It's tough to suggest a new machine when for the most part the new GPU is a higher clocked 8800M GTS in 55nm.
Lets not get started on the godly 4850.
What about the 4850? 😀
It's tough to suggest a new machine when for the most part the new GPU is a higher clocked 8800M GTS in 55nm.
Lets not get started on the godly 4850.
It's tough to suggest a new machine when for the most part the new GPU is a higher clocked 8800M GTS in 55nm.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the 8800M in prev.gen. iMacs have only 32 shaders?
Whatever it's called, the GT 130 looks very much like a 9600GT (desktop), since clocks can always be adjusted manually. It's a shame it only uses 1 PCIe lane. Running 16x at 1x should be considered a crime! 😀
Also, there's a 9400M with 16 shader pipes, that's part of the chipset. If 9400M and 9600GT can be used together perhaps ATI 4850 isn't the best choise after all. I suppose that's a driver issue however, but it'd be cool if it was possible.
The 8800M GTS has 64 shaders.Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the 8800M in prev.gen. iMacs have only 32 shaders?
I don't think they can be used together. I think it is like the Macbook Pro, where the firmware only allows one to run at once. People haven't cracked it on the MBP, I doubt they will crack it on the iMac.
Thank you, that's a great find! 🙂Nice Review from PC Magazine, including a side link to a spreadsheet comparison of benchmarks:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2342785,00.asp
http://www.pcmag.com/image_popup/0,1871,iid=230029,00.asp
Nice Review from PC Magazine, including a side link to a spreadsheet comparison of benchmarks:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2342785,00.asp
http://www.pcmag.com/image_popup/0,1871,iid=230029,00.asp
Funny that the 130 was faster than the 4850 for mid setting Crysis, but 4850 won in high (not that is was a great score either way).
Actually those benchmarks are very depressing for those hoping the iMac would give them some relief on the gaming front. The benchmarks for games over a year old are low enough that it pretty much rules out playing newer games coming this year with any modicum of performance.
Radeon 4850 Mobility, you're our only hope!
Or, I suppose I can get a Mac Pro with a Radeon 4870, or maybe just a Mac Mini and a separate PC for gaming (blah).
The only two games I care about are Starcraft 2 & Diablo 3, both of which don't seem to require intensive graphics while still looking great. And they're Mac native. From what people are saying, anything better than a Geforce 8600
will run SC2 perfectly, and Diablo 3 doesn't look like it will be that much more demanding.
even my old LC575 (made in 1995ish) can run SC2 😛
You realize we're talking about Starcraft 2, right?
The benchmarks for games over a year old are low enough that it pretty much rules out playing newer games coming this year with any modicum of performance.
Look there is no question here. It's an Imac so it's a mobile part. In fact basically every all-in-1 system uses mobile parts. As far as superior cards, if your a gamer get the ATI 4850. It's a great card and is well reviewed by all and beatr the Nvidia 130 by far. (I've now had both due to initial mistake on my sales guys part) Not to mention the best card you can get in the Imac anyway. Not sure if I am allowed to link on here but here's a site giving a very accurate account for top say 100 cards in order. Also this isn't one sites opinion, though they do very a little, this is roughly what every pro has to say about the cards. http://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-ATI-Mobility-Radeon-HD-4850.13975.0.html