How overkill is a 15” MacBook Pro as an all-purpose Mac?

[Farrgazer]

I’m going to be relocating to the UAE for some time, and with the MBP lineup getting a refresh, I am looking at a 15” model.

The 15” may be overkill since I don’t do multimedia content creation or dev work, but I want to pack relatively lightly - I want this MacBook to be my all-purpose work and entertainment machine. Some of you may recommend I get a dedicated gaming laptop instead since the price-power ratio would skew better that way, but a 15” MacBook Pro is more attractive to me for two reasons:

1. There is an Apple Store in Dubai and/or Abu Dhabi, so I know there is easy access to servicing if need be.
2. DEVONthink Pro is a must in my line of work, and I have yet to see a Windows alternative. I have other Mac-only software in my workflow.

All that said, is the Radeon Pro 550X good enough for most gaming at medium settings in OS X or Windows? Of all the games I have played and want to play, Resident Evil 2 Remake has the highest recommended specs, recommending an RX480.

 

[ignatius345]

I mean, if you can afford it, why not? I've never found myself thinking "man, I wish I had a slower Mac right now."

 

[velocityg4]

I would note that the Radeon Pro 550x is a low end GPU. For demanding games I would expect you to need to set it at low settings for reasonable FPS. Even then some games will be too much to hold 60FPS at low settings at 1280x720.

As there is no list of comparable benchmarks for the Radeon Pro 555x. I used the Radeon Pro 555 as reference. It should have similar performance as the specs of the two are virtually identical.
https://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-Radeon-Pro-555-GPU-Benchmarks-and-Specs.226610.0.html

For reference a GTX 1050 (laptop) outperforms the Radeon Pro 560x.

I'd only recommend the Vega 20 for gaming. Even then performance will be mediocre. Around that of a GTX 1050 Ti (laptop).
https://www.notebookcheck.net/GeFor...vs-Radeon-Pro-Vega-20_7346_9391.247598.0.html

While having an Apple store is convenient. If macOS isn't of paramount importance to you. That is a heavy premium to pay for a Macbook with Vega 20. Over $3,000 for mediocre gaming. While $1,500 will get a far better laptop for gaming.

If it must be a Macbook. Consider an eGPU for gaming. You can get a nice Razer eGPU enclosure and stuff a Vega 64 in there for gaming.

 

[axboi87]

I’m going to be relocating to the UAE for some time, and with the MBP lineup getting a refresh, I am looking at a 15” model.

The 15” may be overkill since I don’t do multimedia content creation or dev work, but I want to pack relatively lightly - I want this MacBook to be my all-purpose work and entertainment machine. Some of you may recommend I get a dedicated gaming laptop instead since the price-power ratio would skew better that way, but a 15” MacBook Pro is more attractive to me for two reasons:

1. There is an Apple Store in Dubai and/or Abu Dhabi, so I know there is easy access to servicing if need be.
2. DEVONthink Pro is a must in my line of work, and I have yet to see a Windows alternative. I have other Mac-only software in my workflow.

All that said, is the Radeon Pro 550X good enough for most gaming at medium settings in OS X or Windows? Of all the games I have played and want to play, Resident Evil 2 Remake has the highest recommended specs, recommending an RX480.

I say buy what you can afford. I received a fully loaded 15" Retina as a work amenity back in early 2013 and outside of a battery swap last year, this thing is *still* overkill for what I do day-to-day. I fully expect to get a full 10 years of life out of it. Sometimes higher specs can mean future-proofing rather than being simply for the sake of immediate need

 

[Farrgazer]

I would note that the Radeon Pro 550x is a low end GPU. For demanding games I would expect you to need to set it at low settings for reasonable FPS. Even then some games will be too much to hold 60FPS at low settings at 1280x720.

As there is no list of comparable benchmarks for the Radeon Pro 555x. I used the Radeon Pro 555 as reference. It should have similar performance as the specs of the two are virtually identical.
https://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-Radeon-Pro-555-GPU-Benchmarks-and-Specs.226610.0.html

For reference a GTX 1050 (laptop) outperforms the Radeon Pro 560x.

I'd only recommend the Vega 20 for gaming. Even then performance will be mediocre. Around that of a GTX 1050 Ti (laptop).
https://www.notebookcheck.net/GeFor...vs-Radeon-Pro-Vega-20_7346_9391.247598.0.html

While having an Apple store is convenient. If macOS isn't of paramount importance to you. That is a heavy premium to pay for a Macbook with Vega 20. Over $3,000 for mediocre gaming. While $1,500 will get a far better laptop for gaming.

If it must be a Macbook. Consider an eGPU for gaming. You can get a nice Razer eGPU enclosure and stuff a Vega 64 in there for gaming.

Thanks for the reply. I don’t really play the latest and greatest games on my Mac - RE2 is probably the most recent game that I really want to play; besides that, I like replaying the older Final Fantasy games (anything pre-X ran fantastically on my 13” MBP) and retro emulators. I think the base 550X will be enough for me.

 

[spyguy10709]

I would note that the Radeon Pro 550x is a low end GPU. For demanding games I would expect you to need to set it at low settings for reasonable FPS. Even then some games will be too much to hold 60FPS at low settings at 1280x720.

As there is no list of comparable benchmarks for the Radeon Pro 555x. I used the Radeon Pro 555 as reference. It should have similar performance as the specs of the two are virtually identical.
https://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-Radeon-Pro-555-GPU-Benchmarks-and-Specs.226610.0.html

For reference a GTX 1050 (laptop) outperforms the Radeon Pro 560x.

I'd only recommend the Vega 20 for gaming. Even then performance will be mediocre. Around that of a GTX 1050 Ti (laptop).
https://www.notebookcheck.net/GeFor...vs-Radeon-Pro-Vega-20_7346_9391.247598.0.html

While having an Apple store is convenient. If macOS isn't of paramount importance to you. That is a heavy premium to pay for a Macbook with Vega 20. Over $3,000 for mediocre gaming. While $1,500 will get a far better laptop for gaming.

If it must be a Macbook. Consider an eGPU for gaming. You can get a nice Razer eGPU enclosure and stuff a Vega 64 in there for gaming.

By the time you're buying an eGPU just to play games, it's time to build (or buy) a desktop PC for that. The razer core X is $299 for a box which lets you hook up a graphics card to your computer.

Alternatively, $306 could buy you
PCPartPicker Part List: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/d9yCBb

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 2600 3.4 GHz 6-Core Processor ($133.00 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI B450M PRO-VDH PLUS Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($79.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: GeIL EVO POTENZA 8 GB (2 x 4 GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($41.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA BR 500 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($51.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $306.96
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-08-19 22:01 EDT-0400

So just some storage (PC 1TB SSDs are $100 these days, then you don't have massiva games clogging up your expensive apple storage) and a graphics card, and then you have a massively powerful 6 core gaming PC

 

[tayy]

I agree with #6.

I got a ThinkCentre M93P SFF with a 1050 GTX just for gaming. Cost me 230$ (second hand)

Runs GTA V fine, and CS GO on max.

 

[Farrgazer]

By the time you're buying an eGPU just to play games, it's time to build (or buy) a desktop PC for that. The razer core X is $299 for a box which lets you hook up a graphics card to your computer.

Alternatively, $306 could buy you
PCPartPicker Part List: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/d9yCBb

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 2600 3.4 GHz 6-Core Processor ($133.00 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: MSI B450M PRO-VDH PLUS Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard ($79.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: GeIL EVO POTENZA 8 GB (2 x 4 GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($41.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: EVGA BR 500 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($51.98 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $306.96
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-08-19 22:01 EDT-0400

So just some storage (PC 1TB SSDs are $100 these days, then you don't have massiva games clogging up your expensive apple storage) and a graphics card, and then you have a massively powerful 6 core gaming PC

I appreciate you taking the time to make this list, but I don’t have the space to bring a desktop with me.

I realize now my part about gaming was not clear enough. I don’t play the latest games - with the exception of RE2, the games I like and am playing right now were released at least ten years ago. I don’t play online as well; every game I play is a single-player affair.

That said, would you recommend a two-laptop solution? Based on specs alone, the latest MBA or 13” MBP can fit my work needs very nicely in that regard, and with the money left over from my 15” MBP budget, I could afford a second laptop.

 

[GoldfishRT]

I love mine and it’s purely general use and multimedia. The games I play, CSGO, Apex, are just fine. I do have the 2018 though which has the 555x, which is a fair bit faster than a 550 (double the vram, 4GB is a minimum these days).

Considering RE2 runs on an MX150 I think it’ll run on a 550 just fine.

 

[torqueflight]

I have both Mac and windows PCs in our inventory. If you decide to go with smaller MacBook and pick up a windows laptop consider this...

I picked up a dell XPS 15 loaded out on the refurbished site for just under $1,200 as I recall. It has a 512ssd, 4K touchscreen and 32 GB memory.

I take whichever one best fits for the trip when I’m on the road.

 

[StealthRider]

I appreciate you taking the time to make this list, but I don’t have the space to bring a desktop with me.

I realize now my part about gaming was not clear enough. I don’t play the latest games - with the exception of RE2, the games I like and am playing right now were released at least ten years ago. I don’t play online as well; every game I play is a single-player affair.

That said, would you recommend a two-laptop solution? Based on specs alone, the latest MBA or 13” MBP can fit my work needs very nicely in that regard, and with the money left over from my 15” MBP budget, I could afford a second laptop.

I do exactly what you're interested in, and have for over ten years in a number of different travel situations (including living overseas). The MBP 15" is perfect in this role, especially if you aren't worried about the latest/greatest in gaming. I did pick up an 11" iPad Pro recently for lighter travel in some situations, and it replaced a 2011 11" MBA. That said, I rarely use it - the MBP is definitely the workhorse.

Never regretted the decision, although I may have to spec up a decent gaming PC with the recent announcement of KSP 2...

 

[Farrgazer]

I do exactly what you're interested in, and have for over ten years in a number of different travel situations (including living overseas). The MBP 15" is perfect in this role, especially if you aren't worried about the latest/greatest in gaming. I did pick up an 11" iPad Pro recently for lighter travel in some situations, and it replaced a 2011 11" MBA. That said, I rarely use it - the MBP is definitely the workhorse.

Never regretted the decision, although I may have to spec up a decent gaming PC with the recent announcement of KSP 2...

I may end up waiting a while before I pull the trigger on a new MBP 15”, what with more airlines placing restrictions on carrying or using it.

Hopefully this blows over soon enough.