Yet another Macbook vs. Macbook Pro Thread

[stevebob206]

Hey, I was planning on getting some form of mac notebook soon.

I'm heavily into music, film editing, stuff like that.

Would I be able to do this stuff using a regular macbook? even if I upgraded to 4gigs of ram. (which I'm planning on doing.)


I was kinda planning on getting the white macbook, with the 120gig hard drive. and install windows xp on boot camp.


It's just the price difference that kills me....haha

any ideas?

thanks!

 

[butterfly0fdoom]

I'd.... get a MacBook Pro.

 

[CalBoy]

If you're "really into" this stuff, I have to ask: are you dependent on it? If you make money off of these things, then you should not short change yourself; the macbook pro would be the way to go.

However, if you are a high school/college student who simply likes doing this on the side as a hobby, then go with the macbook. There's no need for you to spend an extra $600 at this stage in your life.

 

[vicious7]

If you're "really into" this stuff, I have to ask: are you dependent on it? If you make money off of these things, then you should not short change yourself; the macbook pro would be the way to go.

However, if you are a high school/college student who simply likes doing this on the side as a hobby, then go with the macbook. There's no need for you to spend an extra $600 at this stage in your life.

Agreed. Always use what you need and when you are ready to move up, then do so.

 

[stevebob206]

Agreed. Always use what you need and when you are ready to move up, then do so.

thanks guys. hahaha well I am in my junior year of high school......

Yeah, I'll probably just go with the regular macbook. With the 120gig hard drive. I'm not 100% positive though. Some people say those things just aren't very good all together.


Maybe it'll be good enough for me. Even though I am very into technology .


haha also, gaming on the pro would be so much more blissful. sooo ughhh hard decision.

 

[macman784]

if u have the money, id go with a macbook pro

 

[paul.b.davis]

if u have the money, id go with a macbook pro

I second that

 

[japasneezemonk]

I agree with the above posts, buy what you can afford. If the couple hundred dollars extra for the MBP are going to leave you broke, then go with the Macbook.

 

[CalBoy]

thanks guys. hahaha well I am in my junior year of high school......

Yeah, I'll probably just go with the regular macbook. With the 120gig hard drive. I'm not 100% positive though. Some people say those things just aren't very good all together.


Maybe it'll be good enough for me. Even though I am very into technology .


haha also, gaming on the pro would be so much more blissful. sooo ughhh hard decision.

A junior in high school? Please. You don't even *need* a laptop at this point. If you've earned the money for yourself, then be wise and be frugal; the macbook will be fine.

If this is your parents' money, then be thankful that you have such good parents. If my child asked me for a notebook at the age of 16/17, I'd hand him/her the "help wanted" ads.

if u have the money, id go with a macbook pro

I second that

I agree with the above posts, buy what you can afford. If the couple hundred dollars extra for the MBP are going to leave you broke, then go with the Macbook.

I have the money for an iPhone and 2 year contract...doesn't mean there aren't better uses for such money.

OP, if you're a teenager, then I know you have other expenses (clothes, girls/guys, etc, etc ). Be smart and save your money. It will be better for you in the long run.

 

[thies]

get a last gen macbook from ebay

 

[mosx]

You mention gaming in a later post. If thats an issue for you, then a Mac is not an option at all. For less than the $1999 MBP you can get Windows notebooks that have dual GeForce 8600M GTs running in SLI. For the cost of the $2499 MBP you can get yourself a Windows notebook that'll have a gig of video memory and the fastest mobile GPUs out there.

For the cost of the MacBook with DVD writer, you can get yourself a 15.4" Windows notebook with a 512MB GeForce 8600M GT, or you can spend less and get the 256MB GeForce 8600M GT. You can go below $1,000 and go with a GeForce 8400M GS.

You mention that you'll be installing Windows via BootCamp. So why not just buy a much better Windows notebook?

Yes I have a MacBook. No, I cannot recommend it. I would NOT buy a Mac again based on the fact that a $1408 system (white MacBook w/SuperDrive after taxes) has an integrated GPU and my $900 HP runs circles around it.

 

[anotherarunan]

You mention gaming in a later post. If thats an issue for you, then a Mac is not an option at all. For less than the $1999 MBP you can get Windows notebooks that have dual GeForce 8600M GTs running in SLI. For the cost of the $2499 MBP you can get yourself a Windows notebook that'll have a gig of video memory and the fastest mobile GPUs out there.

For the cost of the MacBook with DVD writer, you can get yourself a 15.4" Windows notebook with a 512MB GeForce 8600M GT, or you can spend less and get the 256MB GeForce 8600M GT. You can go below $1,000 and go with a GeForce 8400M GS.

You mention that you'll be installing Windows via BootCamp. So why not just buy a much better Windows notebook?

Yes I have a MacBook. No, I cannot recommend it. I would NOT buy a Mac again based on the fact that a $1408 system (white MacBook w/SuperDrive after taxes) has an integrated GPU and my $900 HP runs circles around it.

*let the battle commence*

 

[stevebob206]

Yeah I agree with CalBoy completely. haha

I do have a job, four days a week, waiter. hahaha better than nothing. And juggling that with school is a pain in the arse.

haha if you guys are wondering why I need some kind of laptop at this moment....is cause I'm currently using Windows 98. My old averatec laptop *shudders* completely died and I'm forced to use this. I can't even update my ipod classic.

So, I'm probably going to ask my parents for a macbook for christmas. And pay 3/4s for it most likely.


I'm not that heavily into games to really worry about playing them. I'd only really play silly stuff like Roller Coaster Tycoon 2. Or Red Alert II . I always wanted to try WoW though. So I might give that a shot. I watched a few videos on youtube of someone playing WoW on a regular macbook fine. So no problem there.


And having a macbook for me is kinda important cause I'm possibly going to film school. Even if I'm not I enjoy making films and editing music. ah well.

 

[CalBoy]

Yeah I agree with CalBoy completely. haha

I do have a job, four days a week, waiter. hahaha better than nothing. And juggling that with school is a pain in the arse.

See, that's when it becomes a bad thing. School should be your #1 job right now. You should only really be waiting tables 2 days a week at this point.

On a side note, I have another good reason for you to go macbook now. Assuming you go to college in two years (or 1.5 years), the macbook will be able to last you through the first two years of college. Then, when you're a junior in college, you can get yourself a mbp (this is easier to justify if you're going on to graduate work).

Anyways, enjoy your macbook and study hard.

 

[RoadCyclistID]

Go for the Macbook pro, if you can save a few more bucks, it is worth it!

 

[thechidz]

If money is truly an issue, purchase a student ADC membership for $99.

That will give you a discount on a MBP of %20. You wont regret going pro

 

[CalBoy]

Go for the Macbook pro, if you can save a few more bucks, it is worth it!

It isn't always a question of total funds available. In the case of a teenager, that money typically has many priorities (which would all serve the OP better than a mildly nicer notebook).

If money is truly an issue, purchase a student ADC membership for $99.

That will give you a discount on a MBP of %20. You wont regret going pro

So the OP should spend $100 more to save $200? In effect saving only an additional $100.

Either way, he doesn't qualify; he's a high school student.

 

[thechidz]

It isn't always a question of total funds available. In the case of a teenager, that money typically has many priorities (which would all serve the OP better than a mildly nicer notebook).



So the OP should spend $100 more to save $200? In effect saving only an additional $100.

Either way, he doesn't qualify; he's a high school student.

oh no, I meant on a 2000 machine he would save 400 or on a 2500 one he would save 500. Good deal on MBP, not so much on MB

 

[CalBoy]

oh no, I meant on a 2000 machine he would save 400 or on a 2500 one he would save 500. Good deal on MBP, not so much on MB

I know what you meant. The standard student discount is already $200 off MSRP for mbps. The net savings are only an additional $100 for the base model (which is the only one the OP can come close to buying).