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Thoughts on 13 with SSD

S

stevenpa

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 28, 2011
292
0
I've been waiting the MBA refresh but was thinking if it's only processors and nothing else, I'll probably have to pass.

So if I get a 13 inch MBP with 4 gb (upgrade to 8gb on my own) how much difference does an SSD make? Are there benchmarks online somewhere? And does the SSD help gaming performance at all? The 15 inch is too big for me.

Main game I am concered about is Skyrim.
 
What else are you really expecting out of a refresh?

It will speed up all of your normal tasks like launching an app, pulling up a file, etc. There aren't really "real world" performance benchmarks, but you can search and see millions of read and write speeds of various SSD's on the market. It might slightly improve gaming performance, but probably nothing noticeable. You need a dedicated GPU to improve gaming performance more than anything else, especially in a mac.
 
xxBURT0Nxx said:
What else are you really expecting out of a refresh?

It will speed up all of your normal tasks like launching an app, pulling up a file, etc. There aren't really "real world" performance benchmarks, but you can search and see millions of read and write speeds of various SSD's on the market. It might slightly improve gaming performance, but probably nothing noticeable. You need a dedicated GPU to improve gaming performance more than anything else, especially in a mac.
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Hopefully 4gb standard on 13inches and more SSD options...

I don't need to play on high settings, but I want to be able to play Skyrim when it comes out. Was going to get a Sony SA, but the screen is a huge joke and build quality is iffy.
 
stevenpa said:
Hopefully 4gb standard on 13inches and more SSD options...

I don't need to play on high settings, but I want to be able to play Skyrim when it comes out. Was going to get a Sony SA, but the screen is a huge joke and build quality is iffy.
Click to expand...

I mean, idk what skyrim is at all, but if the mac can play it, it can play it, the upgrade to 8gb ram or an SSD will have no impact on determining whether the game can run or not. The ram and ssd will improve performance in other areas though.
 
You can get an SSD for a decent price at Newegg or wherever you buy hardware from and install it in your MBP yourself. A SATA II one would give you about the same performance as a stock Apple (Toshiba) SSD one and a SATA III one is more expensive, but you'll get about twice the performance over an Apple SSD.
 
a ssd is not going to improve gaming performance, really. why are you buying a mac to play skyrim?
 
Archlord said:
a ssd is not going to improve gaming performance, really. why are you buying a mac to play skyrim?
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Getting a mac since I need a new laptop. Playing Skyrim would be a bonus. SSDs make a difference in loading times right?
 
stevenpa said:
Getting a mac since I need a new laptop. Playing Skyrim would be a bonus. SSDs make a difference in loading times right?
Click to expand...

perhaps a little, but your main concern would be the gfx card. don't get anything less then the low-end 15'', and even then you probably would want the high end.
 
ChazB said:
You can get an SSD for a decent price at Newegg or wherever you buy hardware from and install it in your MBP yourself. A SATA II one would give you about the same performance as a stock Apple (Toshiba) SSD one and a SATA III one is more expensive, but you'll get about twice the performance over an Apple SSD.
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lol, doubtful... you might see some impressive benchmarks, but in real world use there is almost no difference unless you are constantly moving around/copying large files.
 
Archlord said:
perhaps a little, but your main concern would be the gfx card. don't get anything less then the low-end 15'', and even then you probably would want the high end.
Click to expand...

The 15 is too big for me and for the quality of graphics cards (low end on the base 15, low-mid range on the better 15), I would just get an xbox and a TV for the price difference.
 
stevenpa said:
The 15 is too big for me and for the quality of graphics cards (low end on the base 15, low-mid range on the better 15), I would just get an xbox and a TV for the price difference.
Click to expand...

well then your performance is going to be pretty wretched on the hd3000.

seriously, get get a gaming pc/laptop or a console if gaming is your main concern.
 
Archlord said:
well then your performance is going to be pretty wretched on the hd3000.

seriously, get get a gaming pc/laptop or a console if gaming is your main concern.
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Like I said earlier, gaming is a bonus. I rarely have time for games but every once in a while I do and just want an option to play. All this waiting for the Air is getting to me :(
 
stevenpa said:
Like I said earlier, gaming is a bonus. I rarely have time for games but every once in a while I do and just want an option to play. All this waiting for the Air is getting to me :(
Click to expand...

looking at the recommended specs, the 13'' isn't going to play that game too well.

if you really can't go with a 15'', i guess go with a console + 13'' mbp but that seems like a waste to even get a whole console for one game that will be played rarely.

go with the 13'' and forget skyrim? not sure what to tell you, unless you would be happy with it being sluggish.
 
SSD's are totally worth it. For gaming, the MBP 13 isn't a beast, but I noticed vast improvement in my main game - starcraft 2. On HDD, it was taking ages to load, and frequently stuttered when relying on the HDD for textures and events - the first few minutes were very jerky as it loaded everything into RAM. On the SSD, that has been eradicated completely, and it loads completely levels in about 10 seconds, as opposed to 20 or so, and then more in the game. I doubt the 13" would be able to hack Skyrim - I've got a 360 for my serious gaming so it's not a problem for me, but if I didn't, I'd consider the higher end MBP's with dedicated GPU's. It probably will run, albeit slowly. But yeah, SSD's do help tons. From pushing the power button, I'm online in safari 10-12 seconds. I'd never go back.
 
The SSD makes a big difference when it comes to booting up your computer and launching applications. When it comes to gaming, what really matters is the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). It's widely expected the Macbook Airs will have the Intel HD 3000, the same GPU as in the 13" Macbook Pros. So unfortunately, you have no options beyond those graphical capabilities, unless you step up to the 15" Macbook Pros. My recommendation is be patient and keep waiting for the new Macbook Airs (since you seem to have your heart set on getting one of those) and either try Skyrim on low settings or get a gaming console. The SSD is definitely worth it. Makes your computer feel much snappier all around.
 
Archlord said:
a ssd is not going to improve gaming performance, really. why are you buying a mac to play skyrim?
Click to expand...

That is a complete falsehood. Much better load times for one.



OP: I am running a 13" 2011 MBP w/ a crucial C300 256gb. It is absolutely fantastic. Highly, highly recommended.
 
NeonGreenHermit said:
SSD's are totally worth it. For gaming, the MBP 13 isn't a beast, but I noticed vast improvement in my main game - starcraft 2. On HDD, it was taking ages to load, and frequently stuttered when relying on the HDD for textures and events - the first few minutes were very jerky as it loaded everything into RAM. On the SSD, that has been eradicated completely, and it loads completely levels in about 10 seconds, as opposed to 20 or so, and then more in the game. I doubt the 13" would be able to hack Skyrim - I've got a 360 for my serious gaming so it's not a problem for me, but if I didn't, I'd consider the higher end MBP's with dedicated GPU's. It probably will run, albeit slowly. But yeah, SSD's do help tons. From pushing the power button, I'm online in safari 10-12 seconds. I'd never go back.
Click to expand...

in games like starcraft the ssd helps a lot because of so many units available etc. In gaming , the ssd will help a lot in crowded place (I'm talking about MMOs, like WoW), where the hdd works a lot to write new data while the ssd is blazing fast. But for offline mode i don't think you'll notice much of a difference.
 
orfeas0 said:
in games like starcraft the ssd helps a lot because of so many units available etc. In gaming , the ssd will help a lot in crowded place (I'm talking about MMOs, like WoW), where the hdd works a lot to write new data while the ssd is blazing fast. But for offline mode i don't think you'll notice much of a difference.
Click to expand...
exactly... a GPU is still the number one factor when determining what games can run. Any other solution is just a band-aid to the real problem. It may seem like performance has increased in some games, but a real GPU and normal 5400rpm HDD will outperform an SSD and integrated graphics.
 
gothamm said:
That is a complete falsehood. Much better load times for one.



OP: I am running a 13" 2011 MBP w/ a crucial C300 256gb. It is absolutely fantastic. Highly, highly recommended.
Click to expand...

Load times =/= gaming performance.

Another factor is that at the moment it looks like Skyrim is going to be Windows, Xbox 360, and PS3 only, with no mac port, which means you're going to have to run Windows on it to get you there (not sure if that was your intention from the start).
 
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