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cdrizel51

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 27, 2017
5
1
I am currently in the market to buy a new MacBook Pro. I can not decide whether or no I want non touch bar(i7 CPU) or base touch bar 13 inch. I was wondering if there will be any sort of gaming difference between these models since it seems the two CPUs are so similiar. Is there really gunna be that big of a difference between them? I plan on playing some light games such as world of tanks but mostly it will just be used as a daily driver in college.
 

Huntn

macrumors Core
May 5, 2008
23,968
27,052
The Misty Mountains
The 15" models have dedicated graphics with 2GB VRAM which would make a significant difference for top end gaming, in other words make some games playable which otherwise would not be. I'm thinking something like ARK: Survival Evolved. These are not top end gaming machines and as far as I'm concerned it's a disgrace you can pay $2400 for MBP (15") that comes with a miserly 256GB SSD. If you are casual gaming, then you can go with less. I think World of Tanks will play on the 13" model, but I have yet to test it on mine. See sig.
 

casperes1996

macrumors 604
Jan 26, 2014
7,593
5,764
Horsens, Denmark
I am currently in the market to buy a new MacBook Pro. I can not decide whether or no I want non touch bar(i7 CPU) or base touch bar 13 inch. I was wondering if there will be any sort of gaming difference between these models since it seems the two CPUs are so similiar. Is there really gunna be that big of a difference between them? I plan on playing some light games such as world of tanks but mostly it will just be used as a daily driver in college.

Games are primarily limited by GPU performance, and not CPU performance. Between the two machines you mention, the GPU performance difference is almost non-existent and only CPU performance is a difference. In other words, no gaming performance difference to speak of.

In addition, if any of them is going to run better, it's actually going to be the i5 with TouchBar, since it uses the Iris 550 and not the Iris 540 in the non-TouchBar model. The only difference there however, is 50Mhz boost clock on the GPU, from 1050 to 1100MHz.
 
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cdrizel51

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 27, 2017
5
1
Games are primarily limited by GPU performance, and not CPU performance. Between the two machines you mention, the GPU performance difference is almost non-existent and only CPU performance is a difference. In other words, no gaming performance difference to speak of.

In addition, if any of them is going to run better, it's actually going to be the i5 with TouchBar, since it uses the Iris 550 and not the Iris 540 in the non-TouchBar model. The only difference there however, is 50Mhz boost clock on the GPU, from 1050 to 1100MHz.

Okay thank you
The 15" models have dedicated graphics with 2GB VRAM which would make a significant difference for top end gaming, in other words make some games playable which otherwise would not be. I'm thinking something like ARK: Survival Evolved. These are not top end gaming machines and as far as I'm concerned it's a disgrace you can pay $2400 for MBP (15") that comes with a miserly 256GB SSD. If you are casual gaming, then you can go with less. I think World of Tanks will play on the 13" model, but I have yet to test it on mine. See sig.
Okay thank you, I am most likely gunna go with the nTB since it had better battery with minimal performance trade off.
 
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casperes1996

macrumors 604
Jan 26, 2014
7,593
5,764
Horsens, Denmark
Okay thank you, I am most likely gunna go with the nTB since it had better battery with minimal performance trade off.

Hope you'll enjoy it :). As a personal thing, I actually prefer the F keys to the TouchBar, at least of right now. I never look away from my screen when I use a computer, so having to look down at the TouchBar to use it is a bit of an inconvenience, and things like changing the volume and display brightness are done so easily and quickly with the F keys and not so with the TB. On the other hand, it works really well for Logic...
 
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