intel Opinions on Intel Iris Plus

[gutz00]

Hello everyone, 

So I am currently looking into the current Apple MacBook Pros. I am planning on using it primarily for coding, video editing, and general productivity. 

I have been wondering about the integrated graphics: Intel's Iris Plus.

Pros, cons, what a mistake I am making for choosing an Apple product or not building a Desktop that I can upgrade at any time I wish?

I welcome any opinions on both Intel's Iris Plus and how a MacBook Pro will perform as a video editing device. 

Thanks!

[DrMacintosh]

Coding? Mac offers the best compatibility options thanks to being able to run macOS, Windows, and Linux. 

Video editing? Use FinalCut Pro and you will render 4k files faster than a PC that costs significantly more

Spoiler

Don't belive me? Just check out what a 12" MacBook can do with FinalCut

 

General productivity? Since Iris graphics are integrated you are getting great battery life performance vs having a dGPU in a laptop. 

 

Iris graphics are also good enough for light gaming at resolutions of 900p and below on low settings. Crank the res down and you can crank detail settings up a tad. 

[KarathKasun]

I have a general dislike of anything Apple since they switched to Intel, they lost a lot of the workstation design in favor of aesthetics. (though I am an old fart who thinks that all workstations should be some kind of PA-RISC/SPARC/PowerPC/Alpha/etc affair)

 

However, the software for OSX is pretty solid and @DrMacintosh is right on the money with Iris Pro/Plus graphics.

[Zodiark1593]

Iris graphics are plenty fine for most things, and even a fair bit of gaming, so long as settings are kept moderate or lower.

 

Integrated graphics, while certainly a lower performance solution, are not the stinking pile of poo they used to be a decade ago. *looks at GMA 950*

[KarathKasun]

@Zodiark1593

 

Please, don't remind me.  One of my earliest builds was an AMD K6 with SiS 315 integrated graphics, completely useless for 3D graphics with a resolution above 320x240.

[Hugs12343]

42 minutes ago, DrMacintosh said:

4k files faster than a PC that costs significantly more

Yeah but premiere pro is way better. And macbook pro is so expensive. Close to $2000 for the base model https://www.apple.com/au/shop/buy-mac/macbook-pro

[Purphoros]

5 minutes ago, Hugs12343 said:

Yeah but premiere pro is way better. And macbook pro is so expensive. Close to $2000 for the base model https://www.apple.com/au/shop/buy-mac/macbook-pro

I don't have much experience with video editing but I have a suspicion that for the money an XPS 15 9560 or Lenovo 720s 15" would do plenty fine with those video editing task and have an excellent feel for around $1200 or less.

[Hugs12343]

2 minutes ago, Purphoros said:

I don't have much experience with video editing but I have a suspicion that for the money an XPS 15 9560 or Lenovo 720s 15" would do plenty fine with those video editing task and have an excellent feel for around $1200 or less.

Exactly what I would do

[DrMacintosh]

42 minutes ago, Hugs12343 said:

And macbook pro is so expensive. Close to $2000 for the base model https://www.apple.com/au/shop/buy-mac/macbook-pro

Sucks to be in Australia. Base model costs $1,250 USD 

[DrMacintosh]

39 minutes ago, Purphoros said:

I don't have much experience with video editing but I have a suspicion that for the money an XPS 15 9560 or Lenovo 720s 15" would do plenty fine with those video editing task and have an excellent feel for around $1200 or less.

Those machines would get smoked in FinalCut, especially any of those models without a dGPU. 

[Purphoros]

59 minutes ago, DrMacintosh said:

Those machines would get smoked in FinalCut, especially any of those models without a dGPU. 

I don't personally know which software OP would be using but that is obviously true.  However, I suspect that the additional capabilities of something like the Lenovo 720s might be worthwhile at that price point due to how it would perform in other tasks like gaming.  That might not be OP's primary use but it's still nice to have the option.  Those MacBooks are really well built and capable for their specs.  As you said the flexibility to code in three different environments on the Mac is useful but personally I find the prices too steep.

Edited April 9, 2018 by Purphoros
Grammar and spelling.

[Purphoros]

On the subject of desktop, building one would be pretty straight forward.  I don't know how much you want to spend but a desktop is far cheaper for the performance you get except maybe in the video editing department as @DrMacintosh pointed out.  If you would like portability but also strong performance a laptop with an external enclosure would work well.

 

You could go the more traditional route too and get a desktop and a laptop.  Depending on how much you want to spend and where your priorities are you could have a solid desktop workstation and a solid laptop.  For about $1200 USD you can build a very good desktop and with another $600-1000 investment you can get a laptop that still powers through productivity tasks on the go.

 

If you need a professional GPU the P51s from Lenovo might be a good choice as it comes with a Quadro M520 it can have impressive battery life with the option of getting 104WHr split between the front and back batteries.  If you have a family member or a friend working at IBM or Lenovo you can get a discount making the base model around $850 (for $930 you get the crazy batteries and a backlit keyboard but only 4Gb of RAM and a 500Gb HDD which I would recommend upgrading yourself for about half of what Lenovo charges.)

 

There are a ton of options for what you could get.  If you offer a bit more information on what you plan on doing with your computer purchase and how much you have to spend we can help narrow the field a bit.

[Hugs12343]

5 hours ago, DrMacintosh said:

Sucks to be in Australia. Base model costs $1,250 USD 

Yeah but if you factor in the difference of the USD to AUD dollar it's practically the same

[DrMacintosh]

7 hours ago, Hugs12343 said:

Yeah but if you factor in the difference of the USD to AUD dollar it's practically the same

About a $300 difference according to current exchange rates.