15 Inch Retina Macbook Pro questions

[tymaster50]

So I'm looking at the 15 Inch rMBP, is there a refresh coming soon? I'd rather not buy one, only to have the new one be released like a month later lol.

If I use bootcamp, will it be able to run PC games like Crysis,Far Cry 4, Ryse Son of rome in 1080p, 60fps?
15-inch: 2.5GHz
with Retina display
Specifications
2.5GHz quad-core Intel Core i7
Turbo Boost up to 3.7GHz
16GB 1600MHz memory
512GB PCIe-based flash storage 1
Intel Iris Pro Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M with 2GB GDDR5 memory
Built-in battery (8 hours)2

those are the base specs, i plan on upgrading to 2.8 GHZ.

Also should i sell my current macbook? It's the 2012 base model mbp, how much do you think i would get for it?

 

[skaertus]

So I'm looking at the 15 Inch rMBP, is there a refresh coming soon? I'd rather not buy one, only to have the new one be released like a month later lol.

If I use bootcamp, will it be able to run PC games like Crysis,Far Cry 4, Ryse Son of rome in 1080p, 60fps?
15-inch: 2.5GHz
with Retina display
Specifications
2.5GHz quad-core Intel Core i7
Turbo Boost up to 3.7GHz
16GB 1600MHz memory
512GB PCIe-based flash storage 1
Intel Iris Pro Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M with 2GB GDDR5 memory
Built-in battery (8 hours)2

those are the base specs, i plan on upgrading to 2.8 GHZ.

Also should i sell my current macbook? It's the 2012 base model mbp, how much do you think i would get for it?

If you use BootCamp, the performance will be similar to a Windows laptop with a similar configuration.

Take a look at some videos on YouTube so you can see how they perform. Look at these:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYx1aycWf9w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-hXvI8DMdw

If your main purpose is to play games, then a 15-inch MacBook Pro is not the best alternative for you. There are other laptops with better video cards for a lower price.

 

[tymaster50]

i'm a console gamer and a rich benefactor is giving me this money, so it is almost of no charge to me lol. Looking at these specs is like reading gibberish but I know the more RAM, the better, and that 2.8 GHz is good.

 

[Sirmausalot]

Not an expert, but if gaming is your primary purpose for using the laptop, then you want the best video card you can get -- and that is on a windows notebook. The 2GB NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M in the Macbook Pro is an excellent card -- however there are newer and more powerful ones available in PC notebooks.

 

[tymaster50]

my primary purpose is, to have a Mac that doesn't get the beach ball every 5 seconds when i want to multitask, and to have apps open instantly. I only have 4 gigs of RAM and 16 might be overkill but maybe then i would be able to run photoshop without my system slowing to a crawl lol

 

[skaertus]

my primary purpose is, to have a Mac that doesn't get the beach ball every 5 seconds when i want to multitask, and to have apps open instantly. I only have 4 gigs of RAM and 16 might be overkill but maybe then i would be able to run photoshop without my system slowing to a crawl lol

Well, if a high-end 15-inch MacBook Pro with 16 GB RAM is not enough for running Photoshop... then, my friend, you will probably need a Mac Pro.

 

[Meister]

my primary purpose is, to have a Mac that doesn't get the beach ball every 5 seconds when i want to multitask, and to have apps open instantly. I only have 4 gigs of RAM and 16 might be overkill but maybe then i would be able to run photoshop without my system slowing to a crawl lol

Ps is probably crawling because you are sporting an hdd.

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... but I know the more RAM, the better, and that 2.8 GHz is good.

For playing games 16gb ram are useless.
In fact 8gb will be marginaly faster.

For gaming the main difference will be the gpu.

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If your main purpose is to play games, then a 15-inch MacBook Pro is not the best alternative for you. There are other laptops with better video cards for a lower price.

skaertus is right!

 

[patrick001]

my primary purpose is, to have a Mac that doesn't get the beach ball every 5 seconds when i want to multitask, and to have apps open instantly. I only have 4 gigs of RAM and 16 might be overkill but maybe then i would be able to run photoshop without my system slowing to a crawl lol

Get a PC laptop if cost is no object to your benefactor, and it sounds like it isn't. There are tons of PC gaming laptops (some at very agreeable prices, given the power) that smoke any Macbook Pro available right now.

 

[tymaster50]

i would prefer a macbook because i kinda migrated to it by now from windows. I don't need a gaming only laptop, just saying it would be nice if I ever decided to use bootcamp to run some pc only games

 

[yangchewren]

So I'm looking at the 15 Inch rMBP, is there a refresh coming soon? I'd rather not buy one, only to have the new one be released like a month later lol.

If I use bootcamp, will it be able to run PC games like Crysis,Far Cry 4, Ryse Son of rome in 1080p, 60fps?
15-inch: 2.5GHz
with Retina display
Specifications
2.5GHz quad-core Intel Core i7
Turbo Boost up to 3.7GHz
16GB 1600MHz memory
512GB PCIe-based flash storage 1
Intel Iris Pro Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M with 2GB GDDR5 memory
Built-in battery (8 hours)2

those are the base specs, i plan on upgrading to 2.8 GHZ.

Also should i sell my current macbook? It's the 2012 base model mbp, how much do you think i would get for it?

If you want to play these games at 1080p and 60fps while owning a 15" MBP. Buy the base model 15" at $1999 and save yourself $700 over the 2.8/16/512/750m model, use the $700 to buy yourself a DIY gaming PC. Hopefully your benefactor is flexible in how you spend your allocated amount.

To clarify:
-Your 2012 base model MBP is the 13" non-retina model? If it's the 2012 15" model you will see a negligible gaming performance increase.

750m benchmarks (look only at DDR5 benchmarks):
http://www.notebookcheck.net/NVIDIA-GeForce-GT-750M.90245.0.html

If you are familiar with the performance of desktop GPUs, the GT 750m performs similarly to the HD4850/HD7750, GTS 250 and GTS 450. Basically all these GPUs struggle to play newer games at 1080p.

 

[tymaster50]

What are the differences compared to the higher end model? Basically the entry level 15in rMBP and the highest level model? Are the differences noticeable or negligible?

 

[skaertus]

What are the differences compared to the higher end model? Basically the entry level 15in rMBP and the highest level model? Are the differences noticeable or negligible?

There are significant differences between the US$ 1,999 (lower end) and the US$ 2,499 (higher end) models:

•*a faster processor (2.5 GHz quad core vs. 2.2 GHz quad-core)
• more flash memory (512 GB vs. 256 GB), which is especially good if you plan to use Windows on BootCamp;
• dedicated video card (an NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M, absent in the lower-end model), which, although not top-notch, is important for gaming

The higher-end version is the one you should look at, especially because it has a dedicated video card, while the lower-end has not.

You can have a built-to order option with an even faster processor (a 2.8 GHz quad-core) and more storage (1 TB SSD). This, however, will not impact much your gaming.

 

[ABC5S]

So I'm looking at the 15 Inch rMBP, is there a refresh coming soon? I'd rather not buy one, only to have the new one be released like a month later lol.

The Pro 15 and retina 13 both had a refresh in late July

 

[yjchua95]

So I'm looking at the 15 Inch rMBP, is there a refresh coming soon? I'd rather not buy one, only to have the new one be released like a month later lol.

If I use bootcamp, will it be able to run PC games like Crysis,Far Cry 4, Ryse Son of rome in 1080p, 60fps?
15-inch: 2.5GHz
with Retina display
Specifications
2.5GHz quad-core Intel Core i7
Turbo Boost up to 3.7GHz
16GB 1600MHz memory
512GB PCIe-based flash storage 1
Intel Iris Pro Graphics
NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M with 2GB GDDR5 memory
Built-in battery (8 hours)2

those are the base specs, i plan on upgrading to 2.8 GHZ.

Also should i sell my current macbook? It's the 2012 base model mbp, how much do you think i would get for it?

I've got a late-2013 15" rMBP (2.6/16/1TB/750M), and I play BF4 at 1680x1050, 16xAF, FXAA, mix of high and ultra and get around 47-50 fps on average, with the lowest being 35 and shooting past 60 in quite a few situations.

But if I were you, I would wait until mid-2015. NVIDIA Maxwell would provide a massive jump.

Or if you can't wait, and since money is not a problem, you could add in an eGPU solution, with a Sonnet IIID TB2 chassis and putting a GTX 780 Ti inside that Sonnet IIID.

You can see its implementation here: http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-...6gbps-tb2-sonnet-echo-express-iii-d-win8.html

 

[lordromanov01]

Or if you can't wait, and since money is not a problem, you could add in an eGPU solution, with a Sonnet IIID TB2 chassis and putting a GTX 780 Ti inside that Sonnet IIID.

You can see its implementation here: http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-...6gbps-tb2-sonnet-echo-express-iii-d-win8.html

I am planning to go for an eGPU, and would instead suggest using the AKiTiO Thunder2 box. Can be got for about $225 in the US instead of the hundreds for Sonnet's products. Plenty more information can be found on the forums.

EDIT: A recent, useful link showing an example, for those that are interested:
http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-...x780@16gbps-tb2-akitio-thunder2-win8-1-a.html

 

[Meister]

If we are going into the egpu direction, then why not just get a nMP?
What's the point of a laptop here?

 

[Angriff]

Honestly if you want to game seriously enough to consider an eGPU, you're probably better off just getting a 13" rMBP or maybe the base model 15" and then using the remainder of the money to build a Windows desktop PC to use for gaming exclusively.

 

[yjchua95]

I am planning to go for an eGPU, and would instead suggest using the AKiTiO Thunder2 box. Can be got for about $225 in the US instead of the hundreds for Sonnet's products. Plenty more information can be found on the forums.

EDIT: A recent, useful link showing an example, for those that are interested:
http://forum.techinferno.com/diy-e-...x780@16gbps-tb2-akitio-thunder2-win8-1-a.html

It's limited to 25W, rather than the standard 75W of PCIe.

As far as I know, the Sonnet doesn't have this limitation.

 

[lordromanov01]

But can you add a PSU to it? It's limited to 25W, rather than the standard 75W of PCIe.

As far as I know, the Sonnet doesn't have this limitation and I put a Corsair PSU in it too.

Depends on the graphics card. Someone with a 780 got it working with a PSU. So with a 6 pin and 8 pin connector the card had 75 + 150 + 25 (from slot) watts which is more than enough for the card.
But as I said, I'm no expert. I haven't tested any of this myself.

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Honestly if you want to game seriously enough to consider an eGPU, you're probably better off just getting a 13" rMBP or maybe the base model 15" and then using the remainder of the money to build a Windows desktop PC to use for gaming exclusively.

For me it's because the base 15 plus the eGPU would be a lot cheaper than a 13 (or whatever) plus a dedicated gaming PC. Plus gaming on that amazing retina screen!

 

[librarian]

I'm not 100% sure, but probably you can't use internal display with an e-gpu unless you have Optimus support (wich is not the case of rmbp).

 

[Angriff]

I'm not 100% sure, but probably you can't use internal display with an e-gpu unless you have Optimus support (wich is not the case of rmbp).

The 2013 and 2014 rMBP that don't have the dGPU can use Optimus if you bootcamp into Windows.