Which one is least prone to problems?
-I don't think either one is more prone to problems. They have both had some issues in the past. Most recent seems to be some keyboard issues that the new Leopard update has pretty much fixed. For the most part both are great machines.
Which one will last longer?
-Not sure about the longevity but both seem durable. I know some users have had some cracking issues with the MacBooks casing and the MacBook Pros casing is more prone to dents. If you're careful both will last as long as you want. The MacBooks I have handled feel very durable and the MacBook Pros feel better built than my 12" PowerBook G4.
Which one has longer battery life?
-Not sure about the MacBook Pro but my girlfriends MacBook seems to get abou 3.5 hours of battery life surfing the internet and using Office. That time drops to about 2.25 hours while watching a DVD. I would imagine that the MacBook Pro is probably slightly worse.
Would you buy a baseline mbp or a black macbook with a bigger hard drive and 4 gb ram?
-The MacBook Pro has a 15" display vs 13". It has a different keyboard (which is love/hate on the MacBook), FW800, ExpressCard/34 slot, LED backlighting, an option for a matte display and a dedicated graphics card.
-Not sure what to suggest. Depends on what you need it for. Gaming probably isn't going to be great on the MacBook because of the integrated graphics. It all depends on your needs/preferences.
I am replacing my PowerBook this weekend (I know MacWorld is in two weeks) and I hate the MacBook keyboard and I prefer like a matte display for my photography. I also like the FW800 so for me it was a clear choice that is worth the price difference. Either way 4GB RAM is a good investment since it can be had for around $100.
