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iMac graphics card comparisons

Ice Dragon

Ice Dragon

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 16, 2009
989
20
Okay I am trying to run some modern games at acceptable frame rates but most importantly I want to run Gauntlet Dark Legacy on MAME at full speed. (blah blah blah ROMs I don't care though I do seek some help if no one minds)

6750M with 512 MB vs. 6770M with 512 MB

How good is the 6750M? I ask because I passed on the discrete Mac mini a while back because I had no interest in Diablo III (mainly due to the delays) but now I have interest in it along with GDL.

If the 6750M is good, I'll look into trying to purchase it.

If not I'm going PC.
 
Ice Dragon said:
Okay I am trying to run some modern games at acceptable frame rates but most importantly I want to run Gauntlet Dark Legacy on MAME at full speed. (blah blah blah ROMs I don't care though I do seek some help if no one minds)

6750M with 512 MB vs. 6770M with 512 MB

How good is the 6750M? I ask because I passed on the discrete Mac mini a while back because I had no interest in Diablo III (mainly due to the delays) but now I have interest in it along with GDL.

If the 6750M is good, I'll look into trying to purchase it.

If not I'm going PC.
Click to expand...

The 6770M is a 6750M that is clocked higher (725 vs 600). Everything else is the same. The 6770M is therefore about 20% faster. Honestly, in my opinion, the gpu sucks. Its an okay laptop gpu but form something like the imac its not quite enough if you are looking to game on it. 512 MB of RAM is going to give problems at 1080p (apple intentionlly crippled it so people wouldn't be able to use it for gaming and would have to buy an upgrade). Furthermore, the 6770M just plain stinks when compared to desktop cards. Its less powerful than a 6670M (which is a $60 card) The 6570 has about the same shader power but less memory bandwidth. Any of these cards gets completely demolished against a 7770 ($100). However, emulation is much more cpu intensive than gpu intensive and an i5 should be able to run these games fine (the gpu sucks, but the game may still be playable as ROMs are mainly cpu dependant). Diablo 3 should get around 40-50 fps at 1080p everything low except textures. 30-35 maxed at 1080p. If you plan on gaming a lot (hardcore) do not get an imac
 
cirus said:
The 6770M is a 6750M that is clocked higher (725 vs 600). Everything else is the same. The 6770M is therefore about 20% faster. Honestly, in my opinion, the gpu sucks. Its an okay laptop gpu but form something like the imac its not quite enough if you are looking to game on it. 512 MB of RAM is going to give problems at 1080p (apple intentionlly crippled it so people wouldn't be able to use it for gaming and would have to buy an upgrade). Furthermore, the 6770M just plain stinks when compared to desktop cards. Its less powerful than a 6670M (which is a $60 card) The 6570 has about the same shader power but less memory bandwidth. Any of these cards gets completely demolished against a 7770 ($100). However, emulation is much more cpu intensive than gpu intensive and an i5 should be able to run these games fine (the gpu sucks, but the game may still be playable as ROMs are mainly cpu dependant). Diablo 3 should get around 40-50 fps at 1080p everything low except textures. 30-35 maxed at 1080p. If you plan on gaming a lot (hardcore) do not get an imac
Click to expand...

no imac is great at games if you have a 27 inch 2011 change resolution to 1080p the 6970m is good;


http://store.apple.com/us/product/FC814LL/A


this could be decent on 1080p settings
 
Wow I'm impressed. Thanks for replying guys. I almost reported the post to have it deleted because I thought it was going to go ignored.

I haven't decided what I'm quite going to do just yet. There is a place that will rent an actual Gauntlet Dark Legacy machine to me for a week although I'd like to keep the game. So I might just buy a PC. Best Buy is selling one with an HDMI output.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/HP+-+Pa...rive/5563052.p?id=1218661381249&skuId=5563052
 
Ice Dragon said:
Wow I'm impressed. Thanks for replying guys. I almost reported the post to have it deleted because I thought it was going to go ignored.

I haven't decided what I'm quite going to do just yet. There is a place that will rent an actual Gauntlet Dark Legacy machine to me for a week although I'd like to keep the game. So I might just buy a PC. Best Buy is selling one with an HDMI output.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/HP+-+Pa...rive/5563052.p?id=1218661381249&skuId=5563052
Click to expand...

That's not a gaming rig. Even the 2010 21" iMac will outperform this one.
 
It will run Gauntlet Dark Legacy though I'm pretty sure of that but it's resale value won't be like that of a Mac so it'll be a waste.
 
Sjhonny said:
That's not a gaming rig. Even the 2010 21" iMac will outperform this one.
Click to expand...

True buts its $699. Add a $150 monitor and its still cheaper. Replace the 7450 with a $100 7750 and its faster.

Ice Dragon said:
It will run Gauntlet Dark Legacy though I'm pretty sure of that but it's resale value won't be like that of a Mac so it'll be a waste.
Click to expand...

I would recommend if you go pc to just build your own computer. Imac is not great for gaming on a budget. If you want OSX get mac, if your priority is gaming build/buy your pc.
 
Ice Dragon said:
I have an HDTV that I can use for a monitor.
Click to expand...

Okay, that said with emulations you are better off with an i5 over a fx processor as emulations are very cpu intensive, see if there is anything with an i5 and a 6770 or equivalent.
 
Well given that new models are supposed to be revealed on Tuesday (all but confirmed but you never know with Apple), I'll look into it.

I have even called around a few arcades in my area to see if any of them carry it though none do.
 
Wait for new

Wait for the new iMac. Games play well on iMacs, don't get too caught up in the specs.
 
The 6750m and 6770m are poo; however, as noted MAME isn't terribly stressful on the graphics.

Next week's iMacs should start with a 650M at minimum on the 21", which would handle your use extremely well. If you want to play AAA 3D games at high/ultra settings, you'll want more juice than that, but it sounds like that's not so much your cup of tea.
 
Okay so the new Minis and iMacs are out.

I am going to test things personally at the Apple Store sometime next week I believe but can I get away with using the quad-core Mini (i7-3610QM) at $799 with Intel HD 4000 or do I have to step up to the iMac (i5-3330S) (i5-3475S) with either the 640M or 650M at 512 MB VRAM each.

I'm not going to go crazy here just to play this game since that would be ridiculous though I wanted some thoughts.
 
Ice Dragon said:
Okay so the new Minis and iMacs are out.

I am going to test things personally at the Apple Store sometime next week I believe but can I get away with using the quad-core Mini (i7-3610QM) at $799 with Intel HD 4000 or do I have to step up to the iMac (i5-3330S) (i5-3475S) with either the 640M or 650M at 512 MB VRAM each.

I'm not going to go crazy here just to play this game since that would be ridiculous though I wanted some thoughts.
Click to expand...

The Mini's use mobile CPUs and might struggle. The base 21" iMac should do fine, but I wouldn't run any games more graphically stressful than MAME on it.
 
Yeah I probably wouldn't notice anything but a slight improvement with the $599 Mini. The $799 Mini would do better I think and even slightly better if I took the processor upgrade. I agree that the iMac would top them though so we'll see because I have the option to rent the arcade machine itself still.

(the console versions just don't do the game justice)
 
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