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Just Buy A Macbook Pro... Forget The Macbook

S

seany916

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 26, 2006
470
0
Southern California
I have nothing to back this up...

but from the limited number of people I've talked to, there seem to be more problems with the Macbook than Macbook Pro.

The Macbook looks and feels like a toy.

A couple of hundred dollars is a lot, yes, but in the long run, wouldn't you rather own the nicer computer? (easy to flame this opinion)

The Macbook Pro is just "nicer" (yes, that's an opinion)

If you're wondering which one to get---

just get the low end Macbook Pro!!!!

There!!! Now 1/2 of the threads in this forum will disappear!

Flame away. You're welcome to your opinion. I'll respect it.
 
Just Buy A Macbook Pro... Forget The Macbook
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Nope, won't do it. I love my Macbook. It is the perfect size, for ME.

On the other hand, I'm glad you are pleased with your choice.
 
I'm typing this on my fresh-out-of-the-box MBP. Previously, I had a BlackBook, but it wasn't cuttin' it. It always seemed to just be something to hold me over until I got this baby, so yes, just get the MBP, you won't regret it.
 
Macbook works...

The MBP is too much laptop for many. My wife is not a computing "pro". For her the size, performance, and look of the MB was a much better fit (and saved me a cool grand). She absolutely loves her MB.

I use a MBP.

One size does not fit all.
 
I think its more of this: if there's a question in your mind as to whether to get the macbook or the MacBook Pro, its a safe bet to go with the pro. I thought the MacBook would be fine for me after using the pro for a year and I was terribly wrong. Can't live without the pro now :p
 
I was considering getting a MacBook, but I'm VERY happy that I went with the Pro. I agree, just get the MacBook Pro, it won't feel like it's not cutting it. (At least until the next rev comes out :p)
 
The only thing I don't like about the macbooks (blackbooks especially) is the trackpad, I find the pros trackpad just slides smoother, making it easier to move the cursor around with. The blackbooks touchpad is rubbery even, making this even worse, but I guess somehow people seem to get around it.
 
I wish I had 2,000 to spend on a Pro, but I couldn't be happier with my macbook. For the price, I don't think I could ask for a better laptop.

I do think there are more complains about the MBP then the MB though.

I also prefer a smaller laptop due to me already have a PC desktop for all my other needs.
 
I prefer the Macbook keyboard over the Pro.
I prefer a small laptop. The Pro is too physically big to lug around.
I'll be getting a Macbook.
 
Aranince said:
I'm getting a 15" MBP for my next primary computer. I can't wait! But I need a job first I guess...
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Same here, except all my computers (well my families) have failed due to my curiosity and this laptop is the only one I have left.

So July 11th, I'll be deciding w/ my family to get a 2.4ghz 15" MBP! God I an feel it now...

However I too think that the Macbook is like a toy for kids to be creative with, no dedicated graphics, small RAM, me upgrading the Macbook on-lin sometimes exceeds the stock MBP.
 
I would have gone for the blackbook if I could.. But I've decided to go for the SR MBP 2.4GHz. I'm currently using an almost 3 year old iBook G4 so let's hope that I'll be using this MBP for longer than 3 years. :p
 
katorga said:
One size does not fit all.
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+1 to that. If apple made a 12.1" MBP as they used to, it might fit all/most. But the closest to ultra-portability we have is the MB. Having said that the MBP is surprisingly light, only 500g heavier than my mums m200 tablet.

Personally, none of the apple products seem to fit me. I like my laptops small (12.1"-13.3") and light. Home I've got my desktop/17" laptop (virtually the same :p).

Come on apple, make a 12" laptop. NOW.
 
I've got to disagree with the initial post I'm afraid. I currently have a 17" MBP 2.4 for my own use (was a the base 15" model until I got fed up trying to find a non-yellow screen) and a 2Ghz CD MB that technically belongs to work and which goes everywhere with me.

The MBP is fantastic, a real beast and it works superbly well as a desktop replacment. So far I've found nothing to dislike about it. But the MB is the machine I'd recommend to friends and family who aren't going to be playing games or doing serious graphics work. Why? Well:

1) The MB may feel like a 'toy' but it's really well put together. I certainly feel more comfortable putting the MB in a bag and carting it Europe than I would with the MBP.

2) While I personally love the extra touches on the MBP such as the backlit keyboard most people I know wouldn't need them (not the same as wanting them of course ;) ) and it just adds extra confusion for a newcomer to the platform (F9 and F10 being asigned to the keyboard backlight on the MBP for instance).

3) The MB has more than enough performance to do all the computng tasks you could ever wish for 90% of potential users. It's a 64 bit machine, the inbuilt graphics have got enough poke for desktop work, the hard drive is big and quick enough for most and it's got iSight built in. Wireless reception is good and the keyboard and trackpad, while not quite as good as the MBP, offer a very nice user experience indeed.

4) Heat. The MBP is fantastic and I've got no concerns about it running too hot but that metal shell does, by design, make it hotter to the touch than a MB. This goes double for situations where you're ot getting proper cooling to the machine (on a lap, in bed etc) where a lot of 'casual' users will actualy be using it.

5) Size and weight. I've got no problems with lugging around even the 17" MBP but a lot of users who carry their machine for large parts of the day (students for example) WILL notice the extra weight and size.

6) Battery life. In my experience the MB is significantly better than the MBP by about an hour (with no networking, bluetooth and the screen turned down a bit)

So basically it's a case of buying the right machine for your needs. The MBP is a fantastic piece of kit but for many people it's overkill or just not quite the right size or weight to be suited to their requirements.

All that being said, I must admit going back to the MB after this wonderful 1900 x 1200 screen does feel like someone hacked off a limb...:D
 
smiddlehurst said:
2) While I personally love the extra touches on the MBP such as the backlit keyboard most people I know wouldn't need them (not the same as wanting them of course ;) ) and it just adds extra confusion for a newcomer to the platform (F9 and F10 being asigned to the keyboard backlight on the MBP for instance).

5) Size and weight. I've got no problems with lugging around even the 17" MBP but a lot of users who carry their machine for large parts of the day (students for example) WILL notice the extra weight and size.
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I agree with your post, except for these two points. I don't really see how the backlit keyboard is too confusing. As with any new computer, PC or Mac, there are going to be a few things to learn about hardware. HP's sound controls will be different from Sony's, and so forth. That doesn't make the feature itself worse for newcomers. If anything, the hardware features are pretty easy to pick up on a mbp.

Second point, about size and weight. While the mbp is a little larger than the mb, the weight is nearly the same. Any adult human should not be able to discern the difference between 5.1 and 5.4lbs. If they can, then they need to hit the gym. As for size, most laptop bags are fairly consistant, so I don't know if the mb's smaller size is really a useful asset. It might make it easy to slip in and out of bags (though I don't really see how if one's bag has a large enough zipper), but carrying it around will be the same because of the weight.
 
I agree with Smiddlehurst. I'm going to be a college student next year and just recently purchased a BlackBook. Carrying my laptop around in my backpack is a huge thing for me. I know I will have no trouble fitting the 13" MB in my backpack. However, I would highly concerned if I was getting a 17" MBP. The four inches can make a huge difference in how many books you can fit in your bag. Plus, I'm not even sure the 17" would fit period. But, I will say that the 15" would be less of a concern, but more than the 13". Even if the weight is nearly the same, the size makes a huge difference for portability.
 
seany916 said:
I have nothing to back this up...

but from the limited number of people I've talked to, there seem to be more problems with the Macbook than Macbook Pro
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Interesting way of opening an argument...

I won't go into all the things I needed out of a laptop, but suffice to say the entry-level MB fitted my needs perfectly and my purchase was to complement my desktop workstation. Despite the claim getting a MBP is only a "couple of hundred dollars", it would have cost me an extra £600 ($1,200) going down that route.

As you say, you've only talked to a limited number of people about this - when Macintouch did a reader reliabilty survey that took in about 3,000 laptops at the end of 2006, and this found that the 15" MBP was twice likely to have problems than the MB.
 
I have nothing to back this up…

But speaking to two random people and my cat, the MacBook Pro appears to have a couple of orders of magnitude more problems than the MacBook.

The MBP looks and feels like a Dell.

You could save yourself a couple of hundred dollars and in the end have a nicer computer (with better WiFi reception).

The MacBook is just nicer (and doesn't dent as easily).

If you're wondering which one to get---

Just get the mid-range MacBook!!!!

There!!! Now twice as many threads on this forum will appear!

Flame away. You're welcome to your opinion. I'll respect it… but like the OP, I will ignore them.
 
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