New barefeats MBP performance test

[Igantius]

http://www.barefeats.com/rosa02.html
http://www.barefeats.com/santarosa.html

INSIGHTS
The new MacBook Pro 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo with the "Santa Rosa" chipset is an incremental improvement to the previous high-end MacBook Pro C2D 2.33GHz when it comes to CPU intensive tasks. Our 3D Gaming tests showed more dramatic differences in the two MacBook Pro models thanks to the GPU upgrade.

Many of you ask if a MacBook Pro is almost as fast as a 4-core Mac Pro. The short answer is "no." As you can see from our graphs, the Mac Pro runs pro apps twice as fast as the fastest new MacBook Pro. It also has much greater memory capacity to run "hungry" apps like Photoshop and After Effects. And the potential storage capacity and speed are much greater.

With the exception of Motion (which uses the GPU to help with rendering), the 13" MacBook could actually be a useful alternative to the MacBook Pro for running pro apps. Videographers and photographers that need a small unit for field work should take note of this. BTW, we were able to expand our 13" MacBook test unit to 3GB. Apple doesn't advertise this but it works.

BTW the MacBook being tested actually had 2x2GB installed - I checked with Rob.

 

[mags631]

Who would think that a new dual-core laptop was just as fast as a four-core desktop...

I think the relative performance tests should be 2.4 versus 2.33, 2.4 verus 2.2, and 2.2 versus 2.16, 2.2 versus black macbook in (separate) CPU and GPU intensive tasks.

 

[Igantius]

Who would think that a new dual-core laptop was just as fast as a four-core desktop...

The people who emailed Rob! In all seriousness though, just take a look at any computing forum and people do ask questions, which quite a few folk might reasonably consider silly.

I think the relative performance tests should be 2.4 versus 2.33, 2.4 verus 2.2, and 2.2 versus 2.16, 2.2 versus black macbook in (separate) CPU and GPU intensive tasks.

You could always ask Rob to do this. But it’s worth remembering that the site is a labour of love and it’s not if Apple is sending him the test units.

Any reason why you wanted the black MB tested?

 

[mags631]

The people who emailed Rob! In all seriousness though, just take a look at any computing forum and people do ask questions, which quite a few folk might reasonably consider silly.


You could always ask Rob to do this. But it’s worth remembering that the site is a labour of love and it’s not if Apple is sending him the test units.

Any reason why you wanted the black MB tested?

In reading the forums, these appear to cover the questions about "which MB(P)" is best for me". The black macbook would be interesting because it will show the performance difference between the high low-end and the low high-end.

I already bought my MBP (to be delivered Monday), but these would cover most of the debate about performance differences.

I love that site, btw... I was just amused by the quote that the new laptop was not as fast as a four-core desktop.

 

[Igantius]

I love that site, btw... I was just amused by the quote that the new laptop was not as fast as a four-core desktop.

Understandably so!

In terms of MB performance, the one the black MB has 2.16GHz - so whether they were using the black or white model, the higher-end MB was being tested.