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Severed Hand of Skywalker · 12:27 PM

Only answer YES if the ONLY reason you are not going to get a MacBook is because of the integrated graphics. No other reason.

If you didn't plan on purchasing one anyway don't say yes just because you think GMA950 is stupid.

Yakov · May 16, 2006, 12:26 PM

you should have said: "only answer yes if the ONLY reason..."

Severed Hand of Skywalker · May 16, 2006, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by Yakov

you should have said: "only answer yes if the ONLY reason..."

Fixed it

Drakino · May 16, 2006, 12:27 PM

Considering the MacBook will be for a freshman college student, the graphics card really doesn't impact her. The form factor of the machine and the ability for it to hold up for a few years is what really matters.

Laptops of this size normally come with a pretty crappy graphics solution anyhow. Sure an ATI x1300 or NVidia 7300 is slightly better, but they both still sap some system memory and don't do well enough for games.

Sage · May 16, 2006, 12:42 PM

Nope – I am so getting this MacBook (anything’s better than this 3.5-year-old G3 iBook). I don’t play games, so I could care less.

x user · May 16, 2006, 12:50 PM

Yes, I bought a refurb MBP about a month ago, with the thought in mind that if a 13" MB or MBP came out and I like the specs I'd trade back down. After using the MBP with NON-Universal games and with FS2004 in Windows XP (Yes I bat for the other team for FS) I WON'T buy a MB with the GMA950. I do so like the black one, it'd match my iPod, but NO I can't... The 15" is a touch too big for my likeing, but I've gotten fairly used to it already. I still say the RevB 12" PB was my favorite machine. Maybe this MBP will win me over in the next few years.

Dork. · May 16, 2006, 01:19 PM

I picked "yes". I'm still weighing my purchase, but if I don't buy a MB it will be because of the Integrated Graphics.

I'm only a casual gamer, but even the casual games are demanding more graphics horsepower lately. And as a big fan if the Civilization franchise, I can't justify buying a new laptop that won't play Civ IV with at least a little bit of the eye candy turned on. So once I get off work, I'll be spending some qualtity time on the Civ forums to determine the answer to that.

Question: Would gaming performance be better on the MB under OSX or Windows, or does it not matter?

Severed Hand of Skywalker · May 16, 2006, 02:06 PM

Originally Posted by Dork.

I picked "yes". I'm still weighing my purchase, but if I don't buy a MB it will be because of the Integrated Graphics.

I'm only a casual gamer, but even the casual games are demanding more graphics horsepower lately. And as a big fan if the Civilization franchise, I can't justify buying a new laptop that won't play Civ IV with at least a little bit of the eye candy turned on. So once I get off work, I'll be spending some qualtity time on the Civ forums to determine the answer to that.

Question: Would gaming performance be better on the MB under OSX or Windows, or does it not matter?

It will run much better under windows anyway.

Do you even know what the performance will be using a GMA950 or are you just assuming the worst?

Kermy · May 16, 2006, 02:13 PM

Originally Posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker

It will run much better under windows anyway.

Do you even know what the performance will be using a GMA950 or are you just assuming the worst?

Well the GMA950 is the same as the one in the Mac Minis, so if you read the mac Mini review you'll see the speed of the GMA950.

http://www.barefeats.com/mincd.html

Dork. · May 16, 2006, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker

It will run much better under windows anyway.

Do you even know what the performance will be using a GMA950 or are you just assuming the worst?

I recall a post on Brad Oliver's blog a few months back which basically said not to buy an Intel Mac Mini at that moment and expect to play Civ IV on it, citing the GMA950 as the main problem. Brad is the main Mac developer at Aspyr, and was working on the Civ IV port at the time.

This was some months ago, though, when this Intel stuff was brand new, and before we all knew about BootCamp. It's certainly possible that some optimizations were made to at least make Civ IV playable on the GMA950. Like I said, I'll do some more in-depth research later tonight.

My other option is to simply wait until the specs on the 13" move up, and save my money for now! I'm sold on the 12"/13" form factor, so I guess I'd have to wait....

breakbeat46 · May 16, 2006, 03:43 PM

I currently have a G4 12" iBook and do not want to move up to the 15" MBP. I love the 13.3 screen size of the new MacBook. Unfortunatly I want an all in one machine, FCP + PC games, so the built in graphics is the deal breaker. I guess I am now officially in the market for an iMac, but i wish it could do 4 gigs of ram. I dont want to get a powermac when they are released because for that kind of money I can stick with my current setup with a Mac and a PC.

Simon · May 16, 2006, 04:05 PM

Most of the people in the market for a MB don't need a really powerful GPU. If you actually do, chances are, you should be buying a MBP anyway.

breakbeat46 · May 16, 2006, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by Simon

Most of the people in the market for a MB don't need a really powerful GPU. If you actually do, chances are, you should be buying a MBP anyway.

Yes thats why i was hoping for a 13.3 MBP.