Mac Graphics as compared to PC Components

I'm looking at buying a new laptop, and I'm curious about one issue when comparing a MacBook Pro to any brand of high-end PC: the graphics.

In looking at PCs, each has a graphics card option in customization, namely the ATI Radeon 3870/4870 or the nVidia Geforce GTX 260m/280m. As Mac's don't support PC components, they do not have the same customizable option.

What exactly powers the graphic performance in a MacBook Pro and how does it compare to the aforementioned graphics cards found in high-end PCs?

 

In terms of GPUs, the best you can get on a MBP is a 9600M GT IIRC. It's decent enough for the casual game, but it's not on the same level of power as the ones you listed. Those guys are a mile away >.>

 

Mac parts are the same as Pc parts. They are identical. Didn't used to be that way, but it has been for a while now.

The cards that you mention are all better than the top performing card in the Macbook Pro, the 9600m. Smaller form factors and no external fans do not allow for the cooling required for those higher powered cards.

If you're interested in cards like that, you're most likely interested in hardcore gaming, in which case you're much better off getting a pc.

If you don't need all settings set to high in all games when you play, then the 9600m performs fine. I play counter strike source at highest settings and no AA at 1920x1200 with very good frame rates.

 

if your a gamer, those are good cards... if you just want to play games, don't really care about much else, and just want a big powerful gaming machine, get a Windows machine with one of those higher end cards. Macs aren't designed to be gaming machines. Now they can play fine.. between my 9400 and 9600 I can play any game out there, I just don't really care much about graphic detail, so I don't care if its with all graphic settings at maximum, or minimum. A lot of gamers only care about graphics, or rate it highly in things. Me? a boring game with good graphics is still a boring game...

 

I think the graphics on the MBP are fine but it all depends on what you are going to do with it. I don't do any hard core games just casual ones and get by just using the integrated graphics. Once Snow Leopard comes out I'll keep the dedicated graphics on full time to take advantage of Open CL.

 

Basically the only hardware differences is 2 chips on the motherboard the EFI instead of a BIOS and their proprietary TPM chip which is supposed to lock OS X and software to Mac computers instead of any Intel based unit.

 

you also have to keep in mind that the form factor of the laptops you were looking at with the gtx 280m was not the same as the macbook pro.

13-15" or smaller and 1" thick laptops are going to have slower components than 15-17+" 2" thick laptops. Its all about the heat and power limitations of the machine. This is true for all computers, mac or PC.

 

Those highend graphic card in "PC" are much more powerful than any Macbook/pro can offer. If you're looking to play games a high resolutions and high FPS, those highend "PC"s should be what you're looking for. They might also be cheaper than the high end Macbook/pro.

Also.. to the guy who mentioned about EFI.. I believe majority of the "PC"s also use EFI. E.g. Acer Aspire One netbook, my Asus motherboard...etc. So EFI isn't unique to Macs. On a "PC"s, bios writer use EFI to emulate bios while providing extra functionaility such as disaster recovery...etc.

 

Your quite correct EFI is quite common in Wintel laptops and PC motherboards as EFI is actually a very old Intel spec developed for their server boards and the HP servers in the mid 90's. Sorry I guess I may have over simplified too much