Upgrade to the Core 2?

[Monkaaay]

I have a MacBook Pro from June. I've upgraded the memory and hard drive, so I spent roughly $2400 for the machine. I have a buyer lined up for about $1700. So, I'm looking at the base 15" and the 17", $2200 and $2800 respectively. The real difference is the screen and some extra hard drive space in the 17". I don't care so much about the video or super drive speed.

What would you do? Would you spend $500 or $1100 to upgrade to the new Core 2 laptop? Is the 17" upgrade worth the extra $600?

 

[Shadow]

If you needed the screen space you should have got the 17" when you bought it. I don't see any reason the upgrade to Core 2 whatsoever-its only marginally faster and 64 bit isnt really needed.

 

[Monkaaay]

If you needed the screen space you should have got the 17" when you bought it. I don't see any reason the upgrade to Core 2 whatsoever-its only marginally faster and 64 bit isnt really needed.

That's easy to say in hindsight. I'm thinking about 10.5 and it's improved 64 bit support. I would imagine most of the Apple applications will be compiled for 64 bit usage.

 

[Sesshi]

Don't bother. I have C2D Dells along with the 2.16 MBP and '39% faster' is a misleading figure. An upgrade from the current MBP doesn't make much sense - no new GPU, no compelling new subsystems either.

Unless you want the bigger screen - and even then I'm not now convinced there is much point in having this due to the very noticeable increase in bulk & weight if you do any even remotely regular transportation of your 'notebook'. I think sticking on an ACD at your base(s) of use is a smarter proposition.

Get the next one when Leopard is in full swing.

 

[BlizzardBomb]

Well do you have the cash to spare? I doubt the difference is worth that amount of money, but if you really want to fork out for the latest model...

 

[Monkaaay]

Consider value in my current laptop. By next spring I won't be able to get $1600-1700 for this machine...

 

[Shadow]

That's easy to say in hindsight. I'm thinking about 10.5 and it's improved 64 bit support. I would imagine most of the Apple applications will be compiled for 64 bit usage.

Most apps wont be 64bit before the laptop is replaced-maybe just Apple's and thats it.

 

[Monkaaay]

Well do you have the cash to spare?

Yes.

 

[Monkaaay]

Most apps wont be 64bit before the laptop is replaced-maybe just Apple's and thats it.

Apple applications are at least 75% of what I use daily.

 

[Shadow]

Apple applications are at least 75% of what I use daily.

What advantage does 64bit have anyway? More RAM, and thats basically it.

 

[Monkaaay]

What advantage does 64bit have anyway? More RAM, and thats basically it.

Double the addressable registers on a CPU is a big deal. Don't forget the 4MB cache compared with the older model's 2MB. That's pretty big as well.

I'm thinking the 15" model with 2gb of memory would do. I don't see a reason to spend $300 for the 2.33 compared with the 2.16. So I'll probably do that. Wonder if the Apple store has them already...

 

[tbrinkma]

Sure, next spring you won't be able to get $1600-$1700 for a first-rev MBP. But, the 'up-to 39% faster' doesn't mean 'always 39% faster', or even 'usually 39% faster'. Most of the reviews I've seen put a Core2Duo machine about 5-10% faster than an otherwise identical same-clock CoreDuo machine. Is that 5-10% really worth $600 to you? That's the question.

Of course, nobody but you can make that decision for you.

 

[Monkaaay]

Sure, next spring you won't be able to get $1600-$1700 for a first-rev MBP. But, the 'up-to 39% faster' doesn't mean 'always 39% faster', or even 'usually 39% faster'. Most of the reviews I've seen put a Core2Duo machine about 5-10% faster than an otherwise identical same-clock CoreDuo machine. Is that 5-10% really worth $600 to you? That's the question.

Of course, nobody but you can make that decision for you.

I don't believe everything I read on the Internet. However, I would imagine the benchmarks you've seen were for Windows machines considering nobody knew the Macs would see them today. Is that right? If so, I would think OS 10.4 would benefit more from a 64 bit processor than Windows XP. OS 10.5 is going to really benefit.

 

[Shadow]

Double the addressable registers on a CPU is a big deal. Don't forget the 4MB cache compared with the older model's 2MB. That's pretty big as well.

I'm thinking the 15" model with 2gb of memory would do. I don't see a reason to spend $300 for the 2.33 compared with the 2.16. So I'll probably do that. Wonder if the Apple store has them already...

Double the waht? 4MB cache is a CPU design thing, not 64bit.

 

[djkny]

I'm struggling with the decision, too. The 15" Core Duo MBP refurbs -- "yesterday's" model -- are being offered for only $1449. I have an additional $100 discount, which means I can spring for one of these for $1460 after taxes. On the other hand, the new models --- 15" C2D -- is $1799 at edu prices with no tax from our university store. In the end, the difference is about $375, not chump change by any means. Is the upgrade still worth it?
Hmmmm ....

 

[Monkaaay]

Double the waht? 4MB cache is a CPU design thing, not 64bit.

I understand that. I'm talking about two different things, CPU cache and the memory registers on the CPU. Check out google for some details.

 

[Monkaaay]

I'm struggling with the decision, too. The 15" Core Duo MBP refurbs -- "yesterday's" model -- are being offered for only $1449. I have an additional $100 discount, which means I can spring for one of these for $1460 after taxes. On the other hand, the new models --- 15" C2D -- is $1799 at edu prices with no tax from our university store. In the end, the difference is about $375, not chump change by any means. Is the upgrade still worth it?
Hmmmm ....

Oh yeah! I totally forgot about the educational discount. I knew I was in graduate school for a reason...

 

[mopppish]

Double the waht? 4MB cache is a CPU design thing, not 64bit.

Also, that 4MB cache thing is sometimes mis-used in these posts. That cache only has to do with the CPU performace gains we're seeing i.e. 5-10%. In fact, it's probably what accounts for a great deal of that improvement, but it's significance ends there. Once you've established that there's a slight clock-for-clock improvement over the Core Duo, then bringing up the extra cache again separately is a moot point.

 

[djkny]

Oh yeah! I totally forgot about the educational discount. I knew I was in graduate school for a reason...

I'd sell it. I sold my 15"MBP on ebay in September for $1680. $1700 is a good price, esp. for it being used already for 3 months!

Even if you experience quick-sell off remorse, you can "rebuy" a refurb for $200 cheaper and use that extra cash on a 20" LCD or more RAM!

 

[Josias]

How come edu. discount in Denmark is only 2%? Or is it just a bogus reseller telling me this? I am counting as a student, and could save a great deal of money with that discount...

BTW, OP: Go for the 15" C2D. More than the processor was changed. And the processor means a lot, you now also have longer battery life.

 

[Dark]

Sounds like an impluse buy and big waste of money to me.

 

[iMeowbot]

What would you do? Would you spend $500 or $1100 to upgrade to the new Core 2 laptop? Is the 17" upgrade worth the extra $600?

The time to worry about this is when (and if) someone releases software, that you actually need, that requires the new instruction set. That won't be happening until at least after Leopard appears, if at all.

 

[mopppish]

The time to worry about this is when (and if) someone releases software, that you actually need, that requires the new instruction set. That won't be happening until at least after Leopard appears, if at all.

Word.