Intel 3000 question

[DryEyez]

So I'm off to the apple store on tuesday to pick up the budget 13" mbp 2011. I was curious if any benchmarks had been released yet on the intel 3000 graphics yet and how well it performs? (Obviously I know it's nothing spectacular but would like to know what area of subpar it falls under)

Secondly, it will be my first mac purchase, as a side question, has anyone had any experience of haggling, maybe throwing in a free ipod with your purchase. (My friend said he was able to get two ipod touch with his 17") Any other stories, techniques or tips?

 

[wordoflife]

So I'm off to the apple store on tuesday to pick up the budget 13" mbp 2011. I was curious if any benchmarks had been released yet on the intel 3000 graphics yet and how well it performs? (Obviously I know it's nothing spectacular but would like to know what area of subpar it falls under)

Secondly, it will be my first mac purchase, as a side question, has anyone had any experience of haggling, maybe throwing in a free ipod with your purchase. (My friend said he was able to get two ipod touch with his 17") Any other stories, techniques or tips?

The 3000 is more or less the same as the old version. What exactly are you planning to do with your new laptop?

He might have used the educational promotion to get a free iPod during the summer.

 

[DryEyez]

to be honest I will just be using the mbp as a general workhorse for my dissertation (I'm a psychology student) final year. It will be basic word processing and the likes, so the i5 processors will be very much overkill for my work, (I just want a laptop that will last, I'm sick of buying cheap plastic windows laptops) with regards to the 3000, I was interested in it as I am an avid gamer, I do have a desktop I built not a month ago which is fine, but just before I purchase a product I just like to know its capabilities beforehand really, and I'm not very familiar with the 3000 chip. Mostly curiosity to what it "could" play maybe?

 

[Mikey7c8]

FWIW, I do play starcraft 2 on low settings on my 13" Macbook pro w 9400M, and it doesn't suck most of the time. when it does, it's usually when there are obscenely high unit counts.

You can probably expect similar from the 3000 (which I think is pretty impressive from intel integrated graphics, just quietly.

 

[DudeMartin]

Well I was using the low end 2011 13" on Team Fortress 2, Counter Strike : Source, and on Half Life 2 : Episode One (have yet to do Episode Two and orig HL2) and the performance was pretty good. The quality was generally on high and I believe the filtering was on trillinear, so had that have been on billinear the performance could have been better.

Overall, I could say that the games are very playable, and that's on pretty high settings. I have no doubt that you will be able to play those games on medium settings nicely, which I plan to do.


I'm assuming you are asking about the 13" model as it carries only the Intel HD 3000. I am typing on it as it is on my lap in my bed - this is my first Mac, and in fact my first laptop ever, and it is a wonderful machine. You will not be disappointed if you pick this up. Plus, if you buy it at Best Buy - you can get a $100 education discount AND 18-month no-interest financing.

 

[CopperX]

Plus, if you buy it at Best Buy - you can get a $100 education discount AND 18-month no-interest financing.

LIES! There's no .edu discount at Best Buy, unless you get lucky.

 

[Yebubbleman]

So I'm off to the apple store on tuesday to pick up the budget 13" mbp 2011. I was curious if any benchmarks had been released yet on the intel 3000 graphics yet and how well it performs? (Obviously I know it's nothing spectacular but would like to know what area of subpar it falls under)

Secondly, it will be my first mac purchase, as a side question, has anyone had any experience of haggling, maybe throwing in a free ipod with your purchase. (My friend said he was able to get two ipod touch with his 17") Any other stories, techniques or tips?

1. The Intel HD 3000 is slightly worse than the NVIDIA GeForce 320M that it replaces in the 13" line. The one exception to the rule is video encoding and playback, which, for some reason, the Intel HD 3000 rocks at by comparison. As long as you're not playing games, I'd imagine it'll more than suffice. Macworld magazine has benchmarks up, they'll tell you that the 13" Pro (Early 2011; this release) is faster in every way from the last 13" Pro (Mid 2010; previous release) other than graphics.

2. You can't haggle in a free iPod. You can, however get a free iPod if you time your purchase around the summer when they do their usual summer "Buy a Mac, get a base model iPod touch for free" promo.

 

[DryEyez]

Thanks guys, my last laptop was a roma 1000, integreated series 4 graphics, which to be fair did play 90% of the games I play on low settings so from what you've said in terms of playability it seems it will serve me just fine and for the likes of crysis I have my desktop. I was just a little wary of integrated graphics, the ideal laptop for me would be the high end 15" but due to its size would not be practical for my needs at all and price could not justify it for what I'll be using it for. I did look at the mba but, again I think I'm going to stick with the 13" mbp, it does what I want, I'll be picking one up tomorrow. Thanks for the replies

 

[Lonewolfe31705]

CopperX is a joke!

LIES! There's no .edu discount at Best Buy, unless you get lucky.

Actually CopperX, I work at Best Buy and we do honor the educational discount to COLLEGE STUDENTS and TEACHERS. And we do have the amazing 18 months interest free financing on any purchase $429.99 and up. Also, we offer the accidental protection that Apple doesnt

Have a great day, and please, for future reference keep your mouth shut if you dont know what your talking about.

 

[DryEyez]

Actually CopperX, I work at Best Buy and we do honor the educational discount to COLLEGE STUDENTS and TEACHERS. And we do have the amazing 18 months interest free financing on any purchase $429.99 and up. Also, we offer the accidental protection that Apple doesnt

Have a great day, and please, for future reference keep your mouth shut if you dont know what your talking about.

To be honest that sounds like a great deal and would almost definitly take that offer, but unfortunatly I'm a university student ---> located in the UK...I know I would prefer to buy a mac on finance and would be able to spend more, but as it is I can only really afford to buy the 13" models in one go. On apples UK store website they offer finance but its for 2 years! and at 14.9% apr. During the christmas period they did offer 10 months 0% interest finance which would be perfect. Unfortunatly it doesn't appear to be an option anymore else I would be more than happy to go for the 15" high end.