Like for best results you need faster dual channel 4-8GB Ram for optimum performace
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He's buying a laptop. He may not have much choice in terms of ram config.

redhotiron2004 said:
I don't see any problem with a casual gamer specially if you are not inclined to run your games at full hd with all your graphics details at maximum.
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I find this argument irrelevant. Just because he doesn't play as often doesn't mean he's ok playing at 640 x 480 to get smooth frames.
I don't watch movies that often, does that mean i love to watch vcd quality movies? no.

redhotiron2004 said:
Laptops form factor is not at all suited for gaming. If you really want to game then go for a desktop.
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He mentioned that his needs are 'casual gaming'.

redhotiron2004 said:
Else for casual gaming a hd4400 is sufficient and beats graphics cards such as amd 5450 etc
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It would be pretty sad if it didn't, considering that the 5450 is 3 generations old.

redhotiron2004 said:
Gfx 820m might have a slight edge but that's not worth it when you want a long term reliable laptop.
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Outside of heating issues, (which you won't face with either the hd4400 or 820m) i dont see how this can have an impact on reliability. If you have some information about laptop reliability w.r.t. gpu chips, please do share the link.

I currently own an acer aspire which has intel graphics and an hp pavillion with a geforce 7400. both were bought at around 2009-2010 and both still work.
The geforce 7400 was the lowest and slowest non-oem chip of its day but it was the difference between playing a game and playing a slideshow. I understand that OP is on a budget but in my personal opinion, its worth the extra money.

Here are 2 videos of the sims 4 being played on the 820m (first link) and the hd4400(second link)

Hope this has helped.
 
W.r.t. question 2 - Mobile gpu's are usually given very little attentions and end up being rebadged versions of older models. for e.g. the 820m you are considering is based on the fermi architecture from the 500 series. So, waiting for the 900 series mobile gpu's might not be worth the time and premium.
 
That's true. The current GT820M series fits your needs already. If you're looking for promotions right now, this is the right time to buy as most vendors will be cleaning out old stocks for the new ones to come in. You can even splurge a bit to GTX840M to even have a better price/performance product, like MSI GP60. Lastly, look into the processor too when buying, remember that Intel "M" processors are 2 times more powerful than "U" processors.
 
Guys I'm planning to get HP r033tx is it a good choice..

Any drawbacks or things I'm missing related to brand specs, pricing etc etc
 
Laptops with the 840m come within the 35-40k range in sales/coupons quite often but the prices seem to be higher now that all the festival sales are over. And looking at the benchmarks, the 840m can play most last years games well while the 820 struggles in the more demanding ones. Definitely worth looking out for a deal on the 840m.
 
In terms of raw performance, the 820M is nearly about the same as the 4400. If used in conjunction with Optimus, then we are looking at something.

Also, the 820M is based on the older 6 series silicon, FYI. So, if you are going to wait for 920M or the likes, I dont think its going to be much better vs the 820M.

If you can list the games you are going to play, then people could help you out with the min spec req.
 
chiron said:
Laptops with the 840m come within the 35-40k range in sales/coupons quite often but the prices seem to be higher now that all the festival sales are over. And looking at the benchmarks, the 840m can play most last years games well while the 820 struggles in the more demanding ones. Definitely worth looking out for a deal on the 840m.
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840M in 40k? models please?
 
 
I was in the same dilemma, I only wanted to play DOTA, SIMS, and Dragon Age. I got HP 15-r205TU for Rs. 27k, i3 5010U, HD 5500, 4GB 1600MHz stick, 500gb, 4hrs min battery life(4-cell). I also got accidental warranty cover for 3 years for an additional 4k, a Thinkpad messenger case for .5k, and a laptop cooler for .2k.

It's looks a bit better compared to Lenovo G50, has a little better build, and has a better LCD too.

Intel HD5500 ran all of the above games without lag on medium settings at the native resolution. The max temperature in summers during a gaming of 2hrs or more ranges between 65C - 68C CPU, 55C - 58C motherboard, and 41C - 46C hard disk. The battery life reduces to around 2.5hrs during gameplay.
 
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Blue Leaf said:
@aman.pitbull can you make a review on it.If possible post some pictures.How is the viewing angle ?
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I personally hate the LCD it came with but it was better than what Lenovo G50 or other laptops in the same price range are offering. The viewing angle is good enough for a person sitting in front of the laptop.

What kind of a review do you want, I'll have to take out some time to create a comprehensive review on this laptop if it really benefits other people looking to buy one. Check on notebookcheck.net for HP 15-rxxx kind-of-laptops, all of them use the same casing, from the looks of it this case is good enough only to contain low powered CPUs (i3 or lower) and will overheat if any discreet graphics card is added or a higher TDP CPU is used in the same chassis.
 
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