PC user looking for a Macbook; white or Pro?

[Tbone17]

I've always had PC's until now. My current laptop crashed and I'm thinking of trying a Macbook this time. I've heard a lot of good things.....

I know there's lots of info here but it takes a long time to filter through it all especially when I know so little about Mac's. I almost settled on the white Macbook but the Pro offers a few features which would be nice.

The most useful thing the Pro has is the SD card slot which is something I used lots on the PC. How do the USB SD card readers compare to the built in unit? It's a lot more money just for that but the backlit keyboard looks nice, though I've never had one before.

The battery life is confusing, some sites claim the white has 5 hours, some say 7. The Pro says 7.

The machines I'm looking at are:
Macbook-250gb, 2gb ram
Macbook Pro-160gb, 2gb ram
both have the same processors and speed. Both are 13.3"

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

[elfxmilhouse]

the newest white macbook has the 7 hour battery. the websites quoting 5 probably are referring to the older model.

if you have the money you should get the pro version. the sd slot is convenient and i cant imagine not having a backlit keyboard anymore. (for the record i always used thinkpads in the past and they had the keyboard light)

the only difference youll see between a usb sd reader and the built in one is that you wont have to carry it with you. the speed should be the same. the internal sd card slot is probably connected via internal usb anyways.

[Ca$hflow]

If the MacBook pro is in your budget then get it. It's also lighter, looks elegant and most likely be using it everyday. That there is worth the extra bit of cash that would be laid out.

[Bozley0621]

Tuesday night my PC laptop crapped itself one too many times and marched into BB at 8 pm and bought the MacBook. I was debating the white Macbook or the MacBook Pro with 2.56/250 priced at $1500. I bought the MacBook figuring I could buy an SD reader. I'm overjoyed with it. Some friends have MacBook that are 3 and 4 years old and are still as happy as a clam with the comps as the day they bought them.

[excommie]

I would get the refurb MBP and not the White MB. Refurb MBP 13" is $999.99. Also, consider buying from sites like amazon - if you can avoid paying sales tax.

[ftaok]

Not sure if it means much to the OP, but the new MB does not have a FW port. Also, there's no external battery indicator and the screens are reported to be inferior to the 13"MBP.

On the other hand, the MB has 90GB more HDD space. Plus, it's loads cheaper.

Microcenter is selling them for $1000, plus they'll give you a $200 Visa gift card via rebate. The kicker is that it's in-store only ... but if you have one nearby, it's worth a look-see.

[Tbone17]

Thanks for all the input. I would also like to find the best deal. I live in the lower mainland, BC. Is there any difference/problems buying a Macbook from the US if I live in Canada? Warranty might be an issue, it would depend on the savings once all the taxes and duty are paid.

I know the SD slot would be nice to have but I haven't ever used firewire for anything. What sort of thing is the firewire used for? don't know if I really need it but don't want to regret not having it either.

[vistadude]

I just bought my first mac a few weeks ago, it was the new white macbook. For me the SD card reader is useless, my past 2 laptops/desktops had an sd reader but I never used it because if you do, you lose some of the metadata on your camera pictures (rotation for examples). The macbook, like all computers, works fine when you connect your camera to the laptop via the usb cable, which is a lot simpler then swapping cards from a camera.

The firewire port is used mainly for video editing - if you don't have a video camera and don't plan on buying one, it won't be useful for you. You could also use it with a firewire external hard disk, which is faster than usb hard disks, but not dramatically faster to make it worth the price.

By the way, I'm getting 6-7 hours battery life on the macbook with wifi on. In windows I get about 4-5 hours.

[slocraiger]

same for me... just came from multiple years and multiple PC laptops to the white macbook about 1 month ago... am very happy and will probably never go back to pc! I bought from MicroCenter with $200 visa rebate; great deal.
I used the sd card slot alot but no big deal without it... either use my usb cardreader or just plug the camera into the Mac.
The Mac is so much more efficient than PC that it makes up for any inconvenience of not having the SD slot.

[leekohler]

Thanks for all the input. I would also like to find the best deal. I live in the lower mainland, BC. Is there any difference/problems buying a Macbook from the US if I live in Canada? Warranty might be an issue, it would depend on the savings once all the taxes and duty are paid.

I know the SD slot would be nice to have but I haven't ever used firewire for anything. What sort of thing is the firewire used for? don't know if I really need it but don't want to regret not having it either.

If you don;t need firewire, just get the MB and get a USB card reader. They work just fine. Save yourself some cash.

[ARF900]

Depends on your preference. Personally I have the pro 160 GB HDD but with 4 GB RAM and I love it. Now that the MB has the multitouch trackpad (or at least I think it does) the only real difference is that the pro has better portability. I think its lighter, and the backlit keyboard is great for a plane or train in the dark. When I bought the thing i expected to just have the keyboard to show off but its actually very useful. Also keep in mind just because Apple says 7 hours doesnt mean 7 hours. 7 hours with birghtness all the way down keyboard lights off and nothing running. otherwise youll get about 5 doing average tasks (itunes, browser, and mail) It really depends on preference, go to an apple store and check them out. the MBP is visually stunning. Its beatifull, light, and feels good in your hands. the MB is more plain. Personally I think the pro is worth the extra $200. I dont know where you live but you could always go to Delaware to avoid sales tax. I do that for alot of larger purchases and its a 3 hour drive! Enjoy your first mac! Remember youll HATE it for the first 2 weeks but after that youll never go back to PC.

[Tbone17]

I live in Canada, quite a ways from Delaware.

My main uses will be surfing the internet, downloading and storing my camera pics and things like youtube and streaming audio.

The most frustrating thing about my pc laptop before it crashed was it's inability to stream music and surf the internet at the same time.

Also when on the internet I often have 2 or 3 windows open which can slow things down.

I hope 2gb ram will be enough. With the extra cost of the Pro I could upgrade the white with more ram and it already comes with 250gb whereas the Pro comes with 160.

What do you guys think about the Applecare, is it worth buying it?

As for programs I think iworks in addition to what comes with it should be ok.

[PracticalMac]

you looking at this one?
13-inch: 2.26GHz

I would recommend this one:
15-inch: 2.53GHz

But at least this:
13-inch: 2.53GHz

Not only do you get 4GB RAM with either choice, but 250GB of HDD, and that is is really good to have.

Apple care is very good if you will be rough with it.

I really love the wide 15" screen and capabilities of the MBP, but the new MB is a really nice design.

[Tbone17]

Well, I know which Macbook I'd [I]like[I] to have but I also have to keep within my budget. I've decided to give Mac a try but can't help but notice all the pc based laptops around for half the price(and bigger screens).

I don't want to break the bank but also don't want to regret my decision down the road...makes it a very difficult choice.

In all reality I should just be looking at the macbook white, start with the cheapest and see how I like it. I was looking at the 13 inch 2.26. The bigger ones are nice but push the budget up considerably. Of course 2.53 would be an upgrade over 2.26 but how noticable will it be considering what I'll be using it for? No doubt either will be an improvement over my old pc (.5gb ram, 80gb hdd) The macbook white has a 250bg hdd over the 160gb of the mbp which would be the one I'd get if I step up to mbp.

I currently have a wireless g router and would like to get a wireless n router to further increase the capability of whichever macbook I choose. I've also considered the mac routers(airport express and extreme) but that might be better left to a new thread. The main thing here is that along with the laptop I'll also be upgrading my router and probably buying a program or two(iworks) which will up the total.


Sorry for the rambling, I appreciate all the advice, keep it coming please.

I almost feel lost trying to figure out all this Mac stuff......

[ftaok]

Well, I know which Macbook I'd [I]like[I] to have but I also have to keep within my budget. I've decided to give Mac a try but can't help but notice all the pc based laptops around for half the price(and bigger screens).That really is the toughest thing for a switcher. You see the MB at $1000, but then right next to them you have the 15.6" Windows laptops selling for $600 with more RAM and larger HDDs. It's not until you dig into the specs that you see that perhaps some of the specs aren't as good, plus they don't come with all of the software goodies that Macs do. Sure, you can probably buy a really decent Windows laptop for $700 and load up with freeware apps that are similar to iLife, but it's not the same.

I don't want to break the bank but also don't want to regret my decision down the road...makes it a very difficult choice.One thing you'll notice is that Macs hold their resale value pretty well. As long as you take care of it and it's not a notoriously bad model, you should be able to get back a decent amount of money for it in a couple of years. Just look at how much older Macs go for on eBay or places like LA Computers.

In all reality I should just be looking at the macbook white, start with the cheapest and see how I like it. I was looking at the 13 inch 2.26. The bigger ones are nice but push the budget up considerably. Of course 2.53 would be an upgrade over 2.26 but how noticable will it be considering what I'll be using it for? No doubt either will be an improvement over my old pc (.5gb ram, 80gb hdd) The macbook white has a 250bg hdd over the 160gb of the mbp which would be the one I'd get if I step up to mbp.Since you're in Canada, I don't know if this applies. But Microcenter is offering a $200 Visa Gift Card rebate if you buy the 13.3MB. It's in store only, and I don't know if they have MC's in Canada. Perhaps they have MC's in Washington and you have friends there that could sign for the rebate (I don't know the terms of the rebate). As for taxes and duties, I would guess that Washington's sales tax would be less than Canadian import duties. Just bring along a computer bag on the trip and put the MB in the bag when you go back to Canada. If you need the box, just ship the empty box via UPS or FedEx.

I currently have a wireless g router and would like to get a wireless n router to further increase the capability of whichever macbook I choose. I've also considered the mac routers(airport express and extreme) but that might be better left to a new thread. The main thing here is that along with the laptop I'll also be upgrading my router and probably buying a program or two(iworks) which will up the total.I will tell you that Apple's routers are more expensive than comparable routers out there. But the latest AEBS and TC's are really nice. I don't need it yet, but the Simultaneous Dual Band feature will be useful for me (I have a lot of b/g equipment) when I get more 11n devices. I also love the USB port ... currently have both of my printers hooked up and I've tested it with a couple of external HDDs. (note - I have not had any luck with AirDisk and NTFS drives ... only HFS and FAT32)

Anyways, good luck with your decision.

[iphonegeek786]

I have heard that you don't need a wifi router, because macs come with built-in wifi. Is this true?

[ftaok]

I have heard that you don't need a wifi router, because macs come with built-in wifi. Is this true?It's true that Macs come with wifi, but just about all computers do these days. A wifi router is different and it's not something that's attached to a computer anyways.

A wifi router will take the incoming internet signal (from a cable or DSL modem) and distribute it to users in the area.

[PracticalMac]

Well, I know which Macbook I'd [I]like[I] to have but I also have to keep within my budget. I've decided to give Mac a try but can't help but notice all the pc based laptops around for half the price(and bigger screens).

I don't want to break the bank but also don't want to regret my decision down the road...makes it a very difficult choice.

In all reality I should just be looking at the macbook white, start with the cheapest and see how I like it. I was looking at the 13 inch 2.26. The bigger ones are nice but push the budget up considerably. Of course 2.53 would be an upgrade over 2.26 but how noticable will it be considering what I'll be using it for? No doubt either will be an improvement over my old pc (.5gb ram, 80gb hdd) The macbook white has a 250bg hdd over the 160gb of the mbp which would be the one I'd get if I step up to mbp.

I currently have a wireless g router and would like to get a wireless n router to further increase the capability of whichever macbook I choose. I've also considered the mac routers(airport express and extreme) but that might be better left to a new thread. The main thing here is that along with the laptop I'll also be upgrading my router and probably buying a program or two(iworks) which will up the total.


Sorry for the rambling, I appreciate all the advice, keep it coming please.

I almost feel lost trying to figure out all this Mac stuff......

Ftaok is right, you will get years more service out of a Mac then a PC.
My first Mac notebook I used for 7 years before retiring. My second I purchased used and used that for 5 years, and I am now 3 years on my current MBP (but my 2ed NB I found new use for it).

So you do have a tight budget, then I suggest the prior White Polycarbonate MacBook, you might still find a new one, but used ones will be cheaper still.

I got my 2ed 'Book from eBay after 2 months of looking, and have been 200% happy with it, but with eBay, it takes time to find the right one.

GL!

[Tbone17]

Any laptop you buy these days comes with built in wifi, most new ones now come with wireless n capability.

My question was wether there is an advantage to the airport over other wireless n routers(eg linksys or cisco) which can be had for half the price

I was browsing around yesterday and found these(all 13.3"):
1)white, 2.26, 2gb/250gb $1099
2)white, 2.26, 4gb/320gb, bluetooth $1299
3)Pro, 2.26, 2gb/160gb, $1299
4)Pro, 2.53 4gb/250gb, $1599

Only the one white says it's got bluetooth but I think they all do(?). From what I read, the bluetooth enables you to use the wireless mac mouse and keyboard or up/download from your phone. I can't see myself spending an extra $300 to step up to #4 but #2 seems like the best bet. The pro has some nice features but the white has more ram/hdd and would probably be a better machine.

[iphonegeek786]

It's true that Macs come with wifi, but just about all computers do these days. A wifi router is different and it's not something that's attached to a computer anyways.

A wifi router will take the incoming internet signal (from a cable or DSL modem) and distribute it to users in the area.

So wait what do you need to get a wifi signal, because I have a windows. Sory for the stupidity.

[ftaok]

My question was wether there is an advantage to the airport over other wireless n routers(eg linksys or cisco) which can be had for half the price
I was in the same boat recently when my Netgear 11g router died. I could have gone with a cheaper 3rd party 11n router, or the Airport Extreme. In the end, I decided to splurge for the AEBS because of the simultaneous dual band feature, plus the ease of running shared printers and hard drives. I think the cheaper 11n routers don't have dual band ... and I really didn't need stuff like QoS (although admittedly, I didn't know what that was when I bought the AEBS)

So wait what do you need to get a wifi signal, because I have a windows. Sory for the stupidity.There are no stupid questions. For any computer, windows or Mac, you need two things. You need a wifi router, plus you need wifi on the computer. Most new computers these days have wifi built in, so there's nothing extra to buy on the computer side. If the computer doesn't have wifi, you can get a wifi adapter, usually USB for a laptop or a PCI card for a desktop.

In either case, you'll need a wifi router that connects to your cable/dsl modem to broadcast a wifi network. That's with the airport Extreme is.

[Primejimbo]

Any laptop you buy these days comes with built in wifi, most new ones now come with wireless n capability.

My question was wether there is an advantage to the airport over other wireless n routers(eg linksys or cisco) which can be had for half the price

I was browsing around yesterday and found these(all 13.3"):
1)white, 2.26, 2gb/250gb $1099
2)white, 2.26, 4gb/320gb, bluetooth $1299
3)Pro, 2.26, 2gb/160gb, $1299
4)Pro, 2.53 4gb/250gb, $1599

Only the one white says it's got bluetooth but I think they all do(?). From what I read, the bluetooth enables you to use the wireless mac mouse and keyboard or up/download from your phone. I can't see myself spending an extra $300 to step up to #4 but #2 seems like the best bet. The pro has some nice features but the white has more ram/hdd and would probably be a better machine.

I agree, set up #2 is the best set up I think.

[iphonegeek786]

I was in the same boat recently when my Netgear 11g router died. I could have gone with a cheaper 3rd party 11n router, or the Airport Extreme. In the end, I decided to splurge for the AEBS because of the simultaneous dual band feature, plus the ease of running shared printers and hard drives. I think the cheaper 11n routers don't have dual band ... and I really didn't need stuff like QoS (although admittedly, I didn't know what that was when I bought the AEBS)

There are no stupid questions. For any computer, windows or Mac, you need two things. You need a wifi router, plus you need wifi on the computer. Most new computers these days have wifi built in, so there's nothing extra to buy on the computer side. If the computer doesn't have wifi, you can get a wifi adapter, usually USB for a laptop or a PCI card for a desktop.

In either case, you'll need a wifi router that connects to your cable/dsl modem to broadcast a wifi network. That's with the airport Extreme is.

Ok so lets say I have an iphone and I want wifi for the iphone. But I have a windows that doesn't use wifi (XP and compaq). So I would use the wireless router to connect with my windows and that would emmit a wifi signal, that I could anywhere.

[vistadude]

With the wireless router, you don't need a computer to have it running. It will run by itself, and send the wireless internet to your iphone, your macbook connected via wifi, and your computer connected by an ethernet wire. All of those devices will work perfectly fine by themselves with the others shut off.


Ok so lets say I have an iphone and I want wifi for the iphone. But I have a windows that doesn't use wifi (XP and compaq). So I would use the wireless router to connect with my windows and that would emmit a wifi signal, that I could anywhere.

[Tbone17]

Well, I had decided on the white 4gb/320gb but pulled out my video camera last night and found I need firewire to download from it to the computer! It's a miniDV. It looks like I might lean towards the Pro.

The pro for the same price is 2gb/160gb. The question now is how hard is it to upgrade the ram and hdd in the future? I might upgrade the hdd right away to 250, I think the ram would be easier to upgrade down the road since you don't have to transfer any files like changing the hdd.

[ftaok]

Well, I had decided on the white 4gb/320gb but pulled out my video camera last night and found I need firewire to download from it to the computer! It's a miniDV. It looks like I might lean towards the Pro.Well, this just seals the deal. Looks like Apple knew what it was doing when they nixed FW on the white uMB. Well, at least the jump up is only $200 (note - the first time Apple dumped FW on the Macbook, the price jump was closer to $500)

The pro for the same price is 2gb/160gb. The question now is how hard is it to upgrade the ram and hdd in the future? I might upgrade the hdd right away to 250, I think the ram would be easier to upgrade down the road since you don't have to transfer any files like changing the hdd.Take a look at this guide (http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Repair/Installing-MacBook-Pro-13-Inch-Unibody-Hard-Drive-Replacement/1337/1). It certainly looks pretty easy. Not whiteMacbook easy, but certainly no where near as difficult as iBooks.

RAM replacement looks just as easy as the HDD replacement. Still not as easy as the previous MBs.

Last thing, transferring files from one HDD to another is pretty easy. Just use an external case for the HDD, and either CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper. Or, if you have TimeMachine, you could restore from a backup.

Also, if you're gonna open up the case, you might as well do both the RAM and HDD swaps at the same time. Unless cash flow is an issue.

[Tbone17]

I was at future shop earlier today looking at mb's, routers and hard drives. I found out that the mb or mbp can no longer be set up for automatic backups, you have to buy the timecapsule if you want auto backups. They took this feature away so you have to buy their router/hd

If I use an external hd plugged to the usb port, can I make a backup file to restore when the hd is replaced? Or is this only possible if using the timecapsule?

So many things to figure out....

[XboxMySocks]

I was at future shop earlier today looking at mb's, routers and hard drives. I found out that the mb or mbp can no longer be set up for automatic backups, you have to buy the timecapsule if you want auto backups. They took this feature away so you have to buy their router/hd

If I use an external hd plugged to the usb port, can I make a backup file to restore when the hd is replaced? Or is this only possible if using the timecapsule?

So many things to figure out....

Or you can just use Time Machine which is much easier and faster and free-er.

[Tbone17]

Is the time machine a program built into the mb?

Basically I'm trying to find out if there's a significant savings getting more ram and a bigger hd when I buy the mbp compared to buying ram and hd later.

[LotteNYC]

Glad I found this thread! (figured there must be one like this in there).

But Im in the same boat, currently a PC user, FT grad student with ONE semester left! About 95% of my colleagues all have Macbooks (of whichever version) and this is the main thing I see around campus. They all tell me they are wonderful yadda yadda.

I just just shocked at the prices like many people. Im glad they dropped the MB even lower which makes it more tempting than the MBP for me. I was bummed about the SD slot or lack of but I can purchase a USB port ($25) for it or use my desktop.

None of my laptops have had backlighting so that might be a good thing but I tend to use the things in classrooms with more than ample lighting.

My worry is that Im going to be taking a MIDI class with Logic. Can the MB handle this? Also, if I wanted to upgrade anything, is it generally pretty expensive? Coz I've heard they are great but pretty pricey (above the already pricey) to maintain, fix, upgrade etc.

I also can't stand Windows 7 or Vista. I would have to pay a few hundred to get XP installed in a new system so that makes them both around the same price.

[janewales]

I was at future shop earlier today looking at mb's, routers and hard drives. I found out that the mb or mbp can no longer be set up for automatic backups, you have to buy the timecapsule if you want auto backups.

So many things to figure out....

Woah, woah, woah-- this is why you NEVER buy from FutureShop (or BestBuy) if you actually need advice (if you know what you're doing, that's different). TimeMachine is the built-in back-up program in the Mac OS. You set it up to back up to external media-- I use a FW hard drive at work, and a small, portable USB hard drive at home. It's completely automatic once set up (and set up is dead easy). To use two drives, like I do, you do need to go into Time Machine preferences and tell it which drive to use, but if you had only one backup locale, you'd just set it up the first time, and then let it do its thing. And there's no noticeable system slow-down when it's happening.

Since you're in the lower mainland, I'd suggest you go either to the Apple store (Pacific Centre, and I think there's one in Oakridge now)-- use the online system to book an appointment with a personal shopper, who can walk you through things. Or go to one of the independent authorized Apple dealers (not sure it's allowed to name them here-- google apple and Vancouver, and they should show up). FS is pretty hit and miss when it comes to advice.

[Tbone17]

The SD slot can easily be replaced by a usb reader but the FW can't be added later which makes the mbp more appealing. The backlit keyboard and aluminum case will be nice to have but not deal breakers like the FW.

[Aadhil]

I bought my macbook from Amazon.com. $970, no taxes, no shipping. :cool:

I also purchased 4gb of ram along with it which I installed myself (pretty easy to do).

[Tbone17]

I know the guys at FS or Bestbuy don't know much; I mainly stopped in to check prices and there was an Apple rep there who told me I couldn't set up auto backups with the new mb/mbp. He said that feature was disabled on the new machines to make it necessary to purchase their timecapsule. I hope he's wrong, does anyone have the new machine and tried setting it up? I would like to set up a router with a hd and have it backup automatically.

I still have a PC and want the hd to work for it and the new mac.

[cherry su]

Any laptop you buy these days comes with built in wifi, most new ones now come with wireless n capability.

My question was wether there is an advantage to the airport over other wireless n routers(eg linksys or cisco) which can be had for half the price

I was browsing around yesterday and found these(all 13.3"):
1)white, 2.26, 2gb/250gb $1099
2)white, 2.26, 4gb/320gb, bluetooth $1299
3)Pro, 2.26, 2gb/160gb, $1299
4)Pro, 2.53 4gb/250gb, $1599

Only the one white says it's got bluetooth but I think they all do(?). From what I read, the bluetooth enables you to use the wireless mac mouse and keyboard or up/download from your phone. I can't see myself spending an extra $300 to step up to #4 but #2 seems like the best bet. The pro has some nice features but the white has more ram/hdd and would probably be a better machine.

all of the macs listed have bluetooth standard.

[kurzz]

I know the guys at FS or Bestbuy don't know much; I mainly stopped in to check prices and there was an Apple rep there who told me I couldn't set up auto backups with the new mb/mbp. He said that feature was disabled on the new machines to make it necessary to purchase their timecapsule. I hope he's wrong, does anyone have the new machine and tried setting it up? I would like to set up a router with a hd and have it backup automatically.

I still have a PC and want the hd to work for it and the new mac.

What that rep actually means (or misinformed) is that you can't do wireless backups using Time Machine (without some hacking, or without Time Capsule router). It will only work (auto-backup) if you plug in an external USB or firewire hard drive.

In other words, Time Machine won't work over WIFI or without Time Capsule.

[PracticalMac]

Well, I had decided on the white 4gb/320gb but pulled out my video camera last night and found I need firewire to download from it to the computer! It's a miniDV. It looks like I might lean towards the Pro.

The pro for the same price is 2gb/160gb. The question now is how hard is it to upgrade the ram and hdd in the future? I might upgrade the hdd right away to 250, I think the ram would be easier to upgrade down the road since you don't have to transfer any files like changing the hdd.
The SD slot can easily be replaced by a usb reader but the FW can't be added later which makes the mbp more appealing. The backlit keyboard and aluminum case will be nice to have but not deal breakers like the FW.

You are a perfect case on the value of FW, and using that need to force customers to upgrade.

You still have the option of finding a used MB, or even refurbished late PolyMB with FW for less.

If you do go with 13 MBP, the next level up from lowest is worth the extra, if you have budget (thats what I would do).

I was at future shop earlier today looking at mb's, routers and hard drives. I found out that the mb or mbp can no longer be set up for automatic backups, you have to buy the timecapsule if you want auto backups. They took this feature away so you have to buy their router/hd

If I use an external hd plugged to the usb port, can I make a backup file to restore when the hd is replaced? Or is this only possible if using the timecapsule?

So many things to figure out....

As others have said, you can use ANY program for backing up, even use the Disk Utility to make an image of your boot drive.
TM has a wireless backup feature, but its not hard with others.

Backup programs:
Data Backup
Retrospect
Time Machine.

HDD makers with FireWire (avoid USB for backup):
Western Digital (my pick)
Maxtor
Seagate
Wiebetech http://www.wiebetech.com/home.php
OWC http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/firewire/
Buffalo
and many others

[ToroidalZeus]

Just to break down the specs.

CPU speed - What are you going to do? Unless you are planning on editing videos, a high cpu speed isn't really necessary. The most CPU intensive stuff most people will do is burn dvds. Now you should always burn at 4x so that extra .25ghz in speed increase won't do anything for you. The second most intensive app people use is vlc or watching movies. I got up to about 66 percent cpu usage right when the movie starts and it drops own to about 12 during the movie.

BUS Speed- who even talks about this?

RAM - Having a movie in vlc playing, safari open, itunes open, word and mail open my ram usage is 1.2gb active and 800mb wired. So 2GB of ram is good enough for everyday usage.

Hard Drive - Right now i have a 250gb hdd with 190gb fee. With a good amount of songs and videos. THe biggest thing i see HDD space for is disc images but since i usually just burn and delete those.... you get the point.

So IMO the basic PC specs we get sold on are just about meaningless for the vast majority of people (including myself)

What it comes down IMO is the real features. All macbooks have a trackpad that supports gestures which is amazingly useful IMO. This alone makes them a step above the rest. The next great feature is the illuminated keyboard but only macbook pros support this. So the question is the price difference between the white and the pro worth this feature?

IMO i would (and did) buy the 15in macbook pro 2.53ghz refurb. The 15in makes a huge difference over the 13. Its still small enough to be portable but large enough to multitask quite well. It also has the gesture feature which is worlds above last years models.

http://store.apple.com/us_epp_55499/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/macbook_pro

[Tbone17]

I agree the 15inch mbp would be nice.
I would love to get the big mbp with lots of ram and a big hdd but have reviewed my needs and the original reason for my post.

I have always been a PC user and would like to make the switch to mac. I'd like to try mac as affordably as possible. I was going to go for the white mb but have decided to go for the base mbp due to it having a firewire port for my miniDV camera.

The sd slot will be convenient and the backlit keyboard will probably be great once I try it.

[XboxMySocks]

I know the guys at FS or Bestbuy don't know much; I mainly stopped in to check prices and there was an Apple rep there who told me I couldn't set up auto backups with the new mb/mbp. He said that feature was disabled on the new machines to make it necessary to purchase their timecapsule. I hope he's wrong, does anyone have the new machine and tried setting it up? I would like to set up a router with a hd and have it backup automatically.

I still have a PC and want the hd to work for it and the new mac.

I'm fairly certain he's incorrect. Fairly certain.

[Skippy440]

Any laptop you buy these days comes with built in wifi, most new ones now come with wireless n capability.

My question was wether there is an advantage to the airport over other wireless n routers(eg linksys or cisco) which can be had for half the price

I was browsing around yesterday and found these(all 13.3"):
1)white, 2.26, 2gb/250gb $1099
2)white, 2.26, 4gb/320gb, bluetooth $1299
3)Pro, 2.26, 2gb/160gb, $1299
4)Pro, 2.53 4gb/250gb, $1599

Only the one white says it's got bluetooth but I think they all do(?). From what I read, the bluetooth enables you to use the wireless mac mouse and keyboard or up/download from your phone. I can't see myself spending an extra $300 to step up to #4 but #2 seems like the best bet. The pro has some nice features but the white has more ram/hdd and would probably be a better machine.

I've been a PC user for most of my life with the odd Mac exposure.
I invested in option #2 about 3 months ago and haven't regretted it.

I would say if you needed a firewire or an SD slot, get the Macbook pro. If you can live without it, then the white Macbook is an excellent choice.

[Tbone17]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I'm going to wait a few weeks before I buy anything; partially to save more money and partially to wait and see if any sales come up. I will be buying a mbp due to the firewire port.

[tollickd]

I am in the same situation, I want to get a Macbook but not sure.

I want to use it for, surfing, downloading maybe some Adobe programs and movies!

I am thinking of either the entry 13"MBP with 160Gb HDD/2GB Ram or the 250GB HDD/4GB RAM.

I have 3tb of external HDD's so I am not sure if i will need the bigger HDD.

How much does OS X take?

[hackia]

Well both macbook white and macbook pro seem good, i guess it may come down to what yoy like better regarding looks.

and consider whats more easier to customize in design and such....

hmmm, i like macbook pro, silver shell and black keyboard, it my taste.

the white one seem more halo like, and i got a little mischievous to me.

hmm personal opnion

[Skippy440]

I am in the same situation, I want to get a Macbook but not sure.

I want to use it for, surfing, downloading maybe some Adobe programs and movies!

I am thinking of either the entry 13"MBP with 160Gb HDD/2GB Ram or the 250GB HDD/4GB RAM.

I have 3tb of external HDD's so I am not sure if i will need the bigger HDD.

How much does OS X take?

The new Snow Leopard takes about 11-12 GB with all its components.
Depending on how much music (iTunes) and movies you have, and whether you will store it on the computer or ext drive, I would recommend the white Macbook with 4GB and either the 250Gb or 320GB HD. This is provided that you don't require a firewire or SD slot.:cool:
Just make sure that your ext drive that you use for Time Machine (for backups) is at least the same or preferably bigger than the laptop's drive.:apple:

[Tbone17]

The white 4gb/320gb is definately the best bang for the buck. I need to have the firewire port so it's going to be the mbp. For the same price you get a mbp with only 2gb/160gb...but it has the fw, sd slot and backlit keyboard.

[tollickd]

The new Snow Leopard takes about 11-12 GB with all its components.
Depending on how much music (iTunes) and movies you have, and whether you will store it on the computer or ext drive, I would recommend the white Macbook with 4GB and either the 250Gb or 320GB HD. This is provided that you don't require a firewire or SD slot.:cool:
Just make sure that your ext drive that you use for Time Machine (for backups) is at least the same or preferably bigger than the laptop's drive.:apple:

I have a 1TB I use for Windows now that is FAT 32 so I can use that

[ToroidalZeus]

The white 4gb/320gb is definately the best bang for the buck. I need to have the firewire port so it's going to be the mbp. For the same price you get a mbp with only 2gb/160gb...but it has the fw, sd slot and backlit keyboard.
Still thinking like a windows user, lol

The best bang for your buck is the 15in macbook pro. You get about ~20 percent more pixels compared to the 13in model. So when you have 2 windows open like a word and safari or safari and ichat it's a LOT better.

When you buy a mac, you are going to be keeping it for years. So unless you need that amazing portability of the 13in, the 15in is the best compromise.

[vistadude]

The 13 inch is the best bang for the buck. The 15 inch is so much more expensive for basically only a slightly bigger screen. At that the price the pc is way more cost efficient and you get much more ram and other features. I still think the 13 inch is a good deal, but the screen is becoming too small to multitask efficiently.

[ToroidalZeus]

The 13 inch is the best bang for the buck.
cheapest =/= best bang for your buck.

4gb (2gb x 2) of ram is ~100 new. Assuming you bought the cheapest macbook for ~900 with that extra ~100 you have 1000 total (-tax). So you are paying ~75 dollars per inch.

Assuming you buy the 15in macbook pro with the epp refurb discount for ~1450 (-tax). You are paying ~94 dollars per inch.

So for a extra 25% in price (per inches) you get about 20% more screen space (by pixel) but you also get a 12% faster cpu, illuminated keyboard, sd card slot and most importantly a case made out of aluminum so it will not crack.

[vistadude]

Hi Ryeno,

Thanks for the post. I guess I meant the 13 inch is about $900 in many stores, and only about $100 to $200 more than a comparable "premium" windows laptop that is sleek and fast. But the 15 inch costs $1600 to $1700 and only comes with 4 gb ram and 250 gb hard drive. A comparable premium sleek windows laptop is about $400 to $700 less expensive and usually comes with 6 to 8 gb RAM and a bigger hard drive. In my opinion, that makes the macbook pro 15 inch not a great deal. I guess it all depends how you calculate the numbers :D

cheapest =/= best bang for your buck.

4gb (2gb x 2) of ram is ~100 new. Assuming you bought the cheapest macbook for ~900 with that extra ~100 you have 1000 total (-tax). So you are paying ~75 dollars per inch.

Assuming you buy the 15in macbook pro with the epp refurb discount for ~1450 (-tax). You are paying ~94 dollars per inch.

So for a extra 25% in price (per inches) you get about 20% more screen space (by pixel) but you also get a 12% faster cpu, illuminated keyboard, sd card slot and most importantly a case made out of aluminum so it will not crack.