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Buying a Macbook or a Macbook Pro.. maybe on Black Friday.

Rustman

Rustman

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 7, 2007
101
0
England
OK....

I've been on the Mac Pro waiting list for months now. It was summer when I considered buying one of these gorgeous towers. Then the recent iMac came out and that cemented my position as a definite future Mac Pro user. But the looming updates never came and all I have to comfort me is a frankenstein of a PC that I built myself and an old Fujitsu laptop running Windows XP.

So, to console myself whilst waiting for a Mac Pro I thought I would buy another Windows based lappy to tide me over. They can be picked up for around £400 so I did a bit of window shopping. Then after actually seeing these things in the flesh I could see why they were so cheap. They may have contained a Core 2 Duo processor with a gig or two of RAM, but they felt as flimsy as a toy. So, looking at the £700+ laptops that didn't feel so pathetic I realised that for just a little more I could be using a Macbook instead. And because I'm so sick and tired of Windows and so blown away by Leopard I'm almost there.

So, with brand new credit card in hand, I'm ready to buy a MB or MBP, but I'm struggling with two details. Apart from the more powerful graphics card and bigger screen there seems to be very little in the specs separating the MB and the MBP to justify the larger price. I plan on plugging the laptop into my 24" Dell monitor for work that isn't done sat on the sofa so I don't think the smaller screen would irritate me too much. I would really need to get the 17" model to really feel a difference because the resolution is the same on the 13" and the 15" anyway, I believe.

The other problem reminds me of the Mac Pro situation. The Macbook Pro is due another refresh. Sigh!

Now, because the Macbook has been recently upgraded I wouldn't feel like I was throwing my money away, but would I really benefit from getting a MBP over a MB anyway? Is the main attraction the metal shell, matte screen and faster graphics card?

I know I'm rambling. I need a Mac to help centre my thoughts. Please help a desperate Windows user eager to switch before Christmas. :)
 
Unless you're doing graphic-intense work, a MacBook with 2GB of RAM will suit the vast majority just fine, and yes the likelihood is the MBP will be upgraded at MacWorld in January, the choice is yours.

The money you save getting a MacBook would be quite a chunk of your new monitor..

Remeber that the MacBook only has mini DVI where the Pro is full size.

Edit: Wasn't Black Friday last week?
 
Yeah, I just noticed that link, posted around the same time I was writing the OP.

I will be doing Photoshop, Indesign and Flash work on the laptop, but I'm not convinced that the Macbook wouldn't be able to manage these admirably. Just what sort of extra speed could I expect from the Macbook Pro? Would I just be kicking myself in 6 weeks time when the new awesome model comes out? :)
 
Well, it all depends on the use you are thinking about. If you are going to do heavy graphic work (ie. Photoshop) or serious video editing, probably a MBP is the right choice. But if you are like me and your needs are more on the web surfing, emailing, using word processor, some number crunching with a spreadsheet, chatting and so, then a MB will probably suits you best.

Hey I even have VMWare running Windows Vista and some Windows programs with ease.

My second Mac, several years ago was a Titanium PowerBook, which at the time was top of the line, but it was too much, I really never exploited all that power under the hood, when the time came for a replacement I decided for a lower model (iBook) and at the beginning of this year I upgraded to a Macbook. I am quite happy sticking with these models that provide everything I need to get things done. And of course with a lower price tag

Cheers, :apple:
 
I'd wait for the macbook pro that's supposedly coming out in January.....I use Photoshop, Flash and Dreamweaver and I'm going to get a pro in January because of the graphics card, the fact that the screen has the option of being matte and also because I can plug it into a 30" external monitor.....hope this helps :)
 
both are great computers and you can't go wrong with either, but for me, if I was to have only one computer I would go with the mbp.
 
mojopixel said:
I'd wait for the macbook pro that's supposedly coming out in January.....I use Photoshop, Flash and Dreamweaver and I'm going to get a pro in January because of the graphics card, the fact that the screen has the option of being matte and also because I can plug it into a 30" external monitor.....hope this helps :)
Click to expand...

If all we are likely to receive is a slight speed bump and a better graphics card, I'm not sure I want to wait. I need a Mac. :)

And if Apple's recent predicatability is anything to go by, we won't get upgraded hardware on any kit until the spring. :)
 
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