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Questions about a Macbook
Written By cadudecastroalves on Apr. 23, 2008.
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Hi people.
I've been making some researches about buying (or not) a Macbook. The model that I can buy has the following specifications:
- 2.4 ghz Intel Core 2 Duo
- 160 GB HD
- 2 GB RAM
- Graphics processor w/ 144 MB shared w/ main memory
- see full information here
So, here in Brazil, I can buy notebooks with similar specifications spending less money (about US$ 500) and lots of these models have more graphics memory (256 MB or more, better than Intel X3100).
Something that bothers me is the low graphics processor memory. I'd like to be able to play some games like Need For Speed (Carbon or Pro Street).
To work, I run simultaneously Photoshop, Firefox (w/ at least 5 opened tabs), MSN Messenger, Google Talk and an audio player (on Windows, I use Winamp or WMP).
So, I'd like your opinions about this.
Thanks in advance and sorry if I made some English mistakes.
Ozone42
Written Apr. 23, 2008 / Report /
The graphics card memory is hardly ever a factor, the chipset absolutely is.
For work, you won't be disappointed in the least. I run the 2.0 ghz model with the older 950 chipset on graphics and I have never felt it as lacking with those apps + more open (though safari is drastically better than firefox performance wise.)
If you want to play games, you want a macbook pro.
gp
Written Apr. 23, 2008 / Report /
As Ozone says for games a Macbook Pro is the way to go.
I run a 2.2 GHz Macbook with the GMA X3100 but bumped the RAM up to 4GB. It handles Photoshop, Safari, Firefox and MSN concurrently with no issues. I also run vmware for Vista, XP and Ubuntu, and noticed the increased RAM made a big difference for that.
cadudecastroalves
Written Apr. 24, 2008 / Report /
Playing games isn't my main objective, but I'd like to play that games sometimes. If this model do this well, it's ok.
I saw some movies at Youtube about users running games like NFS Carbon, Counter Strike and so on. I don't care if that games don't run very well, with high definition graphics, etc. I'd just like to run that games in a way that I can play them satisfactorily.
shadeofgray
Written Apr. 24, 2008 / Report /
We have a MBP and we play WOW with no problems. So yeah I agree go with a MBP for games.