Current 15" MacBook Pro VS. current-1 17" MacBook Pro

[dainiookas]

Hi everyone,
OK, Windows finally pushed me to buying an apple thing Actually I had one (iBook 12" G3) and since then I hate using windows.
I'am currently thinking about two options:

MacBook Pro MA611 NB Core Duo 2.33GHz/17''/2GB/160GB/DVD+-RW/Radeon X1600/WLAN/BT/Mac OS (current-1 release of highend macbook pro)

OR

MacBook Pro MA895 NB Core 2 Duo 2.2GHz/15.4''/2GB/120GB/DVD+-RW+DL/GeForce 8600M GT/WLAN/BT/Mac ( current low end mbp)

I know this new one has 'n' wifi, LED LCD new chipset.
I don't really mind about 17" display.

What I wanted to know is:

I see that apple recently has lots of bugs in there hardware (that's why I don't think about mb anymore, I don't want to have cracks, because all my friends do have). Could you tell me which one of theese two could be more 'reliable' in terms of build quality?

Still which one of them is faster, is this newer one a lot faster (not in processor clock, but actually), because I' quite interested in Final cut and Photoshop?

Maybe something more I should know?

Thanks for answers

 

[jdechko]

One of the biggest things you'll have to remember is that the new 15" can run with 4GB of RAM, while the older 17" can only use 3GB. Final Cut and Photoshop both eat a lot of RAM, so that is something to consider. As far as reliability, I don't know because I don't have either machine, but remember that people with problematic machines are going to be more vocal (ie: Everyone with a problem will tell every stranger, but everyone with a perfect machine isn't necessarily going to speak up to say their machine is perfect - Web forums often magnify this).

 

[majordude]

Still which one of them is faster, is this newer one a lot faster (not in processor clock, but actually), because I' quite interested in Final cut and Photoshop?

I have the 17". Nice computer. I saw both the 15" and 17" in the store and bought the larger one. I also saw the gloss and matte and went with matte.

Here are some stats on speed:

http://barefeats.com/rosa03.html
http://barefeats.com/rosa02.html

 

[xpovos]

In my opinion (but based only on my own experience with both generations of both models), the last-generation 17" is somewhat superior in terms of consistent reliability. By that I mean that a random purchase of a last-gen 17" is less likely to produce a machine with some defect or flaw than an equally random purchase of a current 15".

I say this because, even though it's true that Web forums greatly magnify problems (such as the 15" yellow screen issue), I'm one of the unlucky bunch that has had to go through numerous exchanges on current MacBook Pros in order to get one that isn't problematic. The current 15" models that use Samsung displays are still (as of Week 37) exhibiting unsatisfactory numbers of units with yellowing. Again IMO, the LED screens are, as of right now, not all they're cracked up to be. When they're good, they're brilliant, but there are still too many of them out there with either yellowing or excessive backlight bleed, or both. (Since LEDs are touted as providing MORE even backlighting than CCFL, I really consider this unacceptable.)

 

[PimpDaddy]

No problems with my 17 incher so far

 

[Habakuk]

The current 15" models that use Samsung displays are still (as of Week 37) exhibiting unsatisfactory numbers of units with yellowing.

This is hard to tell because you don't know how many they sell and how many have those issues. The number of postings in forums like this doesn't let draw any conclusion.

When they're good, they're brilliant, but there are still too many of them out there with either yellowing or excessive backlight bleed, or both.

I've read a lot of threads and postings here and in German-language forums about the new LED/TFTs but complaints because of "excessive backlight bleed" were very seldom.

The new LG display (has been changed under warranty for a first generation Samsung) in my MBP has brilliant colors, perfect even backlighting, is bright, very fast at startup and needs less power. The downsides are: Color gradients being not at 100% but 98%, view from far angles moderate at light colors. The reputable German computer magazine "c't" rated the new MBP display with two + (best of all 13 notebooks in the test).

But the biggest advantage for me is that light emitting diodes have a proposed lifespan of at least 100,000 hours - equiv. 10 years continuous operation - without any loss of brightness, startup time and color accuracy!