Should I get 550X or 560X if using an external monitor?

[markwco]

I am planning to purchase a 2019 MacBook Pro. I'll be getting a machine with a 1TB SSD and 32GB of memory. I plan on an i9 CPU.


My original plan was to go with the base 555X. Reason is I don't do anything that is heavy on the graphics side. I do minimal gaming and don't do anything type of photo rendering or desktop video. If I ever do anything it will be minor. Yet I do major multitasking with many apps open and that's why I've leaned towards a core i9.


Issue is I'll be using this with a 32" DisplayPort 4K monitor. Does the GPU affect this? If found out for the same price I can get a machine with the either the 2.4Ghz Core i9 and a 555X GPU or a 2.3Ghz Core i9 and 560X GPU. Original plan was go with the lower GPU, higher CPU. Yet now that I'm thinking of that external monitor is that going to be a bigger drain on the CPU or the GPU? If GPU I'd prefer to go with a 560X and then 2.3Ghz CPU. TIA.

 

[mariogt]

Go for the 2.3ghz i9 and 560X, a better graphics card in your use case is more important than a 100 mhz difference in the CPU. (your external monitor will be driven by the GPU)

 

[pshufd]

My 2014 MBP drives one 4K monitor and it has Intel integrated but there is sometimes lag. I'd say get at least discrete, though, I don't think that you need a particularly fast one. I think that the more important thing about discrete graphics is the dedicated RAM.

 

[Khaos1]

Regardless of your choice for the GPU, the CPU differences between the 2.3 and 2.4 have been essentially negligible.

 

[maflynn]

I'll be getting a machine with a 1TB SSD and 32GB of memory. I plan on an i9 CPU.

If you're getting the high end mac, why skimp on the GPU? Just bite the bullet and get the 560x ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[leman]

It doesn’t matter really. For just displaying normal UI, the GPU is perfectly adequate. It won’t be able to deal with 4K 3D-graphics, but then again, no Mac laptop GPU could.