Dell M140 RAM Upgrade - Will It Help Gaming?
 

I'm currently on a Dell XPS M140, which can only use the stock Intel Integrated Graphics Accelerator card. It has 1G RAM, and I'm considering an expansion to 2G. Based on my tenuous understanding of the integrated card (which I could have just made up without realizing it), it partitions RAM to be used for graphics. If that's indeed the case, would doubling my RAM increase gameplay speed/capacity? What games would be supported in full? I'm really looking to play AOE3, but I get the feeling that right now it would look like crap. Any advice?

Sorry if that's a little confusing, I enjoy everyone knowing my life's story.

Thanks,
Max

You won't see a noticeable increase in performance by upgrading the RAM. The video card's processor and memory is what determines graphics power, and that video card doesn't even have it's own RAM. That Intel integrated chipset is shittier than shit. It might be compared to the likes of a GeForce 2. The only way your games are going be noticeably faster is with a dedicated graphics card that is modern. However, that's next to impossible to upgrade because it's a laptop.

In short, you need a new laptop with a dedicated video card to play (newer) 3D games.

Eh, that's what I was afraid of. Thanks anyway.