Graphics Requirement

[Elizabeth Hawes]

will this work for SL?  I was looking on the system requirements on SL website and it wasn't specific to this:   • Intel® HD Graphics 400(14)

[LittleMe Jewell]

That is Integrated graphics and thus will perform very poorly for SL.

[Rolig Loon]

The Intel 400 HD chip is a component on the motherboard of your notebook computer.  Gaming performance is only suited for older or less demanding games, not truly adequate for a demanding graphics environment like SL.  If you can get it to work, you will need to use Low to Medium graphic quality, with ALM and shaders turned off, and with a short draw distance.  I think you will find it disappointing. 

[Lindal Kidd]

If you have not yet bought this computer, my advice would be "don't", if you want one of its main tasks to be Second Life.  You really need a much more powerful graphics card, and in fact, you'd be better off looking for a desktop "gaming" computer rather than any sort of a laptop.

[Elizabeth Hawes]

Trying to keep it cost effective but still be able to enjoy second life.  I appreciate all your responses.

[Rolig Loon]

1 hour ago, Elizabeth Hawes said:

Trying to keep it cost effective but still be able to enjoy second life.

That's a worthy goal and a difficult balance.  It's also a moving target. Linden Lab keeps updating SL all the time, adding features like mesh, Advanced Lighting, materials, and Experiences that generally demand more from your computer than SL used to.  At the same time, your own interests change too, so you find that you get pickier about how you look and how well you can see everything around you.  The only rule I can offer that makes sense is to invest in the best quality computer that you can afford.  Anything less is a waste of your money and a guarantee of disappointment before long.  As Lindal says, you will get better performance and more flexibility with a desktop than you will with a laptop at the same price.

Edited October 10, 2017 by Rolig Loon

[Lillith Hapmouche]

So you'd like a shopping guide for a new computer?

Your "choice" suggests that you are looking for a mere laptop and based on experiences with previous search requests, "cost effective" usually means that people are looking at US$ 200 or less second hand pieces of junk which can barely be used as typewriter.

Now ... more input from you would be immensely helpful...

• Does it have to be a laptop? 
• Is there any equipment you can continue to use? Keyboard, mouse, monitor (which one?)?
• What other tasks besides SL do you plan to do with it?
• Max. budget?
• to hit the right stores: US based?

[Syo Emerald]

Laptops are usually more expensive than desktop PCs, compared to the performance they provide. At least that has been my experiance in the last 15 years.

[Syo Emerald]

Laptops are usually more expensive than desktop PCs, compared to the performance they provide. At least that has been my experiance in the last 15 years.