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Macbook, or Macbook Pro?

KidVicious

KidVicious

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 5, 2006
23
0
This is the question I am asking myself right now.

If I were to get the Macbook, I would get a white 2.0GHz with base RAM and then add 2GB via Crucial.

If I were to get the Macbook Pro, I would get the 15.4" 2.0GHz with base RAM and then add 2GB via Crucial.

As you can see, the real difference between the two would be a bigger screen, aluminum case, graphics card, and the option of a matte screen for the Macbook Pro. Initially, I was dead-set on getting the glossy screen, but after going to my local Apple store, I actually really like the matte, and I don't know if I like the gloss so much anymore. This has made it harder to choose.

In my situation, the difference in price will be about 400 dollars more for the Macbook Pro. I can afford either one, but I really can't decide.

Any opinions to sway me either way?
 
MacBook Pro. You buy the best machine you can afford. If you can afford either then there is no question.
 
Believe me, if there was a clear cut answer to which was the better machine I wouldn't have so much trouble choosing. If the Macbook Pro is undeniably better, what makes it so? I'm also wondering why someone like Leo Laporte (who I follow), who has the money to buy the best Macbook Pro available, would buy a Macbook instead.

EDIT: Also, is it a good idea to buy the Applecare plan? I didn't take that into account originally but lately I've been thinking about it. However, the prices are stacking up.
 
You can buy AppleCare within a year of purchase of the computer. If you can't afford it right away just buy it a couple months later.
 
MBP gives you bigger (and higher resolution) screen, Aluminium Case, Dedicated Graphics, Express/34 card, "Dongleless" DVI output, support for 30" Cinema Display and an illumunated keyboard over and above the same speed MacBook. The question you need to ask yourself is whether that is worth $400 to you. It would be to me, particularly the support for the 30" ACD.
 
It's the screen size and the dedicated graphic card that convinced me to buy an MBP...

Were it not for my work becoming more and more graphics oriented, I'd have had no hesistation whatsoever in buying the Macbook - I adored my iBooks and it would have been the logical progression...were it not for my change of career!

As it stands, I'm very pleased with my purchase - I still think the aluminium casing is fantastic, it's incredibly thin, and is still very portable...Of course, as is always the way, if I had waited about two weeks later, I'd have got exactly the same machine for about £300 cheaper, but as ever with my Apple purchases, I never time it correctly!
 
KidVicious said:
I'm also wondering why someone like Leo Laporte (who I follow), who has the money to buy the best Macbook Pro available, would buy a Macbook instead.
Click to expand...
I think he wanted the smallest and most portable Mac. Also, he confesses he thought the black was gorgeous.

I recall listening to the twit special after MWSF and they were joking he would buy the MBP and then it would immediately come down in price, but he seemed lukewarm to buying one.
 
MacBook Pro

imo the MacBook Pro just isnt worth it,

i took mine back after 2 of them, the casing gets insanely hot. and 17 inch is just too big to move around, from uni to home and back

unless you really need the G card for video edting go with the Macbook.

imo the macbook out classes the MBP for my needs.
 
c1gar said:
imo the MacBook Pro just isnt worth it,

i took mine back after 2 of them, the casing gets insanely hot. and 17 inch is just too big to move around, from uni to home and back

unless you really need the G card for video edting go with the Macbook.

imo the macbook out classes the MBP for my needs.
Click to expand...

It's worth it if you need it though, and that's the thing. I would say for the vast majority of stuff, the Macbook is going to be ideal, but I couldn't, and wouldn't swap my MBP for a smaller machine anymore.
 
I just bought a Macbook Pro after trying to make the same decision. The deciding point was that I bought a refurbished Macbook Pro and that made the price a lot closer to the Macbooks. I really wanted the video card, in case I wanted to play an occasional game down the road, or more importantly, wanted to officially support Aperature on the laptop. It'll be more of a desktop replacement for me.

That said, I like the look of the Macbooks a lot more then the Pros. I'm not as thrilled about the silver look. Still, the video card sold me.
 
brikeh said:
If money isnt an issue then you should def get a MBP!!
Click to expand...

It is not always about the money, I really love the MB's size.. it fits into every bagpack I have. On the other hand the 15" PB that I had fitted into only 1 of my bags.

That makes me a sad panda... :eek:
 
I purchased the macbook first, and had problems with installing the ram so I sent it back. I reordered a macbook pro instead and am glad I did. I don't have it yet, so I'm not speaking from experience, but I owned a powerbook before this and was in love with it. I love the aluminum case, and after having the macbook I could tell that the aluminum case was going to be superior. The Aluminum is resistent to scratches and such while the polycarbonate looked as if it was only a matter of weeks before it was all scuffed up. The screen size was also driving me crazy having gone from a 15" powerbook to a 13" macbook.
I think you should go with a macbook pro.
 
I find myself wishing I got a macbook instead of a macbook pro.

Even though my keyboard was replaced, I still have very wonky eject, function, and arrow keys, some of which fall off if I hit them too horizontally. And the magnetic latch is way nicer than the mechanical one. The illuminated keyboard and ambient light sensor I can probably live without. But my macbook pro just feels way more delicate than a macbook, to the point I'm afraid to carry it around.
 
The magnetic latch I would say is a redeeming quality on the macbook. When I first got it I was like, "where is the latch?" But then after I opened and shut it a few times I was convinced it was a better mechanism than the one my powerbook.

skipsandwichdx said:
I find myself wishing I got a macbook instead of a macbook pro.

Even though my keyboard was replaced, I still have very wonky eject, function, and arrow keys, some of which fall off if I hit them too horizontally. And the magnetic latch is way nicer than the mechanical one. The illuminated keyboard and ambient light sensor I can probably live without. But my macbook pro just feels way more delicate than a macbook, to the point I'm afraid to carry it around.
Click to expand...
 
Wouldn't a macbook pro be able to handle high definition a lot better than a mac book? Cuz maybe in the future there will be upgrades to your dvd drives to allow blu ray? one could only hope...
 
Ha, there seems to be as much of a difference in opinion here as inside my own brain. I, myself, though have some specific concerns:

Macbook
-Smaller screen
-Plastic
-Higher internal temps?
-Not sure I want a glossy screen anymore
-Keyboard might take getting used to (I'm not a hunt-and-peck typist, but have my own style and the keyboard felt a little alien to me)

Macbook Pro
-More desk space needed
-Do the aluminum cases dent easily?
-Higher external temps?
-Keyboard noisier than Macbook? (will be used for note-taking)

Those are really the two sides of it in my mind.

lexus said:
Get a black MacBook.
Click to expand...

Man, I really don't like the black Macbooks. They look exactly like my mother's Dell laptop. *shudders*
 
there are three things you need to answer:
1) do you value portability or screen size more?
2) will you be doing video and/or demanding 3d games?
3) how else could that $400 be spent?

Of course the MBP is a better computer, but it's also a lot more expensive and larger. Even if you can afford the pro, surely there are other useful/nice/fun things you could do with the money. So I would only get the pro if you either really like having a large working area, or need dedicated graphics. (The integrated on the macbook is really not bad at all, actually, but you're not going to be playing oblivion. :))
 
Get the MBP. It sounds like you can afford it. I personally think its a lot better then the MB. It's integrated graphics processor can kind of limit what you can do with that computer in the future. That and I hate glossy screens. I personally think they're distracting. Just be warned those aluminum bodies that MBP's are made out of warp crazy style (at least if they're anything like the PB). My bro's PB is pretty warped after less then a year of ownership. The plastic body of the MB will hold up a little better.
 
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