Laptop Queries

[JCorn2]

Okay.. the ever present question: Macbook Pro or Macbook? I really enjoy playing games like Command and Conquer Generals, Age of Empires, etc and want them to look and run great. Other than that, I will be writing papers, surfing the net, listening to music, collecting photos, etc. Will the 256 mb graphics card make that much of a difference over the macbook's 64? THANKS SO MUCH FOR HELP!!!

-joe

 

[kingofkolt]

Okay.. the ever present question: Macbook Pro or Macbook? I really enjoy playing games like Command and Conquer Generals, Age of Empires, etc and want them to look and run great. Other than that, I will be writing papers, surfing the net, listening to music, collecting photos, etc. Will the 256 mb graphics card make that much of a difference over the macbook's 64? THANKS SO MUCH FOR HELP!!!

-joe

The MacBook doesn't have a 64MB video card. It doesn't have a video card at all, period. If you want to play games that look and run great, get a MacBook Pro, simple as that. I have a MBP, and the only thing that I need the Pro for vs. the consumer model is gaming, and to me that's a perfectly acceptable reason to get the Pro. (Although, I do also do web development and graphic design with the likes of Photoshop, but I'm pretty sure that runs quite smoothly on the consumer model.)

 

[iToaster]

The MacBook Pro is the choice for you. The MacBook has a joke of a graphics system... the chip is a few years old, and it is integraed, and thus has no actual VRAM, it just steals some system RAM if I'm correct. Get the MBP, you won't regret it. I had a BlackBook before I got my MBP, I have to say, the BlackBook was cool, but the MBP is on a whole different level.

 

[feelthefire]

The graphics processor in the macbook does have 64mb of its own memory and it borrows more as needed from the system memory.

You do not need the 256mb graphics card in the 2.4ghz MBP to play command and conquer or age of empires. 128 mb is fine, but legitimately the rest of the computer is way overkill for what you want to do.

You could buy a console for the price difference and that will game the best.

 

[lamadude]

The graphics processor in the macbook does have 64mb of its own memory and it borrows more as needed from the system memory.

I don't think that's true, the GMA 950 does not have any dedicated memory, it always uses your normal RAM.

 

[CalBoy]

The graphics processor in the macbook does have 64mb of its own memory and it borrows more as needed from the system memory.

No, the macbook only has the ability to use 64mb of system RAM (although there is a special condition for matched RAM sticks). For example, if your macbook has 1024mb of RAM, and your macbook is running an application that needs 64mb of VRAM, then your total available RAM will drop to 960 (1024-64).

 

[~~Hello~~]

I heard you could assign more ram and bring it up to 128mb.

 

[Igantius]

The short answer is ‘get a MacBook Pro’. Personally, I would have a look around (e.g. the gaming sub-forum, other forums, youtube vids) and see how the games run on the systems you’re interested for.

Although many people will say the MB can’t handle games, isn’t C&C Generals a few years old? If so, it will run more than fine. Even the newest C&C game will run on the GMA 900.

As a rough rule of thumb, older games (e.g. CoC Dark Corners of the Earth) run rather well on MBs.

I assume you mean AOE 3… although it will run on a MB, you would be better a better experience on a MBP.

I heard you could assign more ram and bring it up to 128mb.

Actually, it depends on the app and is done automatically:

The GMA 950 allocates a base amount of 80 MB for video and boot processes at startup. In a computer configured with 512 MB of SDRAM, this leaves 432 MB of SDRAM available to Mac OS X in a standard system (configured with 512 MB SDRAM).

Mac OS X may make additional main memory available to the graphics processor for texture use beyond the base 80 MB amount mentioned above, depending on the application being used. The most common types of applications that request more system memory to be used as graphics memory are 3D and graphics-intense applications.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303407

(Although, I do also do web development and graphic design with the likes of Photoshop, but I'm pretty sure that runs quite smoothly on the consumer model.)

Sure do - after all, those kind of apps are CPU, rather than GPU, intensive.