VRAM is video ram. Dedicated video cards have built in vram. Integrated cards usually share regular system RAM. sharing system RAM is much slower than having dedicated Video ram built into the video card.
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Apple Migrating to NVIDIA Chipsets in new MacBooks
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VRAM is video ram. Dedicated video cards have built in vram. Integrated cards usually share regular system RAM. sharing system RAM is much slower than having dedicated Video ram built into the video card.
so what the other poster was saying was that there's the option for the integrated GFX card to share it's space in the system with a dedicated GFX card?
I can see that happening since integrated cards take up nearly no space, there would be room for a dedicated alongside it...
Hot Dawg. A new nVidia GPU to BBQ in the new and improved MB - sounds like a potential repeat of the current MBP/nVidia issue. From a reliability perspective, my faith in nVidia today is almost zip. Wish they'd gone with the Intel chipset...maybe providing a BTO option for the nVidia GPU for the "risk takers".
This basically guarantees midrange GPUs (9600M/9650M) in the MacBook Pro, unless the distinction between them will be more diverse (case, CPU, RAM, HDD, GPU, display) than now (case, GPU, display). Hope that doesn't include goodies like the glass trackpad.
So it seems that the MacBook Pro is not really a pro notebook.
I can't believe they are going with NVidia chipsets after all of the problems NVidia has had with the GPU's failing like crazy these past few months.
The MCP79 has the option to have dedicated VRAM even if it is an integrated solution. This is in addition to just sharing system RAM.
There's also the option to have the MCP79 and a dedicated nVidia GPU as well.
In the same boat, want to buy RAM now due to poor AU$ and current cheap prices.
My guess is that we'll see DDR2-800Mhz being utilised in these new laptops (currently DDR2-667Mhz).
Early adopters will be finding out about compatibility for us. Lets hope the Nvidia chipsets are more forgiving of RAM.
I will have the money by mid December to buy one so I will go this route as well if I can find the right refurb model...
If it makes you feel better, you're still lightyears ahead of my 7 year old Titanium PowerBook and its whopping .867GHz CPU.
Yeah, I'm REALLY ready for an update.
Possible - did the leaked case pictures show FW on the MB model? I've got a FW drive I use for time machine and I'd be pissed if I had to get rid of it.
*ahem* Your MACBook is ancient?? Try rolling with an iBook and you'll truly know the meaning of ancient.
So basically, lot's of options, hopefully some of them BTO (I'd love to have a dedicated GFX card in a MB...unless of course a 13" MBP comes out, that would be a deal sealer for me)
The Geforce 9100M is the only currently known integrated/motherboard graphics chipset for nVidia laptop motherboards. According to the rumors, the macbook 'MCP79' board will have a new integrated graphics chipset based on the discrete Geforce 9300M (there actually isn't a "9400M" -- the marketing name refers to teh combination of a 9300M and an integrated chipset running together in parallel "Hybrid SLI" mode). What performance and specifications it will have, we don't know yet. If I were to guess, I'd bet the performance will similar to the existing "9300M G" discrete card (which would be nearly 2X as fast as the latest Intel GMA).
Also, for the MB Pro, hopefully it also uses an nVidia board and Apple implements their "Hybrid Power" technology. It will allow the Macbook Pro to turn off it's discrete GPU when not in heavy use and use the integrated chipset instead to save power.
I put together this graphic just to serve as a rough performance comparison between nVidia's latest mobile GPU generation.
notes:
- On the graph I included the 8600GT which is the current Macbook Pro card to show as comparison. I believe the current Macbook uses the GMA X3100.
- SP stands for "Stream Processors" (shaders) which are the SIMD processing units that make up a nVidia's modern GPUs.
- Nvidia GPUs have three separate clock frequencies -- one each for the main clock, shader processor clock, and memory clock. On the graph, only the shader clock is listed.
- 3DMark05 and 3DMark06 are standard graphics performance benchmarks.
- I did the best I could and double-checked the data, but I can not make *ANY GUARANTEES* about the accuracy of the information on the chart.
Great job on that chart.
This is a major jump for apple, but I definitely don't want them to become just another laptop maker(or even
just an iPod company!)EDIT: That didn't really make much sense did it?
The MacBook will probably just stick with the IGP on the chipset. The MacBook Pro might have both an IGP and dedicated soltuion and be able to swap on demand.
I'm not interested in an Air, I'm interested in a regular MB.
Also, Intel's chipset doesn't have FW support either, it does it with a separate chip.
Wow, if the MB gets a 9300M G/GS based card, capable of getting almost 2000 3dmark06 points, it'll be almost as fast as my old 6800gt once was. Amazing.
Then you really will be able to play games on the MB.
Then you really will be able to play games on the MB.
Mr
Why do you guys want to get a refurb? Just cause it's cheaper? I definitely can't wait, an Apple store is 2 minutes from where I live in Toronto, I'm for sure going to be there right when it opens just on the chance that they might become available on the 14th.
Why do you guys want to get a refurb? Just cause it's cheaper? I definitely can't wait, an Apple store is 2 minutes from where I live in Toronto, I'm for sure going to be there right when it opens just on the chance that they might become available on the 14th.
To: winterspan
See, I told you when people mention GPU in MacBooks the first thing came into their mind is games..games and games.
I understand your point of having a proper GPU and I support with you in that but the problem is people kept thinking that the MBP should have the best mobile GPU and what's their reason? Games.
What games they want to play? High-end games.
Yeah, I guess Apple definition of Pro here doesn't refer to engineering usage, maybe for art and photo use?
See, I told you when people mention GPU in MacBooks the first thing came into their mind is games..games and games.
I understand your point of having a proper GPU and I support with you in that but the problem is people kept thinking that the MBP should have the best mobile GPU and what's their reason? Games.
What games they want to play? High-end games.
Yeah, I guess Apple definition of Pro here doesn't refer to engineering usage, maybe for art and photo use?
Besides the lower price, and not NEEDING one immediately
So basically...I'm waiting for the MR community to be the guinea pigs lol
Well....despite all this hoopla regarding rumors of Nvidia chips going into the MacBook and MacBook Pro lines....I think that we are going to be disappointed with the new MacBook line.
As usual, I suspect that Apple is going to be cheap when it come to the MacBook line....ie. no dedicated GPU option. I don't care how "fast" the new integrated GPU solutions are. I want a dedicated GPU option in the MacBook...otherwise, it's no go for me.
Actually, I don't like how Apple is cutting corners on its products and yet, still charging premium prices. Their high quality operating system does not match their (relatively) low quality hardware.
As usual, I suspect that Apple is going to be cheap when it come to the MacBook line....ie. no dedicated GPU option. I don't care how "fast" the new integrated GPU solutions are. I want a dedicated GPU option in the MacBook...otherwise, it's no go for me.
Actually, I don't like how Apple is cutting corners on its products and yet, still charging premium prices. Their high quality operating system does not match their (relatively) low quality hardware.
Just some questions, not to sound argumentative or anything but:
What do you need a dedicated GPU in a MacBook for?
Would you be satisfied if they had a dedicated GPU in the MBP and had a 13" MBP?
Or are you saying you want a dedicated GPU for the price of a MB?