How "limited" is Mac Intel Iris card?

[Durval]

I'd appreciate some advice on choosing a new MacBook to run ArchiCAD.

My doubt is between these two models:

https://www.apple.com/mac/compare/results/?product1=macbook-pro-2015-15&product2=macbook-pro-touchba...

In principle, my preference would be the older model, not only because it is $400 cheaper (actually, the price difference in Brazil is greater than that), but also because of the HDMI and USB ports, which would allow me to keep using my old peripherals (mouse, second display, external drives, printer...) without relying on adapters.

Their specs are quite similar, except from the Touch Bar/Touch ID, which looks fun but not really necessary, and... the graphics cards!

Then I read this article: http://www.graphisoft.com/support/system_requirements/AC20/index.html?_ga=2.31667006.1473235703.1493...

It says "Integrated Intel Iris cards work with ARCHICAD, but their performance is limited."

How severe is this limitation? I mostly work with small, residential buildings. Should I really care about it?

Should I spend extra $$$ and replace my peripherals (or resort to adapters that I don't know if are reliable)?

Thanks

[SenecaDesignLLC]

i just got my 2017 macbook pro, the graphic card is awesome and runs archicad superbly. I just switched from a windows machine from last year with the nvidia 970m, the reason i bought the mac book i have is because i used my friends macbook pro (a 2015 model) and it was smoother and more fluid than my windows machine on an 11000 sq ft cabin. it was easily competing with my newer logically better machine.

that being said, i have one adapter, it has hdmi, 3usb ports and a card reader. so far it works perfect and leaves me with two other thunderbolt 3 ports while i charge, but i can charge through the adapter as well if i want.

I would say the processor difference alone would be worth the extra dough.

[Ralph Wessel]

SenecaDesignLLC wrote:
that being said, i have one adapter, it has hdmi, 3usb ports and a card reader. so far it works perfect and leaves me with two other thunderbolt 3 ports while i charge, but i can charge through the adapter as well if i want.

I've been looking at those multi-port adapters. Which one are you using, and have you found any downsides? Comments on some adapters report that they get quite hot (for the pass-through charging). I also suspect the ability to charge through the USB ports is limited.

[SenecaDesignLLC]

So far the one i have is awesome, doesn't get to hot, at least in comparison with the computer, i have not done extensive testing yet as i have just this morning finished setting up my machine and archicad.

i have not used it for charging yet, main because i have enough other ports to not have to. once I get going ill post an update on how it does.

here is the link to the one i purchased

https://smile.amazon.com/HooToo-Adapter-Charging-MacBook-Chromebook/dp/B019R9ILTG/ref=sr_1_1?s=pc&ie...

(i can draw in 3d with shadows on!!!, ill never return to winblows)

[SenecaDesignLLC]

also just to add to my first comment, the force touch track pad is amazing on the newer mac book, that combined with the touch bar (which if you start using is freaking aweseome), and then dedicated video, is worth well more than 400 dollars. and it will last you quite a bit longer in the whole scheme of things.

[Durval]

Any comments specifically on the graphics card issue and the Graphisoft's statement that Iris card is "limited"?

[henrypootel · Accepted solution]

I've got a 4K screen iMac here with the Iris graphics, and I would describe its performance as 'utterly terrible'.
Plugging it into a 1080p display and using that instead of the 4K built-in panel gives 'OK' performance (it's a little better than my 4-year-old windows laptop with pre-Iris onboard graphics), but running ARCHICAD in 4K on the Iris is so painfully slow as to be unusable.
Would definitely not recommend unless you are on a very limited budget and are not using a 4k or 5k screen.

[Durval]

Thanks for the insights. I followed your advice and just got the new MacBook with the Radeon Graphics (and also the HooToo adapter, so the update of peripherals can wait).