Macbook Pro 2012 Newest Version gt650m

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Only the retina models have soldered RAM modules.

 

If they both have the same gpu with GDDR5, you aren't going to notice any huge difference in gaming performance on bootcamp/win 7. Win vs. OSX is another matter entirely. In the case that one has a different native resolution and you want to always run games at native resolution, or the game is cpu bound and the i7 edges it out could make a difference. I personally don't think the 650M is strong enough for the majority of games to be cpu bound.

In the end, too many words to say, same gpu, probably same performance in games. Depending on if the games you want to play are available in OSX, you may have to bootcamp win7 and waste HD on that.

The 650M is a pretty sizable upgrade from any previous MacBook gpu that had 256MB vram.

 

Hmm, might spend some extra cash to get a 1GB model. 512MB's going to be a bottleneck in less than a year

 

If you're looking at this for school and you already have a gaming laptop, why not consider the 13" Air? It's plenty powerful enough for typical school tasks, and your back will thank you greatly.

 

I'd say you now have two redundant devices and you should sell one. Probably the m14x.

Actually, I would return the non-retina, sell the m14x, and get a retina mbp. The simple fact is that the m14x is a redundant system if you're getting any 15" mbp. And you might as well get the retina model if you are just a couple hundred shy and you're selling the m14x anyway.

 

double post

 

It turns out the one I ordered has the Intel HD Graphics 4000.....I misread it on amazons page because the 15 inch only has the 650m....

 

Oh you got the 13, I assumed the 15 based on the gpu comment.

Good news is that the hd 4000 can actually play some games rather well. Modern ones will need lower settings obviously but you can get away with it.

 

Yeah if I want 50-60 fps I'll play on my Alienware, but while I'm at school I still want to play Diablo 3 for about 30-60 mins during my breaks. I'd probably have to play in lower resolutions to get the best fps.


Ok so since it's the HD 4000, how does this compare to the super low 256mb 550m on the 2010 macbook pros?

 

13 = HD 4000
15 = HD 4000 + gt 650m

which one did you get?

if its the 15, I would do what masterchef said, sell m14x and get the Retina model

actually to have 2 notebooks is kind of a moot point.

 

I agree with Masterchef. Return the MBP and sell the M14x and buy a rMBP. It's just as powerful as the Alienware. Though to be honest I don't see why you don't just bring the M14x to school - I've seen several in person and they're not that big or heavy.

 

I'm guessing your 2010 was a 15" that had the geforce 330m 256mb? (theres never been a 550m in Macbooks) Sadly the HD 4000 isn't quite as fast as that, but its not too far behind it.

 

.. or could keep the MBP 13" and attach a eGPU to it for docked gaming.

There are current Thunderbolt-to-expresscard adapters to allow use of expresscard eGPUs but we'll see native Thunderbolt-to-pcie adapters in the next month or two.

Your MBP+GTX560Ti-TB will then give greater FPS than anything a MBP/MBPR/m14x can do and give greater portability when on the road.

 

the hd 4000 is quite a bit slower than the ati card in the 2011 pro.

 

Well I'm actually considering the Macbook Pro 2011 with the HD3000 on it and buying it used for about $900 on amazon. (I got $270 gift card and can craigslist some more to get it even cheaper because you can get gift cards for about 10-20% off if you pay cash)

I'm also considering the macbook air 2011 with the HD3000 also but it has 1.8ghz i5, will that affect the gaming performance when compared to the 2.4ghz i5 macbook pro? I don't know if the air's 1.8ghz will affect fps..

I don't really like bringing my M14x around because I don't want any scratches and want to keep it in tip top condition at home =p

I don't play games at school all the time but there are times where I have to wait 1-3 hours and during that I would like to play Diablo 3 in the lowest settings and get atleast 20-30 fps

So the Macbook Air would be the most convenient because of the weight for school but I also wouldn't mind the pro. But if they offer the same fps I'd definitely get the 2011 Air

 

as slow as the HD 3000 is for gaming... I doubt you'll notice a difference in the Macbook Pro and Air, both will be very low settings and low resolution to play... if the game works at all. the HD 4000 is better, but still not miles ahead. You really shouldn't worry about gaming much on a portable machine that has no actual GPU.

 

the hd 3000 is going to struggle to play games, especially in OS X. it might barely squeak by in windows with better drivers, but it's still not something I would sign up for if avoidable.

 

Going with nando..

-Sell the m14x, get a decent amount of money. Using your new pile of cash, purchase a diy egpu or vidock, sonnet echo pro, and preferably a 560ti. This setup would stay at home.
-This would allow you to game casually at school, then plug in your macbook with the egpu at home and turn in into a gaming behemoth (Bf3 on ultra, 1080p kind of behemoth).

You would easily be able to get enough money if you sold the m14x.

Btw, if you are wondering what an egpu is, it is an external graphics card for laptops. This allows you to plug in a desktop gpu in a laptop, giving it near desktop performance.

 

Can you use an egpu if you have a graphics card already in the laptop?