Long lasting bootcamp?

[im_ashley]

Greetings!

Pretty confused to choose between 2015 vs 2016 15” versions of MacbookPros. I do lot of multimedia stuffs with Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects… With my experience of switching back and forth between Mac and PC I feel OS X is much better for my workflow. At least I don’t have to deal with annoying forced updates in Windows 10 and frequent crashes. But as a student I have to use Windows often for running several simulation and education softwares.

The latest gen. MacbookPros does have a bit smaller battery but lasts on par or in some cases better than the previous generation (2015). I believe it has to do more (maybe equally) with software optimization than with efficiency of the hardwares.

Since the same performance-power optimization doesn’t apply to windows, Can you guys recommend which generation (2015 or 2016) of MacBookPro will be apt for (relatively) long lasting workflow in Windows 10(bootcamp) keeping in mind the battery sizes of both generations? Will the larger be better for Windows?

PS: I’m not big fan of Parallels, firstly I would like the OS to use the full hardware resource available instead of restricting it virtually. Secondly, upgrades aren’t free.

Have a good day! Thanks

 

[iVikD]

Couple of things you should keep in mind:

I believe that when running Windows on Bootcamp, your Mac will always use the discrete GPU if available, never switching to the integrated one, which will use more power overall.

Windows on Bootcamp tends to run hotter than MacOS, maybe because of the dGPU being on all the time or because the fans kick in at a higher temperature. Regardless, if you have passive cooling when on battery (default option), your performance will suffer (noticeable if you're doing intensive tasks, like the simulations you mention) as the components are throttled to reduce the temperature. If you instead use active cooling, the fans will kick in earlier or faster to lower the temps, which, again, will cost you precious battery time.

Performance will always come at a cost of battery life. When doing intensive tasks like gaming, emulation virtualization, simulations, etc, I always recommend you're plugged in.

That said, I don't know if the 2015 MBP you're looking at has a dGPU. If it doesn't it might be more power efficient than the 2016. If it does, it's worth comparing the power efficiency of the 2016's GPU against it. I have a 2016 myself and have no complaints about battery life, however, I wouldn't expect it to last me 10 hours on Windows,

 

[maflynn]

One of the advantages Apple has is the integration of OS X and the hardware, this provides a great user experience. In addition it allows Apple to tweak the software to maximize cooling, and battery life. Those tweaks and other limitations means running Windows on a MBP will mean a hotter mac as noted above, and also lower battery life then if you were running OS X.

My advice is if you can get away with running windows in a VM, then that will provide the best option to squeezing out the most from your battery.

 

[im_ashley]

Couple of things you should keep in mind:

I believe that when running Windows on Bootcamp, your Mac will always use the discrete GPU if available, never switching to the integrated one, which will use more power overall.

Windows on Bootcamp tends to run hotter than MacOS, maybe because of the dGPU being on all the time or because the fans kick in at a higher temperature. Regardless, if you have passive cooling when on battery (default option), your performance will suffer (noticeable if you're doing intensive tasks, like the simulations you mention) as the components are throttled to reduce the temperature. If you instead use active cooling, the fans will kick in earlier or faster to lower the temps, which, again, will cost you precious battery time.

Performance will always come at a cost of battery life. When doing intensive tasks like gaming, emulation virtualization, simulations, etc, I always recommend you're plugged in.

That said, I don't know if the 2015 MBP you're looking at has a dGPU. If it doesn't it might be more power efficient than the 2016. If it does, it's worth comparing the power efficiency of the 2016's GPU against it. I have a 2016 myself and have no complaints about battery life, however, I wouldn't expect it to last me 10 hours on Windows,

Thanks for the note @iVikD . FYI Apple sells only iGPU for now in 2015 version. Let's say for the sake of comparison we are taking dGPU 2015 15" version and stock version of 2016 15". Of course I do agree that 10 hours in Mac/Windows just a dream but may I know why are you saying that 2015 is more power efficient?

 

[leman]

Well, all in all, the 2016 is probably going to be more power efficient in Windows. Simply because both the CPU and the GPU are more power efficient. But the battery life will still suck.

 

[iVikD]

Thanks for the note @iVikD . FYI Apple sells only iGPU for now in 2015 version. Let's say for the sake of comparison we are taking dGPU 2015 15" version and stock version of 2016 15". Of course I do agree that 10 hours in Mac/Windows just a dream but may I know why are you saying that 2015 is more power efficient?

2015 vs 2016 both with dGPU (keep in mind that the 2016 15" versions all have a dGPU), the 2016 would be the more efficient one due to the new hardware. I meant the 2015 iGPU would be less power hungry than the 2016 dGPU one due to having a much less powerful integrated GPU.

 

[magbarn]

There's a 'hack' you can do to force igpu only operation in win10 on the dgpu rmbps. It's part of the steps needed to do to get an external TB3 GPU to work with the 2016 rmbp 15.

 

[maflynn]

There's a 'hack' you can do to force igpu only operation in win10 on the dgpu rmbps. It's part of the steps needed to do to get an external TB3 GPU to work with the 2016 rmbp 15.

really?

From my understanding, at least with my 2012 rMBP the iGPU is not active on bootup and there was no way to activate it within windows. Perhaps things have changed with later models but I did a fair amount of searching for such a solution. I'm not saying none-existed but I was unable to locate one.

I'm not using my 2012 rMBP any more, at least with windows, so it doesn't matter to me

 

[im_ashley]

Well, all in all, the 2016 is probably going to be more power efficient in Windows. Simply because both the CPU and the GPU are more power efficient. But the battery life will still suck.

Yeah you are right but do you mean to say it will 'suck' more relative to 2015?

 

[im_ashley]

I have 2 more questions,

1. Using Safari vs Chrome on Mac (assuming all other variables like websites visited & brightness are constant), Which of the either will yield more battery life?
2. Previous comparison aside, Considering I can only get a iGPU 2015 15" now officially. Bootcamp VS Parallels which is better for battery? I don't want to burn through battery cycles while using Windows 10 either way.

 

[Crowdx44]

So with bootcamp I believed that bootcamp just sets the bootloader and also has a setup which provides drivers for Windows 10. For the discrete graphics, could it not just be disabled in the device manager which would force windows to use the iGPU?
From my limited battery tests with bootcamp on a MBP 2016, Windows 10 was only getting a little less than 4 hours on battery with dGPU.
I am in the same boat here, I want to run Windows 10 on the MBP 2016 but get some reasonably battery life.

 

[leman]

Yeah you are right but do you mean to say it will 'suck' more relative to 2015?

IT will suck relative to OS X, because a MBP contains special hardware which is not used for PC laptops and thus doesn't have drivers in Windows (e.g. the GPU demultiplexer).

 

[more fps]

I have 2 more questions,

1. Using Safari vs Chrome on Mac (assuming all other variables like websites visited & brightness are constant), Which of the either will yield more battery life?
2. Previous comparison aside, Considering I can only get a iGPU 2015 15" now officially. Bootcamp VS Parallels which is better for battery? I don't want to burn through battery cycles while using Windows 10 either way.

Safari for sure, but I hate using safari even if it provides more battery life

 

[Crowdx44]

Safari for sure, but I hate using safari even if it provides more battery life

From a question I asked previously on Parallels, it seems to give pretty good battery life, one person stated they were getting around 6 - 7 hours I think.
Seems to be with bootcamp and using windows natively, all power saving mac hardware is not being used and so it burns through the battery.

 

[more fps]

From a question I asked previously on Parallels, it seems to give pretty good battery life, one person stated they were getting around 6 - 7 hours I think.
Seems to be with bootcamp and using windows natively, all power saving mac hardware is not being used and so it burns through the battery.

I would think chrome would be more of a hog on battery life compared to safari. Guess I'm wrong then

 

[Crowdx44]

I would think chrome would be more of a hog on battery life compared to safari. Guess I'm wrong then

Parallels is a virtual machine not a browser

 

[more fps]

Parallels is a virtual machine not a browser

I mean running it in bootCamp (windows)

 

[Crowdx44]

I mean running it in bootCamp (windows)

But Safari is a Mac only web browser? I am confused

 

[theitsage]

really?

From my understanding, at least with my 2012 rMBP the iGPU is not active on bootup and there was no way to activate it within windows. Perhaps things have changed with later models but I did a fair amount of searching for such a solution. I'm not saying none-existed but I was unable to locate one.

I'm not using my 2012 rMBP any more, at least with windows, so it doesn't matter to me

Apple firmware deactivates the iGPU when booting into Windows if a Mac has a dGPU. Here's the instructions to activate iGPU in Boot Camp.

 

[zarathu]

I have 2 more questions,

1. Using Safari vs Chrome on Mac (assuming all other variables like websites visited & brightness are constant), Which of the either will yield more battery life?
2. Previous comparison aside, Considering I can only get a iGPU 2015 15" now officially. Bootcamp VS Parallels which is better for battery? I don't want to burn through battery cycles while using Windows 10 either way.

IMO, if you need heavy lifting in windows then you should buy a windows machine. While you can run windows on a Mac, this was never designed for heaving lifting on programs that run in windows, it was designed for us who have light to medium energy using programs that will never be ported over to a mac and we need to occasionally run them. I have two of those, and they run easily in Virtual Box. However, Virtual box at idle take a 13% energy cut on my machine. But I can open Virtual Box and windows XP in about 1.5 seconds, so there is no reason to leave it running all the time.

There is a program on your mac called Activity Monitor(use spotlight to find it). it will tell you regular usage in terms of cpu use, memory and energy. I don't use Safari, and I just don't care for it,(but I opened it for you) and right now the energy impact(on the battery) is between 6 and 9 on both Chrome and FoxFire, but less than 1 on Safari. Additionally, the overhead on both Chrome and FireFox is always no lower than 5. But Safari drops to zero when I'm not using it. Hope this helps.

Using Activity Monitor, people can maximize their battery use by finding applications which are offenders in their energy usage. Most people don't seem to understand this resource.
[doublepost=1485533210][/doublepost]

But Safari is a Mac only web browser? I am confused

I ran Safari in XP for years.

 

[jerryk]

My advice is that if you want/need to run Windows most of the time, get a windows machine. I run both OSX and Windows 10 and very seldom experience crashes on either of them. I personally do not have issues with the weekly patches since they keep everything up to date. And then there is the issue of poor windows drivers under bootcamp.

 

[Sanpete]

Apple firmware deactivates the iGPU when booting into Windows if a Mac has a dGPU. Here's the instructions to activate iGPU in Boot Camp.

Doesn't that leave you with only the iGPU active, so that you can no longer use the dGPU as well? And as I recall it also left one with no control over screen brightness, which was set bright, somewhat defeating the purpose of saving power.

 

[jerryk]

Doesn't that leave you with only the iGPU active, so that you can no longer use the dGPU as well? And as I recall it also left one with no control over screen brightness, which was set bright, somewhat defeating the purpose of saving power.

I believe it leaves you with only the dGPU active. Which some people do not like because of the increased power consumption.

 

[Sanpete]

I believe it leaves you with only the dGPU active. Which some people do not like because of the increased power consumption.

Yes, by default, but the post I responded to is about activating the iGPU in Windows.

 

[im_ashley]

Apple firmware deactivates the iGPU when booting into Windows if a Mac has a dGPU. Here's the instructions to activate iGPU in Boot Camp.

Does that mean iGPU will be running along with dGPU? BTW the instructions doesn't apply to newer MacBooks?

I have 2 more questions,

1. Using Safari vs Chrome on Mac (assuming all other variables like websites visited & brightness are constant), Which of the either will yield more battery life?

G'day guys. I was referring to Chrome in 2016 rMBP vs Chrome in 2015 rMBP actually. Since Chrome isn't Apple's app, Does the optimization they've done to get the max out of a small battery help at all? Won't 2015 rMBP yield more battery life in Chrome runtime compared to 2016?
[doublepost=1485556807][/doublepost] @jerryk from your end card I could get that you are using 2015 rMBP. Is the battery life close to what is promised? I heard some of people in forums are getting worse battery life after Sierra updates in 2015 rMBP in low brightness but some controversially are getting 9-10 hours even in 75% brightness in 2016 rMBP. I'm confused again