new mbp vs the (slightly) older mbp

hi, on the 17" MBP; whats the difference between santa rosa's 8600gt 256 mb and the 8600gt 512mb on the slightly-newer-peryn-equiped MBP?

is there much difference in performance? can the 8600gt actually able to utilise the 512mb ram? or is it just a gimmick?

thanks

 

There was a very minimal difference in the GDDR2 version of these cards, which made the 512mb one more a of a gimmick than anything else. However I think this is actually the first time a laptop had one with GDDR3... so we'll have to wait and see.

I think there would be an increase in performance, but nothing big. I was looking for benchmarks earlier and couldn't find any. Then again I didn't look very hard lol.

 

Everything I have read says the 8600 GT can't truely handle 512 Mb's. But it is a GDDR3 model, so I don't know if that will change anything. I have only seen GDDR2 512 models before. I think though, that the performance gain will be minimal either way.

If I were you though, I have considered this since I am looking at a MBP also, would recommend getting the 15 inch model and saving your money and adding on a Cinema Screen, as Apple calls it. That way you get a awesome laptop thats still portable, plus a large screen... Best of both worlds. You will also pay less this way.


Brandon

 

hi brandon, i already get my mbp back in october/november last year... i'm just in some sort of a buyers regret mode right now since the price also droppped and they gave you a handy cleaning cloth now (instead of the need to supply my own), though they dropped the remote control (i have more than one lying around though).

i would like to suggest to you that getting 17" model also affords you to have better cooling of the parts inside, and faster graphic card. depends on your needs though, as the size of the 17" does limit its placement, and is a bit annoying to carry 17" laptop in tight places (i only use this for my home though so i think this would not worry me that much), the weight is very light though.