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17" MBP or iMac i7 for highest resolution/framerate

Ice Dragon

Ice Dragon

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 16, 2009
989
20
I really want my next computer to be a Mac and I'm looking at various game requirements (WoW being a major one) and trying to figure what would work?

As the topic states, do I go 17" MBP (possibly even waiting for a better line) or do I go iMac i7?
 
I don't have any benchmarks or data to back it up, but I would think the i7 iMac would be a hands down better gaming machine. Although I'd wait for a more definitive response than what I just gave you ;)
 
The Core i7 would be better because of the video card. The 9600M is pretty weak compared to the 4850? that they have in the Core i7 models.
 
imac i7... i think its become my new favourite machine! its just immense. HUUGE! but immense lol.. It would probably be good to go for at least 2 years or so with the set of hardware it has in there :)

PTP
 
iMac with the Radeon 4850 every time, but have you considered the i5 as the i7 will be overkill for a lot of stuff.
 
Would the 1920x1200 offered on the 17" MBP work if it had an i5/i7 and Radeon HD 4850?

Thanks for the responses thus far.
 
Ice Dragon said:
Would the 1920x1200 offered on the 17" MBP work if it had an i5/i7 and Radeon HD 4850?

Thanks for the responses thus far.
Click to expand...

The 4850 in the iMac (old ones) can run games like Batman, COD etc at that resolution on max graphics, search iMac 4850 on Youtube and see for yourself. So yes, it probably could.
 
Thing is, I also want a SSD and the matte screen. Does anyone think the 17" will get the 4850 or better soon enough?

Thanks for the input once again.
 
It is leaning towards that but judging Blizzard on the past they generally don't have a list of heavy requirements so I might... be okay.
 
Well, wow would run superbly on both the 17" and the iMac - both at full resolution.
Starcraft 2 and Diablo 3, though? Who knows.
 
You didn't hear this from me, but windows 7 64-bit with a radeon 5850 and a core i7 860, in the parlor.

WOW is a fairly old game engine. Extra CPU helps in crowded areas over higher GPU (Hack, cough, dalaran). However, if you crank up the draw distance and texture filter and go flying, the GPU is the one that shines.
 
Thanks again. Yeah it's tough to predict the future and to settle on something that will do what you ask of it.
 
Any Mac with a dedicated GPU that was released in the last 2 years can handle WoW at max resolution and graphics flawlessly (unless we're talking about 2560x1440, in which case I don't know, but 4850 would definitely be fine)
 
eXan said:
Any Mac with a dedicated GPU that was released in the last 2 years can handle WoW at max resolution and graphics flawlessly (unless we're talking about 2560x1440, in which case I don't know, but 4850 would definitely be fine)
Click to expand...

My Ati Radeon 2400 HD begs to differ.
 
I'm with others, go with the iMac, it will have better longevity all around -- unless you need portability?

Anyways, buy a Mac because it's just that, not for how well it can play WOW.
 
Sambo110 said:
Just thought, do you play in Northrend? In normal WoW my frame rate is good, but not in Northrend.
Click to expand...

I was once running through half of Northrend on foot and back on windriders and it was fine, except for a few places where fps dropped to ~20.
 
Ice Dragon said:
What is considered an excellent framerate? 60? 100?
Click to expand...

Just about all console games run at 30 fps, if your running at that, it's fine. But if you want the best, then 60 is the best. Some games are a lot better at 60, COD4, UT3 etc, while a lot are fine at 30.
 
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