How do I know if my laptop needs a graphics card??

[stripeymama]

I know this is almost certainly a stupid question.

But I want to get this game for my DD but am worried by the single review saying it won't play without a graphics card.

I have a 3yr old HP 530 laptop. Will it work or would I need to get a graphics card whatever the hell that is ?

Laptops have a built in graphics card. A graphics card put simply is the thing that sends the signals to the screen. You can't usually replace the graphics card on a laptop.

Looks like the software needs DirectX 9.0c or higher.
My laptop has DirectX 11.

To find out what you have, in MS Vista type DXDIAG into the search box. In XP: Start, Run, DXDIAG

Not sure how you test the speed of the card, or how you would determine if it was fast enough to handle the game requirements.
On mine, I can right click the desktop and select Graphics Properties. It then lets me adjust the 3D settings so that it gives more priority to speed rather than quality. However no way of testing it.

Thank you.

It says it has DirectX 10 - so probably ok then?

Very hard to know. It should run but if the speed will be acceptable is another matter.

Least the software doesn't cost that much. I remember the days when games would cost £25 and you would still find they didn't work without a lot of tweeking of the system with a DOS boot disc with just the drivers needed. Those were the days