When you install windows you lose GPU switching - it is not an option with Apple's drivers or anyone else's. The link I posted requires about 1 min of reading a 10 min of work. I guess that is too much work for you?
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Alienware M14x or 15" MBP for graphic intensive gaming?
- Thread starter NateEssex
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When you install windows you lose GPU switching - it is not an option with Apple's drivers or anyone else's. The link I posted requires about 1 min of reading a 10 min of work. I guess that is too much work for you?
Presumably if someone was buying a MBP, they would want to be able to game under both OSX and Windows via their own choice. Especially with Steam pushing Mac+Win licenses and more companies supporting both. Obviously Windows is the leading OS for gaming, but OSX gaming is an option.
+1 For the Alienware MX14 over the MBP...
Though if it were me I'd be going for the newer HP Envy with the 2GB 7970M BTO option (they've been released in the last few weeks).
Though if it were me I'd be going for the newer HP Envy with the 2GB 7970M BTO option (they've been released in the last few weeks).
The ENVY is currently capped at the HD 7690M (HD 6770M) and the XT variant does not appear to be that much better.
FWIW, the Envy 15.6" and 17" are the models that have the HD 7690M. It appears the 14 doesn't, but I can't remember if the 14" model was even part of the new updated models. Don't think it was.
True about it's a re-badged 6770M but 2GB for the GPU is a good thing for gaming. My mistake on the number, so darn many of them to remember that isn't always reflective of performance...
As I did say the new ENVY has been released for sale within the last few weeks... The card is pretty new but the benchmarks look pretty good.
lol like the 6770/7690 has the power to utilise that 2gb! Another one sucked in by the marketing of more = better
GPU switching is very much an option with Windows drivers. I can't speak for Apple as my MBP doesn't have the dual graphics cards, but my Dell has a 6630m + IIG, and I can most certainly switch between the two. I'm using my IIG right now, and come a few hours from now I will most certainly be using my 6630m for Skyrim.
My understanding is that nVidia's solution is even sweeter, as they use a database to determine, based off of running apps, what graphics card to use.
More == better when it comes to using higher resolution textures. I'm not saying that more gigs is better than a faster card, but video card vram is still moderately low enough that you can max it out on newer, better looking games.
+1
I used to be big alienware fan but they have dumbed down their machines and its just not worth it anymore.
Yep, like the 6950 cards are available in 1 GB and 2GB, and there is no difference unless on demanding games at high resolutions. 900p or 1050 by 1650 is not going to require 2 GB vram.
Absolutely no difference at 1920 x 1080 or 1920 by 1200 and 4x AA
http://www.hwcompare.com/6216/radeon-hd-6950-vs-radeon-hd-6950-2gb/
Need higher resolutions which are not in mpb or mx14.
never mind that the 6950 is much faster than 6770m.
I'd like to say that I love MacBook, but you also have to admit that just for games, allienware or other WinBooks are the better choice.
Why?
I have owned a m14x, m17x and mbp17 2011. I ended up selling the alienwares and keeping the MBP. It performs as well as the m14x in all games I tested but has:
Better screen
Better build quality
Less weight
Decent magsafe power adapter instead of a house brick
OSX
Decent battery life
Less fan noise on idle and gaming
Now if all you care about is games then yes the m17x performs better but I hated lugging it around (4.5kg for laptop and psu).
Ｗow...so I think you've got the answer. Anyway, games for mac are far less than for windows and much older. Such as Call of Duty now is available for its ModrnWarfare 3 but there is still a COD4 for mac os. The variety got to be a factor of considering . Again, I love MacBook so much!