650m 512MB VRAM enough for gaming?

[2Turbo]

So? It isn't good for you ? ))) i mean there are only 2 stages:

1) over 30 fps you get a smooth gameplay
2) over 50 fps you get a let say realistic movement speed

That it...if you have a minimum 60 or 70 or 200 fps doesn't matter anymore. It's the same experience

Well I'd like at least 50 FPS and just not sure about this texture render 512MB crap. Also, I'd like at least medium settings @ 1080p (no AA is fine if needed).

 

[Ice Dragon]

Well I'd like at least 50 FPS and just not sure about this texture render 512MB crap. Also, I'd like at least medium settings @ 1080p (no AA is fine if needed).

Allow me to simply matters for you then. If you are paying $1,500 for the higher-end 21.5" iMac, you should at minimum have the option to double the graphics memory.

 

[2Turbo]

Allow me to simply matters for you then. If you are paying $1,500 for the higher-end 21.5" iMac, you should at minimum have the option to double the graphics memory.

Yeah I'm super close to saying f it and getting the 27" 680mx. This crap is annoying. lol

 

[Ice Dragon]

Yeah I'm super close to saying f it and getting the 27" 680mx. This crap is annoying. lol

If you have the money to spend, than that is definitely what I would recommend. I would even go with the 768 GB flash storage option too if I could as well but that is not as necessary as a better graphics card.

 

[d0nK]

Yeah I'm super close to saying f it and getting the 27" 680mx. This crap is annoying. lol

aaaaand Apple are smiling, lol.

They have us by the balls.

675mx is good enough though - £1699 without fusion drive and with only 1TB HD.

The wait continues for me and my family, till the iMac's get updated to satisfy a better bang-per-buck ratio...

 

[Serban]

675mx for demanding games for 1440 native is kind of closed, i think 650M for 1080p is better.

 

[Ice Dragon]

675mx for demanding games for 1440 native is kind of closed, i think 650M for 1080p is better.

That's why I say upgrade to the 680MX with 2 GB. It's a no lose situation for $150.

 

[Serban]

So nobody can tell us some facts like how is running games like starcraft 2/diablo 3 on max 1080p or games like battlefield 3/witcher 2/borderlands 2/crysis on 650M ?

 

[cirus]

I'd imagine crysis 3 is a problem with only 512 MB.

The problem with less vram is that it reduces texture quality and texture quality is the simple easiest and least performance reducing way of increasing IQ (compared to AA, post-processing, shadows, etc).

I have a 660m in my laptop and when playing games vram usage is between 550 MB (crysis 1) to 700-800 MB (metro 2033 though it has gone over 1 GB on some levels). So 512 MB (actually less because the game does not get all of it, some of it is dedicated to the OS ~20-40 MB) might be cutting it close.

 

[Serban]

And for those who aren't playing games like crysis 3 or farcry 3 on max out? i mean there are people, like me, who play no problem with medium settings games like that with no frustration...650M is enough?

 

[Ice Dragon]

And for those who aren't playing games like crysis 3 or farcry 3 on max out? i mean there are people, like me, who play no problem with medium settings games like that with no frustration...650M is enough?

I would you say you might need to fuss around with things a bit but you should be able to play those games without much problem. If you do of course, then return and upgrade.

Are you getting a stock machine or a custom BTO machine?

 

[Serban]

I was thinking for 21.5" high end model with fusion drive

 

[Ice Dragon]

I was thinking for 21.5" high end model with fusion drive

So everything as is except paying an additional $250.00 for the 1 TB Fusion Drive? I'd say you're fine.

Perhaps what you should do though is to buy a stock model without the Fusion drive and test out the games on different settings. If you like what you see, return it within the 14 day timeframe and say you like it but you decided you want it with the Fusion drive instead.

Or you may just buy it and be happy with it.

 

[Serban]

I don't think in my country is allowed to test a product and return it

 

[madsci954]

I had a 2011 iMac, 21.5" low end base model, I tried WoW on it and it CHUGGED! Even with everything turned down, it still chugged, like maybe 20 fps max.

I had to return the Mac shortly after getting it due to a financial emergency popped up, so I didn't really get a chance to mess with it.

I know this topic is about 2012 models so, but I just wanted to put my experience on the table and maybe others can gauge it.

 

[Ice Dragon]

I don't think in my country is allowed to test a product and return it

So once you buy something, it's yours? You don't have any period to return a product if you are not satisfied?

 

[mtngoatjoe]

Buy as much as you can afford.

I went round and round about how much money to spend on my iMac. In the end, it came down to longevity. My MBP (2006) lasted 7 years. I spent about $2500 on that machine. Granted, there were a few projects I had to put off because the machine ran out of steam the last couple of years, but for my consumer use, I was able to manage my 25K photo library and edit 1080i video with iMovie (albeit the clips were usually less than 3 minutes).

So, I bought an iMac with the i7, 680MX, and Fusion drive. I don't know if I'll get 7 years out of it, but I expect at least 5.

As for the 650M the OP is considering, I think it will play some games OK, but will have a difficult time with new games in 2 years. YMMV.

 

[Ice Dragon]

I went round and round about how much money to spend on my iMac. In the end, it came down to longevity. My MBP (2006) lasted 7 years. I spent about $2500 on that machine. Granted, there were a few projects I had to put off because the machine ran out of steam the last couple of years, but for my consumer use, I was able to manage my 25K photo library and edit 1080i video with iMovie (albeit the clips were usually less than 3 minutes).

So, I bought an iMac with the i7, 680MX, and Fusion drive. I don't know if I'll get 7 years out of it, but I expect at least 5.

As for the 650M the OP is considering, I think it will play some games OK, but will have a difficult time with new games in 2 years. YMMV.

With the 680MX, 5 should be fine. 7 is pushing it.

 

[2Turbo]

I wouldn't want to own the 680MX more than 3 myself.

 

[Ice Dragon]

I wouldn't want to own the 680MX more than 3 myself.

Though are you able to spend $2k every three years? I mean it really depends on how much of a difference the cards they put in each system. Usually at least on the ultimate iMac, the difference is substantial.

 

[Serban]

seems damn pretty well http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBJ9Azzo6Ik
so stop saying that itcan't handle even a demanding game

 

[Ice Dragon]

seems damn pretty well http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBJ9Azzo6Ik
so stop saying that itcan't handle even a demanding game

late 2012 iMac gaming with a core i7 processor, 8Gb RAM, 1TB fusion drive, gt 650m w/t 512Mb, assassins creed 3.

This stood out to me in addition to the Fusion drive. Good luck and hopefully you're satisfied with your purchase.

 

[Serban]

So someone something new to post here? Any videos or info of how is 650m doing?

 

[2Turbo]

I'm still not sure what real word performance will be like. I'm hearing the 650m 1GB vRam performs great in CoD BLO2.

 

[Serban]

Can someone tell me if you have a 1T fusion drive almost full and you have and play a lot of, lets say Starcraft 2, this application will be automatically be push to ssd drive to load fast etc?