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Oh Man ... Way Too Much Time to Think 2.2 vs 2.4

A

arcobb

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 3, 2005
250
5
Colorado
So I ordered a 2.2 MBP today and it turns out its on backorder for almost a week and a half ... and so is the 2.4. So now I have this time to sit and think. Is the 2.4 worth it? My plan all along was to pick up the WD Scorpio 250 drive and pop in there a few months from now and the price is way cheaper then the 2.4 MBP. ... So really the only advantage the 2.4 has is more GPU ram. Is it worth canceling my current order the extra money for the 2.4? Thoughts, opinions ... complaints?

P.S. I'm not much of a gamer ... and as far as I can tell 128 ram is fine for 90% of the games and doing video work?
 
arcobb said:
So I ordered a 2.2 MBP today and it turns out its on backorder for almost a week and a half ... and so is the 2.4. So now I have this time to sit and think. Is the 2.4 worth it? My plan all along was to pick up the WD Scorpio 250 drive and pop in there a few months from now and the price is way cheaper then the 2.4 MBP. ... So really the only advantage the 2.4 has is more GPU ram. Is it worth canceling my current order the extra money for the 2.4? Thoughts, opinions ... complaints?

P.S. I'm not much of a gamer ... and as far as I can tell 128 ram is fine for 90% of the games and doing video work?
Click to expand...

I personally didn't think so. But then, I'm not much of a gamer myself.

I was all set to order the 2.2 and then started to "think." It's ~$400 just for the jump from 2.2 to 2.4 MHz and the addition VRAM. For what I'm going to use it for, it's not worth it.

Now, if I felt I needed/wanted the 17" screen, then I'd just pay the price. But for the 15", I just couldn't justify the price for my uses. It sounds like you couldn't either. ;)
 
Unless you're going to be taking advantage of the extra video RAM, then take the 2.2Ghz. The difference between 2.2 and 2.4Ghz processor is minimal.
 
just go with the 2.2Ghz. if your just doing casual gaming and normal computer uses, then the base model will suit you just fine. unless your looking to output to dual 30" ACD and running extensive photo/video manipulation, you're better off saving the money for extra accessories and upgrades, like the Scorpio HD.
 
fr4c said:
just go with the 2.2Ghz. if your just doing casual gaming and normal computer uses, then the base model will suit you just fine. unless your looking to output to dual 30" ACD and running extensive photo/video manipulation, you're better off saving the money for extra accessories and upgrades, like the Scorpio HD.
Click to expand...

So let me ask this question ... I have had thoughts of someday purchaseing the 23" Cinema Display ... would the 2.2 run it ok?
 
arcobb said:
So let me ask this question ... I have had thoughts of someday purchaseing the 23" Cinema Display ... would the 2.2 run it ok?
Click to expand...

Answered my own question ...

CD Specs

But I wonder ... would there be a slow down in performance when going to a larger screen ... or would the MBP Function as normal?
 
fr4c said:
running extensive photo/video manipulation
Click to expand...

I see this phrase tossed around a lot when comparing the MBP's GPU. What exactly defines 'extensive photo/video manipulation?' Does this mean if I take a lot of photos and manipulate them in iPhoto then send the photos to iDVD I should go with the 2.4? Or are we talking about using CS3, Final Cut Studio, Shake, etc?
 
mpr131 said:
I see this phrase tossed around a lot when comparing the MBP's GPU. What exactly defines 'extensive photo/video manipulation?' Does this mean if I take a lot of photos and manipulate them in iPhoto then send the photos to iDVD I should go with the 2.4? Or are we talking about using CS3, Final Cut Studio, Shake, etc?
Click to expand...

Hmm ... to me extensive video manipulation would mean working in the graphics department putting together all the graphics or a movie studio cutting together films (Spider Man for example) or working on the movie intros (usually very graphic Heave)

iMovie I would guess is not extensive in my opinion.

So ... it sounds like going with the 128 GPU I'm not missing out on much. It is the same GPU after all ... just not as much RAM.

So would this be a fair compairison then? is the 128 GPU like running "only" the stock 2 GB ram in the machine vs one running 3 GB RAM?

Thanks everyone for your replies! :)
 
Well, I do some extensive CS work as well as video editing with FCP on my 2.2 MBP without too much issue. Its not a Mac Pro, but it does the job competently for a mobile computer and it is definitely better than my previous notebooks.
 
not to throw a wrench in the thought process but....i think the 2.4 is a better option. in todays comp industry things move fast, and well the little extra performance may be worth the initial cost. and when your paying this much for a laptop, im guessing like me, you want to use it for 3, 4 or 5 years. so think about the difference in cost over time. its not like a tower where you can easily change things to keep up.
and extra ram, bigger - faster hard drive and monitors are nice...the holidays are coming up quick and those make a nice gift :). and if you wait they get cheaper too.

anyway i came from a thinkpad and this is my first apple and i got to say im loving it and cant wait to reformat to take windows off this machine. (no time right now). anyway, back on topic. i weighed the options of the 2 machines and i went with the 2.4. reason, my thinkpad was used for 5+ years and still going strong. im expexting (hopeing) this will last just as long.

so in the end thats my case for the initial layout.
 
Back Order?

Back order eh?
I just bought a mbp last night and it's already shipping. That's because I ordered a refurbished model. And with the $500 I saved, I bumped myself not only up to 2.4, but to 17''!
Checks it out on the apple special deals page. They have 17'' / 160gb 7200 rpm drive mbp discounted 450 bucks, add tax to just that, and it's a savings of 500 :)
And - IT'S SHIPPING!!! Call them up and switch the order!
 
bennyboi said:
Back order eh?
I just bought a mbp last night and it's already shipping. That's because I ordered a refurbished model. And with the $500 I saved, I bumped myself not only up to 2.4, but to 17''!
Checks it out on the apple special deals page. They have 17'' / 160gb 7200 rpm drive mbp discounted 450 bucks, add tax to just that, and it's a savings of 500 :)
And - IT'S SHIPPING!!! Call them up and switch the order!
Click to expand...

I almost ordered a refurb myself... except certain other discounts were more than the refurb discount, so I just went for a 17" HiRes model.
 
Krevnik said:
I almost ordered a refurb myself... except certain other discounts were more than the refurb discount, so I just went for a 17" HiRes model.
Click to expand...

Yeah ... I had the 2.2 refurb ... I just sent it back because it has the bottom 1/3 yellow problem. Yuck. So it went back to apple.
 
check your local apple store. I went in there and got lucky. They had a couple 2.2s in stock so it saved me a couple weeks of waiting.
 
arcobb said:
Yeah ... I had the 2.2 refurb ... I just sent it back because it has the bottom 1/3 yellow problem. Yuck. So it went back to apple.
Click to expand...

Well, I was looking at the 17" the whole time... Just that the price of buying a 17" new with my discount, versus the refurb.... the refurb was more expensive (go figure).
 
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