MacBook: a quick review
par
Gotchi
- 24/05/2006
4 - Performances
The 2.0GHz Core Duo processor powering the MacBook is a really good CPU, and I will not repeat tests or benchmarks which can be already be found on a number of sites. I will instead give comments as new user as to its differences from my experience with iBook and PB. Everything is fast and fluid with the new MacBook, even though boosting the RAM over 512MB and installing a 7200 rpm HD would certainly improve performance. Apple has made such upgrades now accessible to almost all users. When using the MacBook for non 3D applications, I do not see any differences between its shared-memory GPU and my PB 15" with its dedicated Radeon 9700 Mobility. All visual effects common to MacOSX work smoothly on both the MacBook display as well on my 23" Cinema Display HD via the now natively supported extended desktop option.
Since I am not a hardcore gamer, at least not with a computer (I prefer playing games on my PSP or on a game console), I did not intend to test the GMA950 with 3D games; as mentioned before, other websites have already done it. But I decided to test the MacBook for playing HD video; and the conclusion was surprising and straight forward: the PB with its dedicated GPU was slower than the MacBook and its shared-memory GPU. This was a real surprise for me after having heard and read so many negative comments about the GMA950. It is of course not as good as a Radeon X1600, but it is doing as good of a job as we would expect for an entry level notebook.
The video HD playback via an video projector is simply amazing, even though I did have the appropriate HDMI-DVI to get access to the highest resolution supported by my video projector, when using 1280x768 in VGA, the image quality was very nice.
Although the MacBook can play HD video without problem, you can put it on its knees by moving the video position forward and backward quickly; QuickTime even crashed several times in those extreme conditions. But beside this point, HD video playback (1080p) was smooth.
So in summary, the MacBook is an entry level notebook, does its job properly, but one should not expect to use it as a hardcore gamer machine, it is not meant to be used for such purposes; one should then buy a MB Pro if mobility is required, or even better an iMacIntel
The 2.0GHz Core Duo processor powering the MacBook is a really good CPU, and I will not repeat tests or benchmarks which can be already be found on a number of sites. I will instead give comments as new user as to its differences from my experience with iBook and PB. Everything is fast and fluid with the new MacBook, even though boosting the RAM over 512MB and installing a 7200 rpm HD would certainly improve performance. Apple has made such upgrades now accessible to almost all users. When using the MacBook for non 3D applications, I do not see any differences between its shared-memory GPU and my PB 15" with its dedicated Radeon 9700 Mobility. All visual effects common to MacOSX work smoothly on both the MacBook display as well on my 23" Cinema Display HD via the now natively supported extended desktop option.
Since I am not a hardcore gamer, at least not with a computer (I prefer playing games on my PSP or on a game console), I did not intend to test the GMA950 with 3D games; as mentioned before, other websites have already done it. But I decided to test the MacBook for playing HD video; and the conclusion was surprising and straight forward: the PB with its dedicated GPU was slower than the MacBook and its shared-memory GPU. This was a real surprise for me after having heard and read so many negative comments about the GMA950. It is of course not as good as a Radeon X1600, but it is doing as good of a job as we would expect for an entry level notebook.
The video HD playback via an video projector is simply amazing, even though I did have the appropriate HDMI-DVI to get access to the highest resolution supported by my video projector, when using 1280x768 in VGA, the image quality was very nice.
Although the MacBook can play HD video without problem, you can put it on its knees by moving the video position forward and backward quickly; QuickTime even crashed several times in those extreme conditions. But beside this point, HD video playback (1080p) was smooth.
So in summary, the MacBook is an entry level notebook, does its job properly, but one should not expect to use it as a hardcore gamer machine, it is not meant to be used for such purposes; one should then buy a MB Pro if mobility is required, or even better an iMacIntel
