Should I go with a MacBook Pro over my current setup?

[FFTT]

This is probably my #1 problem. I should just stay away from Apple.com- it forces me to spend waaaaay too much money.

YES!

If you bought the MBP now, you'd kick yourself when the Merom powered models are released.

Why not take up a nice affordable hobby like multi-track audio recording.

Check out Gearslutz.com and Mercenary.com if you really enjoy torturing
yourself.

Honestly, forget the computer upgrade for now and go ahead and get that camera.

You'll thank me in 2 years.

 

[jsw]

I'd agree with this option...

...although I still don't think Office on my MacBook Pro is that big of a deal

It runs as fast as it did on my iBook G4, and loads a bit faster

Oh, it's as fast or faster than on a G4 - absolutely. But the G5 blows away the Intels as far as Office is concerned. But, yes, it's usable on the Intels in the same way it's usable on G4s.

 

[spencecb]

Office isn't even remotely as fast on Intel as on a PM. I'm not saying that Office is required, but it's sluggish and a real memory pig - real RAM and especially virtual memory. Sure, virtual memory doesn't seem like a big deal - until you're using many GB of it without even realizing it.

As more things go UB, this will be less of an issue. But unless you're just using Apple apps and other UBs you're fooling yourself if you think you won't notice Rosetta sucking the life out of your system - like my AirTraffic Control widget which uses just 20MB of RAM but which is sucking half a gig of virtual memory.

Widgets are already Universal, because they are written in Java. This is a cross-platform technology and Rosetta has nothing to do with the fact that your Air Traffic widget is taking that much virtual memory.

 

[dmw007]

I think you'll be very happy with that choice, if that's the way you go. The MacBook will likely perform like my mini duo, which is surprisingly quick.

Either way, it should be much quicker than my Dell PeeCee. Heck, my iBook G4 seems snappier at times.

I'm sure the MacBook will be slower than the MacBook Pros, but they'll also be a lot lighter/more transportable as well as cheaper, and it allows you to keep the PM, which I know you'll miss.

Good points. I think that I would probably have seller's regret as soon as I got rid of my Power Mac G5 (I do love this computer dearly! ).

 

[jsw]

Widgets are already Universal, because they are written in Java. This is a cross-platform technology and Rosetta has nothing to do with the fact that your Air Traffic widget is taking that much virtual memory.

I beg to differ. Some widgets use Rosetta. For example, the ATC widget contains a UNIX executable. They aren't all 100% Java/JavaScript/HTML.

Although I guess it's not more of a hog, really, than the others....

 

[dmw007]

YES!

If you bought the MBP now, you'd kick yourself when the Merom powered models are released.

You speak the truth.

Why not take up a nice affordable hobby like multi-track audio recording.

Hmmm....that might require some talent on my part....I better pass.....

Check out Gearslutz.com and Mercenary.com if you really enjoy torturing
yourself.

I think that I need less, not more torturing. But yes, I do seem to enjoy torturing myself.

Honestly, forget the computer upgrade for now and go ahead and get that camera.

I would like to, but I don't take photos often enough to need a new camera. But that is on my "product wish list" for this year.

You'll thank me in 2 years.

I probably will/would. But I don't think that I have ever held onto a compute for more than 2 years.

 

[jamesi]

wait, so the person who started this thread about replacing his setup with a MBP is a student? lol i guess the "poor college student" label doesnt always apply

 

[dmw007]

Although I guess it's not more of a hog, really, than the others....

Dashboard & Widgets do seem to be pretty much of a RAM hog (regardless of whether it runs natively on intel processors or not). But I love how convenient and cool it is.

 

[dmw007]

wait, so the person who started this thread about replacing his setup with a MBP is a student? lol i guess the "poor college student" label doesnt always apply

No, that label does not always apply. Not that I am made of money, but I do have a good job (especially for a college student) at a local credit union ( www.lebanonfcu.org ).

 

[jsw]

Dashboard & Widgets do seem to be pretty much of a RAM hog (regardless of whether it runs natively on intel processors or not). But I love how convenient and cool it is.

Yeah, they're very cool, and I use them all the time. I just hope Leopard fixes some of the memory issues - I mean, there is no reason why the friggin' Weather widget should be consuming >350MB of virtual memory.

 

[AvSRoCkCO1067]

I beg to differ. Some widgets use Rosetta. For example, the ATC widget contains a UNIX executable. They aren't all 100% Java/JavaScript/HTML.

Although I guess it's not more of a hog, really, than the others....

You're right; Steve said 'Widgets' were all universal at his WWDC speech last year, I remember - but some of them aren't. The ones that are universal actually say 'universal' on the Widgets page on Apple.com

 

[dmw007]

Yeah, they're very cool, and I use them all the time. I just hope Leopard fixes some of the memory issues - I mean, there is no reason why the friggin' Weather widget should be consuming >350MB of virtual memory.

You are right, a widget using 350MB of virtual memory (plus ~20MB of RAM) is a bit excessive.

 

[dmw007]

Anyone else, I am still not sure what I should do. Although, I am leaning towards keeping my Power Mac G5 and selling my iBook G4 for a MacBook when they are finally released.


Has anyone else done a switch like I am considering?

 

[pincho]

how about selling the iBook and the Dell PC. Buying a 15" MBP and keeping the PowerMac if thats within budget. Then you could:

PowerMac
- use for heavy apps and work
- keep your main projects, documents, applications, files etc on it

MacBook Pro
- use as a mobilty powerhouse, doing some heavy work, but not as big as compared to what you do on the PM, just when your away from home
- use Boot Camp and install all your favourite games on it
-use it whenever your not next to your PM

just a suggestion, might be nothing what you want but hey

 

[dmw007]

how about selling the iBook and the Dell PC. Buying a 15" MBP and keeping the PowerMac if thats within budget. Then you could:

PowerMac
- use for heavy apps and work
- keep your main projects, documents, applications, files etc on it

MacBook Pro
- use as a mobilty powerhouse, doing some heavy work, but not as big as compared to what you do on the PM, just when your away from home
- use Boot Camp and install all your favourite games on it
-use it whenever your not next to your PM

just a suggestion, might be nothing what you want but hey

That is actually a good suggestion. It would eliminate two computers. Although, I did not want to shell out that much cash for a new laptop at this point. I figure I might be able to get $50-$100 for the Dell and $900-950 for the iBook G4. Meaning I would still need to pay ~$700-800 for a 1.83GHz MacBook Pro.

This solution would probably work better if I sold my iBook and Dell and replaced them with a MacBook. But alas, they are yet to be released.

The main thing is, I do not think that I do anything that merits having a Power Mac G5 besides gaming- and from what I hear, the MacBook Pro does quite well at that.

 

[pincho]

ill be receiving my MBP 1.83ghz in the next few days (shipped today ) and ill tell u how the gaming goes..... if i install windows

if you think the PowerMac is too powerful, then there might not be much point in keeping it. However the MBP is a good machine in that it eliminates the 'need PC' scenario. If u decide to sell off all 3, buy a maxed out 15" for all your needs yet too come

 

[dmw007]

ill be receiving my MBP 1.83ghz in the next few days (shipped today ) and ill tell u how the gaming goes..... if i install windows

Please do, I will gladly take all the advice and first hand experience that you or anyone is willing to give.

if you think the PowerMac is too powerful, then there might not be much point in keeping it. However the MBP is a good machine in that it eliminates the 'need PC' scenario. If u decide to sell off all 3, buy a maxed out 15" for all your needs yet too come

This is what I have been thinking about for the past 2 weeks or so. Its just that I am torn as to what is the best course of action.