New MacBook Pro's Dedicated AMD Graphics Chips Are 'Significantly' Faster and Support Dual 5K Displays (macrumors.com)
Whereas Apple's new 13-inch MacBook Pros feature integrated Iris Pro graphics, the 15-inch MacBook Pros feature dedicated AMD graphics, resulting in significant performance improvements over previous MacBook Pro models. Ars Technica's Andrew Cunningham found the Radeon Pro 455 graphics chip in particular to be a "significant boost" over the dedicated GPUs available in the 2012-2015 MacBook Pro models, such as the Nvidia GeForce GTX 650M, Nvidia GeForce GTX 750M, and AMD Radeon R9 M370X. MacRumors reports: AMD's Polaris-based Radeon Pro 450, Radeon Pro 455, and built-to-order Radeon Pro 460 GPUs in the new 15-inch MacBook Pro support up to six displays, whereas Intel's integrated GPUs affixed to the logic board can drive a total of three displays. The expanded support enables the new MacBook Pro to drive two of Apple and LG's new UltraFine 5K displays at 60Hz simultaneously. Intel's GPUs can't because, due to bandwidth limitations of the DisplayPort 1.2 spec, the two 5K displays technically function as four displays. This method is known as Multi-Stream Transport (MST). Apple could have used Nvidia's faster Pascal-based GPUs, which support DisplayPort 1.3, but Thunderbolt 3 and most monitors do not support the higher-bandwidth spec yet. In the meantime, Nvidia's GPUs can only drive up to three displays beyond the main MacBook Pro screen -- not enough for dual 5K displays over MST. Apple officially says the 15-inch MacBook Pro offers up to 130% faster graphics performance, and up to 2.5x more computing power per watt, compared to the previous-generation 15-inch MacBook Pro, but those stats are based on the built-to-order Radeon Pro 460 chip that costs between $100 and $200 extra.
TRUMP TRUMP TRUMP!!!
The wireless also cuts out when you have USB devices plugged in. Why aren't you Apple cocksuckers mentioning that?
I don't even have one 4K display.
Maybe I should wait for an 11K?
the Radeon Pro 455 graphics chip in particular to be a "significant boost" over...the Nvidia GeForce GTX 650M, Nvidia GeForce GTX 750M, and AMD Radeon R9 M370X
I bet it is also a lot faster than the graphics on my 1980's BBC Model B too but that's not really a useful comparison is it? It it were not better than the GPUs in machines which are at least 18 months old it would be pretty pathetic. How about the comparison to the new nVidia 10-series mobile GPUs that new non-Mac laptops are getting?
It also has 0x more RAM. How else would they sell bigger SSDs for long-lasting thrashing...
is a great gaming laptop?
maybe they need to rebrand..
The problem with slashdot is that most of its users were bullied and stuffed into lockers as kids!
New dedicated graphics chips are faster than integrated ones and dedicated chips that are 4 and 3 generations older. What amazing news!
over nvidia's pascal-based chips, which easily surpasses anything amd has now or has in the pipeline.
apple could have been a featured launch partner for nvidia's newest mobile chips.. the timing would have been about right.
The older 650m, 750m, and M370X were all mid-tier laptop GPUs when released, and passed on to low-tier within a year even though Apple kept selling them for 2-3 years. Benchmarks for the 455 aren't in yet, but it's expected to come in around the 950m or 960m. Which leaves the MBP dedicated GPUs a distant runner up against laptops equipped with a 970m or 980m. It'll fall even further behind the newer 1060m-1080m when they're released, and Apple doesn't update the MBP GPU for 2-3 years as per the pattern.
The problem stems from Apple's insistence on using a unibody aluminum chassis without any vent holes. That traps hot air inside (the superior heat-conducting properties of metal make no difference when there's an insulating layer of air between the hot components and the chassis). That makes the MBP designs extremely heat-constrained. They're already using special Intel quad core CPUs with a 25W TDP instead of the regular 45W TDP. And the GPU is limited to about a 35W TDP while other laptops use GPUs with up to a 120W TDP.
MacBook Pros always shipped with GT graphics cards not GTX. There is a huge difference in performance between the two. Think 1/2 the clock rate of the ALREADY Mobile GTX 750M
It's hilarious, Apple keeps shoving dogshit like AMD graphics hardware in to their computers and then tries to call it "premium".
5 years and only a 130% improvement in graphics processing. Moore's Law is dead.
Newer, more powerful GPU offers superior performance compared to old ones!
More at 11.
Many people don't understand that apple sacrifices graphics performance for better battery life and cooler and more silent machines. MBP lovers don't care about GPU's. They care their MBP to run silent and not too hot.
That is unforgivable.
never mind the GPU options,
but with quad core CPUs basically extinct except in gaming laptops (with unusable battery life and durability) and mobile workstations (exceeding apple prices), the MacbookPro seems a cheap option to get a good quad core machine (e.g., compared to lenovo P-series).
I'm about to buy a 15" MacBook pro because I have to and I need to dual boot linux. Does anyone know if the new touch strip will work with linux?
Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
get more than one external monitor to work on our new MacBooks. What dongles do I need to support two external monitors? I bought a dozen of the $50 USB-C to HDMI dongles ($600 total!):
http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MJ1K2AM/A/usb-c-digital-av-multiport-adapter
But we've only been able to get one work at the time. I need to connect two external monitors.
Too right!
>.the Nvidia GeForce GTX 650M, Nvidia GeForce GTX 750M
These are seriously old chips. A laptop with a GTX 950M is the lowest acceptable for any gaming PC and won't give high framerates. A GTX 965M is decent, and from there it gets better. Seriously laptop gamers will go for a GTX 980M. On desktops a GTX 1060 is the lowest you'll want to go, with GTX 1080 top of the line.
The 650M and 750M are seriously prehistoric GPUs which I doubt you could even find in a modern laptop they are so old. So why are they being used as a benchmark for this?
Apple have convinced the latte-sipping hipsters to pay top dollar for low performance PCs with cheap chiclet keyboards. Fucking morons.
I mean, you only need a simple GPU to view youtube and have nice window animations. For gaming none of them are good enough.
How can AMD beat Intel if Intel's limitation if from Displayport 1.2 bandwith limit? Later in the paper, Displayport 1.3 is ruled out because of low adoption, so where is the AMD trick?
Interest rates are already going up so you'd best purchase your dream machine now if you are buying on credit. A year from now credit card interest rates will be as high as they ever have been regardless of how good your credit score is.
Let me know know when it can do 1080P gaming from beyond 2010 Applefan boys!
What a joke as the 450 is about as bad as integrated graphics. They lost all credibility as I am sure it can not do anything that Apple says as they are so horrible and slower than the 2013 low end PS4/xbox graphics and they want to do 5k editing!!??
Why couldn't they updated the graphics. Shoot even the AMD Rx 460 the highest end one is easily beaten by a superior $80 Nvidia 1050 (non ti).
http://saveie6.com/
It supports up to six 5k displays...over its four ports.
The 650M, 750M, etc are 3 and 4 GPU generations old. Of course a new AMD card is faster.
DERP
*disclaimer: not pro Nvidia or AMD, just anti-Apple never getting on the damn GPU bandwagon
If you don't need Mac OSX, there are plenty of nice Linux laptops out there... DELL even makes some...
Considering it's a brand new machine, I would *expect* that the GPU would be better.
Also considering that the base model starts at three freaking grand, I expect that GPU to be even be able to play Crysis at max settings!
Do you think Dell, etc. would ever have the guts to put a mid-level graphics card in their their high-end, "pro" laptops?
Once again, Apple shows how courageous they are.