I'd like to buy the new MacBook Pro retina but I don't know if a should buy it with a dedicated gpu or not because I've read that there are a lot of problems with other models . I use the Mac for programming since I am studying computer science . I do not play games or do intense video editing but I'd like to have a PC which could last a couple of years ,since I will invest a lot of money in this machine ..for this reason should I buy the model with the dedicated gpu ? Which are the differences between the two models in term of battery life ?
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MacBook Pro retina mid 2014 dGPU or integrated gpu
- Thread starter spopitanu
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For me, I bought the 13" rMBP but found that the display was too small for me as well as the processor being too slow. I just felt that I couldn't use it as a laptop (13" while its nice feels like a toy) and my neck keeps cramping from closing in onto the 13" screen. Anyway, i exchanged it for a 15" model but I got the base model. I thought the 256GB SSD + 16GB RAM was more than enough for my needs and the IGP is more than what I needed by a mile since I wont be doing any gaming. And if I chose to do some gaming, it can handle it decently where I could.
Ultimately, what I wanted was a Macbook Pro that I could comfortably use with good battery life, reliable, a powerful CPU that can handle VMWare with ease (I do development on Windows). The base model does the job perfectly!
On a side note, I feel like the 15" is the new 17" for some reason.. Maybe I forgot what the 17" feels like but for some reason the rMBP feels alot bigger (wider while being thinner?) and the sound is much more powerful than what I remembered from my old 2011 15" MBP.
Ultimately, what I wanted was a Macbook Pro that I could comfortably use with good battery life, reliable, a powerful CPU that can handle VMWare with ease (I do development on Windows). The base model does the job perfectly!
On a side note, I feel like the 15" is the new 17" for some reason.. Maybe I forgot what the 17" feels like but for some reason the rMBP feels alot bigger (wider while being thinner?) and the sound is much more powerful than what I remembered from my old 2011 15" MBP.
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Unless you're doing lots of video editing, 3D work, or creating Photoshop files with lots of layers, the integrated GPU should be fine.
FWIW, I have the late 2013 15" rMBP with a dGPU - no issues.
FWIW, I have the late 2013 15" rMBP with a dGPU - no issues.
For now it should be fine but in the future ? After 2-3 years I'm afraid that the iGPU could cause me problems . I'm a windows user and I've never used an Apple PC so I don't know if there will be a good support form apple for the hardware itself and a good integration with the software even if it will become outdated.
It will be fine for that use
Only you know what your future use maybe and even then you probably can only guess, the iris pro iGPU is superb unless you are using CUDA accelerated software or playing games where the dGPU smokes it. Again only you know if it is likely that you will need that now or in the future.
If you are a windows user make sure that all the software you need is available on OSX first or you can always install windows in bootcamp on your mac for use with windows only software. For that you may well want more than 256gb hard drive though....
Only you know what your future use maybe and even then you probably can only guess, the iris pro iGPU is superb unless you are using CUDA accelerated software or playing games where the dGPU smokes it. Again only you know if it is likely that you will need that now or in the future.
If you are a windows user make sure that all the software you need is available on OSX first or you can always install windows in bootcamp on your mac for use with windows only software. For that you may well want more than 256gb hard drive though....
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Given the power of the Iris Pro on the 15" MBP, I'd opt for that over the dGPU. Consider Apple's recent track record on dGPUs as well. I'd say for peace of mind, longevity and no need to spend more money that's necessary, the iGPU is perfectly fine.
Surely you would have refreshed your machine after 3 years, especially if you are using it for work so it shouldn't be an issue. Having said that, the current MacBook's should be good for at least 4/5 years. Nothing is on the horizon to make them obsolete any time soon.
Thank you a lot ..I think that I will go for 1 tb of hdd ( for the increased speed )even if 512 gb should be enough for me...
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I hope so ,since I'm going to invest a lot of money in this machine ..I live in Europe and here the prices are a little bit different...more expensive ..the top configuration it costs 2800 with Apple on campus ...
Oh, and if you upgrade the processor and SSD to match the variant with the dGPU, the price difference is almost negligible to the point that the extra dGPU is actually a freebie.
If you do that ....
Upgrade to the 1TB then it's worth starting with the dGPU anyway as the upgrade is cheaper and the dGPU ends up being almost free...
Upgrade to the 1TB then it's worth starting with the dGPU anyway as the upgrade is cheaper and the dGPU ends up being almost free...
Why would it cause you trouble?
If you are not playing games or doing high-res video edition, there is no point at all to get the dGPUIf you can, wait for Skylake. The integrated graphics in that one should be really impressive. If you can't, well, the current-gen Iris Pro is really capable. My only regret is that it is uncapable of running the OS X port of the Witcher, but that's the port's fault as it doesn't support Intel GPUs. Otherwise, it's a lovely chip.
You can play that game until infinity. Waiting for the next gen is one thing, going beyond that is seems a little extreme.
Why would it cause you trouble?
Maybe in the near future films or other software will stress the gpu a lot more and the iGPU couldn't handle it ..who knows .. I' m a windows user and a have a quite old Sony vaio which can't handle 1080p YouTube movies .. I don't want to have the same problems with the Mac after 2-3 years or more ..
Also I don't know if the iGPU would stress a lot the Mac and the battery if you do something intense form a gpu point of view ...
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Also broadwell should have a better gpu if I'm not wrong ..I've read that is more powerful than nvidia maxwell, but I don't know if it is true
Unlikely
The igpu can already handle 4K films, stressing computers is what they are designed for.
If you want a beast that can handle anything you can throw at it then a laptop is not the way to go especially a thin and light one like the macbook pro. You always have compromise in a laptop over power for thermals and size and weight.
The best current power to weight portability and thermals around is the 14 inch razer blade.
However if you want power it's desktop all the way especially when it comes to graphics cards.
The broadwell iGPU will struggle to match the new NVIDIA maxwell cards don't be fooled by intel there. The maxwell thermals are much improved too.
You seem to be worrying about something that is already here 4K is here it is working well on the macbook pro with either GPU and I can't see anything more for another 4-5 years. Hell it'll be that long before 4K is standard.
The igpu can already handle 4K films, stressing computers is what they are designed for.
If you want a beast that can handle anything you can throw at it then a laptop is not the way to go especially a thin and light one like the macbook pro. You always have compromise in a laptop over power for thermals and size and weight.
The best current power to weight portability and thermals around is the 14 inch razer blade.
However if you want power it's desktop all the way especially when it comes to graphics cards.
The broadwell iGPU will struggle to match the new NVIDIA maxwell cards don't be fooled by intel there. The maxwell thermals are much improved too.
You seem to be worrying about something that is already here 4K is here it is working well on the macbook pro with either GPU and I can't see anything more for another 4-5 years. Hell it'll be that long before 4K is standard.
Well, you want to be a programmer, so you should at least be able to make a reasonable prediction
Let me put it like this: if the (non-speciazed) software will develop in a way that the iGPU won't be able to handle it, then the dGPU won't be able to handle it either. Besides, the iGPU is already better at decoding movies.Well, you want to be a programmer, so you should at least be able to make a reasonable prediction
We'll I am good enough on making prediction and I think that the current configuration is good enough and it can handle it for a couple of years .. But I must also consider that I've never had a Mac and I don't know enough about it .. My main concern was the problems of the dGPU with the 2011/2012 models and the power of the iGPU ... As I said I have a very old PC which has only an ati Radeon hd 4650, so I'm a newbie of iGPU/dGPU
You're right to be concerned about the dGPU failures.
2008 - NVIDIAgate (but then, it affected every other manufacturer who used the 8600GT).
2010 - NVIDIAgate v2 (GT 330M in the 2010 15"/17" MBPs)
2011 - Radeongate (Radeon 6xx0M cards used in Sandy Bridge iMacs and MBPs)
2012 - possible NVIDIAgate v3 (GT 650M cards in Ivy Bridge 15" rMBPs).
I got bummed by Radeongate. That said, I put the blame on AMD for making thermally-inefficient chips, Apple for putting such a card inside a cMBP chassis in which the thermal design is already bad enough, and the factory workers/robots for not applying thermal paste properly.
When I replaced it with a late-2013 15" rMBP, I opted for a dGPU, because:
1. The NVIDIA chips are far more power efficient.
2. The rMBP has a far better thermal design and ventilation.
Even with the dGPU activated, it runs at a pretty cool 50ºC.