Macbook + WC3 + External Monitor = ?

[CaptainCaveMann]

Can anyone tell me how well (in lay terms) the macbook runs WC3 on an external monitor (19" - 22" flat Dell)?? Im in the market for a new computer and this is the set up im thinking about getting. A blackbook with external 19" Dell monitor. I dont do much gaming at all, however I do use Photoshop and iMovie regularly. My biggest concern is that the graphics chip in the Macbook will cause excessive lag while connected to an external monitor. I've seen the specs so I guess I'm just after some real world experiences from people with similar set ups. Really just hoping it blows away this 1.33 G4 ibook with 512 memory I've been using! Any advice, thoughts, or help is appreciated

 

[Freyqq]

WC3 isn't all that demanding so i think you'd be fine. I don't have a macbook so i can't be sure

 

[Igantius]

I can't see there be any worries about this - certainly, there's no user feedback that I've read to suggest any problems.

 

[thegrifman]

 

[Freyqq]

It runs pretty well on my 20" external. I have the mbp with the X1600 and I get about 29.9fps in most parts of the game at 1680x1050 but it drops down to about 24fps in populated areas of cities. I would expect it to do worse on a regular mb with the GMA950 graphics on that size external monitor. Only reason it runs better on my mbp's lcd is because of the lower resolution I would guess.

he said wc3 not wow.

 

[thegrifman]

My bad.

 

[aliquis-]

I don't know how useful this is but playing wc3 in 3on3 1024x768 all settings at mid in os x on 6800le isn't fast enough to me during big fights, or it's just that I can't find the mouse pointer, anyway I think I get a little to few fps then.

Depends on your needs thought, the first graphics card I played wc3 on where the GF2 Ultra 64MB and in 800x600 at low it was playable, but during tower defence with lots of units and towers it would lag quite a lot. And OS X is slower for games than Windows.

I don't know if 950GMA is better than that or not, but what I want to know is that it might be usable for some people with few units in 800x600 everything on low where some people want to play 1920x1200 with all effects and 4on4 with 100 food armies of casters, the later will be much more demanding

May I suggest not buying an external screen, scrap the macbook and go with cheapest MBP? It will be much better for games and you can get another screen later when you can afford it if you want to, it's harder to upgrade the macbook hardware (without buying a new one.)

(I think the box system requirements is like 400MHz cpu, 128MB ram and 32MB memory card from nvidia or ati.)

 

[Freyqq]

it'll surely run..you just might want to turn down the graphics if it's choppy is all..

 

[CaptainCaveMann]

Hmm ya this is quite disapointing to hear. Maybe I will just play WC3 on the macbook screen itself disconnected from the external monitor. Then connect it back up for regular computer tasks. What do you guys think?

 

[aliquis-]

Hmm ya this is quite disapointing to hear. Maybe I will just play WC3 on the macbook screen itself disconnected from the external monitor. Then connect it back up for regular computer tasks. What do you guys think?

I rather say connect your keyboard, mouse and screen to the macbook and close its lid, then the external screen won't waste that much vram.

But the 950GMA isn't a speedmonster anyway, but it might be better than my gf2 ultra, I don't know, and it was playable on that, but not at high res all details lots of units...