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17" MacBook Pro vs Dual G5 2GHZ

B

BicyclePunk

macrumors regular
Original poster
Hi there! Ok...it's about time I get a new machine. I probably should get a desktop machine AND a new laptop, but I'm thinking of getting a new 17" MacBook Pro.

I currently have a Dual G5 2GHZ that I bought back in October 2003. I've had nothing but problems with it. I also use a 15" 1GHZ PowerBook...aluminum as my laptop.

I mainly do web work...lots of photoshop, BBEdit, etc. I do Flash once in a while, but nothing too crazy. I also lay out some print stuff here and there, but nothing more than flyers or postcards. Also run MS Orifice, and FileMakerPro. So I don't have a legitimate need for a super-fast machine.

My question here: Would me getting a maxed out 17" MacBook Pro be a good idea? Would it at least be faster than my current G5 desktop, or should I just get a new Mac tower? If I got the MacBook pro, I'd definitely hook two monitors up to it. Plus I could do all of my work, wherever I am...which isn't always a great idea. 😱

Ok...any advice is much appreciated. Thanks!
 
BicyclePunk said:
Hi there! Ok...it's about time I get a new machine. I probably should get a desktop machine AND a new laptop, but I'm thinking of getting a new 17" MacBook Pro.

I currently have a Dual G5 2GHZ that I bought back in October 2003. I've had nothing but problems with it. I also use a 15" 1GHZ PowerBook...aluminum as my laptop.

I mainly do web work...lots of photoshop, BBEdit, etc. I do Flash once in a while, but nothing too crazy. I also lay out some print stuff here and there, but nothing more than flyers or postcards. Also run MS Orifice, and FileMakerPro. So I don't have a legitimate need for a super-fast machine.

My question here: Would me getting a maxed out 17" MacBook Pro be a good idea? Would it at least be faster than my current G5 desktop, or should I just get a new Mac tower? If I got the MacBook pro, I'd definitely hook two monitors up to it. Plus I could do all of my work, wherever I am...which isn't always a great idea. 😱

Ok...any advice is much appreciated. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Yes, a MBP would be faster than a dual G5. A MacBook is even faster than a dual G5. Check out the benchmarks here for the Core Duo systems compared to a Dual G5

http://creativemac.digitalmedianet.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=43717
 
MacBook Pro will be faster, but PhotoShop you'll see a slow down, but hoepefully we'll see Universal PS soon
 
Jonnyfive said:
Yes, a MBP would be faster than a dual G5. A MacBook is even faster than a dual G5. Check out the benchmarks here for the Core Duo systems compared to a Dual G5

http://creativemac.digitalmedianet.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=43717
Click to expand...

AS you mentioned those are for the Core Duo so i would expect enhanced performance from the newer Core 2 Duo machines, not much better but still improved

zap2 said:
MacBook Pro will be faster, but PhotoShop you'll see a slow down, but hoepefully we'll see Universal PS soon
Click to expand...

There has been a universal beta out for quite some time now, so it shouldn't be too long in the pipeline.
 
zap2 said:
MacBook Pro will be faster, but PhotoShop you'll see a slow down, but hoepefully we'll see Universal PS soon
Click to expand...

I'm still on CS1 on my G5, but I think I'm going to wait for CS3 to come out before I take the plunge.

So...what I'm basically hearing here is that I could definitely use a 17" MacBook Pro as my main machine, right?

Thanks!
 
Excellent! Thanks! Now...can I easily run two monitors off a MacBook Pro? Not the MacBook monitor, and an external monitor, but two external monitors? I heard I can get a DVI splitter of sorts. Thanks!
 
BicyclePunk said:
So...what I'm basically hearing here is that I could definitely use a 17" MacBook Pro as my main machine, right?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

absolultely. I use a core duo macbook as my only machine (albeit with an external KB, mouse, display, and speakers), and I'm very happy with it. I imagine a c2d 17" macbook pro would blow what I have out of the water and that you'd be entirely satisfied with it. 🙂
 
QCassidy352 said:
absolultely. I use a core duo macbook as my only machine (albeit with an external KB, mouse, display, and speakers), and I'm very happy with it. I imagine a c2d 17" macbook pro would blow what I have out of the water and that you'd be entirely satisfied with it. 🙂
Click to expand...

that's exactly what i use and i love it, i can even run cs3 on it SMOOTHLY!!!
 
taylorwilsdon said:
You can NOT use two monitors at all. Its not possible to split the signal. Sorry 🙁
Click to expand...

Ugh. Now THAT sucks. The one thing I like about my destop set-up is the fact that I can use two 17" monitors. Doing web, I can have one monitor have Safari open, and in the other, I can have BBEdit with my code running, etc. I suppose I can drop a cool thousand dollars for the 23" Apple display, but that's a lot of cash for a bit less monitor real estate than I have now.

So supposing I DO still go for the 17" MacBook Pro, can anyone suggest a cheaper, bigger, yet still good, display than the 23" Apple? I know I can use the MacBook Monitor AND an external display, but I REALLY like having two exact same monitors next to each other. Ok...thanks!
 
If you're waiting for CS3, i would recommend that you wait until the Santa Rosa platform comes out for the MBP. It's going to boost the clock speed of the processor, it's going to have better battery life management, and it's going to have a boost in the Front Side Bus speed from 667MHz to 800MHz...

That's just my advice, don't but a computer before you need it. Plus, if you wait long enough, Leopard will come on it, and you wont need to spend the 130 on an upgrade.
 
mgargan1 said:
If you're waiting for CS3, i would recommend that you wait until the Santa Rosa platform comes out for the MBP. It's going to boost the clock speed of the processor, it's going to have better battery life management, and it's going to have a boost in the Front Side Bus speed from 667MHz to 800MHz...
Click to expand...

Thanks! I'm kind of ignorant here, but what is Santa Rosa? Is that the code name for CS3? I see theyr'e releasing it at the end of this month. And I also hear Leopard will be coming in a couple months, too. But we know how that goes.

Thanks!
 
mgargan1 said:
If you're waiting for CS3, i would recommend that you wait until the Santa Rosa platform comes out for the MBP. It's going to boost the clock speed of the processor, it's going to have better battery life management, and it's going to have a boost in the Front Side Bus speed from 667MHz to 800MHz...

That's just my advice, don't but a computer before you need it. Plus, if you wait long enough, Leopard will come on it, and you wont need to spend the 130 on an upgrade.
Click to expand...

CS3 is supposed to ship March 27 😀
 
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