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Sigh... the new ultra portable macbook pro?

D

doopsie

macrumors member
Original poster
May 19, 2007
54
0
i currently own the latest rev macbook with specs bumped up to 160gb and 2 gb ram, but it's too heavy and not powerful enough for my needs, as i realised i do tonnes of video-editing and 3d motion as well! :(:( luckily, my sister wants a macbook and hence im just waiting for the ultra portable macbook pro to come out so i can give my sister my macbook. any latest rumours on its release date?:(
 
i do hope so. Otherwise, my sister is going to go ahead to buy a mb of her own and it'll be such a waste! anybody else here hoping for a 12-13 inch MBP?
 
haha 12 13 inch???
the macbook pro is a powerful machine used the most for graphics design and such stuff which needs a big enough screen...12 13'' isnt enough for anything but surfing the net,IMing and similar simple stuff....i would say ha ha if apple make a powerful machine with little tiny screen...:p
 
XheartcoreboyX said:
haha 12 13 inch???
the macbook pro is a powerful machine used the most for graphics design and such stuff which needs a big enough screen...12 13'' isnt enough for anything but surfing the net,IMing and similar simple stuff....i would say ha ha if apple make a powerful machine with little tiny screen...:p
Click to expand...

That's not very true, ;) I use photoshop, motion 3, final cut, imovie, lightroom all at the same time on the puny lil screen and i don't find it a problem, after 8 hours a day, for almost a month of consistent use. :D
 
XheartcoreboyX said:
haha 12 13 inch???
the macbook pro is a powerful machine used the most for graphics design and such stuff which needs a big enough screen...12 13'' isnt enough for anything but surfing the net,IMing and similar simple stuff....i would say ha ha if apple make a powerful machine with little tiny screen...:p
Click to expand...

What about having a portable machine AND plugging it into a large monitor? That's exactly what I do with my 12" powerbook.
 
the point of a powerful laptop is to be able to do some work on the move, which is difficult with the size of the MBP and MB is not powerful enough.

No person that seriously works with graphics is going to do it on a laptop screen no matter the size.
 
chex said:
the point of a powerful laptop is to be able to do some work on the move, which is difficult with the size of the MBP and MB is not powerful enough.

No person that seriously works with graphics is going to do it on a laptop screen no matter the size.
Click to expand...

agreed. =) i'd take a 12/13 in MBP anytime. and plug it to an external display when i need mor real screen estate. Then again, im quite sure a higher resolution 13inch display would have enough real screen estate to do graphics work on that will make me happy.
 
Ultra portables have nearly all moved towards small, light, low power, long battery life. While it's possible Apple could not go for this market and go after professionals who need something powerful, but smaller than the 15" MBP, its highly unlikely.

Hit the gym and get a 15" ;)
 
doopsie said:
not really, :( especially since im a student and i have to lug it around everywhere i go. the macbook is considered quite heavy IMO. :(
Click to expand...


If you consider the 15" mbp to be heavy for carrying around to classes you have these choices:

a) get a membership at a gym or use the on-campus rec facility
b) the regular MB isn't much lighter so you may just want to look into an acer 8" laptop...
c) if it's the carrying that is hard on you, get a better bag and strap, try sfbags.com (waterfield designs™)

I carry my 15" powerbook g4 everywhere to my seminar classes, library, etc. I also work on campus at the writing center so my day from 8-5 monday through saturday puts my laptop at my side and its just fine, can't imagine life without it, and unless you go to UT, NYU, FSU or UCLA... you are at a much smaller campus than myself.
 
I found the macbook to be powerful to handle video editing and other graphic intensive activities. Heck i've done good stuff on a laptop that barely met requirements. The macbook screen is fine for editing but then bigger screen is always better. A serious person who does this type of work would probably perform these tasks on a desktop computer. Also the mac pro is essentially desktop replacement, it really should be used to move from place to place for student use.
 
I literally carry my 15 in everywhere I go it only weights like what 8 or so pounds? jeez... man get a sleeve and throw it in your backpack.
 
Doopsie, I'm totally with you on this one. A 12-inch pro model is certainly missing and I hope that Apple realizes the 'ultraportable' necessity out there. With that said, I highly doubt it would have dedicated graphics, so you'll be in the same boat as with your MacBook... Well, same boat, a few pounds lighter.

To the folks saying "Bah, you can't do work on a 12" screen!" or "Just get used to the weight of the 15" MBP!" wake up and realize we aren't all doing the same things... I know a few photographers who swear by their 12" powerbooks for the portability... Then again, I know a few who want to cart around a 17" MBP. If I had to gather up my MBP every day and use it in the field, I would trade a few extra pounds of it for a lot less graphics and processor power.
 
I love my 12" Powerbook and I refuse to upgrade to an Intel laptop until there is an ultraportable MBP.

The screen is big enough for basic photoshop, web browsing, and even spreadsheets. But what I use it for most is writing papers, taking notes, and coding. Yes, more resolution would be nice (1280x1024 perhaps?), but the physical size is perfect.

I lug it everywhere and while I understand that the 15 isn't much heavier, thats not the only problem with lugging a 15". The footprint on the larger machines is of course larger, so when I one (friend's) in my bag, the corners and edges stick out farther than my books. So ... if the sides of my backpack get knocked, that blow is going to land squarely on the edge of the MBP, not so with the 12". It sits inside the envelope of my textbooks, so the book bindings take the blows.

Also ... when you put the 15" on a desk/table in class it takes up a couple more precious inches that are needed for a paper notebook (no good way to sketch on a portable :( ).


Simply put, if there's a 12" MBP with dedicated graphics and a "high res" 1280x1024 screen .... I'll be ordering within minutes of his steveness' pronouncement, $2k be damned.
 
many options abound

Hey all,

I am with Doopsie on this one. I am a past-mac-lover who was forced into PC's by work over the last few years, and now am getting ready to return, thanks to the Intel processors.

I have been using Panasonic Toughbooks for years now, and despite being Windows machines, their design is great. Case in point - they use a round trackpad like an ipod! How Panasonic took this idea and not Apple I dont know, but it works as intuitively as an ipod to scroll.

Here's the kicker - my 2.5 year old machine CF-Y4 has a 100gb HD, 1gb RAM, state of the art processor (for then) a 14" screen, built in DVD R/RW, and weighs 2.65 LBS!!!! It is also armored inside (toughbook hallmark) and has survived an endo on my bicycle that had me land flat on my back/backpack with it inside. No damage to the laptop at all (thank you, magnesium case).

Panasonic even makes a 12" model (with all of the above features for right around the 2 lb mark. Freedom is having something so light you can stand up and use it cradled in your hand and typing with the other without fatigue!

I am not making a "they're better than Macs" argument in the least - I *want* a Mac. But for hardware design, it is possible to produce a state-of-the art machine WITH a good sized screen (14" and up), make it durable-even overbuilt, and have it weigh less than 4lbs.


I cant wait for Apple to come out with some updated lightweight designs that really woo PC users. They just did it with the Imacs, hopefully the laptops will benefit too!
 
I hate small laptops, my 15 inch powerbook if perfect and its not heavy at all. Hell when I was in school I had to carry over 30 pounds of books.:rolleyes:
 
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