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Y does the iMac 7600GT outperform the MBP 8600GT?
- Thread starter ChancyJohn
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There's a big discussion about this on the Inside Mac Games forums.
AFAIK, it's because the drivers for the card are immature, the hardware is immature, and it's geared towards DX10 usage. The 7600 drivers and hardware have been around for a while and learnt the tricks of the trade. In addition, existing software has been optimised and tested for the 7 series drivers.
AFAIK, it's because the drivers for the card are immature, the hardware is immature, and it's geared towards DX10 usage. The 7600 drivers and hardware have been around for a while and learnt the tricks of the trade. In addition, existing software has been optimised and tested for the 7 series drivers.
The drivers huh...Hopfully tht shud be resolved soon...
I am hoping to get the 2.4 15.4" 256MB 8600GT MBP as my first Mac...nd gaming performance is important fr me...
You'll get better performance with games that haven't been released yet - they still have time to properly support the newer cards. It's less likely that existing games will get any patches.
At the same time, newer drivers may add SOME performance, although there's only so much a driver can do.
The best bit of course is that via Boot Camp you'll be able to play DX10-only games, which the 7 series can't do
At the same time, newer drivers may add SOME performance, although there's only so much a driver can do.
The best bit of course is that via Boot Camp you'll be able to play DX10-only games, which the 7 series can't do
The iMac does not use a mobile 7600 (ie go 7600). It uses the desktop version of the 7600 GT. It just happens to be on an MXM card.
The Macbook Pro does indeed use the mobile version of the 8600 GT which is why it is the 8600M GT. The 8600M is not much of an improvement at all vs the go 7600 GT. The biggest difference is that the 8 series cards are DX10 compliant. Now the 8800M is a different story.
hmm...
so the iMac range (wen updated) cud/will hav a desktop 8600GT??
Wud then the 24" iMac (assuming - 2.4Ghz, 1GB RAM, 128MB 8600GT) outperform 15.4" MBP (2.4Ghz, 2GB RAM, 256MB 8600GT mobile) in games???
Asking this cos Apple India does nt offer Built to Order option here ... so my choice is between stock 24" iMac or 15.4" MBP (one with 2.4GHz).
so the iMac range (wen updated) cud/will hav a desktop 8600GT??
Wud then the 24" iMac (assuming - 2.4Ghz, 1GB RAM, 128MB 8600GT) outperform 15.4" MBP (2.4Ghz, 2GB RAM, 256MB 8600GT mobile) in games???
Asking this cos Apple India does nt offer Built to Order option here
... so my choice is between stock 24" iMac or 15.4" MBP (one with 2.4GHz).
You will have to wait to see what the new iMacs will be like. The top end iMac may get an even better graphics card (8800?),
Wait
Wait
Been a loooong wait ... I thought by June 11th the wait shud end ...
nw with rumours of no iMacs @ WWDC ... I mite hav to grind it out till June end luks lik ... cant wait any longer thn tht
It'll be unlikely to c a 8800 on the stock high end iMac...nd customization is nt an option fr me...
The best bit of course is that via Boot Camp you'll be able to play DX10-only games, which the 7 series can't do
Yup, this actually future-proofs them just a bit. Of course the midrange 8600m in the new laptops won't be pushing out high settings for DX10 games, but should do an ok job.
Future proofing is fine...
bt wat i'd like to know is if a iMac comes out with 128MB of 8600 GT(desktop variant-as ppl hav mentioned tht the iMac uses em) and 1 GB RAM [talkin abt the stock model] will is perform better than a MBP (with 256MB of 8600GT Mobile nd 2 GB RAM)...???
Now i'll hav to wait fr the iMacs thn ...
pls let em com soon ... hopfully by June end if nt WWDC
pls let em com soon ... hopfully by June end if nt WWDC
Y can't u ppl use full words?
I say that at work every day! ha....
(Go have a look at a big ole book we like to call FAAO 7340.1
)The benchmarks and gaming performance for 8600MGT equipped laptops like the new MBP and the Asus G1S would disagree with this claim. The 8600M GT scores significantly better in 3DMark05 and 06 and in real-world gaming use. See comparisons of the Asus G1S (with 8600M GT) to the Asus G1 (with 7700 Go).
Thanx fr the replies
so Bottom line : Should I hold out for new iMacs considering that I can get only the default configurations (strictly looking from the gaming angle only)?
24" stock iMac(assuming they put in a 8600GT 128MB) OR 15.4"MBP(2.4GHz 8600GT 256MB)
Thanks in advance.
so Bottom line : Should I hold out for new iMacs considering that I can get only the default configurations (strictly looking from the gaming angle only)?
24" stock iMac(assuming they put in a 8600GT 128MB) OR 15.4"MBP(2.4GHz 8600GT 256MB)
Thanks in advance.
hmm...waited this long might as well wait a bit longer an update shud happen soon if not @ WWDC (hopefully)...
Thanx fr the inputs
Mac pro - I hope they'd @least upgrade the default card to something better than a 7300. Dont think I can afford to buy one and then chuck the card out to feed in a fancy 1900 XT. at least a midrange desktop GPU that can keep me going fr a year or so then upgrade to a better GPU.
Thanx fr the inputs
Mac pro - I hope they'd @least upgrade the default card to something better than a 7300. Dont think I can afford to buy one and then chuck the card out to feed in a fancy 1900 XT. at least a midrange desktop GPU that can keep me going fr a year or so then upgrade to a better GPU.
For three reasons probably:
1) It has 32 stream processors which works on one pixel each instead of four as traditional shaders did, the 7600 GT got 12 pixer shaders and 5 vertex units. 32/4=8 which is less than 17. The ones in the 8600 GT can be used more effectively thought since they can be used as both pixel shaders and vertex shaders, and it also features a higher clock. Since it's newer it can probably do things like more AA and whatever without slowing down as much aswell, but I guess most of the new features are only there in DX 10 so in DX 9/OpenGL you might not benefit so much from them.
2) The 7600 GT is desktop version as someone said, the 8600M GT is mobile version. Mobile means atleast lower clock frequencys, eventually something more.
3) It seems like the 8600M GT in the Macbook Pro is underclocked by 22% core and 28% memory.
1) It has 32 stream processors which works on one pixel each instead of four as traditional shaders did, the 7600 GT got 12 pixer shaders and 5 vertex units. 32/4=8 which is less than 17. The ones in the 8600 GT can be used more effectively thought since they can be used as both pixel shaders and vertex shaders, and it also features a higher clock. Since it's newer it can probably do things like more AA and whatever without slowing down as much aswell, but I guess most of the new features are only there in DX 10 so in DX 9/OpenGL you might not benefit so much from them.
2) The 7600 GT is desktop version as someone said, the 8600M GT is mobile version. Mobile means atleast lower clock frequencys, eventually something more.
3) It seems like the 8600M GT in the Macbook Pro is underclocked by 22% core and 28% memory.
Yes, a desktop version if used would outperform the mobile version. Thought noone knows what the iMac will get I suppose. Mobile 8600? Desktop version? Mobile 8800? Desktop version? I doubt it will come with Nvidia 8800 Ultra in SLI-setup thought ;Dhmm...
so the iMac range (wen updated) cud/will hav a desktop 8600GT??
Wud then the 24" iMac (assuming - 2.4Ghz, 1GB RAM, 128MB 8600GT) outperform 15.4" MBP (2.4Ghz, 2GB RAM, 256MB 8600GT mobile) in games???
Asking this cos Apple India does nt offer Built to Order option here