I am waiting on barefeats as well... maybe they can get me off the fence... or back into the barn...
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iMac option: Radeon HD 4850.... mobility?
- Thread starter Tesseract
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I am waiting on barefeats as well... maybe they can get me off the fence... or back into the barn...
For what it's worth, here is a PC site with specs and comments on the card: http://www.notebookcheck.net/AMD-ATI-Mobility-Radeon-HD-4850.13975.0.html
So it proves the Mobility Radeon HD 4850 is better than the 130M, but not by much.
One thing I have learned though is that the mount of graphics cards availible is INSANE! No wonder NVIDIA is goint broke, they make it impossible for and general consumer to know what in the heck they are buying anymore.
And here are some Mobile GPU ranking from the same site, along with benchmark scores. Our card is at position 14 (after all the SLi and Crossfire cards): http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Graphics-Cards-Benchmark-List.844.0.html
Ranks are...
14: Radeon HD 4850 Mobile|3DMark06 Score: 9577
38: GT 130 Mobile|3DMark06 Score: 5816
50: GT 120 Mobile|3DMark06 Score: 5431
69: Radeon 2600 (Mobile from old iMac, and not the "PRO" version)|3DMark06 Score: 3134
96: GeForce 9400M|3DMark06 Score: 2067
110: Radeon 2400 XT Mobile (the one from the old low end iMac)|3DMark06 Score: 1735
The best SINGLE GPU card on the list is:
10: Radeon 4870 Mobile|3DMark06 Score: 10183
The best card on the list overall is:
1: Radeon 4870 X2 Mobile|3DMark06 Score: 14120
And just for laughs:
168: Intel GMA 950|3DMark06 Score: 140
It appears from what I have read that this card is as fast as the best mobile monoGPU Nvidia card.
Also, they appear to have some gaming benchmarks: http://www.notebookcheck.net/Computer-Games-on-Laptop-Graphic-Cards.13849.0.html
All in all, I think this is pretty nice gaming GPU (with some limits of course, you won't be playing Crysis on this anytime soon).
Ranks are...
14: Radeon HD 4850 Mobile|3DMark06 Score: 9577
38: GT 130 Mobile|3DMark06 Score: 5816
50: GT 120 Mobile|3DMark06 Score: 5431
69: Radeon 2600 (Mobile from old iMac, and not the "PRO" version)|3DMark06 Score: 3134
96: GeForce 9400M|3DMark06 Score: 2067
110: Radeon 2400 XT Mobile (the one from the old low end iMac)|3DMark06 Score: 1735
The best SINGLE GPU card on the list is:
10: Radeon 4870 Mobile|3DMark06 Score: 10183
The best card on the list overall is:
1: Radeon 4870 X2 Mobile|3DMark06 Score: 14120
And just for laughs:
168: Intel GMA 950|3DMark06 Score: 140
It appears from what I have read that this card is as fast as the best mobile monoGPU Nvidia card.
Also, they appear to have some gaming benchmarks: http://www.notebookcheck.net/Computer-Games-on-Laptop-Graphic-Cards.13849.0.html
All in all, I think this is pretty nice gaming GPU (with some limits of course, you won't be playing Crysis on this anytime soon).
My concern is, how this "little" effect will affect a game like Dawn of War 2 or World of Warcraft. But, I've been using the old iMac with the 8800 GS card and the GT 130 aint a "upgrade" as mentioned earlier in this discussion. So my choice goes with the 6 week delivery card
Likely reason for that may be that 3DMark05 is not using more advanced features of the cards as opposed to 3DMark06, and that is where the ATI pulls ahead.
Nvidia has a bad habit of renaming their products so they appear "new". The 4850 WAY outclasses the GT 130. The 4850 is considered a gaming card while the GT 130 is a mainstream card. The difference is roughly the same as betwen a 8600GT and 4850 (desktop cards)...aka no contest.
also notebookcheck isnt accurate. The HD4850 should be faster than HD3850x2 from just raw specs (assuming 100% Crossfire performance which is never the case, more like 50-70%). It has the same memory bandwidth and 800 shaders vs 2x320 shaders. So in reality the HD4850 should be around #4 or so.
also notebookcheck isnt accurate. The HD4850 should be faster than HD3850x2 from just raw specs (assuming 100% Crossfire performance which is never the case, more like 50-70%). It has the same memory bandwidth and 800 shaders vs 2x320 shaders. So in reality the HD4850 should be around #4 or so.
great find! good to know the card isn't too bad
No Crysis? What kind of FPS do you think you'd be getting?
great find! good to know the card isn't too bad
No Crysis? What kind of FPS do you think you'd be getting?
According to the site (regarding Crysis Warhead), 50 on low, and (wait for it...) 15 on ultra!
Yah, I had a problem finding info on the Mobility version the card, notebookcheck was the only place I found numbers for the Mobile HD4850 (the desktop card is well tested). Are sure that you are looking at Mobility specs or desktop specs? Because on the desktop side you are correct, the HD4850 outclasses the HD3850x2. I want to make sure we are taking into account the fact that Apple is using laptop parts.
Strange, Crysis Warhead scores a third of that of Crysis
Anyway, seems that COD4 runs pretty well - so im happy
Yes. I multibox WOW on my current one. I use my PC for games that require more oomph. I would prefer to have only one machine. Though I have both an upstairs office and downstairs office I would not mind moving the old white 24 mac upstairs to watch movies (with its included at no charge remote control) while using the elliptical.
I have a copy of XP SP2 sitting behind me waiting on a new iMac...
Funny thing about that...
I think Apple is moving to discontinue the Apple Remote. That or they are becoming like Ryanair, nickle and diming you to death. I think Mini user are fortunate that Apple even includes a mini-DVI to DVI adaptor. :/
Strange, Crysis Warhead scores a third of that of Crysis
Anyway, seems that COD4 runs pretty well - so im happy
LOL, every card is running Crysis Warhead at half the speed of Crysis. They took an inefficient game and made it even more inefficient!
They're not discontinuing the Apple remote ... they're simply going down the same path with the computers as they have with the ipods for years .... ie.. taking a previously included accessory (like docks, mains adapter, slip-case etc) and making you pay for it.
£19 is a bit much for an IR remote with 6 buttons on it ...
You go and look what stuff the first couple of generation ipods included and compare that to now
£19 is a bit much for an IR remote with 6 buttons on it ...
You go and look what stuff the first couple of generation ipods included and compare that to now
Can you ask apple store if it is possible to make an upgrade 8800gs-ati4850 please? i cant find where i can write them. thanx
I didn't feel like waiting the 4-6 weeks to get the ATI 4850 card so I opted for the GT 130. Its supposed to be along the same lines as the 9600M that is in the MBP which was enough performance for me. The $50 for the upgrade would of been fantastic if it wasn't for that ridiculously long lead time of getting it.
Assuming the 4850 is the mobility, is it safe to say that it's still a better card than the 8800 in the previous flagship iMac? I would imagine that it is but I'd rather not make assumptions.
If you are willing to pay extra and wait a bit longer, then definitely it is better! It is leagues above the GT 120 or 130.
The main reason for the longer wait I suspect is because they needs to put out drivers for it via 10.5.7
It is significantly better than the 8800. The 8800 GS would probably score around 6000-7000, while this card scores 9000-10000 in 3DMark06. Keep in mind the 8800 GS was also a mobile card.
Here are PC users discussing these cards (granted they are the desktop versions): http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1330047
A quote: "It's like night and day."
EDIT: By the way, does any else notice when editing their post that the "Save" button reads "Vote Now"? LOL
Yes, a better GPU is good. Every Apple application (iPhoto, Aperture, Final Cut) will be helped a TON by a better card.
Now about Photoshop. Only Photoshop CS4 is GPU accelerated. CS3 and under is dependent on your CPU, they those version will not be helped by a better card. More info here: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13580_3-10048014-39.html
I was contemplating between 2.93GHz 1TB and GT130 or default 640GB and ATI card.
I play alot of games during holiday and none when school starts. Only gonna do java programming when school starts.
I play alot of games during holiday and none when school starts. Only gonna do java programming when school starts.
Yeah, that's what you're telling yourself now
Huh what.
But the thought of having 1TB makes me euphoric.