Notebook graphics - Intel or Nvidia?

[Forlong]

Wifey wants a Notebook.

She said she doesn't care what type. It's for university (she starts studying French next week) and she only needs OOo, Thunderbird, Firefox and some flashcard application (the latter being the main reason for the notebook, because she thinks she can't get me off the PC when she wants to ;))

Unfortunately, I'm pretty clueless about notebooks.
But I do know, that I don't want an ATI card again (for her, of course :D).

So what's better? Intel or Nvidia?
I guess with an intel chip, the notebook will need less power → better for battery. Right?
3D games won't run on the notebook anyway but it should run Compiz fine.
Still, I'm really tempted to look for one with a Nvidia card but is it really worth it?
Another problem is that she wants a used one and most older notebooks seem to come with ATI mobilities. Haven't found much Nvidias.

So what do you guys suggest? Are there any chipsets you can recommend or discourage from?
What's the best value?

[plun]

Most important is to buy it without Windoze pre-installed..

http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/topics/topic.aspx/emea/segments/gen/client/de/ubuntu_landing?c=de&cs=dedhs1&l=de&s=dhs

http://http://i.dell.com/images/global/configurator/chassis/Inspn_6400_cfg.jpg
http://i.dell.com/images/global/configurator/chassis/Inspn_6400_cfg.jpg

PROZESSORN-Serie - Intel® Pentium™ Dual-Core T2130 Prozessor (1,86 GHz, 533MHz, 1 MB L2-Cache)ändern (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:to_page_mod%281,%201,%20_Action%29;)

ZUSÄTZLICHE SOFTWAREUbuntu Edition, Version 7.04ändern (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:to_page_mod%281,%2026,%20_Action%29;)

LINUX SUPPORT Kein Support für Ubuntuändern (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:to_page_mod%281,%20490,%20_Action%29;) :p

HARDWARE SUPPORT1 Jahr Basisgewährleistung - Abhol- und Reparaturserviceändern (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:to_page_mod%281,%2030,%20_Action%29;)
UNFALLVERSICHERUNGKein Support bei Unfallschädenändern (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:to_page_mod%281,%20463,%20_Action%29;)

LCD15,4-Zoll-Breitbild-TFT-Display mit WXGA (1.280x800)ändern (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:to_page_mod%281,%20760,%20_Action%29;)

ARBEITSSPEICHER1024 MB 533 MHz Dual-Channel DDR2 SDRAM [2 x 512]ändern (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:to_page_mod%281,%203,%20_Action%29;)

FESTPLATTESATA-Festplatte mit 120 GB (5400 U/Min)ändern (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:to_page_mod%281,%208,%20_Action%29;)

GRAFIKKARTEN-Serie - Intel® Media Accelerator 950-Grafikk., bis zu 256MB gem. genutzter Grafikspeicherändern (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:to_page_mod%281,%206,%20_Action%29;)

OPTISCHE LAUFWERKEIntegriertes 8x DVD/24x CDRW-Kombilaufwerk für N-Serieändern (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:to_page_mod%281,%2016,%20_Action%29;)HAUPTAKK ULithium-Ionen-Akku mit 6 Zellen und 53 Whändern (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:to_page_mod%281,%20112,%20_Action%29;)DISKETT EN-/MEDIENLAUFWERKEOhne Diskettenlaufwerkändern (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:to_page_mod%281,%2010,%20_Action%29;)TASTATUR Interne Tastatur - Deutsch (QWERTZ)ändern (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:to_page_mod%281,%204,%20_Action%29;)http://i.dell.com/images/global/configurator/icons/accessories_on.gifZubehörWIRELESS-NETZWERKVERBINDUNGIntel® Pro Wireless 3945 802.11a/b/g Mini PCI-Karte für Core Duo-Prozessorenändern (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:to_page_mod%282,%2019,%20_Action%29;)TASCHENK eine Tragetascheändern (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:to_page_mod%282,%20118,%20_Action%29;)http://i.dell.com/images/global/configurator/icons/services_off.gifZwischensumme 562,31 € 19,00% 669,15 €
Gesamtlieferkosten 65,00 € 19,00% 77,35 €
Gesamtpreis 627,31 € 19,00% 746,50 €



:)

[Forlong]

Haha, thanks for the service ^^
Of course, I know about the Dell notebooks but they are widescreen and too expensive for my wife's liking.

[plun]

Haha, thanks for the service ^^
Of course, I know about the Dell notebooks but they are widescreen and too expensive for my wife's liking.

Ok... I don't know the german market and its difficult to choose something
with quality. At least 3 to 4 years lifetime, laptops has a terrible repair statistic for cheaper models.

Have you checked System 76 ?
http://system76.com/index.php?cPath=28

You can also "strip" a Dell notebook and just choose lowest prize hardware.

Or by a Desktop....:confused:, easier to find cheaper choices/models...

:)

[8f27e956]

I'm running a 2003-era Dell D600 notebook with "ATI Radeon Mobility 9000 (M9) Lf (AGP)" 32MB. Using ubuntu 7.10 and the xorg ati drivers, not the ati-sourced binary driver, and I'm successfully using compiz -- with all the 3d affects and goodies -- at 1280x1024 resolution; it's quick too!

My notebook/card falls within the r200/r250 ati chipsets discussed here http://dri.freedesktop.org/wiki/ATIRadeon I wouldn't be too afraid of dri's on-list legacy ati's with their current release-levels of drivers and engines.

scott@scott-d600:~$ glxinfo
name of display: :0.0
libGL warning: 3D driver claims to not support visual 0x5d
libGL error:
Can't open configuration file /etc/drirc: No such file or directory.
display: :0 screen: 0
direct rendering: Yes
server glx vendor string: SGI
server glx version string: 1.2
server glx extensions:
GLX_ARB_multisample, GLX_EXT_import_context, GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap,
GLX_EXT_visual_info, GLX_EXT_visual_rating, GLX_MESA_copy_sub_buffer,
GLX_OML_swap_method, GLX_SGI_make_current_read, GLX_SGI_swap_control,
GLX_SGIS_multisample, GLX_SGIX_fbconfig, GLX_SGIX_visual_select_group
client glx vendor string: SGI
client glx version string: 1.4
client glx extensions:
GLX_ARB_get_proc_address, GLX_ARB_multisample, GLX_EXT_import_context,
GLX_EXT_visual_info, GLX_EXT_visual_rating, GLX_MESA_allocate_memory,
GLX_MESA_copy_sub_buffer, GLX_MESA_swap_control,
GLX_MESA_swap_frame_usage, GLX_OML_swap_method, GLX_OML_sync_control,
GLX_SGI_make_current_read, GLX_SGI_swap_control, GLX_SGI_video_sync,
GLX_SGIS_multisample, GLX_SGIX_fbconfig, GLX_SGIX_pbuffer,
GLX_SGIX_visual_select_group, GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap
GLX version: 1.2
GLX extensions:
GLX_ARB_get_proc_address, GLX_ARB_multisample, GLX_EXT_import_context,
GLX_EXT_visual_info, GLX_EXT_visual_rating, GLX_MESA_allocate_memory,
GLX_MESA_copy_sub_buffer, GLX_MESA_swap_control,
GLX_MESA_swap_frame_usage, GLX_OML_swap_method, GLX_SGI_make_current_read,
GLX_SGI_swap_control, GLX_SGI_video_sync, GLX_SGIS_multisample,
GLX_SGIX_fbconfig, GLX_SGIX_visual_select_group
OpenGL vendor string: Tungsten Graphics, Inc.
OpenGL renderer string: Mesa DRI R200 20060602 AGP 4x x86/MMX/SSE2 TCL
OpenGL version string: 1.3 Mesa 7.0.1

[Quattro]

Wifey wants a Notebook.

She said she doesn't care what type. It's for university (she starts studying French next week) and she only needs OOo, Thunderbird, Firefox and some flashcard application (the latter being the main reason for the notebook, because she thinks she can't get me off the PC when she wants to ;))

Unfortunately, I'm pretty clueless about notebooks.
But I do know, that I don't want an ATI card again (for her, of course :D).

So what's better? Intel or Nvidia?
I guess with an intel chip, the notebook will need less power → better for battery. Right?
3D games won't run on the notebook anyway but it should run Compiz fine.
Still, I'm really tempted to look for one with a Nvidia card but is it really worth it?
Another problem is that she wants a used one and most older notebooks seem to come with ATI mobilities. Haven't found much Nvidias.

So what do you guys suggest? Are there any chipsets you can recommend or discourage from?
What's the best value?

i'd go for an intel, superiour compiz power for now...
and if gaming is not needed, definitely intel.
you'll have to check what intel chipsets can handle compiz at all though...

[SmSpillaz]

It's not particularly smooth on intel, if you have the money - go for nVidia unless there is some show-stopping bug that would kill it.

[delfick]

it's alright on my integrated intel on my laptop :D

just have to disable a bit of eyecandy
(mainly blur and transparent cube, and set animation effects to something simple like vacuum)

:D