Buying a new laptop for sl advise ( macbook )

[JamieLynnPotter]

Ok so I had a mackbook pro that was about 2 years old and it ran SL fine. last week I spilled a cup of coffee on it :S and well  - its DEAD now.

 

I am considering buying this macbook pro please look at specs and tell me your opinion. I am not that computer savy so any help would be great. It looks lie I can upgrade the ram by putting two 4 gb ram in to upgrade it ? making it total 8gb ram??

Here are the specs:
2.53GHz Intel Core i5
15.4-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display (1440 x 900 pixel)
4GB (2 x 2GB) of 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM
500GB Serial ATA @ 5400 rpm
8x double-layer SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M graphics processor with 256MB of GDDR3 memory

OSX Lion is also installed as well as Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook and Power point.

[Blaze Nielsen]

Don't give up on your macbook so fast. spilled fluids can zap a keyboard fast, possibly a repair shop just needs to replace that. If you have an apple store available, I'd take it in for them to look at it.

[JamieLynnPotter]

yes its going in for repair but i was planning on buy another anyhoo ... just wanted thoughts on the specs I gave ...

[JamieLynnPotter]

btw I have bought a few items form u lol

[Nalates Urriah]

It all sounds good except got the video memory. 256mb is a very small amount of video memory. You'll want 1 to 3 gb of GDDR.

You will be able to use SL with 256mb of video ram.

[JamieLynnPotter]

if i get this laptop should I be able to upgrade this? as far as upping the video memory ?

[Void Singer]

if SL is the question, laptop should never be the first answer.

[Deej Kasshiki]

I agree with Void 100% and that's coming from a guy who owns a year old MacBook Pro with very similar specs to the one you're considering. I use a desktop as my primary method to access SL because there just aren't any portables (even the expensive so-called "gaming" models) that can handle SL well. They just flat out don't have enough physical space inside the case to support a very powerful graphics processor. They also have power limitations (they have to be power frugal so they can run on a battery and powerful graphics chips are very power hungry). These forums are full of people complaining about the poor performance of SL on portables.

If you absolutely have your heart set on a portable at least step up to the higher end 15" MacBook Pro that has more video RAM and spring for the 7200-RPM hard drive too, if that's still offered as an upgrade. Get the best specs you can afford now because, like most portables, the MacBook Pro can't be upgraded later (with the exception of the hard drive and main memory).

My MacBook Pro does a decent job but "decent" means getting 20 or so FPS rendering a moderately complex scene, like a store with lots of sculpted objects. My desktop under similar conditions gets upwards of 60 FPS.

[Jo Yardley]

How about a desktop Mac?

How do they perform?

I use a regular macbook and I manage, but as my entire house is decorated in 1930s style I really don't want a big desktop somewhere.

[Orca Flotta]

NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M graphics processor with 256MB of GDDR3 memory <-- that! :smileysad:

[Void Singer]

@Jo

you could always go with a pc and use a custom built case made of wood (dress it up like a radio or somesuch).... the extra noise dampening of wood will help with the required extra cooling (wood having a lower thermal transfer rate).

I'm not sure you can do the same with a Mac, at least not an expect warranty service =X

[JamieLynnPotter]

ok what about this one ???

BETTER??

 

• 2.2GHz quad-core
  Intel Core i7
• 4GB 1333MHz
• 750GB 5400-rpm1
• Intel HD Graphics 3000
• AMD Radeon HD 6750M with 1GB GDDR5
• Built-in battery (7 hours)2

[JamieLynnPotter]

I also blan on upgrading to 8 gb ram

[Orca Flotta]

AMD Radeon HD 6750M with 1GB GDDR5

Yes, although I'm not a fan of ATi GPUs this sounds much better. Still a laptop and not really suggested. The mobile versions never reach the potential of the namesake desktop components. If you really must have a laptop look for a gaming machine, Dell's XPS and Alienware, some MSI and ASUS machines come to mind. But in the case of ASUS don't expect good build quality.

Here's an alternative for you on how to integrate desktop hardware into your late period steampunk home:

http://www.goddesssophiawalker.com/wordpress/2010/11/03/now-this-is-how-steampunk-is-done/

[Dana Dielli]

Spend another $50 and upgrade that 750GB HDD @ 5400 rpm, to 750GB at 7200 rpm.  In my opinion, you'll be fine after that.

---

JamieLynnPotter wrote:

ok what about this one ???

BETTER??

 

• 2.2GHz quad-core
  Intel Core i7
• 4GB 1333MHz
• 750GB 5400-rpm
  1
• Intel HD Graphics 3000
• AMD Radeon HD 6750M with 1GB GDDR5
• Built-in battery (7 hours)
  2

---

 

[Dion Maximus]

STRONGLY agree-get the Radeon 6750 graphics processor. I have the Intel 3000 (only) one, and there are 3 problems with it.

1. It doesn;t have dedicated graphics memory-and on a laptop, theres no way to add or change that.

2. The Intel 3000 has just barely enough grpahics power to run sl-noticeable difference (BAD difference) betwen the Intel 3000 and a THREE YEAR OLD Macbook Pro with low end graphiocs processor-the 3000 system rezzes things MUCH slower.

3. It comes with LIon (10.7). This seems to be a temporary problem-SL never seems to notice when a new Mac OS is released until waay after its been out-they say Apple doesn't have good drivers (somewhat true), Apple says SL needs to program for what Apple makes if they claim its "compatible"-since its no mystery what harware they have-also true. And after awhile, upadtes come out and it works fine. SHRUG.

I know, this is all geeky talk, bottom line, the Radeon discreet graphics system is WAY better for SL and all graphics "stuff".

In my opinion, the faster drive won't help you with SL, although it is very nice. : )