Upgrade from PC to Mac: 13" vs 15" about display card

Hi. I want to upgrade my computer. One of the criteria is the performance of Logos. I want to make sure Logos will perform not worse than my current combination:

The current computer is a PC, have Logos PC version on it:

Asus K52Jr

Intel i5 430M (Dual core four thread, 2.26 GHz)

4GB RAM

ATI Mobility Radeon HD5470 1GB RAM

500GB 7200 rpm HDD

~2.5kg

I want to upgrade to newest MBP. I have two models in my mine:

13" model:

2.7 GHz i7 dual core

4GB RAM

128GB SSD

Intel HD Graphics 3000, share 384MB RAM from main RAM

2.04kg

15" model:

2.0GHz i7 quad core

128GB SSD

AMD Radeon HD 6490M with 256MB GDDR5 memory

2.54kg

I am quite sure both these models should perform better than my own computer now.

But my concern is which one to pick. I want to have 13" model mainly because it is lighter (half a kg lighter) so it is easier to bring it to Church (less tendency to get lazy). But I am worried about the display card. I heard from this forum before that Logos 4 post some tough requirement on the performance of the display card. So I wonder if the on board display card sharing the on board memory on the 13" model would perform significantly worst than the 15" model which has a dedicated display card with its own memory.

What do you think?

Thanks.

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Comments

mab

You really do want a separate card for graphics on Logos. Yes, you can probably bear it without it, but I don't think you will be completely happy with it. The alternative is to pack more RAM into your purchase which can help in every way overall with or without the discrete card. 8GB is really the way to go.

The 13 inch is a great machine. If you can find someone who can put a discrete card in it, than it would be a no-brainer. It's the lack of a card that is a deal breaker IMHO.

Kolen Cheung

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/248618#Comment_248618

You really do want a separate card for graphics on Logos. Yes, you can probably bear it without it, but I don't think you will be completely happy with it. The alternative is to pack more RAM into your purchase which can help in every way overall with or without the discrete card. 8GB is really the way to go.

The 13 inch is a great machine. If you can find someone who can put a discrete card in it, than it would be a no-brainer. It's the lack of a card that is a deal breaker IMHO.

Thanks. Disappointed to hear that but it is also expected. Since Logos 4 launched last year I bought the computer I am using solely for Logos 4. Very interestingly, I need to buy a 'game station' in the common sense. Well, good that Logos 4 is my game and I can play the game (with God) everyday.

Questions again: for the 15" model, there are two options, one of it has 256MB RAM for the AMD (ATI) display card and another one has 1GB RAM. Do you think 256MB is enough? Or I should say, do you think a 256MB RAM display card is a great improvement over the on board 384MB shared memory display?

Thanks!

Kolen Cheung

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/248660#Comment_248660

Hi. I also see that the Macbook Pro with AMD display card has a function called 'automatic graphics switching'. I wonder if the Logos 4 will 'triger' the Macbook Pro to use the real display card or will it stay with the on board Intel display card only.

Thanks.

By the way, anyone try to run Logos 4 on Macbook Pro 13"? Will it be sluggish in terms of graphics?

Thanks.

Sorry, I find the answer here:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4110

Keep Smiling 4 Jesus :)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/248681#Comment_248681

Hi. I also see that the Macbook Pro with AMD display card has a function called 'automatic graphics switching'. I wonder if the Logos 4 will 'triger' the Macbook Pro to use the real display card or will it stay with the on board Intel display card only.

Thanks.

By the way, anyone try to run Logos 4 on Macbook Pro 13"? Will it be sluggish in terms of graphics?

Forum discussions may be helpful => Question for Macbook Pro owners , Need Advice to Purchase a New Macbook Pro , and 2011 Macbook Pro owners

Wiki page Logos 4 Mac includes: "Logos 4 is resource intensive on Mac & PC – benefits from fast processor, graphics, and disk along with adequate memory (i.e. newer hardware since Logos 4 being designed for use over 5 to 8 years)."

Keep Smiling [:)]

Kolen Cheung

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/248688#Comment_248688

Thanks for the reading! I will read them all soon.

Kolen Cheung

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/248693#Comment_248693

I read from those posts and this is helpful:

"Thanks for the replies. So my take is the 15" MBP dedicated graphics card offers no real performance gains over the integrated graphics and the performance gains offered by the quad core versus dual core are mostly realized during indexing which happens primarily once after installation of Logos 4. If anyone disagrees with this assessment, please chime in. Thanks again!"

So I think I will stick with the 13" model. It is 0.5kg lighter without much compromise in performance, so it is easier to take it to Church.

Keep Smiling 4 Jesus :)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/248695#Comment_248695

Complete index rebuild can happen with Logos 4 Mac application upgrade (e.g. 4.0b to 4.2a needed complete rebuild). After resource updates or purchases are downloaded, they are indexed (and merged into existing indexes).

For use in Church, personally prefer iPad with many Logos resources.

Keep Smiling [:)]

Kolen Cheung

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/248733#Comment_248733

Complete index rebuild can happen with Logos 4 Mac application upgrade (e.g. 4.0b to 4.2a needed complete rebuild). After resource updates or purchases are downloaded, they are indexed (and merged into existing indexes).

For use in Church, personally prefer iPad with many Logos resources.

Keep Smiling

The indexing is not a big deal since I will left it to do it at night. I heard that when the 2010 MBA is out people rushing to get that to get a portable Logos, without much of a problem (except the indexing which will be left to run at night).

Ur... mentioning the iPad. I am actually very disappointed with Logos on iPad. You know, I don't want to complain. It is just too immature in this stage.

You know, last year when the iPad is out, I bought it on the first day, solely for Logos, but the result is really disappointing. I used to bring my 2.5kg laptop with me to Church, so I thought that iPad can make my life easier. But I was wrong.

So I recently repent and sold the iPad. I was about to buy the MBA for the Logos but now changed my mind since the MBP is significantly more powerful. MBA 13" is 1.3kg and MBP 13" is 2.0kg so I think I could bear with that 0.7kg (still lighter than the laptop I am using at the moment, 2.5kg).

That's also the main reason that I don't want to go MBP 15" unless it is necessary. Portability is quite important. Ideally I should have MBP15" for general use and a MBA 11" for Church, if money didn't matter.

Keep Smiling 4 Jesus :)

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/248736#Comment_248736

Ur... mentioning the iPad. I am actually very disappointed with Logos on iPad. You know, I don't want to complain. It is just too immature in this stage.

You know, last year when the iPad is out, I bought it on the first day, solely for Logos, but the result is really disappointing. I used to bring my 2.5kg laptop with me to Church, so I thought that iPad can make my life easier. But I was wrong.

Compared to a laptop, the iOS Logos application lacks many features. To look at Bible version(s) and Commentary (split screen) during a sermon, iPad is usable (still use pencil and paper for notes).

If upgrade hard disk in MacBook Pro to Solid State Disk (SSD), then definitely faster than MacBook Air (albeit bit heavier). Mac Sales has Do It Yourself kits => http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/hard-drives/2.5-Notebook/SATA/DIY/

Also noticed some refurbished 2011 MacBook Pro models => http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/macbook_pro , including http://store.apple.com/us/product/FC700LL/A 13" model for $ 1,019

Keep Smiling [:)]

Kolen Cheung

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/248750#Comment_248750

Ur... mentioning the iPad. I am actually very disappointed with Logos on iPad. You know, I don't want to complain. It is just too immature in this stage.

You know, last year when the iPad is out, I bought it on the first day, solely for Logos, but the result is really disappointing. I used to bring my 2.5kg laptop with me to Church, so I thought that iPad can make my life easier. But I was wrong.

Compared to a laptop, the iOS Logos application lacks many features. To look at Bible version(s) and Commentary (split screen) during a sermon, iPad is usable (still use pencil and paper for notes).

If upgrade hard disk in MacBook Pro to Solid State Disk (SSD), then definitely faster than MacBook Air (albeit bit heavier). Mac Sales has Do It Yourself kits => http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/hard-drives/2.5-Notebook/SATA/DIY/

Also noticed some refurbished 2011 MacBook Pro models => http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/macbook_pro , including http://store.apple.com/us/product/FC700LL/A 13" model for $ 1,019

Keep Smiling

To me the Logos iPad is too slow even for sermon. Anyway.

Thanks. I also watched some YouTube about the SSD. The MBP SSD is faster than the MBA SSD. I think the only plus for MBA SSD is the instant on feature, but I can live without it.

I am actually going back to Hong Kong next week. I plan to buy a new MBP 13" 2.7GHz with 128GB SSD there. Since I am now in California, buying it in Hong Kong is effectively 10% off (because of the heavy sales tax in CA). 2.7GHz model is significant faster than the 2.3GHz model according to Benchmark.

Thanks again. I think now I am pretty sure I will buy the 13" model instead of the 15" one.

Kevin A. Purcell

So I wonder if the on board display card sharing the on board memory on the 13" model would perform significantly worst than the 15" model which has a dedicated display card with its own memory.

If you run gfxCardStatus (http://codykrieger.com/gfxCardStatus) while running MBPro with a discrete AMD graphics cared (I have the 15" with the AMD just a couple months old) and Logos never turns on the discrete graphics. The little app runs in the men bar and notifies you when it turns on. With Logos running, it has yet to notify me. I will let you know if it ever does.

UPDATE: I just now got it turn on but that was by opening iMovie in and exporting a 1080p video in the background.

Kevin A. Purcell

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/249061#Comment_249061

Just now running Logos alone and have AMD card as the one being used. So it is happend! I did a test of forcing the Intel card and don't see a perceptible difference in use. Maybe a slight speed hit after it was running the AMD Radeon. May only be my perception since I know it was switched.