Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Buy a MB and with the money you saved after not purchasing the MBP buy a second display( 17inch or so big ). External Display was the wrong thing to say what I ment was second display.
 
If Apple would lift the 64MB hard-limit, and let the driver function similarly to way it does on Windows ... the softness and tearing may be less of a problem.

Do you think that this is possible and can be accomplished with a software update? Would it be retroactive for all MBs?? Why is that I see some GPUs with up to 128 shared memory...couldn't apple do this?
 
I guess what I was trying to say is that are there any limitations from using the GMA 950 or will the performance just suffer? As long as I can run all of the applications I need to speed should not be an issue because I will have access to plenty of iMacs. I'm sorry but I do not know the specs of th programs I will be running. I am visiting Iowa State this weekend for Scholars weekend and I am going to get all of this straightened out. Thanks for the responses.

I am sooo sorry to hear that you are going to Iowa St!

Go Hawks!!

:p
 
Do you think that this is possible and can be accomplished with a software update? Would it be retroactive for all MBs?? Why is that I see some GPUs with up to 128 shared memory...couldn't apple do this?

Apple could easily implement this with a driver or software update. However, it's unlikely. Apple considers the MacBook the successor to the iBook, which has always been marketed as an "entry-level" machine. By lifting the hard-limit of 64MB to "up to 224MB," Apple would open the MacBook up to surpassing the MacBook Pro's default video card memory of 128MB.

Not to mention, sucking up to 224MB of RAM from a shipping 512MB white MacBook (entry level model) would not be ideal.

Maybe with the introduction of Core Animation, Apple will reconsider the 64MB hard limit on the GMA 950.
 
It seems like very little of this advice is really useful for OP, since he hasn't even mentioned which 3-D apps he is running.

I'm sure not all 3-D apps are going to be as GPU-heavy as games, where you're always trying to max out resolution, effects, etc. while balancing frame rate.
 
The information has been very helpful actually, it has solidified my decision to get the MB instead of the MBP and save some money.

Other than someone ridiculing me for my choice of colleges just becuase he has an inferiority complex :p everyone has been helpful. Thanks alot

The only 3d applications i will be running are some crystal structure model apps and other things like that so nothing too intensive.
 
I use my macbook 2gig 2GHz with my Mirai 32" LCD.
I have noticed no problems at all on Halo or UT2003 under bootcamp.
Also cant see why there would be a problem? OSX runs photoshop and iweb on dual screen perfectly. I have my pallets on the mac and my workspace on the TV.
Its certainly a step up from my gforcemx2 on the G4 powerbook.

Sorry to derail but someone said they run Vista. Do you need any patches for this or can you install normally?
 
Well there you go. You're assuming, while I'm experiencing, and so have others on this forum.

Well if our CD MacBooks can run an external display just fine, then yes, his assumption that your C2D MacBook should run an external monitor fine as well is correct. Your MB is simply better than ours. The GMA 950 is the same, and the cpu is faster.

Maybe you're running an external monitor and your MacBook LCD simultaneously. If you are, then I guess you could experience some slowness, as the 64 MB of RAM that's usable by the GMA 950 is split into 32 MB for each monitor.


PS: I have 1.5 GB of RAM.
 
"Good" and "Bad" are relative terms.

I personally do notice the effects of the GMA 950. Particularly, when using my C2D MacBook with my HDTV in both display mirroring/spanning modes. Some video content does appear soft, and I have seen it "tear" (particularly with h.264 and MPEG-4) on occasion.

Another MacBook owner, Leo Laporte mentioned the same issue on his latest "The Tech Guy" podcast.

If Apple would lift the 64MB hard-limit, and let the driver function similarly to way it does on Windows ... the softness and tearing may be less of a problem.

Sorry for restarting this thread, but I had a question about the 64mb limitation on the GPU.

Is the limitation only while operating under OSX? If I were to use bootcamp, would it run at full capacity..is it like up 128 of shared memory?

If so, I could run the macbook in windows for when I need to use my apps, since it would probably be only 10-15% of the time.
 
Well if our CD MacBooks can run an external display just fine, then yes, his assumption that your C2D MacBook should run an external monitor fine as well is correct. Your MB is simply better than ours. The GMA 950 is the same, and the cpu is faster.

Maybe you're running an external monitor and your MacBook LCD simultaneously. If you are, then I guess you could experience some slowness, as the 64 MB of RAM that's usable by the GMA 950 is split into 32 MB for each monitor.


PS: I have 1.5 GB of RAM.
I think this thread didn't get this article linked.
 
Personally, I don't think the Intel GMA 950 is that bad. I find I can run Cinema 4D, Blender, Maya, and GimpShop just fine with just a little bit of a lag. The 950 is actually much better than I expected.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.