Anyone else very disappointed with the 650m with 1GB

[pgiguere1]

Those Alienwares are 17/18", over twice the thickness and have half the battery life, not to mention they're ugly as sin.

If I had one I'd personally be ashamed to show it in public, especially in front of girls. That and price is why I'd simply get a dedicated gaming desktop if I was a serious gamer.

 

[cirus]

Why? It wouldn't operate at gigabit speeds because its USB.

USB 3.0 operates at 5 gbps.

 

[Meever]

I wonder why Apple didn't offer 660m for the high end configuration.

It wouldn't blow up the 650m but it's still a bit faster....

But really, how the **** do you put anything hotter than a 650/660 or 7750/7770 into a chassis third of the size of an average desktop replacement?

Lets ignore the fact that they managed to throw in a Keplar, quad core CPU (non ulv), and 7+ hour battery life WITH A 2880x1800 DISPLAY! And complain about something undoable!

That's like complaining about the fact that a luxury yacht cannot be driven on the freeway, or that your pet husky doesn't purr.

Well, yeah! No kidding?! If you want a dual sli GPU welding behemoth that wrecks 3d benchmarks there's a completely different segment of notebooks.

 

[brand]

USB 3.0 operates at 5 gbps.

You are correct USB 3.0 operates at 5 Gbit/s but the Apple USB 2.0 Ethernet adapter is limited to USB 2.0 speeds.

 

[The "Dude"]

You are correct USB 3.0 operates at 5 Gbit/s but the Apple USB 2.0 Ethernet adapter is limited to USB 2.0 speeds.

Why would someone get that when they could get the Thunderbolt to Ethernet adapter?

 

[luigi.lauro]

I wonder why Apple didn't offer 660m for the high end configuration.

It wouldn't blow up the 650m but it's still a bit faster....

It's actually slower.

It has been proved that the GT 650M that Apple put in rMBP is faster than the GTX 660M you find in other notebooks.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1393606/

 

[theSeb]

You are correct USB 3.0 operates at 5 Gbit/s but the Apple USB 2.0 Ethernet adapter is limited to USB 2.0 speeds.

It's actually limited to Ethernet speeds, which is even slower than USB 2.

 

[TheMacBookPro]

Those Alienwares are 17/18", over twice the thickness and have half the battery life, not to mention they're ugly as sin.

If I had one I'd personally be ashamed to show it in public, especially in front of girls. That and price is why I'd simply get a dedicated gaming desktop if I was a serious gamer.

Huh?

 

[bottleneck]

To everyone who is saying the 650m has decent benchmarks, make sure you aren't looking at the 2GB version, I haven't seen any for the 1gb

The 1GB is alright, but if you want to hook it up for games to a thunderbolt display, the buffer will be full pretty fast.

The 512MB must be a apple special edition card.

After all it's a shame Apple didn't use a 1GB as an entry level card and the 2GB for the 2 top of the line MBP.

 

[brand]

It's actually limited to Ethernet speeds, which is even slower than USB 2.

Right you are again, I don't know what I was thinking.

 

[pgiguere1]

Huh?

I mean that it would be a turn off for many girls. Alienwares are so tacky with their alien logo and colored LEDs that it just screams "I want to show everybody that I'm a gamer". Being a gamer or geek isn't a bad thing nor necessarily a turn off for girls, but having no taste and being a show off about it is. You rarely have no taste about something specific yet have taste for the rest. Same about your modesty and subtlety. Even the glowing Apple logo is a bit too visible IMO.

Anyway, I'm sure plenty of people don't buy Alienwares only for how they look, but I don't see why you'd buy one when there's plenty of gaming laptops that are just as powerful yet have a more sober look that doesn't scream for attention. I was being specific to girls because they usually notice and analyze that kind of little details more than guys. But of course what looks good or not is very subjective and I'm sure certain girls dig Alienwares and don't think they scream for attention. You're always better being yourself and do/buy what you truly like, that way you attract people who are really like you (not who you try to be) and everybody's going to be happier in the end.

 

[Radiating]

I was hoping apple would start trying to get some the gaming market... This gpu is a sad choice for a $2000+ laptop and then to only give it 1GB of ram on top of that is insulting. Guess I won't cancel my Alienware m17x order after all...

The rMPB has one of the top 5 mobile video cards in the world. It's only 30% slower than the video card on the m17x, though it does have half the ram. The thing is though that that m17x is 440% bigger than the Macbook Retina (that's the actual difference in size).

I think apple made the right choice here, because being nearly 5 times smaller and having just 30% less speed than the top is much better than the alternative.

 

[TheMacBookPro]

I mean that it would a turn off for many girls. Alienwares are so tacky with their alien logo and colored LEDs that it just screams "I want to show everybody that I'm a gamer". Being a gamer or geek isn't a bad thing nor necessarily a turn off for girls, but having no taste and being a show off about it is. You rarely have no taste about something specific yet have taste for the rest. Same about your modesty and subtlety. Even the glowing Apple logo is a bit too visible IMO.

I occasionally turn on the LEDs as I think it looks quite nice. I don't make them flash or set them to bright pink or something like that, but does that make me a tacky person with no taste who's trying to show off?

If you take a look at the Alienware logo on the back of the screen, you'll find that it's way more subtle than the huge bright white Apple logo. The only part of it which lights up is the slight gap which surrounds the logo and the two eyes, and it's fairly dim to boot.

Anyway, I'm sure plenty of people don't buy Alienwares only for how they look, but I don't see why you'd buy one when there's plenty of gaming laptops that are just as powerful yet have a more sober look that doesn't scream for attention.

Battery life, surprisingly. I can get around 4-5 hours of real world use out of my M11x/M14x, mainly because of the switchable graphics. I've had MSi etc gaming laptops which could barely eke out 2 hours while only surfing the internet over Wi-Fi.

You're always better being yourself and do/buy what you truly like, that way you attract people who are really like you (not who you try to be) and everybody's going to be happier in the end.

Exactly what I was thinking, which is why I was confused as to why getting attention (bad or otherwise) from girls is something you consider. It's not even on the list of things I consider when looking at a new computer. If somebody is going to shun me based on how my computer looks, then it's not somebody I want to be associated with.

 

[mykelala01]

Wow this thread got more post than a Motherfather. Majority of high- end games runs on windows only. If ever they let it run on a mac os, 650m is more likely enough. If you are really a serious gamer I suggest you build a real CPU. If you are a casual gamer who loves OSX. Then bootcamp is more than enough. Let see your Alienware run on mac os Lion.

 

[doh123]

Skyrim.

I don't have any mods on Skyrim, and I play in OSX with an extra layer slowing things down so I don't have to use Windows, but I can sustain over 30 fps running it on max settings at 2880x1800... It plays super well at max settings at 1080p on my projector to my 100" screen.

How is it bull? Your video shows skyrim running at a tolerable framerate with crappy settings.

With settings maxed and HD textures, it will stutter to hell on the 650m.

that was Skyrim running on a 2011 Macbook Pro with a slower AMD GPU in it...

USB 3.0 operates at 5 gbps.

that is the maximum theoretical limit... not what it operates at. I'd hope GigE could sustain 1gbps on it, but it might not... even a lot of really fast SSD drives on USB3 are only getting half of that.

It's actually limited to Ethernet speeds, which is even slower than USB 2.

their older USB dongle was 10/100 to work on USB2 ... Ethernet can go much faster than USB 2. Gigabit ethernet, as well as 10 gigabit ethernet can choke and kill USB2 and then USB 3.

 

[gpzjock]

This thread has run for far too long without a silly and inaccurate car analogy so here goes:

Buy a Dellienware if you want a gaming laptop that looks like a teenager's Corsa with body kits oversize exhaust and underskirt neon Tarmac lights. Buy the rMBP if you want a proper fanny magnet.
There, that's much better.

 

[pgiguere1]

I occasionally turn on the LEDs as I think it looks quite nice. I don't make them flash or set them to bright pink or something like that, but does that make me a tacky person with no taste who's trying to show off?

If you take a look at the Alienware logo on the back of the screen, you'll find that it's way more subtle than the huge bright white Apple logo. The only part of it which lights up is the slight gap which surrounds the logo and the two eyes, and it's fairly dim to boot.

Battery life, surprisingly. I can get around 4-5 hours of real world use out of my M11x/M14x, mainly because of the switchable graphics. I've had MSi etc gaming laptops which could barely eke out 2 hours while only surfing the internet over Wi-Fi.

Exactly what I was thinking, which is why I was confused as to why getting attention (bad or otherwise) from girls is something you consider. It's not even on the list of things I consider when looking at a new computer. If somebody is going to shun me based on how my computer looks, then it's not somebody I want to be associated with.

It's true that I shouldn't have generalized all Alienwares since you can change the settings of your LEDs to turn them off completely or make them pretty subtle with a uniform color and all. By tacky / seeking for attention I was thinking more about those kind of settings:

But I have no problem with one that looks like this:

I don't buy my electronics based of how attractive they are to girls, but there's still a point where I'd be shy to pull something really ugly in public. The first image has reached that point. Call me superficial or whatever but that's just too much for me, I'd rather have a non-gaming laptop and gaming desktop at home than use that thing.

 

[henrikrox]

How is it bull? Your video shows skyrim running at a tolerable framerate with crappy settings.

With settings maxed and HD textures, it will stutter to hell on the 650m.

U know much.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zaw7bXiLRqg

 

[TheMacBookPro]

This thread has run for far too long without a silly and inaccurate car analogy so here goes:

Buy a Dellienware if you want a gaming laptop that looks like a teenager's Corsa with body kits oversize exhaust and underskirt neon Tarmac lights. Buy the rMBP if you want a proper fanny magnet.
There, that's much better.

So what type of car is the rMBP?

It's true that I shouldn't have generalized all Alienwares since you can change the settings of your LEDs to turn them off completely or make them pretty subtle with a uniform color and all. By tacky / seeking for attention I was thinking more about those kind of settings:

Understood. I have the grilles and the Alienware text on red and the keyboard in white- no flashing, nothing like that.

I don't buy my electronics based of how attractive they are to girls, but there's still a point where I'd be shy to pull something really ugly in public. The first image has reached that point. Call me superficial or whatever but that's just too much for me, I'd rather have a non-gaming laptop and gaming desktop at home than use that thing.

Personally I'd just use whatever fits my needs best but of course you might feel differently. That's why we have choices

 

[doh123]

Personally I'd just use whatever fits my needs best but of course you might feel differently. That's why we have choices

even if it only came in pink with cartoon ponies and rainbows all over it?

 

[gpzjock]

So what type of car is the rMBP?

To continue the silly and inaccurate car analogy the rMBP would be a Mazda RX-8 with the exhaust welded to the bodywork and engine block, the whole car needing to be sent to a main dealership and turned upside down to change it or the tyres.
You would still be beating women off with a $#itty stick even so.....

 

[chibiterasu]

the rMBP would be a Mazda RX-8

Really?? There are no horrible lines down the side of it with flared arches over the ports, the rMBP is a sleek unibody laptop which is what all laptops should be, just like a proper sport car should have 2 doors with no stupid flared wheel arches that impress teenagers (Alienware I'm looking at you).

 

[jtap]

To continue the silly and inaccurate car analogy the rMBP would be a Mazda RX-8 with the exhaust welded to the bodywork and engine block, the whole car needing to be sent to a main dealership and turned upside down to change it or the tyres.
You would still be beating women off with a $#itty stick even so.....

Eww yuck rMBP is definitely not an RX-8, those things are hideous and I doubt they appeal to women. I would go for something more along the lines of an Aston Martin DBS.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

I don't have any mods on Skyrim, and I play in OSX with an extra layer slowing things down so I don't have to use Windows, but I can sustain over 30 fps running it on max settings at 2880x1800... It plays super well at max settings at 1080p on my projector to my 100" screen.

Can you download the high-resolution mod, I'm curious to know how it runs with just that enabled. Plus how ungodly amazing it looks on that screen

 

[TheMacBookPro]

even if it only came in pink with cartoon ponies and rainbows all over it?

I'm fairly certain no sane company who are capable of making a great computer would only sell it in pink with cartoon ponies and rainbows all over it.

To continue the silly and inaccurate car analogy the rMBP would be a Mazda RX-8 with the exhaust welded to the bodywork and engine block, the whole car needing to be sent to a main dealership and turned upside down to change it or the tyres.
You would still be beating of women with a ****** stick even so.....

The women will love the looks and performance, but the frequent stops at gas stations... not so much

Does that mean rMBP owners frequently visit charging sockets?

Really?? There are no horrible lines down the side of it with flared arches over the ports, the rMBP is a sleek unibody laptop which is what all laptops should be, just like a proper sport car should have 2 doors with no stupid flared wheel arches that impress teenagers (Alienware I'm looking at you).

I'm sorry, I couldn't see you behind these awesome wheel arches

Eww yuck rMBP is definitely not an RX-8, those things are hideous and I doubt they appeal to women. I would go for something more along the lines of an Aston Martin DBS.

Poor comparison, an Aston is priced way more than a Corsa with a cheap bodykit and neons. Since an AW is priced around $2000 like a MacBook Pro, you'd have to look at cars within the same budget.

Either way, car analogies are BS