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unwinded
Oct 14, 2008, 03:23 PM
Is there any information out there on the Nvidia integrated 9400m? I found some info on its closest relative, the 9100m, which is definitely a step ahead of the integrated Intel solutions but still quite a bit behind of low-end dedicated solutions from even two years ago. I can’t imagine the 9400m being a lot faster than the 9100m, and the 9100m isn’t even as good as an old 7400go that was in a 12” Dell I had a while back. I was excited when I believed this thing was going to be in an <$900 MacBook, but clearly that isn’t happening now. There are an awful lot of “gaming on a Macbook! I can’t wait!” posts here and I don’t mean to get anyone’s hopes up but I really don’t think it will be good enough for modern gaming.


noisebleed
Oct 14, 2008, 03:25 PM
no info because they are the first new nvidia chipset to hit market, and they're in these laptops.
Auzburner
Oct 14, 2008, 03:31 PM
I the MacBook description Vid, they are described as 5 Times faster than the previous MacBook graphically speaking. That's a bit of an improvement. They should be very capable.
System Requirements:
They displayed the new MacBook playing Need For Speed: Carbon... These are the requirements...

Mac OS X version 10.4.9
1.83GHz Intel Core Duo processor or higher
1GB of RAM
ATI X1600, NVIDIA GeForce 7300, or higher video card (Intel GMA950 chipset not supported)
6GB hard disk space
DVD-ROM drive
killianb
Oct 14, 2008, 03:48 PM
So does anyone really know what sort of gaming experience we can expect on the new MacBook. I purchased a MacBook Pro mainly because I was fed up of Windows and wanted OS X but still wanted to play my Windows games through BootCamp when I wanted to. I have tried a MacBook (white) but missed the gaming too much so went for the MacBook Pro.

If the gaming experience is good, I would be inclined to put my Pro on eBay and buy the new MB. I would much prefer the smaller size.
unwinded
Oct 14, 2008, 03:54 PM
I used the “benchmarks” on Apple’s website and compared them with the benchmarks on barefeats for the X3100:

http://www.apple.com/macbook/graphics.html
http://barefeats.com/mbook.html

Quake 4 – 5x = 35 fps
Doom 3 - 4x = 28 fps
Unreal Tournament - 2.5x = 47.5-87.5

So this update will make these old games “playable”. Modern games will still run like poop (except SPORE which works on a GMA950 even)
killianb
Oct 14, 2008, 03:57 PM
I used the “benchmarks” on Apple’s website and compared them with the benchmarks on barefeats for the X3100:

http://www.apple.com/macbook/graphics.html
http://barefeats.com/mbook.html

Quake 4 – 5x = 35 fps
Doom 3 - 4x = 28 fps
Unreal Tournament - 2.5x = 47.5-87.5

So this update will make these old games “playable”. Modern games will still run like poop (except SPORE which works on a GMA950 even)

Hmmm.... the new MacBook certainly seems to be greatly improved graphics-wise.

I'm very tempted to sell my MacBook Pro and get the new MacBook. Maybe I will wait a few weeks for the reviews etc?
Auzburner
Oct 14, 2008, 04:02 PM
Hmmm.... the new MacBook certainly seems to be greatly improved graphics-wise.

I'm very tempted to sell my MacBook Pro and get the new MacBook. Maybe I will wait a few weeks for the reviews etc?

I agree. Wait for the reviews and real world use to test this kind of stuff. Not something you want to mess up at all. If you sell your Pro, it will not be fun... I'm really interested on wether this new MacBook will be capable of the CAD programs I need it to run, but I'm inclined to get a MBP to not worry about it and also so that it will be able to handle future games.
killianb
Oct 14, 2008, 04:10 PM
I think if the reviews are good and gaming proves to be a good experience on the MacBook, it will be a very difficult choice between a MacBook and a Pro.

I don't play games all that often but with the Pro it's nice to be able to when I want. And I have never owned a console, I don't have much interest in them so before anyone says buy a console for gaming, it's not going to happen, lol.

The Pro would definitely be a 'safer' option, like you say for future games etc, but it would just be so much nicer to have the 13.3" instead of the 15" notebook. Especially when you're often lugging it around like I am.
blakespot
Oct 14, 2008, 04:11 PM
Some specs comparison including the 9400M:

http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=98&pgno=1



blakespot
unwinded
Oct 14, 2008, 04:18 PM
Some specs comparison including the 9400M:

http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=98&pgno=1



I'm pretty sure thats a discreet solution with the same name. I've gone through some more of the old benchmarks at barefeats. I think this new integrated GPU will be somewhere around the performance of the underclocked ATI X1600 featured on the two-year-old Macbook Pros and iMacs. (128MB version)
pufftissue
Oct 14, 2008, 05:21 PM
Does the 9400m graphics solution suck more juice than the x4500 hd integrated solution?

I'm thinking yes, it does.
mosx
Oct 14, 2008, 05:34 PM
Does the 9400m graphics solution suck more juice than the x4500 hd integrated solution?

I'm thinking yes, it does.

The 9400M is integrated. It's a "system on a chip" so it does graphics along with every other function of other chips, minus the CPU.

I'm still laughing at the fact that Apple thinks they can sell a $1600 computer with a 2.4GHz CPU and integrated graphics.
Hugh
Oct 14, 2008, 05:50 PM
Do you think I would be able to play Command and Conquer 3 on theses new computers?

Also what do you think about Star Craft 2?

Thanks! :)

Hugh
alexus-titus
Oct 15, 2008, 01:32 AM
Do you think the new macbooks will be able to play the sims 2 and the sims 3?
dougnewman
Oct 15, 2008, 01:59 AM
Apple's own benchmarks seem to indicate that the new MacBook should be about halfway between the old MacBook and the old MacBook Pro in graphics performance.
marvel2
Oct 15, 2008, 02:26 AM
We will just have to wait until there are tests done by sites such as anandtech. Hopefully soon. Anything is better than integrated.
Jack Flash
Oct 15, 2008, 02:42 AM
We will just have to wait until there are tests done by sites such as anandtech. Hopefully soon. Anything is better than integrated.

9400M is still integrated
David G.
Oct 15, 2008, 02:48 AM
It's discrete!
It's integrated!

Pssh! I say we call it discretely integrated.:p
SUPERSTEVE9219
Oct 15, 2008, 02:51 AM
I have no idea how I am going to be able to decide which one I am going to buy tomorrow, I really want a laptop to play Team Fortress 2 and Counter Strike Source on, I want to do some Photoshop work and some coding on it also, the macbook surely will be good enough for that, but again I am hoping for away from home gaming.
Super Intendo
Oct 15, 2008, 02:57 AM
I have no idea how I am going to be able to decide which one I am going to buy tomorrow, I really want a laptop to play Team Fortress 2 and Counter Strike Source on, I want to do some Photoshop work and some coding on it also, the macbook surely will be good enough for that, but again I am hoping for away from home gaming.

I was having the same issues, but after hearing that the 9400m was similar to the x1600, i decided to look up some screens taken on the x1600, and while they arent god-awful, they arent very good. This made the decision easy for me- i'm going to be picking up a MacBook Pro (high end) tomorrow. I cant wait :)
Justinerator
Oct 15, 2008, 03:33 AM
It's discrete!
It's integrated!

Pssh! I say we call it discretely integrated.:p

I see what you did there :D
lckelsey4
Oct 15, 2008, 09:40 AM
Do you think I would be able to play Command and Conquer 3 on theses new computers?

Also what do you think about Star Craft 2?

Thanks! :)

Hugh

Would also love some feedback on SC2 and Diablo3 as well. Obviously the system reqs haven't been announced yet but Blizzard usually accomodates a lot of different configurations and the games have been in development for a while and don't look too demanding graphically for the 9400M.
killianb
Oct 15, 2008, 01:25 PM
I have no idea how I am going to be able to decide which one I am going to buy tomorrow, I really want a laptop to play Team Fortress 2 and Counter Strike Source on, I want to do some Photoshop work and some coding on it also, the macbook surely will be good enough for that, but again I am hoping for away from home gaming.

I too would like to know what sort of performance you can expect on the new MacBook with Counter Strike Source. This game was one of the main reasons I sold my white MacBook and bought a MacBook Pro.

I love the MacBook Pro but it's bigger than I'd like my laptop to be and would love to be able to get a 13.3" MacBook that could play games.

I'm hoping someone will test it soon and let us know!!
SUPERSTEVE9219
Oct 15, 2008, 01:29 PM
I was having the same issues, but after hearing that the 9400m was similar to the x1600, i decided to look up some screens taken on the x1600, and while they arent god-awful, they arent very good. This made the decision easy for me- i'm going to be picking up a MacBook Pro (high end) tomorrow. I cant wait :)

can I see the screens you speak of?