Question for Macbook (not MBP) users

[vraxtus]

How's OSX run on your machine? Specifically im looking at Core Image effects (transparencies, etc), Front Row interface, iTunes visualizers, and screen savers as well. I'm trying to get a sense of how much a lack of an onboard GPU makes a difference to the OS experience, as I've got a friend who's looking at getting a Vista capable computer - but as it's been mentioned, to even use any of the Aero effects in Vista you'll need a dedicated GPU as well. So in that regard, I'm curious how the lack of a GPU would translate in the OS X world.

Any thoughts on OS X performance on a MB?

Thanks!

 

[CrzyCanuck72]

everything runs smoothly for me...all the OS X animations & aesthetic tricks (eg. the ripples when you add a new widget) are smooth...Front Row's animations are smooth, but it lags sometimes (probably just related to the sheer amount of media on my MacBook)

 

[xJulianx]

Front Row's animations are smooth, but it lags sometimes (probably just related to the sheer amount of media on my MacBook)

The Front Row on my MacBook lags like hell, but I think thats probably more to do with the small amount of RAM in my MacBook more than anything.

 

[aristobrat]

On my 1.83ghz Core Duo MacBook, I had no problems with Core Image effects, Coverflow in iTunes, Front Row, or streaming HD trailers from Apple.com.

And FWIW, in Boot Camp, Vista's Aero "glass effect" worked perfectly fine on my MacBook.

 

[live4ever]

That's all 2D stuff the integrated graphics should handle it just fine - you'd want the RAM maxed out to 2GB since it is shared with the system.

 

[eme jota ce]

I switched from a MBP to a MacBook about 3 weeks ago. Both machines had/have 2GB RAM. I run an external monitor in extended desktop mode.

I notice absolutely no performance drop from the MBP to the MB in two screen mode, front row, Keynote, iTunes, iPhoto, or iWeb. Maybe it's the 2GB of RAM.

On advantage of the MB's video performance over the MBP's is longer battery life. It's nice to be able to finish a movie on the plane w/o battery problems.

 

[jhande]

No probs here (2G RAM), and wrt to Front Row, I couldn't figure out why it lagged sometimes.

It turned out that it periodically checks the movie directory. In my case I have a symlink to an external drive, and that would take aaages.

Other than that, It happily chugs away with two Parallels instances running most of the time.

 

[QCassidy352]

everything is silky smooth except for front row. I have neither low RAM nor a lot of media, so my guess is just that front row is laggy. It's laggy on my gf's core duo imac as well. But aside from that, the GMA 950 is more than capable of handling OS X's graphics with no stutter.

 

[vraxtus]

Thanks for the responses... may just have to take him into a store to see it for himself.

 

[holamiamigos]

everything's super smooth man.... not a lot of lag

 

[emotion]

I'm happy with the graphics performance on my c2d blackbook.

btw. it does have a GPU, just that is shares resources with the rest of the machine rather than having exclusive access to the memory like a separate card does. Ok pedant mode off

 

[vraxtus]

I'm happy with the graphics performance on my c2d blackbook.

btw. it does have a GPU, just that is shares resources with the rest of the machine rather than having exclusive access to the memory like a separate card does. Ok pedant mode off

I hardly consider Intel GMA a "GPU"... lol

 

[wetrix]

I also have the FrontRow lagging problem, which is annoying because EVERYTHING else about my macbook C2D is perfect.

Does anyone know of a widget/hack to configure FrontRow at all? I think it probably is lagging due to having too many medias. Would be great to be able to stop it updating all the time :-S

Also, I only use the video mode of front row, never iTunes or iPhoto, so when it keeps updating those libraries, it's wasting its time.

 

[aristobrat]

I hardly consider Intel GMA a "GPU"... lol

Meh, it supports Aero on Windows Vista -- that ain't half-bad.

 

[Stadsport]

I hardly consider Intel GMA a "GPU"... lol

As far as integrated GPUs go, it's pretty good. I play Guild Wars all the time on my MacBook and it runs great.

 

[redmeister]

everything has been fine on my end as well for my macbook

i would say go ahead like you said and go to the store and see for yourself side by side if you can notice any differences etc

 

[lewion]

As far as integrated GPUs go, it's pretty good. I play Guild Wars all the time on my MacBook and it runs great.

Hey me too! even on high settings ! it goes slower on my computer with gf 5700 (ok gf 5700 is bad, but it used to be good ....) Intel Gma 950 kicks ass to the gf 5 series... radeon 9600 is a no go too, gma 950 is even faster then that, so it's not bad...

 

[Poogis]

Will all the Macbooks run Vista OK? Anyone had any success?

It's just that I'm trying to convince my wife (who thinks she needs a PC) that she needs a dual booting Macbook as she's used to the whole OS X environment, but she is now in the market for a new laptop and obviously Vista comes pre-installed on the PC laptops which is one less thing to pay for.

Does anyone have any advice?

 

[irbdavid]

I suspect the lag in Front Row is due to it having to launch the relevant app in the background - e.g., quit iTunes and fire up front row and go to play a song - it will take longer because it needs to relaunch iTunes. Certainly seems that way on mine

 

[jhande]

I suspect the lag in Front Row is due to it having to launch the relevant app in the background - e.g., quit iTunes and fire up front row and go to play a song - it will take longer because it needs to relaunch iTunes. Certainly seems that way on mine

Doh! That explains why iTunes is always running - I hadn't made the connection between them (logical in retrospect).

Learn something new every day

 

[lamina]

Everything scrolls like butter on my 'old' G4 PowerBook... you should be fine.

 

[The Stig]

I have a 2.0ghz C2D MB with 2gb of ram. Everything runs fine but front row does lag sometimes, but only when I'm showing it to other people!! It works fine when I use it. When I try to show it off to others it always laggy... I know it isn't because of that, just silly because people then think it sucks . I'm just saying... yes it is laggy sometimes. With things like music and photos it helps if you open iphone or itunes before going to frontrow since it loads those programs anyway.

The Stig


P.S. in fact my MB always seems to work bad ever I try to show it off!! It must be some sort of Microsoft virus...