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One more MacBook vs. MacBook Pro thread...

C

cheezebob

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 27, 2007
38
0
Okay, so this is my first post, but I've been reading stuff here a lot lately trying to decide between the 2.16 GHz white MacBook and the cheapest MBP. My parents are letting me choose one as a graduation present from high school and I will use it in college. I want to play games once in a while (probably like once a week max) and don't want them to work horribly. I want to do iMovie editing and will probably use an eyeTV hybrid to watch and record tv. I want to take it around campus and home, so portability is important I guess. My main concern about the MacBook is the small screen. Right now I have a 15 inch Dell LCD monitor with a resolution of 1024x768 attached to my Mac mini. Using the inspector in Pages, iWeb, Word and other apps is VERY annoying because it covers up the content I'm working on. I know the MacBook is widescreen and probably has a better resolution, but it's a lot smaller than the one I have now. So would the MacBook's screen be better or worse? Should I go for the MBP for speed, graphics, SR screen size and LED? Also, how do the speakers compare? And does the MacBook have the new iSight camera people say the new MBPs do? I am very torn, but I know I'll be happy with either one. I just need to know if the MBP is worth it for me.

Thanks
 
Trust me, you want the MBP, I'm getting one because of the one flaw with my MB, G-M-A-9-5-0. The MBP isn't really that much bigger than the MB, about a diagonal inch. You want a MBP, and as far as I'm concerned, my iPod's ear buds can go louder than my MB's speakers.
 
But will screen size be an issue?
And do MacBooks have the older iSight camera?
 
iToaster said:
Trust me, you want the MBP, I'm getting one because of the one flaw with my MB, G-M-A-9-5-0.
Click to expand...

Does this problem affect anything other than gaming?
And are there any other problems with the MB?

Thanks
 
cheezebob said:
I want to do iMovie editing and will probably use an eyeTV hybrid to watch and record tv.
Click to expand...

MB will do perfectly fine for this.

cheezebob said:
My main concern about the MacBook is the small screen. Right now I have a 15 inch Dell LCD monitor with a resolution of 1024x768 attached to my Mac mini. Using the inspector in Pages, iWeb, Word and other apps is VERY annoying because it covers up the content I'm working on. I know the MacBook is widescreen and probably has a better resolution, but it's a lot smaller than the one I have now. So would the MacBook's screen be better or worse?
Click to expand...

I find the screen nicely usable on the go, especially in Word, because of its widescreen-ness. And at your desk, remember that you can always attach an external monitor and have the desktop span across the two screens.

cheezebob said:
And does the MacBook have the new iSight camera people say the new MBPs do?
Click to expand...

Probably not, but what would you need the extra iSight resolution for, anyway? Remember that the iSight doesn't swivel or anything, so it's pretty much only useful for video chatting anyway.

mokal said:
Does this problem [GMA950] affect anything other than gaming?
And are there any other problems with the MB?
Click to expand...

The only other thing it affects is Aperture performance, because Aperture relies heavily on the GPU. But otherwise, no, the integrated graphics don't affect much outside of gaming.

Also, the keyboard on the MB is a matter of taste. I found it a little weird at first, but grown to like it much better than my old PB's keyboard -- but tastes may differ. I'd try it out at an Apple Store to see if you hate it or if it'll grow on you.
 
Games and recording from TV? I'd suggest a Windows laptop, personally. Replace iMovie editing with Premiere or a similar program.
 
Adamo said:
Games and recording from TV? I'd suggest a Windows laptop, personally. Replace iMovie editing with Premiere or a similar program.
Click to expand...
HAHAHA ok Macbook Pro. Macbook pro 2.2ghz w/160hd speaking. Best thing i've ever bought !!!
 
best advice is to go to a macstore (if available).

I was about sold on the MB, but decided to upgrade to a MBP for the slightly better viewing angle in photo editing.

I'm not a gamer, so i can't say much about that, but evertyhing else you want it for should be hitch free on a MB.

for screen size... we'll unless you decide to go 17" i don't see a solution to your screen concerns...

either way, i'm sure you'll love it!
 
cheezebob said:
My parents are letting me choose one as a graduation present from high school and I will use it in college.
Click to expand...

So, your parents are going to buy either?? If so, get the MBP, no brainer.

cheezebob said:
I want to take it around campus and home, so portability is important I guess.
Click to expand...

Sounds like the difference in weight, like half pound between the two, wont kill ya.

cheezebob said:
My main concern about the MacBook is the small screen.
Click to expand...

Well...another point for MBP...

Honestly sounds like you have made up your mind to me...and i personally feel it's a no brainer especially if your parents will buy either...
 
You lucky guy, nice gift.

I own a MacBook which I use on a daily basis for writing to my website (www.geekanoids.co.uk) - it does everything I need.

No problems with; email, surfing, Quark, Photoshop, accounting, and all those little utilities. It is a bit slow when exporting from iMovie, but as for recording from Elgato products, works just fine.

The only problem is games, the integrated graphics are OK, but not going to allow you to run things that have a need for some real GPU tasks and memory. So if funds allow, the MBPro would be a wiser choice.
 
No doubt you should get the Macbook, the Pro is overkill for what you said you do. The GMA950 can handle most games, not at the highest setting, but playable.
 
In the same vein... I am also deciding between these two computers. I do plan to do a lot of photo editing on photoshop; are there significant advantages w. the macbook pro for this?

Thanks!
 
aube said:
In the same vein... I am also deciding between these two computers. I do plan to do a lot of photo editing on photoshop; are there significant advantages w. the macbook pro for this?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Well I took a similar decision a few weeks ago. black MB vs MBP. I work with Aperture and CS3 quite a bit. The LED screen and resolution made the decision for me. The graphics card is a bonus. And don't forget the cool and rather useful illuminated keyboard. I personally went for the 2.4 glossy configuration but the 2.2 is more than enough for your uses as someone already said.

If you weren't gaming or using photoshop then it would come down to size and looks.
 
alex.vm said:
Well I took a similar decision a few weeks ago. black MB vs MBP. I work with Aperture and CS3 quite a bit. ....If you weren't gaming or using photoshop then it would come down to size and looks.
Click to expand...

If you're using Aperture a lot, the MBP's graphics card is a huge plus and you made the right move IMO.

However, Photoshop is a largely CPU-intensive app, as such although the MBP will be faster it's nothing like the difference that GPU intensive app like Motion would have. If you didn't mean that the MBP's graphics card would boost PS performance massively, then apologies - but by saying "gaming or using photoshop", it's easy to infer that you did.
 
aube said:
In the same vein... I am also deciding between these two computers. I do plan to do a lot of photo editing on photoshop; are there significant advantages w. the macbook pro for this?
Click to expand...
Have at look at:
http://www.barefeats.com/rosa02.html

Thanks to the faster FSB and processor, MBPs are quicker in PS - plus they can access 4GB RAM as opposed opposed to the 3.3GB max that the MB can take (BTW that's what the MB had in the above test). You can see that with the old 2.33GHz model wasn't much quicker than a 2.16GHz MB.

As I say, it is quicker but nothing like the difference there would be if PS was a GPU intensive app. If you were using Aperture, I would recommend the MBP; if it's just PS, I would lean towards the MBP but the MB is pretty nifty at running PS according to users - and isn't that far away from the performance that the previous MBPs offered.
 
cheezebob said:
...Using the inspector in Pages, iWeb, Word and other apps is VERY annoying because it covers up the content I'm working on....
Click to expand...

You can install 'Desktop Manager' so you can have several virtual destops; very similar to what 'spaces' is going to be in Leopard. No more cluttering...

I use now three virtual desktops, the left one is mail + iTunes, the middle is FireFox and the right one is for other stuff going on (full screen terminal and such). You can switch between them quite quickly with a simple key combination: command - alt - right / left

Give it a shot... and as far a gaming in concerned; get the MBP...
 
I've got a macbook and I love it, but I would take the MBP over it any day because its a better computer. And for people talking about aperture on MB, I run aperture on my macbook and work with large RAW files all the time, it works fine.
 
I had the same problem on choosing which one. I do the basics, so the MB was right up my alley. If you want to be able to run any program and not have to worry about whats under the hood have a larger screen, just go with the MBP. But I am a very, very happy MB owner.:)

Good luck with whatever you choose.
 
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