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As a video editor, I want to thank the OP for this thread too.
I wish there was a place on here for "professionals" rather than "my dad is going to buy me a macbook, which one should i get" or "i am going to college this fall and wondering which mbp to get for gaming". The youngsters may want a gpu for heavy gaming, but it is rarely required for photo or video editing.

wow, you are not a professional.....hahahha

all these schools require discreet video, for a reason
 
Something interesting to add here...

In Windows Vista and Windows 7, there is a Windows Experience Index (WEI) which rates the capability of your hardware at certain tasks. On a 2.8 ghz 15" new uMBP in Windows, the gaming score is 5.3. That's with a 512 mb 9600m. On a 2.53 ghz 13" new uMBP with only the 9400m, the gaming score is almost the exact same at 5.2.

Now I'm not gonna say that the hardware is equal because it isn't, and the WEI is known to be erratic and not very reliable, but I still think these scores are telling. At most tasks, the 9600m is not hugely superior to the 9400m.

Also to consider: if you're buying a 15" or 17" uMBP over the 13" just for gaming purposes, don't. Even uMBPs with discrete graphics cannot handle new PC games well. In order to get a great framerate on the Crysis demo, I had to go to mostly low settings which looked like crap. There is a lot of validity to saying that you should never use gaming to decide which thin laptop you're going to get. I'll stick with either my xbox or a cheap desktop PC if the mood strikes me.
 
In Windows Vista and Windows 7, there is a Windows Experience Index (WEI) which rates the capability of your hardware at certain tasks. On a 2.8 ghz 15" new uMBP in Windows, the gaming score is 5.3. That's with a 512 mb 9600m. On a 2.53 ghz 13" new uMBP with only the 9400m, the gaming score is almost the exact same at 5.2.

Now I'm not gonna say that the hardware is equal because it isn't, and the WEI is known to be erratic and not very reliable, but I still think these scores are telling. At most tasks, the 9600m is not hugely superior to the 9400m.

the 9600m is almost exactly twice as powerful I'd say.
 
In Windows Vista and Windows 7, there is a Windows Experience Index (WEI) which rates the capability of your hardware at certain tasks. On a 2.8 ghz 15" new uMBP in Windows, the gaming score is 5.3. That's with a 512 mb 9600m. On a 2.53 ghz 13" new uMBP with only the 9400m, the gaming score is almost the exact same at 5.2.

Now I'm not gonna say that the hardware is equal because it isn't, and the WEI is known to be erratic and not very reliable, but I still think these scores are telling. At most tasks, the 9600m is not hugely superior to the 9400m.

the 9600m is almost exactly twice as powerful I'd say. it's definitely a noticable bump, what I'm still waiting to find out is if opencl will be able to use both cards or only one at a time.
 
the 9600m is almost exactly twice as powerful I'd say. it's definitely a noticable bump, what I'm still waiting to find out is if opencl will be able to use both cards or only one at a time.

If the Chipset didn't change then, no, both "cards" run mutually exclusive.
 
RED 3K "Complete Kit" $3,750 (able to film out of the box, includes lens).
http://www.red.com/epic_scarlet/


Besides, this is just the beginning, give it a couple years and sony's handycam will be pushing higher resolutions... Graphics cards are going to be a must. But i suspect within 5 years companies like AMD who own ATI will just start squishing the processor and graphics onto the same chip... maybe...

Brilliant! Makes me almost wonder why anyone would buy a prosumer cam...

But I still see nothing indicating you need a dedicated graphics card to edit it. RED's own tech specs indicate the need for a now-outdated graphics card - that suggests to me that the 9400M would be good enough. It's still just video, not 3D.

wow, you are not a professional.....hahahha

all these schools require discreet video, for a reason

Which "all these schools" are you on about? :confused:
 
This thread is completely retarded.

As time goes on, the GPU will play a bigger and bigger role in everyday use. Simple as that.

And currently it plays a big role in a lot of ppl's work and gaming.
 
Its all relative

6 mos from now they will have a gpu in the pros that faster then the 9600. The 9400 is faster then many notebooks a year ago. Get what u need. Personaly in the 15" id prob go for the 9600 but i got the 13" for its size and weight to surf the web, travel etc.

This thread is completely retarded.

As time goes on, the GPU will play a bigger and bigger role in everyday use. Simple as that.

And currently it plays a big role in a lot of ppl's work and gaming.
 
This thread is completely retarded.

As time goes on, the GPU will play a bigger and bigger role in everyday use. Simple as that.

And currently it plays a big role in a lot of ppl's work and gaming.

I agree. This thread is a terrible example of fan boy trolling and should be locked. :(
 
The premise of this thread is stupid. Of course it matters. The way integrated vs. discrete works alone is cause to make a decision one way or the next. Do I want to share my system memory with my video tasks? Me, I don't.

My real issue is with Apple. Now that they have blurred the line - why even keep "Pro" in the name? The only thing I can think of is they are doing it to sell more systems. Sort of an answer to those laptop hunter ads. Someone goes into a store and sees Pro on there, they think they are getting a Pro machine for a (now) reasonable price. It's all a gimmick with Apple now days. I'm sure we will hear soon enough about how many Pro laptops Apple has sold. If Steve signed off on this, I'd be very surprised. It seems like a half-ass business decision for Apple - although THAT doesn't surprise me at all.

They should rename the iMac to iMac Pro, release a Mac Mini Pro, and of course, the iPhone Pro and be done with it. Hell, rename the company to Apple Pro.
 
Only on a Mac forum would some one create a thread saying the GPU doesn't matter.
Agreed.

I think it's ridiculous for a laptop as expensive as the 15" MBP to not have a discrete video card.

Sure, some people don't need it, but there are tones of things that people don't need on their computers, but as technology advances, every laptop should have.

Why doesn't Apple still just put 512mb of RAM on all their computers, because according leopard's requirement, that's all you really need ?

Having the 9600 is having potential in your computer, whether you use it or not.

The 9400 isn't a bad card, but it's definitely not the only card that should be in a $1700 dollar laptop.

The point of the matter is Apple watered down the MacBook Pro line and some of you are buying into it and trying to justify it, which is completely stupid.
 
Dedicated GPU doesn't take away from main memory!

Ok. How about this. Lightroom + Photoshop workflow with Canon 1ds3 (21MP RAW images). Assuming, not doing anything crazy like a 50 image panorama, but basic image retouching, etc.
  • Macbook Pro 2.4Ghz/4GB/320GB/8600M GT with 256MB VRAM
  • Macbook 2.4Ghz/4GB/500GB/9400m with 256MB shared memory
  • 30" Apple Cinema Display. (mini displayport to dual-link DVI adapter needed for Macbook)
In the 2 years using the MBP, I have never ran out of memory using just about my same workflow. Almost every time the Macbook is swapping to virtual memory after about 30 minutes worth of work. If I use the Macbook without the 30" ACD connected, problem goes away. Looking at the 9400m documentation, it uses a minimum of 256MB of main memory and using a 30" display @ 2560x1600 it probably uses plenty more. The computers are *about* the same in specification with the main difference being the dedicated video card.

You can make your own conclusions, as for me, I've jumped on the new lower prices and going back to a MBP. I loved the size and weight of the 13" for carrying around, using while traveling, etc, but when you have problems getting stuff done, its a lot easier to carry an extra pound or two :)
 
Agreed.

I think it's ridiculous for a laptop as expensive as the 15" MBP to not have a discrete video card.

Sure, some people don't need it, but there are tones of things that people don't need on their computers, but as technology advances, every laptop should have.

Why doesn't Apple still just put 512mb of RAM on all their computers, because according leopard's requirement, that's all you really need ?

Having the 9600 is having potential in your computer, whether you use it or not.

The 9400 isn't a bad card, but it's definitely not the only card that should be in a $1700 dollar laptop.

The point of the matter is Apple watered down the MacBook Pro line and some of you are buying into it and trying to justify it, which is completely stupid.
The 9600M GT shouldn't be in a $1700 computer either considering it's most commonly found in $800-1000 computers
 
The 9600M GT shouldn't be in a $1700 computer either considering it's most commonly found in $800-1000 computers
Alright,

But keep in mind, the MBP's thin design + Heat issues is also a reason that the 9600 is as good as it'll get in the MBP.

Apple isn't Alienware with 23 pound laptops and 20 minute batteries (It's an exaggeration, but you get the point).

Also the 9600 isn't that bad of a card for a MOBILE Graphics card.
 
For some reason MacRumors users are never happy, no matter what Apple does. Plastic MB users whined about cracks, yellowing, etc on their MBs and wanted alu bodies.

When MBs got those alu bodies, people whined it blurred the line between MBP and MB, so Apple renamed the MB while adding a couple of "Pro" features. Now, MB and MBP are separated by case material as it have been prior to Unibody. People whine that their 2000$ MBP has the same name as 1200$ MBP and so feel a need to whine a little more.

There was no Apple notebook larger than 13" under 2000$. People whined. Now Apple introduced such model and priced it at a very nice 1700$. Now people whine it doesn't have all the features of the 2000$ model.

I just don't get it :confused:
 
wow, just wow.

slow news week?

I think we can all agree that the 9600 is significantly better than the 9400. Arguing that is silly.

However, I think the original message was, for most people, the difference between the 9400 and the 9600 is not worth $300.

If you are part of that niche group where it would make a difference, you really should be on better hardware than a 13" MacBook anyway.

That said, either one will kick the snot out of my GMA950 MacBook, and it does everything I need it to.

That, my friends, was the point.
 
wow, just wow.

slow news week?

I think we can all agree that the 9600 is significantly better than the 9400. Arguing that is silly.

However, I think the original message was, for most people, the difference between the 9400 and the 9600 is not worth $300.

If you are part of that niche group where it would make a difference, you really should be on better hardware than a 13" MacBook anyway.

That said, either one will kick the snot out of my GMA950 MacBook, and it does everything I need it to.

That, my friends, was the point.

Hear, hear!
 
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