Integrated vs. Dedicated graphics

I'm buying a new laptop. I am not a serious gamer, but I do plan on playing some video games (at least Portal 2). Will I be able to play games without a dedicated graphics card?

Reply 1 : Integrated vs. Dedicated graphics

Gameplay is usually not happy without such. But as the designs are changing to where the GPU is fused with the CPU (see AMD's Fusion sets) this will change. While your strict definition of integrated would have us call that integrated it's better than your common integrated video system.

What to do? See the benchmarks.
Bob

Reply 2 : Integrated vs. Dedicated graphics

Looking at benchmarks are the way to go, and they are here : http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Graphics-Cards-Benchmark-List.844.0.html

Reply 3 : Integrated vs. Dedicated graphics

I've used that in the past but want to share a trick. Sometimes you can't find the exact GPU. If so go for the next model down and same for the one you want to compare. What I found is this helps me figure out if some GPU will be acceptable.
Bob

Reply 4 : Integrated vs. Dedicated graphics

Integrated video is adequate for non-serious gaming. (Solitaire comes to mind.)
And since you said you were not a serious gamer ...

When you get serious, then look into some serious desktop computers where you can install some serious cards.

There are some high priced, high performance laptops, with some very good video circuits. But those require some serious money.