SL in a MacBook with X3100 GPU - good idea ?

Hi all !

I need to buy a laptop for me.I Don't have money enough to buy a MacBook Pro with a 8600m GT Nvidia.So I just can buy a Apple MacBook with a x3100 GPU.

and I 'd like to know if it is a good idea or not.Can some tell me about the experience using SL in a MacBook like this ?

My 2nd option is a HP with a 8400m GS and Core 2 Duo standard PC with windows XP (because I hate Vista).

I really with to buy a Mac, but I can't feel safe.

ty all !

Hi, I have a current 2.4 Ghz white macbook with that graphics chipset and 10.5.3 which I use for sl.

I have only used the 1.20 RC viewers, but I've found them to work fine.

Whether you would find the performance acceptable would probably depend on what you are used to.... you won't be able to have all the windlight effects - no pretty windlight skies (atmospheric shaders is greyed out)... I get about 3-15 fps with the following settings, depending on where I am etc:

96m draw distance,
Bump mapping and shiny,
Basic shaders,
sun and moon only.

I've never tried voice so I don't know how well that works.

I don't know about the hp computer, but I would imagine with a 'proper' graphics card it should be significantly better graphically than the macbook.

Personally, when I first got the macbook I thought it was amazingly smooth in sl compared to my old laptop. So much easier to walk in a straight line... but then I was used to 1-3 fps on my old laptop, lol.

Hope that helps.

PS: I'm not sure whether Linden Lab class the macbook as not officially supported still... so don't know whether you'd get any help if there was a problem.

I use this fine with the latest SL viewer set to fastest rendering.

The video specs are"
Chipset Model: ATY,RV280M9+
Bus: AGP
VRAM (Total): 32 MB

Main RAM is maxed at 1.256GB.

I have used voice, but the iBook bogs down at parties where there are many animations, prims, voices and particles. I, too, am used to very low frame rates, but then again I'm there for text chat, building and scripting.

I have to assume a MacBook will do at least as well!

So do you think then that it should work on this MacBook? It's the one I bought like a month ago or so..
Here's the info about it:

Model Name: MacBook
Model Identifier: MacBook4,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2.4 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 3 MB
Memory: 2 GB
Bus Speed: 800 MHz
Boot ROM Version: MB41.00C1.B00
SMC Version: 1.31f0
Serial Number: W88166HB0P1
Sudden Motion Sensor:
State: Enabled
Intel GMA X3100:

Chipset Model: GMA X3100
Type: Display
Bus: Built-In
VRAM (Total): 144 MB
Vendor: Intel (0x8086)
Device ID: 0x2a02
Revision ID: 0x0003
Displays:
Color LCD:
Display Type: LCD
Resolution: 1280 x 800
Depth: 32-bit Color
Built-In: Yes
Core Image: Hardware Accelerated
Main Display: Yes
Mirror: Off
Online: Yes
Quartz Extreme: Supported
Display Connector:
Status: No display connected

I hope I can enjoy SL soon again...
Thanks anyway !

My wife is using a macbook and just make sure to double the RAM from 1 gig to 2...other than that I got noth'n Works great though and nothing to fear. Stay away from the other junk out there as Mac is the only way to go. Cheers!!!

Okidoki! Will do !!
Thankies !!