Will the New MBA's Have A Weaker GPU?

[rmbrown09]

Like the MBP 13" line, it went from what we have now (a GT 330m) to HD 3000 Intel integrated graphics. These bench weaker than the previous gen Nvidia counter part.

Could we see weaker GPU's? I already have a hard enough time playing Portal and CSS. Obviously i5's and i7's are in the next lot, but without a decent GPU, I am going to be very sad.

 

[alust2013]

The HD3000 in the MBPs is almost exactly the same as the 320m it replaced. However in the lower voltage chips, it has reduced clocks, so it's possible that the GPU would be a bit weaker.

 

[MultiFinder17]

Yes, the graphics may take a wee bit of a hit, but the tradeoff will be for vastly superior CPU performance. For further information, please see one of the dozens of existing threads on this topic.

 

[amarcus]

Yes.

 

[mayhone1]

Maybe but if it happens i'm sure we'll have something better in the trade off!

 

[Stuart in Oz]

Going from memory of reviews I've read, but doesn't the new HD3000/Core i combination shift most video processing tasks onto dedicated hardware for the first time?

ie: Gaming performance may well take a hit but video playback, encoding and transcoding are supposed to be significantly improved in speed with reduced power consumption? Which covers by far the most common graphics-intensive operations most people undertake.

 

[BENJMNS]

fellas, it's going to be meet or exceed current specs i guarantee it

 

[halledise]

Like the MBP 13" line, it went from what we have now (a GT 330m) to HD 3000 Intel integrated graphics. These bench weaker than the previous gen Nvidia counter part.

Could we see weaker GPU's? I already have a hard enough time playing Portal and CSS. Obviously i5's and i7's are in the next lot, but without a decent GPU, I am going to be very sad.

buy a 15" MBPro and be happy

 

[karlth]

ie: Gaming performance may well take a hit but video playback, encoding and transcoding are supposed to be significantly improved in speed with reduced power consumption? Which covers by far the most common graphics-intensive operations most people undertake.

I think you'll find that the most graphic-intensive operations most people undertake is game playing. Video playback doesn't really stress the newer cpus if that is all you are doing.

 

[Oppressed]

Keep in mind the driver support for the 320m is much better than the IG3000.

 

[JusChexin]

Keep in mind the driver support for the 320m is much better than the IG3000.

Out of total ignorance/curiosity, is it possible that updated drivers could be issued/developed in the future or are the current drivers for the IG3000 as good as it gets for that integrated GPU?

 

[Oppressed]

Out of total ignorance/curiosity, is it possible that updated drivers could be issued/developed in the future or are the current drivers for the IG3000 as good as it gets for that integrated GPU?

I'm sure drivers will develop with time, but that is only half the battle. The companies who make the programs have to make their programs work well with Intel IGP. This is something that doesn't have much support in the past, and it has mostly been with nVidia and AMD. Although now that Intel is shoving their IGP down people's throats then these companies will have to adapt.