2008 MBP vs. 2011 13inch MBP: Which is faster?

[legaleye3000]

I have an 08 MBP with 256mb video ram on the gpu.

Will my 08 MBP still be faster than the current 2011 13in MBP with the integrated intel graphics, even though the 2011 MBP has newer and faster processor, bus, etc.?

Thanks.

 

[miles01110]

Faster for what? Facebook and iTunes will be the same on both.

 

[legaleye3000]

Games .

 

[ct2k7]

Games .

If the 2011 model is not faster then I think we have a bit of a problem on our hands.

 

[legaleye3000]

So an(2008) intel core 2 duo, 4gb ram, with 256mb GPU will be slower than

(2011) intel i5 dual core, 4gb ram, integrated graphics for a game like Starcraft 2?

I thought integrated graphics= crap for games...


Thanks.

 

[ct2k7]

So an(2008) intel core 2 duo, 4gb ram, with 256mb GPU will be slower than

(2011) intel i5 dual core, 4gb ram, integrated graphics for a game like Starcraft 2?

I thought integrated graphics= crap for games...


Thanks.

Ill need to check the exact specs, but think they are similar in performance.

Edit: the intel 3000 outperforms the nvidea 9400M

 

[oxfordguy]

Check out Notebookchecks Comparison of Laptop Graphics Cards.

The NVIDIA 8600M GT in an early '08 MBP does actually score slightly higher than the integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000 in the 2011 13" Macbook Pro - position 206 vs 208!

There are other factors, of course, the 2011 MBP has a much faster CPU, faster system bus and faster (and possibly more) RAM.

 

[legaleye3000]

Thanks for the info!

I'm wondering if there is a significant difference between the two computers (is it worth buying now)...?

My Early 08 MBP has: 2.4 core 2 duo, 4gb ram...

 

[Risasi]

I also have an 8600M GT in my Dell XPS. It's pretty much a wash when it comes to graphics performance between it and my 2011 13" MBP.

 

[ct2k7]

Thanks for the info!

I'm wondering if there is a significant difference between the two computers (is it worth buying now)...?

My Early 08 MBP has: 2.4 core 2 duo, 4gb ram...

Which MacBookPro do you have? Unibody or pre-unibody, also late or early 2008?

In all liklihood, it might be worth upgrading to the 2011 MBP.

 

[szolr]

I thought integrated graphics= crap for games...

The old integrated graphics were crap for games. The new Intel HD Graphics 3000 is decent. It's a downgrade from the Nvidia GeForce 330M graphics of 2010 but you don't have them.

I can play Civilization 5 on my Macbook Pro of early 2011 (specs in my signature) with no issues. Can you really do that on yours? No, because the Core 2 Duo processor will result in massive lag...

Also, you've got 256 MB of VRAM. Look how much I've got.

 

[legaleye3000]

But doesn't your vram come from your regular ram (shared) meaning it takes away from your regular ram?

The game I just got, Starcraft 2, is the first game I have had to turn down the graphics settings...

I'm just wondering if its worth it for me to spend the extra $ on a 15inch to get a dedicated GPU. I will play games rarely (when I see one I like). Other than that, I use it for internet, beta testing software, microsoft office, which I know does not require a power-computer; I just want the option in case I do something that needs power later on, will the 13inch MBP hold its own (be notably faster than my current early 08 MBP).

Someone on these forums mentioned that the LATEST 15inch models (just released this week) don't automatically change between GPU and discrete GPU meaning the batt power suffers. I don't know if that's correct....

 

[monsieurpaul]

IMHO, if your motivation for buying a new MBP are games, keep your 2008 MBP and buy a PC.
You can give boost to your actual MBP by adding a SSD (there are dozens of thread about this here)

 

[legaleye3000]

I've heard good and bad about SSD...

I put in a 7200rpm drive...

 

[szolr]

I've heard good and bad about SSD...

I put in a 7200rpm drive...

Good call. A cheaper option that'll give you more space. But you may want to look into SSDs more closely too.

 

[fibrizo]

IMHO, if your motivation for buying a new MBP are games, keep your 2008 MBP and buy a PC.
You can give boost to your actual MBP by adding a SSD (there are dozens of thread about this here)

Though if this were true, even the current lineup on integrated gpus are kinda crappy. I would hazard to say that if your motivation to buy a new computer is for gaming, you'd be better spending your money on laptops other than macs.

Not that macs aren't great all around computers, but you don't really get the graphical performance bang for your buck on them. i.e. only 15 inchers+ have discrete video, as this isn't a market that apple tries to cater to strongly.