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Old January 7th, 2007, 10:19 PM   #1
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Default MacBook vs MacBook Pro

So I need a new computer for school and decided to go the mac route, but am having trouble deciding what I should get. Right now it's between the 2.0GHz MacBook with 2GB memory and a 120GB hard drive for $1,712CND or the 2.16GHz MacBook Pro with 1GB and a 120GB hard drive for $1,999CND.

I'll need the computer to last for about three years. Not really a power user, maybe a bit of Photoshop and video editing but again nothing serious.


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Old January 7th, 2007, 10:55 PM   #2
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I've been thinking of the same, but the only real difference I saw between the standard and the pro was the superior video card (and larger screen size). It's unlikely I'll do much gaming, which is why I plan on going for the standard model.

Most likely the 1,299 (USD) model (1GB mem 120GB HD) vs. the 1,999 (USD) pro (1GB mem 120GB HD).

The extra savings could go towards something like a PS3 etc...
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Old January 7th, 2007, 11:51 PM   #3
 
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Hi Matt,
I was in the same position 6 months ago before starting my research degree. I went for a MacBook Pro in the end as I decided the screen size was perfect, I may want the Graphics card and I definitely wanted it to last three years... Plus I'm doing some pretty heavy processing on it so figured the extra speed would be worth it. However, the differential between this and the standard MacBook was a bit bigger back then. Speed as well as features.

If I was buying now, I reckon I'd probably go for the standard MacBook. They're plenty fast enough, significantly cheaper, and probably a bit more durable - given I carry my MBP to uni and back everyday I am a bit worried about a bit of damage. I don't think I'd worry anywhere near as much if I had a standard MacBook (given the price). Not to mention the worry of theft.
In my experience, the only things I'd miss on this computer if I'd got the MacBook would be the light up keyboard, the keyboard itself (I hated the keyboard on the standard MB, doesn't feel right, whereas I love the MBP keyboard to bits) and ummm... yeah, that's about it. The MacBook now has everything else that the MBP has; Frontrow, Magsafe connector, dual-display support (I needed this too, MB didn't have it before), Core 2 Duo (mine is standard Core Duo - bought it a couple of months before Core 2 came out on the MBPs... images/smilies/sad.gif).

Also, don't forget as a student you should qualify for a student discount which is a really good saving!

I hope that helps...
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Old January 8th, 2007, 12:27 AM   #4
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Originally Posted by monkeymax View Post
Hi Matt,
I was in the same position 6 months ago before starting my research degree. I went for a MacBook Pro in the end as I decided the screen size was perfect, I may want the Graphics card and I definitely wanted it to last three years... Plus I'm doing some pretty heavy processing on it so figured the extra speed would be worth it. However, the differential between this and the standard MacBook was a bit bigger back then. Speed as well as features.

If I was buying now, I reckon I'd probably go for the standard MacBook. They're plenty fast enough, significantly cheaper, and probably a bit more durable - given I carry my MBP to uni and back everyday I am a bit worried about a bit of damage. I don't think I'd worry anywhere near as much if I had a standard MacBook (given the price). Not to mention the worry of theft.
In my experience, the only things I'd miss on this computer if I'd got the MacBook would be the light up keyboard, the keyboard itself (I hated the keyboard on the standard MB, doesn't feel right, whereas I love the MBP keyboard to bits) and ummm... yeah, that's about it. The MacBook now has everything else that the MBP has; Frontrow, Magsafe connector, dual-display support (I needed this too, MB didn't have it before), Core 2 Duo (mine is standard Core Duo - bought it a couple of months before Core 2 came out on the MBPs... images/smilies/sad.gif).

Also, don't forget as a student you should qualify for a student discount which is a really good saving!

I hope that helps...

Awesome post man!

So I guess the stuff that it comes down to are the screen size, keyboard and graphics card. I'll be using a 20" Dell in the dorm room, and I am sure the 13" screen will be big enough for notes and other work on the run, so that's not really a problem. The keyboard I can learn to live with. So I guess it just comes down to the graphics card. I don't plan on doing any gaming as I'll have a Windows desktop, but you never know. What other graphics intensive things could I be doing with a nice graphics card?
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Old January 8th, 2007, 12:52 AM   #5
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Wait a second...the standard model doesn't have the ambient keyboard?!?!?

Darnit!
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Old January 8th, 2007, 3:01 AM   #6
 
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Well one thing to note about apples is the screen resolutions are pretty lower when you compare them to PC's, like Dells. When i switched to my Macbook Pro, even with the 15in screen its feels so much cramped compare to my 15in dell notebook i was using. But i think the Macbook Pro has a lot of good ups, like the dedicated video card, the keyboard, the larger screen, and the ExpressCard so you can add things like 3G cards.
My cousin has the Macbook standard and its great, really good for its size but i cant stand the screen res being that low. Not a lot of real estate to work with for me, i still even find the 15in to be small.
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Old January 8th, 2007, 3:53 AM   #7
 
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Hmm, my school is selling the older MacBooks (Core Duo, not Core 2 Duo) for $700. Nah, too much still!
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Old January 8th, 2007, 5:44 AM   #8
 
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I have both and I would recommend going for the MacBook Pro.
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Old January 8th, 2007, 7:06 AM   #9
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I have both and I would recommend going for the MacBook Pro.


Why?
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Old January 8th, 2007, 2:20 PM   #10
 
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Originally Posted by matt_shaw View Post
So I guess it just comes down to the graphics card. I don't plan on doing any gaming as I'll have a Windows desktop, but you never know. What other graphics intensive things could I be doing with a nice graphics card?
Depends on whether your work will require you to do anything graphically intensive. I don't know if video editing uses the GC, but I reckon that the CPU is plenty to manage this on its own anyway. The operating system needs some graphics power, but this is covered by the GC in the standard MB. I've done quite a bit with my MBP but don't think I've taxed my GC at all yet - but then I've not played any games on this machine yet...

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Well one thing to note about apples is the screen resolutions are pretty lower when you compare them to PC's, like Dells. When i switched to my Macbook Pro, even with the 15in screen its feels so much cramped compare to my 15in dell notebook i was using.
I strongly disagree with this. I suppose it's horses for courses, but my 15" widescreen MBP runs at resolution of 1440x900 . I was considering getting an external screen as well for my room (I previously used a 4:3 19"CRT on my old PC so that shows how much I down graded) but the resolution on a 19" Widescreen LCD is the same as this Mac's display, in spite of the extra estate. I'd have to go significantly larger for any more pixels, and to be honest this screen has been great for me since I bought the computer and I'm perfectly happy continuing to use it on it's own. It's a fantastic LCD panel in terms of quality and size as far as I'm concerned. Any larger and it'd be too big to carry around.
It may be a different story with the 13" Macbook.
Zuhaib, I use VirtueDesktops when I'm at Uni - essentially it gives me four screens as I can switch effortlessly between them (a few Linux distros have the same and I use it on mine too) - if you find you're running out of space I recommend yu give it a try...


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Hmm, my school is selling the older MacBooks (Core Duo, not Core 2 Duo) for $700. Nah, too much still!
That's a great deal - I'd buy one at that price, even with my MBP!
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Old January 9th, 2007, 7:45 AM   #11
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Does anyone know of a new model or something that is planned on being released soon? Because I'd hate to buy one now and have something different (or better) come out a month later.
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Old January 9th, 2007, 8:24 AM   #12
 
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Quote:
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Does anyone know of a new model or something that is planned on being released soon? Because I'd hate to buy one now and have something different (or better) come out a month later.
Apple? Release new models frequently? NEVER! images/smilies/lol.gif

They put out new stuff every six months it seems, so buy it now if you need it, buy it later if you want it.
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Old January 9th, 2007, 8:46 AM   #13
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lol...darnit, I don't need it....but want it so bad.

I'll think it over....
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Old January 9th, 2007, 10:13 AM   #14
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At least wait until after Macworld is over.
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Old January 11th, 2007, 4:23 AM   #15
 
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Does anyone know of a new model or something that is planned on being released soon? Because I'd hate to buy one now and have something different (or better) come out a month later.
Use Intel mobile processor releases as your indicator whether or not Apple will offer updated notebooks.
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Old January 11th, 2007, 5:20 PM   #16
 
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I'm getting a new Pro tomorrow... The only thing is that they need a minimum of 2gigs of memory, otherwise they are hopelessly slow at EVERYTHING. The new software updates coming this spring should help with the emulation problems currenty slowing the new Intel macs down but still...
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Old January 12th, 2007, 1:27 AM   #17
 
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I'm getting a new Pro tomorrow... The only thing is that they need a minimum of 2gigs of memory, otherwise they are hopelessly slow at EVERYTHING. The new software updates coming this spring should help with the emulation problems currenty slowing the new Intel macs down but still...
Where are you getting that information from?
I'm running development software for my uni research project just fine with the 1Gig stick in my MBP...
I can see where 2Gigs would help and it'll be one of my soon to do upgrades. But it's definitely not a necessary upgrade. Hopelessly slow at everything?! Waay off there.
Don't know which emulation software you're on about either. OS X runs natively (Universal version) as does most of the software I run. Photoshop may be the exception (and it does annoy me that the fan comes on whenever I use that app) but personally given how little I use that program, I can live with that. And it still runs fairly fast.
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Old January 12th, 2007, 4:19 PM   #18
 
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^^information is from pesonal use and our IT department trying to fix it (only thing that helped was adding memory...) I got a brand spanking new Mac 2 monhts ago and it is HOPELESS.

Well, I do deal with fairly large databases for work, but nothing that "non-intel" Macs would have any problems with.
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Old January 12th, 2007, 4:42 PM   #19
 
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I'm thinking the app used on the Intel Macs are PPC binaries running under Rosetta.
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Old January 21st, 2007, 12:25 AM   #20
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Alright...i'm doing it this weekend. Gonna go for the standard model for 1,199 or 1,399 (the price after student discount of 100 bucks, which is why i'm buying online not in-store).

Not sure which one though...the more expensive has a larger hard drive and it's black. Not really interested in the hard drive..so...

Is it worth paying 200 bucks more for the black?....or is the white better?
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