PC Graphic Card - Help Appreciated

[scootie12]

I recently purchased a Windows 8 laptop 64-bit / 8GB Ram / i7 Core / SSD..........

I currently have a PS3 sub, but also purchased a Windows sub so I can play the game when I'm on the road.

Anyway, while the computer has beautiful HD resolution and runs fast, the built-in graphics card is not made for gaming. It works fine for other purposes, such as day-to-day stuff.

What is a decent graphics card I can purchase that won't break the bank? I'm thinking something that costs me $200 to $250 will probably suffice, but I'm not well-versed in graphic cards.

The current graphic card is a standard Intel(R) 4000 HD

Any help or leads are appreciated

[Aethaeryn]

If it's a laptop, you might not be able to upgrade the video card anyway. Would need more details (model etc.).

[MurakumoMillennium]

The graphics with windows of 8 card makes for do issue with game. If you can make for get window of 7 then you'd be very much well off. Also not for very sure of SSD, as they're typical more slow due to being solid (the electric takes longer to pass through it).

[scootie12]

If it's a laptop, you might not be able to upgrade the video card anyway. Would need more details (model etc.).

What do you mean? Here's are the specs from my FF info:

SYSTEM_OS Windows 8 64-bit (6.2, Build 9200) (9200.win8_gdr.130531-1504)
SYSTEM_CPU Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-3537U CPU @ 2.00GHz (4 CPUs), ~2.0GHz
SYSTEM_CORE_NUM SYSTEM_CORE_LOGIC 4 SYSTEM_CORE_PHYSICS 2
SYSTEM_BIOS R0200DA
SYSTEM_MEMORY 8070.797MB
SYSTEM_VIRTUAL_MEMORY 2047.875MB
SYSTEM_PAGE_FILE 12678.797MB
SYSTEM_STORAGE C:\ SYSTEM_HARDDISK_DRIVE SYSTEM_TOTALDISC_SPACE 900.229GB SYSTEM_FREEDISC_SPACE 843.317GB
SYSTEM_DIRECTX_VERSION DirectX 11
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS Intel(R) HD Graphics 4000
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_DEVICE \\.\DISPLAY1
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_CHIP Intel(R) HD Graphics Family
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_MAKER Intel Corporation
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_VRAM 32.000 MB
SYSTEM_GRAPHICS_SHARED_VRAM 1760.000 MB

[scootie12]

That's what I've heard about Windows 8 so far :-/

The windows 8 graphics card has a lot of issues with games unfortunately. If you can get a 7 then you'd be very well off. Also I'm not sure on the SSD, as they're typically slower due to being solid (the electric takes longer to pass through it).

[Aethaeryn]

What do you mean? Here's are the specs from my FF info:

I mean the brand and model number of the laptop, so I can look online to see if it even has upgrade capacity and what kind of hardware backing it. Laptops are usually not very good for upgrades beyond memory/harddrive, and if you buy one that didn't already come with a gaming card, chances are that it's not built for gaming even beyond just the lack of a dedicated graphics card. Cooling generally ends up being a huge bottleneck for laptops with gaming even when graphics aren't.

[scootie12]

I mean the brand and model number of the laptop, so I can look online to see if it even has upgrade capacity and what kind of hardware backing it. Laptops are usually not very good for upgrades beyond memory/harddrive, and if you buy one that didn't already come with a gaming card, chances are that it's not built for gaming even beyond just the lack of a dedicated graphics card. Cooling generally ends up being a huge bottleneck for laptops with gaming even when graphics aren't.

ah, gotcha. It's a Sony Vaio:
SVF15A16CXS

I bought it primarily for work, but figured it could support the game too ha. Another idea I got was to put windows on my iMac, which has more than enough capacity to support the game.

[Cigaran]

1. Having an SSD does not make it "slower due to being solid". It's quite actually the opposite since the drive isn't required to spin up and then run out and fetch data that may be scattered over thousands of sectors.

2. As a general rule, unless you specifically got the laptop from a company that designs them with replacing/upgrading in mind you're not going to be able to upgrade the graphics card. I've only known a few companies that did this and all of them were desktop replacement grade laptops. Aethaeryn is right though in that we'd need to know make and model to be 100% sure but the odds aren't in your favor.

[Alish]

Unfortunately that laptop is not upgradeable in the graphics department. Sorry!

[Cigaran]

Another idea I got was to put windows on my iMac, which has more than enough capacity to support the game.

Depending on what the graphics card in the iMac is like, that is an option. I have no trouble playing off of my MacBook Pro's Bootcamp installation.