MPB for college

[Cabbit]

Hi all im going to buy the base model macbook pro for college. I would like to know how easy it is to upgrade the harddrive i seen a nice solid state drive that takes my fancy and also if the built in monitor and graphics card are connected with HDCP protection so that i can add a blue ray drive in the future to the laptop without any hardware limitations.
I hear leopard has the software side covered. I will try to hold out to october for as long as i can for leopard but mite have to buy early september depending on my work load at the time i would like to hold out for leopard preinstalled with the new ilife but it mite not be possible. I get student discount but i cant assess the higher education site without being on campus yet. Anything would help guys.

 

[Zel]

Apple doesnt want you to change the cd drive or the hard drive, those are too deeply buried in the machine.

but, if you want to, ifixit.com has tutorials with a guide to dismantle and reassemble.

I dont know about HDCP through the videocard though, it may not have it since these were not designed for next-gen discs.

 

[desenso]

Hi all im going to buy the base model macbook pro for collage. I would like to know how easy it is to upgrade the harddrive i seen a nice solid state drive that takes my fancy and also if the built in monitor and graphics card are connected with HDCP protection so that i can add a blue ray drive in the future to the laptop without any hardware limitations. I hear leopard has the software side covered. I will try to hold out to october for as long as i can for leopard but mite have to buy early september depending on my work load at the time i would like to hold out for leopard preinstalled with the new ilife but it mite not be possible. I get student discount but i cant assess the higher education site without being on campus yet. Anything would help guys.

First of all, it's collEge. Not trying to be a smartass or anything, but you don't want to look like an idiot on day 1!

If you wait for Leopard to drop, you'll probably go for a while without a computer, unless you already have one.

I'm not sure if the current graphics cards on the MBPs are HDCP compliant. I'm almost certain that the Apple Cinema Displays don't have HDCP, though, so you'd probably have to buy a Dell monitor for the time being.

As for the hard drive upgrade, it isn't possible in the MacBook Pro. Of course, you can bust open the case and switch out the hard drive, but you'll also be breaking the warranty... not to mention it's a difficult process. If switching out the hard drive is your goal, you'll have to go with a regular Macbook. Who knows if you'll be able to switch in a solid-state drive.

From the look of your demands, I think you might be hoping for a little bit more of a future-proof device than you'll actually be getting (solid state, hdcp, blu-ray). If all of these things are a huge factor, you may want to consider buying a used, older laptop for the time being and waiting for this stuff to come out. I'd hate to see you drop $2K on a new laptop and be disappointed when you can't get it to do the things you want it to 2 years down the road.

Good luck.. and start punctuating your sentences, it makes them easier to read!

 

[timnosenzo]

For a collage or for college?

 

[Cabbit]

For a collage or for college?

Ah yes the most improtant part of my post, my spelling. Im dislexic get over it i also spell words in my dialect not yours. And yes i spell some words wrong i dont give. Keep to topic!.

 

[seanofford]

For a collage or for college?

Computers are actually better for phtography-based "montage" work than for collage work. You'd probably be better of with older technology, such as scissors and glue and bits of fabric.

 

[Cabbit]

First of all, it's collEge. Not trying to be a smartass or anything, but you don't want to look like an idiot on day 1!

If you wait for Leopard to drop, you'll probably go for a while without a computer, unless you already have one.

I'm not sure if the current graphics cards on the MBPs are HDCP compliant. I'm almost certain that the Apple Cinema Displays don't have HDCP, though, so you'd probably have to buy a Dell monitor for the time being.

As for the hard drive upgrade, it isn't possible in the MacBook Pro. Of course, you can bust open the case and switch out the hard drive, but you'll also be breaking the warranty... not to mention it's a difficult process. If switching out the hard drive is your goal, you'll have to go with a regular Macbook. Who knows if you'll be able to switch in a solid-state drive.

From the look of your demands, I think you might be hoping for a little bit more of a future-proof device than you'll actually be getting (solid state, hdcp, blu-ray). If all of these things are a huge factor, you may want to consider buying a used, older laptop for the time being and waiting for this stuff to come out. I'd hate to see you drop $2K on a new laptop and be disappointed when you can't get it to do the things you want it to 2 years down the road.

Good luck.. and start punctuating your sentences, it makes them easier to read!

Its not $2k its £1000, im not planning on doing the upgrades my self as there is a Apple shop in Edinburgh but i don't know of the cost of doing so, i would not open up a laptop myself im happy to repair pc's and even crack open my mini but not a apple laptop.
If hdcp support is still unknown i mite have to wait a little wile. Blu ray support isnt needed just something i was thinking would be nice for the future the reason i ask if it is supported is incase anyone tryed a blu ray drive in Windows Vista as Vista dose support blu ray and hd dvd.
The solid state drive is something i already have, i have a 32GB solid state disk that i planned to use in my mini but mite hold of till i get the macbook pro.

 

[desenso]

Its not $2k its £1000, im not planning on doing the upgrades my self as there is a Apple shop in Edinburgh but i don't know of the cost of doing so, i would not open up a laptop myself im happy to repair pc's and even crack open my mini but not a apple laptop.
If hdcp support is still unknown i mite have to wait a little wile. Blu ray support isnt needed just something i was thinking would be nice for the future the reason i ask if it is supported is incase anyone tryed a blu ray drive in Windows Vista as Vista dose support blu ray and hd dvd.
The solid state drive is something i already have, i have a 32GB solid state disk that i planned to use in my mini but mite hold of till i get the macbook pro.

To the best of my knowledge, even Apple won't upgrade the hard drive in a MacBook Pro...

 

[fedgirl]

Its not $2k its £1000, im not planning on doing the upgrades my self as there is a Apple shop in Edinburgh but i don't know of the cost of doing so, i would not open up a laptop myself im happy to repair pc's and even crack open my mini but not a apple laptop.
If hdcp support is still unknown i mite have to wait a little wile. Blu ray support isnt needed just something i was thinking would be nice for the future the reason i ask if it is supported is incase anyone tryed a blu ray drive in Windows Vista as Vista dose support blu ray and hd dvd.
The solid state drive is something i already have, i have a 32GB solid state disk that i planned to use in my mini but mite hold of till i get the macbook pro.

I know for a fact that if you want blue ray your best checking into a Sony, which can be found here:

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs...Id=8198552921644488277&parentCategoryId=16154

I was interested in the blue ray technology but I really don't need it at this time because I don't even own a blue ray disc. I thought real hard and feel I will be better off buying a blue ray disc player so I can enjoy my movies from the comfort of my couch in my living room and not via a laptop. I believe you should stick to the basics to run your lappy more effectively for college classes, for which you just need: Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Visio, depending on your studies. Blue ray is not a need for college its just a want to stay with technology. You won't be disappointed with the MBP, it meets your needs, which its for college as you did say it was, right? You don't need anything more for college classes.....Just my two cents.

 

[Papajohn56]

can always use a firewire BR/HD-DVD drive