> > And, I want to make sure, embedded chipsets are a 'no'? > > Best you can do is simply try it. The MINI FAQ at the top of this forum gives you the > minimum specs/card models to even have it function. I have an on-board GeForce 6100 > w/shared memory and it works, but it's slow to the point there I need to frameskip at > least 6 or 7 in order to get 100%. People with the latest cards handle all effects > with minimal (if any) performance loss.
All other things being equal, embedded chipsets will perform more poorly with HLSL due to memory contention with the CPU. (Emphasis on "more": it's possible depending on your specific configuration an embedded GPU may work out for you). That said, you don't need the latest cards either. Something like an Nvidia GTX280 or AMD 4850 (both of which are the top-end card from 2 generations back) should perform well for HLSL even at very high resolutions and be pretty inexpensive. (Anyone care to confirm/deny?)
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