deciding between macbook pro and macpro

[jzdesigns]

im going to be a first time mac buyer. i don't want to buy a current macpro tower because I know a new model is supposed to come out next year. i really don't want to wait that long though, my current pc is quickly biting the dust. so i am considering buying a 17 inch 2.4-2.6 ghz with 2 gigs of ram and then adding in 2 more gigs myself. and hooking it up to a cinema display on my desk with a keyboard and mouse. i have a couple questions...

1. is installing 2 more gigs of ram myself easy? i want to save money and get them off of crucial.com or a similar website. also is it easy/possible to install a new hard drive?

2. will using a laptop like its a macpro work just as well? is there any drawbacks to this setup?

please let me know what you think!

 

[JFreak]

Installing memory is easy. However I think Apple is installing two 1GB memory cards instead of one 2GB card, so check it out before you order any 3rd party memory.

 

[JFreak]

will using a laptop like its a macpro work just as well? is there any drawbacks to this setup?

Only drawback is you cannot install 4 hard drives and 4 PCI-express cards into a laptop

 

[odinsride]

1. is installing 2 more gigs of ram myself easy? i want to save money and get them off of crucial.com or a similar website. also is it easy/possible to install a new hard drive?

You'll have to get 2x2gb sticks, the MBP comes with 2x1gb sticks. I highly recommend the OWC memory from www.macsales.com. It's cheap and works great.

2. will using a laptop like its a macpro work just as well? is there any drawbacks to this setup?

I don't really see a reason why the Mac Pro would be a whole lot faster other than the quad/octo core performance. I think that's one of the only things you'd be missing out on other than like RAID or fibre channel stuff.

 

[NewbieNerd]

Just because the Mac Pro is due for an update soon does not make a MBP a better desktop. If you want the portability, sure, go for the MBP, but if you are just gonna use this as a desktop, please get the Mac Pro, whether you wait or not for updates. It is certainly no more expensive that the the 17" MBP, but is much much more powerful, even being a year and a half old. Obviously waiting til for new ones is good if you can, but they are still would kill a MBP or any laptop.

 

[weblogik]

judging from the quality of your work you should be ok with a commodore 64, or if you want to splurge an Amiga 500.














































buahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahah!!!!
lmao dont ban me im the one that directed her to this forum lol

 

[jzdesigns]

weblogik get out of here!!

can some other members with intelligence let me know their opinions on the mac pro vs. the macbook pro!!

 

[weblogik]

is the bump from 2.4 to 2.6 worth the extra money if used strictly for cs3 (photoshop/dreamweaver)?

Also another question i think is, can she keep it running all day into the night working on it as she would with a desktop, or is it going to overheat and crap out?

 

[dranakin]

Well...

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/394019/

An update should be coming relatively soon for the Mac Pro.

That said, if you're going to use it as a desktop, get the Mac Pro. Hard drive will be faster, among other things.

 

[ktbubster]

mac pro will definitely be more powerful and probably last longer (more upgradable) however, if you are primarly using cs3 the macbook pro will handle it fine. If you max out the ram and if you have the money go for the 2.6, that will probably help down the road.. but that is still one BEAST of a machine.

I leave my mbp on all the time pretty much and it is fine. quiet, runs pretty cool and super speedy on cs3. I think you'd be fine. Chances are if you have the portability you will find yourself using it... chillin on the couch while watching some tv, bringing it to a nice coffee shop, so on and so forth, and it's great to have to show off work to a client or friends even. So... i think you would get use out of it.

However, if the only reason you don't want to get a mac pro is the wait, and you honestly are pretty sure you will NEVER use portability. Wait, or get a current line, as it will still kick ass, but it will indeed be more powerful.

Another option... is, if you don't want to wait. You get a mid or lower line mbp or refurb to hold you off, and then get the new macpro when they come out. If you like portability and have the cash, keep the laptop, if not, sell it and use your mac pro. It should hold it's value well enough till then, so you won't be out much and have a computer in the meantime.