xphillyx Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 I'm goign to be purchasing a new laptop in the next few months, and I wanted to buy a Mac. I'm going to upgrade it to 160 GB HD and 2 GB RAM. The only differences I can see between 2.0 GHz Macbook and 2.16 GHz Pro are the .16 GHz, illuminated keyboard, GPU, and a firewire port. Also you can buy a USB light for your KB. And the MB has longer battery life and is about 1/2 lb lighter. Also, you have to pay about $550 more for the Pro. Is paying $550 extra for those features worth it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colonel Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 MacBook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technobob Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 I have been fighting with the same ? I'm buying my first Mac in a couple of months too You need to look at what your planning to do on it. I don't play games so I don't need the Ati 1600 so the GMA is fine maybe. I will only be looking at the screen when I'm at work so 13.3" screen is fine. When I'm at home it will be docked to my 21" wide screen Gateway and Apple wireless keyboard and mouse. I looked into FireWire 800 peripherals and they are not cheap not worth it. The only drawback to the MacBook vs Pro is the lack of the ExpressCard/34 slot which can be used to update the video card if needed other then that I don't have a need for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xphillyx Posted January 20, 2007 Author Share Posted January 20, 2007 I have been fighting with the same ? I'm buying my first Mac in a couple of months too You need to look at what your planning to do on it. I don't play games so I don't need the Ati 1600 so the GMA is fine maybe. I will only be looking at the screen when I'm at work so 13.3" screen is fine. When I'm at home it will be docked to my 21" wide screen Gateway and Apple wireless keyboard and mouse. I looked into FireWire 800 peripherals and they are not cheap not worth it. The only drawback to the MacBook vs Pro is the lack of the ExpressCard/34 slot which can be used to update the video card if needed other then that I don't have a need for it. I don't plan to play games on mine either. I have an amazing desktop to do that with. Also, price is kinda a big issue for me because I need to build comps for people in order to raise the money for one. Kinda ironic how I build custom PCs in order to raise money for a pre-built computer Another thing is that I will be starting college in about a year and a half, so I wanna have a computer that will last for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technobob Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 Thats funny I too build custom PC's about 50 over that past few years and yet I own a Dell 8300 desktop and a IBM Thinkpad T40 Price for me is an issue too I can barely afford a Pro it will take all my resources to buy one but the MacBook is easier to come up with the money, For me cost difference is $850CAD. Your really not going to see the difference between a 2.0GHz and a 2.16GHz. If your looking for future proof then you want the Pro for expandability with the ExpressCard/34 slot but again it depends on your plans for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xphillyx Posted January 20, 2007 Author Share Posted January 20, 2007 (edited) My current PC runs at 2.21(not OCed, yet) single core 939 socket Venice with 1 GB RAM. I have no need for crazy processing power, as I don't edit video, or take pictures. I think with 2 GB RAM a .16 GHz increase would hardly be noticeable. I plan to pretty much surf web, and have dreamweaver and Azuerus and iTunes open 24/7, so I don't think the .16 really will make a difference. Edited January 20, 2007 by xphillyx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technobob Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 My current PC runs at 2.21(not OCed, yet) single core 939 socket Venice with 1 GB RAM. I have no need for crazy processing power, as I don't edit video, or take pictures. I think with 2 GB RAM a .16 GHz increase would hardly be noticeable. I plan to pretty much surf web, and have dreamweaver and Azuerus and iTunes open 24/7, so I don't think the .16 really will make a difference. If thats all your planning to do then save your self some money and go with the MacBook. I have pretty much decided to go with a MacBook unless the government decide to be kind on my taxes this year in that case I will buy the Pro. I'm like you I don't do anything CPU intensive so a MacBook will meet my needs for the next 4 years before I buy a new one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyman Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 Finally I thought the MBP is worth the price difference, since it had a lot more features I wanted my laptop to have compared to the MacBook. Indeed it is still a LOT of money but as I am typing I am still very lucky with my MBP C2D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Nonny Moose Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 MacBook < MacBook Pro That's rather simplistic. It all depends on what you're going to be doing with it. For most uses, the MacBook not pro will do just fine. Now if you're running Aperture or playing games heavily, then you will need the decicated graphics card of the pro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urbz Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 Yes but let's not forget that the MBP is still a great choice, even if you're buying a laptop for portability. The 15" screen doesn't give it a much bigger footprint than the MB and it's dedicated gfx card aso means it's a more futur-proof choice. Why? Because as time goes on and the Mac OS matures more and more, we will see instructions being pased to the GPU in greater quantities than we ever have. It will eventually grow to hte point of the GPU taking care of every single thing you see onscreen. Currently, we can't exactly say that. Still, by the time that happens, even the MBP will be obsolete. Even with all that I just said, if I were you, I'd go with the Macbook because you won't need any of the Pro's advantages, and you don't have the $550 that you can get easily. If you had the extra money readily available tho, I'd say the MBP would be perfect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainsquash Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 I am a proud owner of a Macbook Pro C2D (which I bought for college) - but the only reason I went with the pro is that I planned on it being the only computer I'd use in college. I have two desktops, but both are showing signs of old age, so, instead of buying a new desktop and a work laptop I bought a do-it-all laptop (and I'm extremely happy with it). If I had a powerhouse desktop, I'd use that and go with the MacBook, but given my position the latter proved to be a better choice. So, with that said, I believe a MacBook would be the best for you. The ExpressCard slot really doesn't really have much use for most people as (at this point in time) - most of the hardware you need is already installed (802.11n wireless, etc.) and personally the only reason I would have it would be to have a card reader. The GMA950 GPU is definitely not as powerful as the X1600 () but it should run everyday OS X apps quite nicely - and for some time too - I can't think of any application off the top of my head in OS X 10.5 that would require a severe amount of graphics processing power (it is also capable of playing older games too if need be). It does have a slightly smaller screen - but thats arguably beneficial if you're bringing it from class to class as it has lower power consumption and a smaller footprint. The MacBook is lighter than the MBP, has longer battery life, and costs less - I think all signs point to the MacBook for you. I don't know if you need to pick this computer up right away, but if you're buying a mac for college it might be worth your while to wait until you get accepted into college. That way you can shave off a hefty $300 or so with the academic discount, and have the latest and greatest hardware to work with. Anyways, thats just my two cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xphillyx Posted January 21, 2007 Author Share Posted January 21, 2007 Thank you all. I really appreciate that. I'm 98% sure I'm gonna get a Macbook, now, unless I get some serious cash randomly, lol. Thanks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soündless Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 i think it was worth it to upgrade to the pro, for my uses anyway. the gpu on my ibook was terrible, and i use graphics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munky Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 I can perhaps give a good insight, as I have owned both a MacBook and a MacBook Pro. I started out with a (brand new) 1.83Ghz CD MacBook, upped to 2Gb RAM and 120Gb disk. I now have a (refurb) 1.83Ghz CD MacBook Pro, with 128Mb VRAM, upped to 1.5Gb ram and the stock 80Gb disk. i went through two macbooks (first was perfect, apart from random shutdown syndrome, second had sticky keyboard, unresponsive trackpad button and dull screen) before buying a refurb MBP. i have to say, the MBP actually feels slower, but I suspect this is because i'm no longer running dual-channel RAM (i had to sell one of my 1Gb sticks to afford the pro). i do miss the extra battery life and wireless range of the macbook, and it was a really nice machine - nice size, nice weight etc. in some ways i even miss the glossy screen (my mbp has the standard matte screen), tho for photography afaik the matte screen gives more accurate colour reproduction. of course i miss the extra disk space (and the fact that i can swap out the hdd on the macbook really easily). but hopefully i'll soon be rocking 2Gb ram on my mbp, so the speed issue should be solved. i do appreciate the extra screen space - 1440x900 versus 1280x800 doesnt *sound* like a big deal, but it really makes a difference. and, lets face it, the MBP *is* a deeply sexy machine. i dont think i'd swap back. well, *maybe* for a black c2d 2ghz / 2gb ram / 160gb disk, if it was brand new... but i doubt it in summary, i'd say that its still a very difficult choice to choose between the mb and the pro. the mb is an extremely excellent machine - i had no issues whatsoever with its 'crappy' GMA950. like many others, i have a powerful windows pc if i want to play games, so that really doesnt bother me. another example - i thought Aperture would be much faster on the pro, but to be honest i cant tell the difference. the screen space is nice tho. hope this random mindspill is helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninetto Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 "i went through two macbooks (first was perfect, apart from random shutdown syndrome, second had sticky keyboard, unresponsive trackpad button and dull screen)..." AND people scream/yell about Hackintosh Laptops having problems?! Yeah the MBP is a beautiful machine... but when it comes for the the best hardware for the least bucks: "viva la Hackintosh!" greetinz, n.m. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henchman Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 "i went through two macbooks (first was perfect, apart from random shutdown syndrome, second had sticky keyboard, unresponsive trackpad button and dull screen)..." AND people scream/yell about Hackintosh Laptops having problems?! Yeah the MBP is a beautiful machine... but when it comes for the the best hardware for the least bucks: "viva la Hackintosh!" greetinz, n.m. Which is why I ordered a dell Latitude D820 last week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandmanfvrga Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 Colonels I expected a better reply than that. MBP isn't just "better", the MB is just as good, baring he GPU. This guy doesn't need gaming, so a MB woul be fine. He doesn't need 2 gigs are ram either, 1 gig is enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
one_7 Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 if you have the money then go for MBP..MBP has dedicated GPU..but if you are not into game and want to save some money MB is enough.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rollcage Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 Go with the MB, you're not going to see any difference, and the C2D and 2 gb of ram should be fairly future-proof. And I'm sure you'll love the smaller footprint when it comes to portability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Yorker Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 The biggest difference you'll notice between the MB and MBP is the screen size and resolution, period. You'll get used to the keyboard, adjust your work/play hours around battery life and you won't tell the difference of .16 GHz. It's the screen! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBK.Xscape Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 (edited) i love my mbp but i the one thing i dont like is the size, as a student it bugs to carry around a 15 inch wide rectangle, i would love to have seen a 12' mbp but im not sure if that will happen. i do some graphic design so the ati card helps but its not that important. it all depends waht you are looking for, portablity, grpahics, processor(not big difference), memory, and other stuff such as bigger screen and fw800 for those people who have a hard drive that supports that, it also has the expandable express card 34 but there isnt much out yet for that but there will be, overall the only difference that matters to me is size and graphics. Edited January 26, 2007 by GBK.Xscape Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackShadowWolf Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 As others said, go with whichever one suits you best. I got the 15inch 2.33Ghz C2D with stock 2Ghz RAM and 160GB HD because I knew I would be doing video editing with it and I needed the extra boost. I also wanted the firewire 800 port so i could encode through a very fast connection to my external harddrive . Someone mentioned about the expresscard slot being able to hold a graphics card, just curious how that works to have two seperate graphics cards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
munky Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 I would doubt it, the bus would be too slow. ExpressCard is indeed a PCI-E variant, but its the equivalent of a PCI-E x1. Most modern graphics cards require a x8 or x16 slot. (ie 16 times the bandwidth that ExpressCard/34 slot can deliver). It will be useful for, say, eSATA cards, or 802.11n cards for those of us with Core Duo MBPs EDIT: Apparently, the ExpressCard slot may be connected EITHER to the PCI-E bus OR the USB2.0 bus. It has a maximum throughput of 2.5 Gbit/s through the PCI Express bus, 480 Mbit/s through USB 2.0. I'm not sure where it lies on the MBP... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgrimes80 Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 I own a first generation 15" MBP CD 2.0GHZ w/ 1GB RAM.... Other than problems associated with this particular build... I don't regret not holding out for a Macbook I've been using a 15" for over 5 years now... 13" too small, 17" too big.... it all comes down to preference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technobob Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 (edited) Someone mentioned about the expresscard slot being able to hold a graphics card, just curious how that works to have two seperate graphics cards. I had mentioned it because I seen it on a episode of DL.TV of their coverage of CES. It was a external box that held the graphics card then an adapter connected to the expresscard slot. They did not show a demo only a picture but the product is going to be available in a couple of months and they are going to demo it on DL.TV Edited January 26, 2007 by Technobob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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