macbook configurability (?)

[ki8aras]

most of you know that new macbooks are just around the corner, i think this presents a good opportunity for me to snag up a used old one, but before that ive got a couple of questions for macbook owners

 

how much configurability do you guys have in terms of settings like tdp or core voltage? (through intel xtu on bootcamp windows)

additionally, for those with amd gpus, do you guys have access to the full control panel, including stuff like the tuning tab?(also on windows through bootcamp)

 

these questions might be dumb but ive been on desktop for as long as i can remember, and google wasnt of much help

 

many thanks!!

[Roswell]

What do you want to do in Bootcamp? GPU drivers haven't been updated in years, it's not going to be a good gaming experience. If you're getting a Mac, you want to stick to macOS unless you absolutely need to run some obscure program in Bootcamp. Even then, something like Parallels is far more convenient with nearly the same performance.

 

Regardless, you can't overclock a Mac's processor. GPU... sorta, only in Windows and only with sketchy home-brew drivers. Pretty sure undervolting is a no-go.

 

TDP isn't an issue as Macs don't limit it, plugged in or unplugged. Your parts will always run at their full TDP unless they hit a thermal ceiling.

[ki8aras]

3 hours ago, Roswell said:

What do you want to do in Bootcamp? GPU drivers haven't been updated in years, it's not going to be a good gaming experience. If you're getting a Mac, you want to stick to macOS unless you absolutely need to run some obscure program in Bootcamp. Even then, something like Parallels is far more convenient with nearly the same performance.

 

Regardless, you can't overclock a Mac's processor. GPU... sorta, only in Windows and only with sketchy home-brew drivers. Pretty sure undervolting is a no-go.

 

TDP isn't an issue as Macs don't limit it, plugged in or unplugged. Your parts will always run at their full TDP unless they hit a thermal ceiling.

i was planning to go with the 16 inch macbook, i dont want a gaming machine right now, i just like tinkering and was wondering if the 16 inch is a good platform for that

[Kilrah]

11 hours ago, ki8aras said:

how much configurability do you guys have in terms of settings like tdp or core voltage? (through intel xtu on bootcamp windows)

Basically none. 

 

6 hours ago, Roswell said:

unless they hit a thermal ceiling.

Which they often do 

 

And I swear Apple makes it a point for the locked power management on other OSes and bootcamp drivers to be terrible so that they can "show how good" Mac OS is... for example the bootcamp driver for my mac is so crap that on every single boot I have to go back into the BC control panel to reenable right-click for the touchpad...

 

So yeah, while you can run Windows/other OSes on a Mac you do NOT want to get one if it's your intention to do so more than using Mac OS. 

 

[Roswell]

15 minutes ago, Kilrah said:

Which they often do 

 

And I swear Apple makes it a point for the locked power management on other OSes and bootcamp drivers to be terrible so that they can "show how good" Mac OS is... for example the bootcamp driver for my mac is so crap that on every single boot I have to go back into the BC control panel to reenable right-click for the touchpad...

 

So yeah, while you can run Windows/other OSes on a Mac you do NOT want to get one if it's your intention to do so more than using Mac OS. 

 

Common misconception, really. The only model that ever had serious thermal throttle issues was the 15 inch Pro from 2016-2017, specifically the i9 version. There was also the passive Air model that lasted less than a year.

 

People took that and somehow conflated it with every Mac in existence. Regardless, their i9 models have been fixed for years now after the redesign. I can’t get mine to break past 90ish no matter what benchmark I throw at it. Even if I synthetic bench the GPU and CPU at the same time it hovers around 93.

 

Bootcamp has been abandoned for a while now. No real point in keeping it updated with them moving to ARM. If you have a x86 model you’re way better off running Parallels anyway.

 

 

[Kilrah]

27 minutes ago, Roswell said:

I can’t get mine to break past 90ish no matter what benchmark I throw at it. Even if I synthetic bench the GPU and CPU at the same time it hovers around 93.

But are you checking the CPU flags? Easy to say it's not reaching 100 anymore if it's just that the thermal target was adjusted and it's starting to throttle at 90 instead. 

 

27 minutes ago, Roswell said:

There was also the passive Air model that lasted less than a year.

And the passive Retina Macbooks. And my former 2014 15" MBP definitely did too. It might not be all models but it's not only a model or 2 either, quite frequent hence the reputation.

[ki8aras]

49 minutes ago, Roswell said:

Common misconception, really. The only model that ever had serious thermal throttle issues was the 15 inch Pro from 2016-2017, specifically the i9 version. There was also the passive Air model that lasted less than a year.

 

People took that and somehow conflated it with every Mac in existence. Regardless, their i9 models have been fixed for years now after the redesign. I can’t get mine to break past 90ish no matter what benchmark I throw at it. Even if I synthetic bench the GPU and CPU at the same time it hovers around 93.

 

Bootcamp has been abandoned for a while now. No real point in keeping it updated with them moving to ARM. If you have a x86 model you’re way better off running Parallels anyway.

 

 

does parallels have gpu passthough for the ocassional game? ( i intend to be using macos for most of the time)

[ki8aras]

7 hours ago, Roswell said:

What do you want to do in Bootcamp? GPU drivers haven't been updated in years, it's not going to be a good gaming experience. If you're getting a Mac, you want to stick to macOS unless you absolutely need to run some obscure program in Bootcamp. Even then, something like Parallels is far more convenient with nearly the same performance.

 

Regardless, you can't overclock a Mac's processor. GPU... sorta, only in Windows and only with sketchy home-brew drivers. Pretty sure undervolting is a no-go.

 

TDP isn't an issue as Macs don't limit it, plugged in or unplugged. Your parts will always run at their full TDP unless they hit a thermal ceiling.

the reason im asking about undervolting on windows is because i remember linus observing that the better thermal performance of the mbp16 was specific to mac os and didnt transfer over to bootcamp