Ok, I have a wonderful "problem". I have been on the verge of ordering a 17" MBP online but have not yet been able to pull the trigger. My wife has been in this with me since I started thinking about getting one. Today, I came home from work to find that my wonderful wife picked up a 17" MBP as a surprise for me. Wow! I know I will probably get killed for this but will ask it anyway. The configuration I planned to buy was with the 7200rpm HDD. Since this was from the Apple Store, it has the stock 5400rpm. Should I return it and order online with the 7200 or keep my wonderful gift? If you can believe it, it is still unopened so there would be no restocking fee. Will I notice that much difference? Thanks for any help you guys can give me here.
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To Keep or not to keep...that is the question.
- Thread starter IN-A-BIND
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I think you would notice a slight performance increase from the faster hard drive, but I wouldn't bother exchanging it. If you're going to be keeping it for a while, then I'd just sit on the 5400RPM drive and then upgrade it later on with a larger and faster drive.
IN-A-BIND said:
Oh just rip the thing open, smell the Apple packaging goodness and enjoy it - unless you are going to be batching 500+ images a day, you will not notice much of a difference (having used Aperture and iPhoto with both speed drive).
seriously, keep it. RPMs are not too big of an issue for what you plan on doing, since the 5400 will SCREAM! it's a killer machine as it is, you should most definitely keep it.
Get an external 3.5" Firewire HD with 250 - 400 Gb and a 16 Mb cache, then you have all the backup and bootable space you need.
Keep it dude. I wish my gf bought me a 17" MBP. You have the coolest wife ever. You're happy with the 17'er, she's happy that she gave it to you, the end.
iGary said:
Thanks for the words of wisdom. I do have an external FW800 drive that I store most of my work on anyway. Just had my mind set on the 7200 and wanted to make sure I was not making a mistake. This is my first computer that is not chained to a desk.
IN-A-BIND said:
OMG. I dont belive you. There`s just bout no way I can keep myself from getting the feel of that MBP if I was in your place. My wife aint that cool.
Keep it. NOOOO. Rip the package off and get that beauty out. Dont tell me you are not using it rite now. RPM wont really make that much of a difference. Seriously.
Open it....... Open it for god`s sake.
well, since you haven't opened it yet, i'd return it. what's another few days compare to a slower hard drive?
CanadaRAM said:
Sound advice. Additionally, if you work on files off of that drive (and set the app cache to it), you'll get better performance than with a faster internal. AND you won't have a heat increase in your imac.
I say keep it! a 5400 drive may actually last longer as the RPM speed is slower. Besides, I personally havent noticed that big of a difference between 7200 and 5400, and Ive used both. I would use the difference in price to max that Ram out. That will make a bigger difference than RPMs will! 
Return it if you want to sleep on the couch for a few days.
She did a WONDERFUL thing for you, and you're thinking about returning it? That's definite dog house time, right there. (at least if that happened with me)
you won't see that much performance in the RPM. Just wait until applecare runs out, then RIP that baby open. You could also reapply the thermal paste at that time
She did a WONDERFUL thing for you, and you're thinking about returning it? That's definite dog house time, right there. (at least if that happened with me)
you won't see that much performance in the RPM. Just wait until applecare runs out, then RIP that baby open. You could also reapply the thermal paste at that time
Yes, considering the ramifications of angering your wife, I would have to say that takes the consideration of an additional 2,200 RPMs well out of the equation. Be smart about this.
Please tell us...........
this post is coming from my new 17"! Provided by a queen amongst women and one of great class and impeccable taste.
this post is coming from my new 17"! Provided by a queen amongst women and one of great class and impeccable taste.
Demoman said:
Possibly related to my husband who surprised me with a maxed-out 15" MBP last month -- without a doubt one of the best surprises ever!
Enjoy -- I love mine.
JT
