Best GPU for DJ purposes

Hello. My dad is a DJ and wants to upgrade to a newer Macbook Pro model. His new job will involve him using iTunes and other mixing software which would be controlling his audio hardware, while at the same time sending music video output to a few other televisions.

Right now his GPU choices include the AMD 6750M 1GB and Nvidia GT 650M 512MB.

My question is, is GPU speed or VRAM more important in his case? He won't be gaming, he just wants to be able to do what I detailed smoothly and without lag. I know the 650M is faster, but because he can only get the 512MB model, he will have half as much VRAM as he would if he got the 6750M.

 

Do you have a budget in mind? Does the difference consist of more than just the GPU? Generation matters, as a newer generation should also have a faster/more effective processor.

The top things that help with 'DJ'ing are SSDs and a fast processor.

The GPU matters very little, depending on if he's outputting the music videos from the laptop or another system, in high def or standard def, and if he has an external box to replicate each screen. (So he sends the video to a single box, that splits the same single image to many monitors)

Even if it's from the laptop, high def, and you're driving three daisy-chained screens, I don't think it'll matter nearly as much as processor power and SSD.

 

Neither. CPU and SSD are more important for doing music work. If you're also wanting to drive multiple simultaneous displays, the best Mac solution would be a 15-inch Retina model. With two Thunderbolt ports and HDMI, you can run up to three external monitors and the built-in screen at the same time.

 

The Intel HD 4000 IGP would be able to output music videos and music animations (such as the ones built into iTunes) without issues. My 15" MBP does that all the time with just the Intel IGP, it rarely switches over to the 650M even when I am outputting to both my MBP's internal display and my 1080p 23" monitor (via mini displaylink to DVI). The only time it really switches over to the Nvidia 650M is when I am gaming (mainly older games such as GTA San Andreas), that's only if I am playing while plugged in too. Otherwise the Intel HD graphics are able to play the game just fine at my MBP's native resolution (the 650M turns on when playing older games at 1080p though).

It all depends on your Dad's setup though and how many monitors he wants to output to using his Mac. Is he fine with outputting to a single receiver and having that mirror everything to multiple monitors? If so, a MacBook Air would be fine for him (I don't recommend the 13" MacBook Pro Retina since it is highly overpriced and performance is still lacking). He would need a 15" MBPr if he wanted to output to morn than one display natively without the use of additional equipment.

 

He is looking at used models, and his budget is preferably at or under $1000. I told him that while the GPU matters, if he is going to upgrade to a better Macbook Pro it makes sense to skip the i5 and get a model with an i7. His current Macbook Pro has a Core 2 Duo and Nvidia 9400 graphics card.

He tells me that while his laptop works well for what he needs it do to, but the components heat up past a point that he is comfortable with (past 70C with his Core 2 Duo during shows). He wants something that has enough headroom so things won't get so hot, and so there is less of a chance for failure.

 

not so much

 

I'm not trying to be 'that Apple hater' here, but you're going to have a hard time doing anything CPU intensive for hours on end and keeping it cool to the touch. How CPU intensive it would be can't really be judged, because it depends on a lot of factors, such as the quality/compression of the music, amount of applications running while DJing, and quality of the music videos being pushed.

Is a cheaper and more powerful iMac out of the question?

There's a June 2012 13.3 inch MBP w/ dual core 2.5ghz i5 and integrated 4000 in the refurb store for $1000 even, and that would probably do the job.

There's also a Fall 2012 21.5 inch iMac w/ quad core 2.7ghz i5 and 640m in the refurb store for $1049, and it would beat the pants off the MBP, and stay much cooler.

 

Since the Nvidia 9400 fits his graphical needs, anything with an Intel HD 3000 and above will be perfectly fine (Mac or not). I highly suggest looking at a 13" MacBook Air. The CPU will be fine, it comes with built-in SSD so no need for an aftermarket upgrade, it is extremely portable, has extremely long battery life, and the baseline 13" MBA (which would more that suite his graphical and processing needs since both are an upgrade over what he is currently running) starts at $1100 ($1050 through the education store, Microcenter is selling them for $1000 right now). It can be purchased for $1140 with 8GB of RAM from the education store (you just need a valid ID to shop in-store). With the 13" MBA/MBP, it doesn't make any sense to go with an i7 CPU over the i5 version. Both are going to be dual-core and offer similar performance. The i7 variants can over clock more than the i5 versions but that is really only when the system is using one CPU core. The only time it really makes sense to upgrade to an i7 processor is when going from a dual-core Core i5 to a quad-core i7. Other than that, the Core i5 13" MBA is going to provide enough performance for your Dad and the i7 version isn't going to be much of a noticeable upgrade (at least not near enough to justify the price).

Don't get sucked into getting an i7 dual-core processor. I did that back in 2011 with the 13" MacBook Pro. I went with the i7 CPU instead of the i5 version. I didn't notice any added performance over my friend's 13" MBP which had a Core i5 CPU. Programs were opened at the same time, MATLAB code would take the same amount of time to execute, etc. The only time mine pulled ahead was when I was encoding a ripped DVD. It would take 30 minutes instead of 40 minutes.

 

you won't find it. Any model you find, when pushing the CPU, your going to get that hot or hotter. 70 C is nothing... that is rather cool. Core 2 Duos are rated for max operating temp to be 105C. Even any newer one you get will run in the 70s and 80s with moderate to high CPU use. Pushing the CPU really hard will get to the 90s. Hours on end of 70s to 80 will not noticeably affect the life of your computer due to heat issues.

 

Currently using 2013 13` Air i7 and as expected it stays very cool and absolutely noiseless. I am musician and DJ by profession and use now the Air instead of 2011 15` MBP for both concerts and DJ jobs. The only time it gets hot is when rendering video but it is not really meant for it, it is obviously slower than quad i7 MBP. There is hardly any difference rendering music production (DAW) projects, same display real estate like 15` but smaller size is advantage for DJs, as there is always little space in DJ booths. Also the display is brighter than of MBP, another advantage for DJs. The Haswell makes difference regarding temps but even previous Air i7 model will work fine with Traktor, Serato or Ableton Live.

 

+1 here. I recently recommended the same machine for someone on a similar budget - I still use the 2010 model of this air and it handles everything I've thrown at it.

 

He ended up buying a model with a dual core i7 and Nvidia 330M. I think it should be cooler, and it definitely covers all performance needs. .

One funny thing is that I myself thought and thus told him that all i7 processors are always quad core, and that if you are going to upgrade the laptop get an i7 to make it worth it and not an i5. When I found out that isn't the case I was very surprised. It seems like a marketing scam that the 1st gen mobile i7s were dual core. I bet many people were pissed after buying their laptops and looking at their core count.

 

Intel still makes dual-core i7 CPUs, both in full wattage and low power varieties. They're offered as upgrades in the 13-inch classic and Retina MacBook Pro as well as other small notebooks.

The MBP your dad got is a 2010 model with the first-generation mobile i7. Unfortunately, those notebooks have a reputation for having bad GPUs, a la the GeForce 8600M GT debacle from a few years ago. Apple even extended the warranty to three years for these models if you've been affected by this problem.

MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2010): Intermittent black screen or loss of video

 

But his GPU is a 330M. Unless both the 8600M and 330M had those issues?

 

Did you not see the link I posted right above?