What GPU score is needed for fast web browsing?

[vett93]

I am planning on getting my next desktop computer for home and work-from-home uses. I don't play computer games, do 3D applications, nor video/graphic editing. I typically do web browsing, email, MS Office applications, WebEx conferencing, desktop sharing (e.g., join.me, TeamViewer, etc.), YouTube video, Skype, etc.

I am trying to determine what GPU score is needed for my uses. From my research, more and more web applications use GPU to process information. I am planning to get a main monitor with 2,560x1,440 resolution, which may further stress the needs of GPU.

I want this computer with CPU scores from 8,000 to 11,000. But what will be a good GPU score to consider?

My top choice for now is an Apple Mac Mini with Intel I7-3720QM@2.GHz. It has a CPU score of 8,335. But since it uses the integrated HD 4000 GPU, it only has a GPU score of 478. Will it be sufficient for me for the next 3-5 years? Please comment. Thanks.

[David (PassMark)]

Any new machine should be very fast for web browsing.

There are the things that make web browsing fast, in order of decreasing importance
1) High bandwidth internet connection.
2) Low latency internet connection.
3) A solid state hard drive for cached files
4) Using any browser but IE. I find Chrome is the fastest for me.
5) Not being drastically short off RAM (but no new PC will be)
6) Having reasonable CPU and GPU, plus having the proper video card device driver loaded

Even a basic video will do what you want. You'll notice a good SSD more than you'll notice a good video card, for your usage.

[vett93]

Thanks. Guess my question boils down to the following. Will the integrated video in Mac Mini (with a score of 47 be sufficient?

My current 7-year old computer has a GPU card (AMD Radeon 4670) with a score of 551. When I watch Netflix video on a 1680x1050 monitor, the GPU loading is close to 50% already. So I am trying to determine if a Mac Mini will do the trick for 3-5 years. I plan to upgrade the monitor to 2560x1440 resolution. A top line Mac Mini has a CPU score of 8,335 while my current computer has a CPU score of 1,365.

For the reference, my home internet speed is between 55-60 Mbps with a latency around 20mS to a nearby Speedtest node. I use RAM disk to cache Chrome, in addition to a SSD. This computer has 4GB of RAM.

[David (PassMark)]

A current Mac Mini should be fine.
Especially if you go for the SSD option.

[vett93]

It would be greatly appreciated if you can provide a quantitative analysis. From my experimental data, there seems to be a concern for me. My current GPU has a score of 551 and my current monitor has a resolution of 1680x1050. The GPU loading is 45% already, when I play Netflix video.

The GPU in the top line Mac Mini has a score of 478, which is 13% less than my current GPU. With a higher resolution (2560x1440) monitor in mind, it will need to process 2X number of pixels. So will it drive the GPU loading to greater than 90%?

If you can provide a quantitative clarification, it will be very useful. Thanks in advance.

[David (PassMark)]

The GPU scores are based on the speed of 3D rendering and Direct compute performance on Windows machines.

I don't think any sensible "quantitative analysis" can be done into order to predict with precision the performance of a Mac Mini streaming Netflix based on it's GPU 3D performance. Streaming video isn't a application that uses 3D rendering. So 3D rendering results aren't all that important.

[vett93]

Thanks. I think you are right in that one can't use 3D performance to predict Netflix video rendering performance.