MacBook Benchmarks
We’ve started receiving Geekbench results for MacBooks, so we thought we’d compare a MacBook against a MacBook Pro with the same processor.
Setup
Here is the configuration of our two test machines:
- MacBook
- Intel Core Duo @ 2.0GHz
- 512MB RAM
- Mac OS X 10.4.6 (Build 8I2025)
- Geekbench Preview 3 (Build 78)
- MacBook Pro (15-inch)
- Intel Core Duo @ 2.0GHz
- 2048MB RAM
- Mac OS X 10.4.6 (Build 8I1119)
- Geekbench Preview 3 (Build 78)
Update: While MacBook Pro has more RAM than the MacBook, we don’t think it’s an issue.
The scores are collected from Geekbench, our cross-platform processor benchmark. We’re using the baseline scores (not the raw scores) from each benchmark. We’ve also computed the MacBook Pro’s score as a percentage of the MacBook’s score. Higher is better.
Results
Integer Performance
| Benchmark | MacBook | MacBook Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Emulate 6502 single-threaded scalar |
87 | 83 (95%) |
| Emulate 6502 multi-threaded scalar |
174 | 177 (101%) |
| Blowfish single-threaded scalar |
162 | 159 (98%) |
| Blowfish multi-threaded scalar |
316 | 322 (101%) |
| bzip2 Compress single-threaded scalar |
120 | 136 (113%) |
| bzip2 Compress multi-threaded scalar |
278 | 287 (103%) |
| bzip2 Decompress single-threaded scalar |
110 | 117 (106%) |
| bzip2 Decompress multi-threaded scalar |
263 | 249 (94%) |
Floating Point Performance
| Benchmark | MacBook | MacBook Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Mandelbrot single-threaded scalar |
139 | 136 (97%) |
| Mandelbrot multi-threaded scalar |
273 | 281 (103%) |
| Dot Product single-threaded scalar |
325 | 238 (73%) |
| Dot Product multi-threaded scalar |
545 | 393 (72%) |
| Dot Product single-threaded vector |
100 | 61 (60%) |
| Dot Product multi-threaded vector |
198 | 147 (74%) |
| JPEG Compress single-threaded scalar |
115 | 108 (93%) |
| JPEG Compress multi-threaded scalar |
226 | 231 (102%) |
| JPEG Decompress single-threaded scalar |
96 | 86 (89%) |
| JPEG Decompress multi-threaded scalar |
184 | 178 (96%) |
Memory Performance
| Benchmark | MacBook | MacBook Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Read Sequential single-threaded scalar |
169 | 155 (91%) |
| Read Sequential multi-threaded scalar |
161 | 166 (103%) |
| Write Sequential single-threaded scalar |
181 | 199 (109%) |
| Write Sequential multi-threaded scalar |
179 | 205 (114%) |
| Stdlib Allocate single-threaded scalar |
185 | 171 (92%) |
| Stdlib Allocate multi-threaded scalar |
121 | 36 (30%) |
| Stdlib Write single-threaded scalar |
106 | 105 (99%) |
| Stdlib Write multi-threaded scalar |
127 | 127 (100%) |
| Stdlib Copy single-threaded scalar |
183 | 154 (84%) |
| Stdlib Copy multi-threaded scalar |
170 | 159 (93%) |
Stream Performance
| Benchmark | MacBook | MacBook Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Stream Copy single-threaded scalar |
149 | 153 (102%) |
| Stream Copy multi-threaded scalar |
153 | 167 (109%) |
| Stream Copy single-threaded vector |
162 | 158 (97%) |
| Stream Copy multi-threaded vector |
146 | 169 (115%) |
| Stream Scale single-threaded scalar |
165 | 162 (98%) |
| Stream Scale multi-threaded scalar |
171 | 191 (112%) |
| Stream Scale single-threaded vector |
148 | 145 (98%) |
| Stream Scale multi-threaded vector |
146 | 164 (112%) |
| Stream Add single-threaded scalar |
139 | 142 (102%) |
| Stream Add multi-threaded scalar |
157 | 181 (115%) |
| Stream Add single-threaded vector |
146 | 165 (112%) |
| Stream Add multi-threaded vector |
159 | 180 (112%) |
| Stream Triad single-threaded scalar |
133 | 109 (82%) |
| Stream Triad multi-threaded scalar |
164 | 186 (113%) |
| Stream Triad single-threaded vector |
121 | 129 (106%) |
| Stream Triad multi-threaded vector |
124 | 143 (114%) |
Conclusion
The performance of the MacBook is between 75% and 115% of the MacBook Pro; sometimes the MacBook is faster, sometimes the MacBook Pro is faster. For CPU-intensive tasks, I doubt most will notice the difference between the MacBook and the MacBook Pro.
Unfortunately, Geekbench doesn’t measure GPU performance, which is the biggest difference between the MacBook and the MacBook Pro. For GPU-intensive tasks, most users will probably prefer the dedicated GPU in the MacBook Pro over the integrated GPU in the MacBook.
Trackbacks & Pingbacks
- The Blog of Dave5 trackbacked Posted May 17, 2006, 3:55 pm
- PFUY!!! - MacBook: Kauft es euch pingbacked Posted May 18, 2006, 3:50 am
- Vad ska vi ha för rubrik? » Tankar kring MacBook pingbacked Posted May 20, 2006, 10:14 am
- macbook freak » pingbacked Posted May 22, 2006, 8:30 am
- the computersnob » Blog Archive » MacBook vs MacBook Pro pingbacked Posted May 26, 2006, 10:24 pm
- farhany.com » Blog Archive » MacBook released! pingbacked Posted July 2, 2006, 12:48 am
- Geek Patrol | Six Years of Mac Performance pingbacked Posted August 31, 2006, 12:47 am
So the macbook is a WAY better deal if you don’t plan on playing many games. The Intel GMA 950 isn’t a terrible chip either…it will play all the newest games at lower resolutions.
Performance + laptop really isn’t a option anymore.
The MacBook Pro is very hot, slap the MacBook with 2GB of RAM and it should be suitable to work with and carry heavy loads back to the Quad w/3d video card at home.
Anyone who is seriously considering 3D gaming on a laptop should have their head examined.
I’ve got one thing to say about the Macbook.
I want one.
Is the Intel GMA 950 Core Image compatible? The faster GPU in the MacBook Pro isn’t only for gaming. Professional level apps are starting to offload alot of processing onto the GPU. For example Apple Motion and Aperture.
Can anyone explain this difference?
Stdlib Allocate MB v. MBP
multi-threaded scalar 121 v. 36 (30%)
Re: Stdlib Allocate
It’s possible Apple’s improved the performance of the stdlib memory allocator between build 8I2025 and build 8I1119.
Just wondering if the MacBook Pro would have a better Rosetta performance when using Final Cut Express? I have PowerPC binaries and was wondering how much it will suffer under the Duo?! Would the dedicated GPU would make a big difference?
what was your sample size, that is how many macbooks and macbook pros did you collect results from? is it possible that your users were running other things, perhaps no realizing it in the background, that would lower the macbook pro numbers?
for tasks using adobe photoshop and imovie, will the macbooks GPU work just fine for me?
Mark G said:
For one, there is a good chance someone want to do it, before you send people to hospital.
Since recent laptops are actually good in terms of performance, I can think that people might just throw away their desktop, plug their nice big display + their keyboard/mouse on a laptop, and just use it as their desktop, while going outside, u just pull them off, take them as your laptop. Which is good, because obviously you only have to maintain 1 machine as well as you only have cost to buy 1 machine.
And ever since Intel Mac can run Windows, if you consider playing games in such environment, it might as well be nice to have a decent GPU on it.
2c
Mhhh, so I´m a little bit confused. Where the heck is the difference between a Mac Book and a Mac Book Pro that justifies the almost double price?
I´ve to decide which one I buy. I don´t play games but I use Photoshop intensively. Which one would be the better deal for me?
I don´t wanna buy just a Mac Book and recognize 2 weeks later that´s too slow for me and my work.
greetz Karl
Although interesting, it’s not a very relevant discussion whether gaming on a laptop is for the mentally disabled. This is about the difference in performance between Apple’s laptops.
Too bad there is no disk comparison. My main use is compiling so which is disk intensive.
While running your test what was the amount of available memory?
As you said, with your test using constrained amount of memory (100MB), the limited amount of RAM in the MB should now be an issue. But I concerned as OSX does use a lot of RAM and I could see it perhaps using almost all the RAM during normal operation. And thus even with the test using just 100MB, that 100MB might partially be paged. Again, I don’t know for certain this is the case. I just wanted to know if is testable.
Thanks for your tests though, they are very helpful.
Here’s another vote to find out whether or not the 950 is Core Image compatible.
Thanks for the bench
INFORMATION: GMA950 is fully compatible w/CI and QE3D
Can’t vouch for this, but:
Intel GMA 950 – integrated video
Chipset Model: GMA 950
Type: Display
Bus: Built-In
Core Image: Supported
Source:
http://www.johnwaller.org/apple/macbook/
I’ve been crawling around different blogs asking this question.
these benchmarks are hard for me to interperet. It is just common sense that the MBP runs faster, but for me, a to-be art school student looking to make the infamous laptop purchase, cost and necessity are essential.
my major is graphic design. i also am going to continue working with video media.
apple is a must.
now i have heard that since the macbook has an integrated GPU, Final Cut will have problems. in fact the requirements indicate that its not even supposed to run it because they say it needs a non-integrated GPU. will someone tell me if i will be able to run FCP on a MacBook?
i am also going to be using the adobe creative suite alot as a graphic designer. is the MacBook going to hinder me?
The deal is that i have currently 2100 to spend, and i may recieve a little more. so the 2.16 GHz is an option. I’m trying to decide whether i should buy the black macbook and have a little extra spending money to use on souping it up and getting accesories or just buy the Pro.
some advice is deeply appreciated.
Where can I find those benchmark programs.
Thanks
My wife just got me the Black MacBook Friday and so far it runs very fast compared to my iBook G4. I have Final Cut Express and it edited the info.plist to let it run. You can also hit the escape key when the error shows up saying that no AGP was found that should work also. You can also right click Final Cut icon in Applications and choose open package. Then click contents folder and open the info.plist file and change the AGP to PCI and save it. Then remove the one in there and paste the one you justed save and open Final Cut and no problems runs like normal.
After a lot of investigation on which machine to buy, MacBook or MacBook Pro I decided to go with the MacBook and add more memory to reach 2.0 GB (max.), not only because of the low price of the MacBook, but also because I have not read a review about the two machines that states once and for all that the MacBook Pro is much faster and thus justifies the high price. Almost all reviews I read indicate that both machines are very close in performance, then why waist the money.
I’m lovin’ my new white MacBook 2.0GHz loaded with 1 MB RAM. One caveat is Adobe Creative Suite 2 must run via Rosetta on the Intel Mac until Adobe releases CS3 possibly Spring ‘07. The CS2 apps are slow to launch but perform reasonably well after that. I do graphic design work and have found it very possible to get production done on the MacBook, even using Photoshop. This was a great value for around $1600 with upgraded RAM, larger 80 GB HD, and bluetooth Apple Mighty Mouse. Apple even threw in a “free” (100% rebate) HP 3-in-1 printer. Not bad. And it’s a Mac. Excellent design, and it just works.
Question: im majoring in music at university and am now finding that my ibook g4 just gives up when composing/editing. would anyone be able to give me an opinion on whether to spend the extra on a macbook pro or just go for a macbook? don’t really want to wish i’d spent the extra but also dont want to waste money on buying something i don’t really need.
Jonathon says:
Question: im majoring in music at university and am now finding that my ibook g4 just gives up when composing/editing. would anyone be able to give me an opinion on whether to spend the extra on a macbook pro or just go for a macbook? don’t really want to wish i’d spent the extra but also dont want to waste money on buying something i don’t really need.
Sorry to say but notebooks are bad investments if its your only machine to create and express yourself as you wish. Since a notebook is hard to upgrade and very expensive to fix don’t reliey on it. It could break or software could come out in the future that makes your notebook obsolete.
Jonathon if your using midi try using a didicated midi interface. Convert to wav or aiff type so your computer will not lag. Upgrade on memory and optimize your Mac OS X for the app of your choice. Use a harddrive recorder for recording and buy midi racks.
This will help keep your Mac for editing instead of performing.
If you want to buy a new Mac buy the desktop version since you’ll be able to upgrade the machine in years to come with
different components. Its expensive I know but its worth every penny if your a professional.
Most professional recording engineers or artists i know still have old Mac G3 or G4. Its there components, instruments and mics that make the difference.
In my case i’m going to buy the base line mac notebook for taking notes and doing programming assignments on the road. While using Linux, XP, and Mac OS X for platform specific development for audio programming for Video games. I will max out the ram. And sell it next year. But otherwise there is no difference between a MacBook Pro and a MacBook unless you are using 2d graphics intensively or 3d graphics for that matter. Intel has a history of making GPU’s that do not last long. For small 2d graphic tasks the intel GPU will do fine for FUTURE use, but the more memory you have the better you are with 2d graphics. So if you have the extra money buy the MACBOOK ATI GPU since in two years your notebook will be obsolete and nonupgradeble(GPU). But if you can afford it buy the desktop version intel will be comming out with something amazing in the future and you want the option to upgrade if your a professional.
Remember Intel technology can get outdated max of two years. While other technologies such as PowerPC last much longer. Playstation III anyone? Not yet..
question: i am going to be getting into some recording/editing/producing with pro tools. no games, just pro tools. what would be best for me, as in terms of macbook or macbook pro? is it worth having a macbook upgrade? or getting macbook pro? or on the other hand, would i be paying for something i wouldnt use? ( i know i know, desktop is best, but i preffer to have laptop for; if i go into multiple studios i don’t have to carry around a desktop)
please help.
thx