Considering a "downgrade"

mckvakk said:

I have a 15" mbp. The model before multitouch..

In the name of wanting something new and shiny, i want one of the new laptops.

The only intensive thing i use the laptop for is photos in lightroom. Other than that it's mostly surfing, and the occasional moviewatching.

I'm thinking the lowest unibody macbook will suffice. But how well does it work with lightroom?

And how... sturdy is the glass display? I have a feeling it will crack easily

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The new unibody macs are far more sturdy than the MBP that you have......there is no reason at all that the screen should "crack" as you put it.......

Saying the mb screen is fragile is like saying the iphone screen is fragile. Well, it's more fragile than an iphone I'd say, but it's still pretty sturdy. As long as you aren't planning on smashing your laptop against the wall, which I assume most users aren't, then I think you'll be good. The unibody construction is going to be more solid and sturdy than your current mpb.

Try considering the Unibody MacBook Pro, or you'll regret the graphic card and the screen quality.

15" Macbook will do fine if ALL you want it for is lightbox and you have no ambitions to use more advanced software (photoshop, cs4 suite etc) in the future, oh and if you want to play games in decent graphical quality (COD4, COD5 etc) you need the Macbook Pro.

Buskape said:

Try considering the Unibody MacBook Pro, or you'll regret the graphic card and the screen quality.

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Rubbish.......my MB is fine.......the gfx system is great as is the screen, but i am only an ignorant "none pro" user so my opinion counts for nothing......

You don't need a dedicated GPU for photo work, the CPU takes care of pretty much anything 2D and it's more than up to the task of Photoshop/Lightroom. If you've got a PS3 for gaming then that gets rid of the only thing you'd want one for.

The only issue could be using the screen for serious photography; the glossy coating isn't perfect for accurate colours and contrast, but it's nothing a well calibrated external couldn't do.

kastenbrust said:

15" Macbook will do fine if ALL you want it for is lightbox and you have no ambitions to use more advanced software (photoshop, cs4 suite etc) in the future, oh and if you want to play games in decent graphical quality (COD4, COD5 etc) you need the Macbook Pro.

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I use my MB for design work all the time: PS, Illus, Flash, etc. have no problems. RAM is the major factor on both the MB and MBP. Max it out at 4 GB and you're golden.

I agree completely that for lightbox the MB will do you fine. The MB is certainly a downgrade when compared to the unibody MBP, but if you know your needs and don't want to pay extra for features you can do without then the MB is for you.

I did the switch you're contemplating. From a pre-multi-touch MBP at 2.4 Ghz to the base MB at 2.0 Ghz. Both have 4 GB RAM. I heavily use Photoshop, Parallels, Final Cut, and standard web/email/chat. I didn't ever notice the 0.4 Ghz I lost on the CPU side. I do notice the performance drop on high end games, but it's not a deal breaker, I don't game often. The glossy screen was a slight annoyance, but not a deal breaker. The cheap panel was no change from the cheap panel they use on the MBP's.

In the end I came out ahead. Saved some cash, got a more durable, smaller, lighter book, and didn't give up any appreciable performance where I use the machine most.

If you switch and don't want it primarily for high end games, I say you'll be happy.

Cool photos, mckvakk and drj434343.

If this was a question about buying one or the other right now, then I'd say go with the MacBook. But you've already got your machine, and it would be a big hassle and likely would incur you some sort of expense, so I'd say stick with what you've got.

There is really no huge performance from the old model to the new. But if you wish to get a more portable Macbook then I suggest you check the screen first personally and see if you'll be satisfied with it. As for the GPU, although Adobe CS4 does use the CPU for some of its tasks (on Photoshop) most of its number crunching still relies on the CPU and HD.

I know a professional illustrator who uses a old 2.2 Macbook simply because it is easier to lug around for work. Never had a problem even with the average screen.