Integrated graphics can be found on several system types - desktop, server and notebook. The platforms of interest regarding SSP are the desktop and notebook. The following advice applies to both.
The Integrated Video solutions found in newer systems are supposed to be DX10 compliant (DX9 is required for SSP effects) and are supposed to be much improved from the previous generations.
In general, the integrated graphics solutions we have tested in the past lack the proper "horsepower" to effectively run SSP Professional. These usually perform equivalent to or slightly lower than entry level graphics cards which are not sufficient for SSP Professional either. In addition, integrated graphics solutions usually share system memory rather than having dedicated video memory thus taking memory away from the Operating System. If you find this is the case and you decide to get a system with integrated video, you should get extra system memory to compensate for this.
If you plan on running SSP Basic, a system with integrated video may suit your needs.
Updating a desktop system with a video card that is sufficient for SSP Professional is usually a relatively simple task if the system has the required expansion slot available. Consult your system documentation or manufacturer for details on slot availability. Refer to the KB article DI009 regarding Recommended Professional Level Video Cards.
Notebooks are a bit different because they are highly integrated to begin with and are rarely upgradable. There are several notebooks available that have dedicated NVIDIA or ATI video solutions that some users are using for SSP. These will typically be a bit more expensive than notebooks with integrated graphics. You will want to look for a notebook that has a video module comparable to the cards listed in the KB article DI009 regarding Recommended Professional Level Video Cards.
Posting questions to the SSPlash forum will get you more detailed information on what notebooks SSP users have actually used successfully.
(FAQ028)
KEYWORDS - notebook - laptop - video - graphics