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MB or MBP: Beyond the Specs?

DMC-12

DMC-12

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 16, 2007
346
2
Nashville, TN
Hey guys, I've been waiting for 15 months to pull the trigger on either the MB or MBP. I know all the pros and cons based on graphics, machine longevity, user-replaceable parts, etc. I've watched every YouTube video review and lurked in the forums for months, and up to this point, I've been completely obsessed with waiting for the next update that always seems to be right around the corner.

Basically, I'm exhausted by all the waiting and I'm about ready to just go for it and make a decision before returning to college. Either the MB or MBP would suit me fairly well, and I'm not too hung up on the pricing differences. I honestly love the looks and aspects of them both so much that I can't decide.

So OK, my question for the respective MB and MBP owners is this: was there an aesthetic aspect such as plastic vs. aluminum, white/black vs. silver that helped you make the decision? Was there something more than the graphics difference or otherwise that got you hooked on the one you chose? I love both machines, but what is it about the way that you "feel" about your Mac that makes either machine the one for you?

Thanks for your thoughts.
 
DMC-12 said:
Hey guys, I've been waiting for 15 months to pull the trigger on either the MB or MBP. I know all the pros and cons based on graphics, machine longevity, user-replaceable parts, etc. I've watched every YouTube video review and lurked in the forums for months, and up to this point, I've been completely obsessed with waiting for the next update that always seems to be right around the corner.

Basically, I'm exhausted by all the waiting and I'm about ready to just go for it and make a decision before returning to college. Either the MB or MBP would suit me fairly well, and I'm not too hung up on the pricing differences. I honestly love the looks and aspects of them both so much that I can't decide.

So OK, my question for the respective MB and MBP owners is this: was there an aesthetic aspect such as plastic vs. aluminum, white/black vs. silver that helped you make the decision? Was there something more than the graphics difference or otherwise that got you hooked on the one you chose? I love both machines, but what is it about the way that you "feel" about your Mac that makes either machine the one for you?

Thanks for your thoughts.
Click to expand...

I love my new macbook pro. I love the look and styling of it and prefer the silver to the white/black. I also think that the aluminum is better for heat distribution and seems more durable to me. You really can't go wrong either way. Out of curiosity, how old are you?
 
I have the 1st generation BlackBook with 2 GBs of RAM and standard 80-gig 5400 rpm Hard Drive. I knew the MacBook Pro was wayyyy too expensive and wouldn't really help my needs more than the MacBook because all I really do is web-browse, iChat, iTunes, and some 3D games (not hardcore games).

Plus the MacBook (IMO) looks a lot better. It is more compact and has a more sleek look to it.

My only hang up was to either buy the White MacBook with a custom ordered 80 GB HD, or a BlackBook with a standard 80 GB HD for 150 dollars more.

I didn't actually decide until I went to an Apple Store and saw for myself. The BlackBook is amazing. Period.

Go to an Apple Store and see for yourself.
 
If you're going to base your purchase off of looks and looks alone, go to any apple retailer and decide for yourself. Personally, I love the white and I think that it looks better than the black. But that's just my opinion. It's a matter of personal preference. Either way you go, though, you'll still be getting a great computer!
 
My MBP (see sig) has more screen real estate than the MB. I value screen real estate. The brightness due the the LED backlight is also lovely... fortunately I don't have any yellowing/gradient issues.

My MBP has FW800. It makes my Lacie as snappy as hell.

My MBP has a backlit keyboard, it looks cool and is actually useful.

My MBP has a full size DVI port, so I can plug in my Cinema Display without needing an adaptor.

Plus, the extra graphics capabilities and processor speed of my MBP are obviously very nice. The high processor speed means it's particularly quick at converting video from one codec to another, something I seem to do a lot of. It's the slickest and fastest laptop I've ever used.

It's also the fastest & most powerful commercially available laptop on the planet, (well it would be if I maxed out the RAM and the HD) - for this week at least. That creates a lovely (but temporary) warm and fuzzy feeling.

But I wish the MBP has a user-changable HD like the MB does.

SL
 
I used to have a powerbook and now am on a white macbook. I originally picked up the powerbook because I just didn't like how the ibook looked and felt. I loved the powerbook, but when the macbook came out I really enjoyed the way it felt and the keyboard as well. Not to mention how powerful it is. For me, the only downside of the macbook is the sharp edges. I tend to use it a lot in bed and on the sofa and in certain positions it does start to get bothersome sometimes. I don't mind too much because I can just adjust. I just wish it was not as sharp.
 
I'm in the exact same situation as you.. I am leaning towards a MBP because of the bigger screen, the option of choosing a matte screen over glossy, the dedicated graphics card and the extra firewire 800 port. It'll also be a desktop replacement and it simply just looks amazing! Just a little hesitant on spending that kind of dough on a machine though, but it's definitely time to upgrade from my Pentium III 1000 mhz 768 mb of ram LOL, and mac is the way I want to go.
 
The silver is awesome, BUT, heres what I didnt know, it's painted! It scratches easily (well as easily as anything you carry frequently), and then there is a darker color underneath. I was under the impression that 'all aluminum' meant no paint and scratches would be hard to see.

Sure, theyre all on the bottom, but its sad. Dont buy based on looks. I bought based on speed, so it's okay.
 
Size and price dictated a MacBook for me, but if I were you I'd get the 15" MBP with LED screen.

The screen is much better, and the plastic case is enclosure flawed I've found.


The option of a 11" matte LED screen and metal enclosure with backlit keyboard would happily see me wave good-bye to $2,500, even with just a 2GHz Core 2 Duo and 2Gb max of RAM.
 
Here's what I think...I have a a 1st gen blackbook, and it is great. It hasn't slowed down since the day I bought it, until I started doing video work which i didn't know i was gonna do when i bought it. It's kinda slow, especially the burner (however the new ones have 8x instead of 4x so that problem is fixed). I just sold it and ordered a SR MBP saturday. Things i will miss is the campact design, the keyboard, the 13 inch screen, and the fact that there is no latch to close it. The things I will not miss - the glossy screen, how easily the black case shows smudges, the limit on memory, the 13 inch screen, and the 32 bit core duo (also changed in the new ones). I say the screen size in both because it really is the perfact portable. The size is awesome, except when you need more screen for editing. The gloss screen on the MB seems really unrealistic and aggravating...I never noticed it untill i saw the matte on the MBP. It is absolutely gorgeous! The decision really comes down to personal preference and what you will be using it for. If you wanna use it for normal everyday stuff and bringing it places, go for the MB. But, if you are gonna do anything that you need a lot of screen place and memory, go for the MBP. Also, I found that the touchpad on the MB doesn't feel the same as when I first got it, it feels more worn. If the touchpad on the MBP is built the same as the ones on the powerbook g4's, then it will feel the same three years later. Sorry this is so long but I hope it helped.
 
You go for the MBP for the obvious differences (screen size, GPU and vram, backlit keyboard, SR, etc.). As far as the case I actually prefer the Macbook even though I have an MBP17. The plastic is less fragile, the wireless reception is significantly better (because it's plastic) and the magnetic latch and user replaceable hard drive are great features.
 
Aesthetics are in the eye of the beholder. If it's aesthetics he's after then surely it's his call.
 
MB is more modern design

I think the MB is a more flexible and better design than the MBP, which hasn't been updated (designwise) for years. The main differences are 1. the hard disk is easily replaceable and 2. the closing arrangement is much better. I put a 160 gb drive in my MB -- it took 2 minutes. To do that in an MBP is much more difficult. The MB is extremely good as a portable machine, though it should be lighter.
 
Personally, I was looking at both and strongly considering going with the MB simply because it was cheaper and I'd be able to afford it sooner. But after playing with both yesterday, I realized that I can't stand the keyboard on the MB. I made a lot more typing errors than I normally do. So please consider this as well. Take a trip down to the Apple store and play with both because the keyboard you get is the one you're stuck with.
 
jdechko said:
Personally, I was looking at both and strongly considering going with the MB simply because it was cheaper and I'd be able to afford it sooner. But after playing with both yesterday, I realized that I can't stand the keyboard on the MB. I made a lot more typing errors than I normally do. So please consider this as well. Take a trip down to the Apple store and play with both because the keyboard you get is the one you're stuck with.
Click to expand...

.
 
glhiii said:
I think the MB is a more flexible and better design than the MBP, which hasn't been updated (designwise) for years. The main differences are 1. the hard disk is easily replaceable and 2. the closing arrangement is much better. I put a 160 gb drive in my MB -- it took 2 minutes. To do that in an MBP is much more difficult. The MB is extremely good as a portable machine, though it should be lighter.
Click to expand...

sorry guys, im abit new at this...the macbooks have easier HD changing from what I understand...but doesn't this void the 3 year warranty still, and same for the pro? Or are we able to just swap in our nice hitachi 2.5" and when a problem comes up somewhere else on the compy put the stock one back in? Are there ways for apple to tell if the case has been opened?
 
Harmonica – Apple expects that you'll probably want to open up the case – but if you have a problem and have to send the MB back to them, as long as it's with the original components they don't care if you've opened up its guts. I mean, I upgraded my MacBook from 512 MiB to 2 GiB of RAM, and Apple doesn't care.
 
mbp

i have the SR MBP and its great. But I think its too big. I like portability alot and the MBP is barely bearable. I think the blackbook would have been easier ont he budget (enough to buy an iphone) and do all the things I do. Battery life is about 3-4 hours, and I would like it to be more than that.

Great, but for college, go with macbook. Honestly, it will last 3-4 years long enough for college.
 
The first thing you need to do, OP, is determine what you need in a computer. A computer is a tool, nothing more, so it depends on the tasks you'll be using it for. Do you need mobility? If not, PC desktops are a much cheaper way to go and you can get a lot more power out of them. If you need the mobility, Macbooks/Pros may be useful for you, but to decide between them you need to decide what you'll be using them for. Writing papers and checking e-mail? Macbook would be fine. Graphics work or movie editing? MB's can do 2D but you really need a MBP for the heavy stuff. Super portable? MB or an even smaller other-brand laptop. Gaming? Forget it and get an Asus or a desktop rig.

Figure that out first then get back to us.
 
harmonica01 said:
sorry guys, im abit new at this...the macbooks have easier HD changing from what I understand...but doesn't this void the 3 year warranty still, and same for the pro? Or are we able to just swap in our nice hitachi 2.5" and when a problem comes up somewhere else on the compy put the stock one back in? Are there ways for apple to tell if the case has been opened?
Click to expand...

as long as you dont wrek anything while the MB/MBP is pulled apart you cannot void any warrantys at all... i assure you of that. however if u break something or it mysteriously stops working when u put it back together, then u have a problem.
 
wallaby said:
Figure that out first then get back to us.
Click to expand...

I do need mobility for work on the go. I have a very, very basic HP laptop now, which I bought for school a year ago only because I was waiting for the Core 2's to come out for Macs. I refuse to purchase another Windows machine.

Honestly, I will only be writing papers, surfing, and needing room for picture/video/music storage. I do have hours and hours of home video that I need to eventually import, edit moderately, and then burn to DVD. I may want to start video editing a lot more once I get started. I understand the screen size concern, but will the MB's integrated graphics inhibit the overall speed/ease of "handling" all of the video or is that more of a RAM concern?

I really don't play any computer games, so that's not an issue.
 
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 4.01; Windows CE; Sprint:pPC-6700; PPC; 240x320))

I'm in college, and I opted for the MB. I love the black, but for me it was more about size. When you're lugging books from one end of campus to the other, every inch and every pound makes a substantial difference. I found that the MB had enough power to drive my HDTV at full 1920x1080 without a hitch, and I opted for a 22" external for more screen real estate when I'm in the dorms. I love that the MB is smaller, and the black is oh-so-sweet looking (even though I end up cleaning my greasy pawprints off it at least once a week).
 
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