Best Mac laptop for VW

[nikihoops]

Hi all

 

I'm thinking of getting a new laptop, a MacBook to be precise. So just wondering which is best?

I'm using Vectorworks 2015 for architectural drawings and sketchup for architectural and interiors. I also use Photoshop a lot for photo editing & illustration/graphics!

 

My current laptop is pretty rubbish when using sketchup for large models- constantly crashes!

 

Thanks in advance.

[Pat Stanford]

In the new MacBooks, the only real option is the 15-inch MacBook Pro. This is the only model that has a separate graphics card instead of the on-board Intel graphics which will not be sufficient for serious use of VW.  

 

Currently the base models with the Radeon Pro 450 or 455 are on the recommended hardware list for VW2017. A quick internet comparison shows the 460 (about $180 option) as being 50 to 90% faster depending on the test. Right now this will only really matter if you are using OpenGL rendering. In the future other things may be offloaded to the GPU and it will make more difference.

 

If you change machines every couple of years and are not a heavy user of OpenGL, the base models are probably fine. If you keep your machines a long time, you might want to consider going top of the line on both CPU and graphics to get a little more life before the next upgrade is required.

 

[Jonathan Pickup]

i have been looking for a new Macbook as well, and i have been comparing them to windows machines. It seems to me that macbook pro used to be really advanced when compared to a windows laptop, but no so much at the moment. I've seen windows laptops that have dual drives, 6GB graphics, 32gb ram...  get as much memory as possible, get the fastest processor, and get the biggest graphics card. 

 

my theory is that you will never need less....

 

it is just me, or do the macbooks need more love?

 

[zoomer]

^ I think that 16 GB limit should fall with the next iteration that some expect sometime this year.

If you can wait I would.

There could also be the next CPU version KL, not faster but less power consuming and even

another display generation that is said to consume much less power.

Which should help for battery life which is already well against many Windows Laptops.

I slightly doubt if that will all come this years.

 

If you need one, buy it.

People are quite happy with the touch bar, screen is beautiful, keyboard different but not bad

and current USB C limits should decrease over time.

 

As it is not cheap and nothing replaceable I think I would go pretty maxed out from start with

GPU and maybe even CPU. As it may be in use for some years.

[Tom Klaber]

I had an office mate buy a new Macbook Pro with the integrated graphics - and it has been a disaster.  You have to make sure you get the one with the discrete graphics card.   I think it's only the touch bar  15" models that have the discrete GPU.  

[Kjonze]

Hey all - Thanks for this forum. Checking in, as I am still a newbie Mac/VW user.

I previously learned VW on a great Macbook Prop (2015 maybe???) and am heading

BACK to grad school (cause why not?) and want to step up my game considerably,

with VW, Photoshop, maybe the dreaded SketchUp.

 

Is this bad boy my best option?   Apple Macbook Pro 15-inch with Touchbar 2.9G i7 512GB

There is a 2.9G model four $400 less. I'm looking at this as my "last" ever Mac purchase, so...

willing to spend the big bucks.

I'm not savvy with computer techology, so avoiding the complicated posts and looking for

the quick answer.  Thanks in advance!