Difference between macbook pro with 256 mb and macbook pro with 512mb

[Diddy92]

hi, i'm considering in buying a new 15inch macbook pro, but i hadn't decide if i buy the basic one 2.4 or the 2.66, my question is the difference between those video cards it's huge?

 

[DAMNiatx]

S.e.a.r.c.h

 

[Abstract]

Depends what you're doing, but I reckon in most cases, the answer is no.

 

[NewMacCity]

heyo

i had the same question for a really long time.

what it really comes down to is: what are your computing needs?

with that info seach these forums and google any combo of these keywords:

mbp 256mb vs 512mb, 9400gt vs 9600gt

using a quick search on these forums i found this

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/580718/

tons of more info out there.

and here is the link of the MacRumors search engine to use in conjunction with the forum search ><

http://mroogle.*************/

i got the umbp 2.4 256mb model cause all i do is play wow and want to run it on an external display. and the jump in price for me just wasnt worth it.
and the 256mb card is perfectly capable.

and the difference between the two off the top of my head is: .26 in processor speed, 256mb video memory, 2 gig ram, 70ish gig hdd, and 3mb of l2 cache iirc and maybe the speed of the hdd but im not sure about that one.

good searching to you!

☮

 

[NewMacCity]

and yeah in a nutshell...pretty much what abstract said lol

 

[Guy Mancuso]

I think if you are going to a external monitor than I would always get the faster card, or high end graphics or gaming. For instance I had a 2.4 2006 MPB but I would have to close my laptop to run my 30 inch display or doing presentations my laptop would have to run at a much lower resolution with a 256 card. Now today with 512 I can have the laptop open and the 30 in display open at there native resolution. Now if any of this is important to you than certainly go for the bigger box. My theory on computers is simply this buy the fastest processor and graphics card you can afford since you can't change it later but buy very little ram and hard drives at purchase . Than you can upgrade Ram and Hard drives as more money comes in at any time you want. These are also user options and user installs so you can do it any time you feel the need. But you can't upgrade processors and graphics cards on a MBP after the purchase. Don't think today think about what you may be doing next year with this unit or the next. I buy the biggest fastest machine I can get my hands on but I have special needs and most folks may not have them but still you never know what you will be doing later in life.

 

[RKpro]

No, very small differece in most cases. It's the same chip, of the same speed on both models. One just has more VRAM to play with. I think the major difference between models is the CPU, the VRAM difference is a marginal frame rate boost when you're playing games at high resolutions.

if you're going to be playing games, or 3d modeling, cgi etc... the 512 might come in handy, but otherwise it doesn't matter