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Entry Level 15" MacBook Pro Question

G

Geekazoid

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Original poster
Sep 20, 2012
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Hi guys,
I'm wanting to know, if under Windows, can Windows use and see the Intel Iris Pro Graphics iGPU? This may seem like a silly question, but I've heard on some YouTube video that Windows couldn't see iGPUs but only dGPUs, like the AMD M375X found in the higher end 15" MacBook Pro.

Just to note, I have been a Windows user well before I started using Macs, so I know the OS pretty well, but I'm just not sure if the said problem is an issue for MacBook Pros running Windows.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Cheers,
Geekazoid
 
Hi,

I'm assuming BootCamp?

I believe what you're thinking of is that Windows has trouble switching between the integrated GPU and the dedicated GPU in the higher end model, but I could be wrong.

In any case, it should recognize the Iris Pro just fine - just make sure you have updated drivers.
 
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As I see it, Windows can't use the Iris Pro if you have the AMD card, but in the base model, as there's only the intel card, it's what it will see.

If it didn't recognized the Iris Pro, you wound't see nothing on the screen :p
 
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Geekazoid said:
Hi guys,
I'm wanting to know, if under Windows, can Windows use and see the Intel Iris Pro Graphics iGPU? This may seem like a silly question, but I've heard on some YouTube video that Windows couldn't see iGPUs but only dGPUs, like the AMD M375X found in the higher end 15" MacBook Pro.

Just to note, I have been a Windows user well before I started using Macs, so I know the OS pretty well, but I'm just not sure if the said problem is an issue for MacBook Pros running Windows.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Cheers,
Geekazoid
Click to expand...
On models without the dGPU, Windows will utilize the iGPU.
 
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Dark Void said:
Hi,

I'm assuming BootCamp?

I believe what you're thinking of is that Windows has trouble switching between the integrated GPU and the dedicated GPU in the higher end model, but I could be wrong.

In any case, it should recognize the Iris Pro just fine - just make sure you have updated drivers.
Click to expand...

puelocesar said:
As I see it, Windows can't use the Iris Pro if you have the AMD card, but in the base model, as there's only the intel card, it's what it will see.

If it didn't recognized the Iris Pro, you wound't see nothing on the screen :p
Click to expand...

yjchua95 said:
On models without the dGPU, Windows will utilize the iGPU.
Click to expand...

soupcan said:
Windows will always use the dGPU if the Mac has one. If it's only equipped with the Iris iGPU it will use that.
Click to expand...

Thanks guys for your help. The reason that I've asked is because I'm thinking about purchasing the entry-level 15" retina MacBook Pro at some point because I just think that the high-end 15" MacBook Pro @ AU$3,500 is just a tad too much, whereas the entry level @ AU$700 less (AU$2,800) is much more easier for me to justify the cost of. So, your help is greatly appreciated because now it confirms that I shouldn't have a problem with dual booting OS X and Windows via Bootcamp. Thanks!

Edit: Accidently missed out the word "booting". LOL
 
Last edited:
Geekazoid said:
Thanks guys for your help. The reason that I've asked is because I'm thinking about purchasing the entry-level 15" retina MacBook Pro at some point because I just think that the high-end 15" MacBook Pro @ AU$3,500 is just a tad too much, whereas the entry level @ AU$700 less (AU$2,800) is much more easier for me to justify the cost of. So, your help is greatly appreciated because now it confirms that I shouldn't have a problem with dual OS X and Windows via Bootcamp. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Well, I bought the base model last week, and I'm liking it. Sure it can't run some games and has less storage, but that wasn't enough for me to justify spending so much money on a laptop
 
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puelocesar said:
Well, I bought the base model last week, and I'm liking it. Sure it can't run some games and has less storage, but that wasn't enough for me to justify spending so much money on a laptop
Click to expand...

Well, what sort of things do you do on it, video editing?
 
Windows has trouble switching between the integrated GPU and the dedicated GPU under bootcamp
 
Geekazoid said:
What about if you just have the iGPU, like the Intel Iris Pro Graphics?
Click to expand...

I't will run normally.

the problem with apple is that they don't give a sh*t about windows drivers even acer has much better drivers !
 
SHEEPOS said:
Windows has trouble switching between the integrated GPU and the dedicated GPU under bootcamp
Click to expand...
Not just trouble, but it's completely unable to do so.

Apple uses a custom implementation of UEFI 2.0, whereby if a dGPU is present and booting into Windows, the iGPU is disabled. And there's no way to get around that unless you can rewrite the UEFI and flash it.
 
yjchua95 said:
Not just trouble, but it's completely unable to do so.

Apple uses a custom implementation of UEFI 2.0, whereby if a dGPU is present and booting into Windows, the iGPU is disabled. And there's no way to get around that unless you can rewrite the UEFI and flash it.
Click to expand...

for some reason my base model late 2013 15"macbook pro runs much better than my sister's retina 2012 15" macbook pro with 650m under bootcamp !
 
Geekazoid said:
Well, that is interesting. I wonder why that is.
Click to expand...

Bootcamp wasn't stable enough for me so I completely removed the bootcamp partition but my sister runs windows primarily on her Macbook and she seems to be liking the experience with windows under bootcamp
 
SHEEPOS said:
Bootcamp wasn't stable enough for me so I completely removed the bootcamp partition but my sister runs windows primarily on her Macbook and she seems to be liking the experience with windows under bootcamp.
Click to expand...

Well that kinda sucks for you, but it's interesting to learn that your sister primarily uses Windows on her MacBook Pro? So, she never uses OS X?
 
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