MAC HELP - How can I get amazing graphics on my Mac?

[Fenix Venom]

I've got a macbook, 4GB Ram, 2.4GHZ Processor. I see all these amazing videos of people using SL with such impressive graphics. How do I experience such I quality graphics? I lag like crazy if I drag my graphics preferences up beyond MEDIUM... but even at medium it's so awful compared to HIGH or ULTRA setting. How can I use SL smoothly with HIGH or ULTRA graphics settings?

Please don't say buy a PC... because sadly I'm sure that i the inevitable answer :matte-motes-frown:

[Peewee Musytari]

Its not whether you have a Mac or a PC, it mostly depends on how good your graphics card is.

[valerie Inshan]

As far as I have experienced it, SL will never work at its best on a Macbook, even worse if you use a wifi connection. I kept a Macbook to log in when I am away, but I am using an imac. The new imacs quadricore seem to have excellent performances and a powerful graphic card and I am considering buying one very soon. You should have a look on the Apple store.

And, no I will never tell you to buy a PC! I know what being a mac-addict is! :smileyvery-happy:

[PeterCanessa Oh]

Performance is a trade-off between detail and distance.

Best detail/shortest distance: Me > Preferences > Graphics > move slider to Ultra.  Make sure you have the 'advanced' options shown instead of just the Low - Ultra slider.  Reduce draw-distance to minimum (64m?)

By definition that restricts what you can see, but shows what you can as well as possible

[LoveAngeL Lyre]

With an ATI 4850 or 4870, or a NVIDIA 9800.

[Pedrito Ronzales]

Hey, Phenix , I will say it....... Do not buy a PC!

I dunno why they don't tell us... as far as I can tell, the "Quality & performance" slider is an attempt by the *application* to improve on the deficiencies of the machine... We don't need it!

Here's the secret and hold on to your seat:

1. Set the slider to Slow... Yes, to SLOW!!

2. Click on the button Hardware Options, it open a new small window:

3. Change the Antialiasing to 8x (if your action becomes jerky, come back and reduce it to 4x)

Now.. when you hit the Apply button, things will happen, don't get scared:

a) your application window will move to the top left corner of your monitor for a moment, then it'll go back to where it was

b) your application window will go white, psychedelic! for a moment, then...

     WOW!! amazing Mac graphics power!

Also,

4. Check Anisotropic filtering,

5. Check Enable VBO,

6. Slide Texture memory to 256 (if it's not there already,)

7. Leave Fog distance ratio at 4.0.

Click OK, that closes the Hardware setting window.

Click Apply ,and then OK, that closes the Preferences window.

Try it out... if the action becones jerky... then go back in and 

a) Uncheck the Anisotropic filtering, and/or

b) Reduce the Antialiasing to 8x or 4x

Also, in the Preferences window, play with the draw Distance slider... (higher settings increase jerkiness)

 

There! Enjoy your Mac graphics power !!