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Macbook vs. Macbook Pro

post #1 of 23
5/21/06 at 12:52pm
Thread Starter 
I just recently sold my alienware laptop because it was too expensive for my needs. So now I am in the market of buying a new laptop within the next few months. Now that apples can run windows on the side as well as OSx I am in love. My only problem is Im not sure which macbook series laptop do I want. Sure I go with the macbook because of its affordable price and portability. Or should I go with the 15.4 Macbook Pro. I play games like CS:S on my desktop so I do not think I will be needing to play it on my laptop. Is it worth the extra money to get a MBP or is the Macbook's feature suffice. I dont want to make the same mistake I did before buying the more expensive laptop when I dont need it, but I also don't want to regret not getting the MBP. What are some PRO's and CON's with one over and the other. Can you please compare the price to value ratio.
Thanks in advance and I hope to hear some good feedback because these forums are great.
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post #2 of 23
5/21/06 at 1:24pm
A lot of people are agreeing on the fact that the macbook (non-pro) is an amazing bargain in comparison to how close it comes to being a pro. I mean you basically lose a lot of the frills (ambient light detector to auto dim, lit keyboard, a couple ports, dedicated gpu) but the macbook can be quite the powerhouse if you spec one right (It has nearly the same cpu,ram,hd options). But then of course, the price margain isn't that different once you bring it to 2.16ghz 1gb ram and 100gb hd (Which surprisingly they don't list the rpm for under the macbook's customization)
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post #3 of 23
5/21/06 at 2:11pm
i dunno if it'll be able to play the css, as it only has 32mb of v-ram. otherwise its a sexy machine. a white dual core with a gig of ram will definitely suffice for everything else. hell, if you've go more money to blow, go for the black one.
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post #4 of 23
5/21/06 at 3:24pm
64 megs.
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post #5 of 23
5/22/06 at 4:07am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kakaze
64 megs.
with no vertex shaders or hardware t&l...which pretty much makes how much ram it has a moot point
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post #6 of 23
5/22/06 at 5:48am
VRAM is a very valid point in 10.4 as the Core graphics system uses it to store frequently used screen items. It might not support more advanced features through hardware but those aren't necessary anything other than gaming. VRAM is necessary in 10.4 as it speeds redraws by making it unnecessary for the system to render items on the screen repeatedly.
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post #7 of 23
5/22/06 at 10:16pm
Ok, the macbook is nice machine, but IGC/GMA (intergrated Graphic Card) donkey balls. It a very limited machine, Due to certain limitations, it more of door stop. One, if your into Animation, Video Editing or Sound Engineering. it doesnt have floating point access. (Certain programs like Maya, Final Cut Pro, Motion, Sound Track Pro..etc) will not access or run certain apps on the macbook. Unlike it big brother Macbook Pro. You would have no trouble running games or apps ( of this caliber).

Intel Integrated Graphic Cards just suck.

Richard Broza
Blackworx Studios
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post #8 of 23
5/23/06 at 12:37am
Yeah, it certainly appears that Apple is targetting a different audience w/ the MacBooks....more of the education folks. Unfortunately, I don't think they see an overlap b/t the education folks & the minor/moderate-gamers. The MacBook is a good machine for the average word processing, email, picture, music guy.
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post #9 of 23
5/23/06 at 12:53am
If you think it's a "very limited machine" then you'll obviously only be satisfied if your computer is Blue Gene.

The only thing the iBook won't run very well is 3d software and games. Otherwise it's great for video and audio and everything else. If the iBook doesn't have floating point access the PowerBook doesn't either cause they use the same processors.

It's the integrated graphics card that doesn't do floating point but it has absolutely nothing to do with audio and since edited video is rendered by the CPU and not the GPU the fact that it's integrated really doesn't matter much unless you rely on being able to see realtime video effects...in which case Motion is kind of out of the question.

There's absolutely no reason Final Cut Pro shouldn't run on one other than the fact that Apple is trying to force people to buy PowerBooks instead.
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post #10 of 23
5/23/06 at 1:56am
If you are really worried about graphics get the MacBook Pro. It is not that much more than the MacBook, and is a heck of a powerful laptop.
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post #11 of 23
5/23/06 at 12:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dtone
Ok, the macbook is nice machine, but IGC/GMA (intergrated Graphic Card) donkey balls. It a very limited machine, Due to certain limitations, it more of door stop. One, if your into Animation, Video Editing or Sound Engineering. it doesnt have floating point access. (Certain programs like Maya, Final Cut Pro, Motion, Sound Track Pro..etc) will not access or run certain apps on the macbook. Unlike it big brother Macbook Pro. You would have no trouble running games or apps ( of this caliber).

Intel Integrated Graphic Cards just suck.

Richard Broza
Blackworx Studios


I dont understand, floating point calculations are done in the processor correct? this uses the same processors that the mac book and mini use? correct? So how can it not have floating point operations.

Yes it has a intergrated graphics card but should it still be able to perform floating point operations?
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post #12 of 23
5/23/06 at 6:59pm
The CPU does floating point, yes, but in the iBook the GPU does not have the ability to do floating point.

Two CPUs, two chances to do floating point.
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post #13 of 23
5/23/06 at 7:48pm
GMA950 in the MB is good enough for 1999 games, maybe. Its a DirectX 6 gpu with DirectX 7.0 support in software (slow). I find it unusable for modern games.

The ATI x1600 is a nice GPU with full DX 9.0c support and will run most games available today at decent frame rates. The only mobile GPU thats better is Nivida 7800/7900 availabe in the 17" dells.

That said, I'd go for the MBP for me, but for my wife I'm going for the MB 1.8Ghz once they iron out the overheating issues with both systems. IN fact, for what my wife uses her Mac for, a single core cpu would be adequate.
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post #14 of 23
5/23/06 at 8:15pm
Okay, here are the product specs on the GMA950:

http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/gma950/

Please note that it is a DX9 GPU with a 400Mhz 256 bit core and that it can use up to 224MB of system RAM. Now I still wouldn't want to be chugging away at WOW on this but it is a fairly good graphics solution, especially if you bump up the RAM.
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post #15 of 23
5/23/06 at 8:37pm
so would the macbook run final cut, or would you have to go pro?
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post #16 of 23
5/23/06 at 8:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joelist
Okay, here are the product specs on the GMA950:

http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/gma950/

Please note that it is a DX9 GPU with a 400Mhz 256 bit core and that it can use up to 224MB of system RAM. Now I still wouldn't want to be chugging away at WOW on this but it is a fairly good graphics solution, especially if you bump up the RAM.

So does this mean you can assign more than the 64Mb system RAM to the GMA950 on the MacBook?
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post #17 of 23
5/24/06 at 2:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bentobox
so would the macbook run final cut, or would you have to go pro?


It will run FCP just fine, but it's unsupported by Apple because they want you to buy the PowerBook to run FCP.
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post #18 of 23
5/25/06 at 1:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by m0e
So does this mean you can assign more than the 64Mb system RAM to the GMA950 on the MacBook?

It should be taking system RAM dynamically, not as a preassign. The more RAM you load up with, the more the GMA will feel free to use (up to 224).
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post #19 of 23
5/25/06 at 1:42am
Thanks for the clarification. The only thing I have ever had to do with integrated graphics is to disable them and install a new graphics card as an upgrade for family and friends. If I get a MacBook it will be my first experience using integrated graphics. That is one of my main concerns with the MB, along with the lack of a PCMCIA/Express Card slot.
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post #20 of 23
5/25/06 at 2:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Joelist
It should be taking system RAM dynamically, not as a preassign. The more RAM you load up with, the more the GMA will feel free to use (up to 224).


Everything I've heard points to Apple having it locked at 64 megs.

I'm sure someone will find a way to unlock it but until then...
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