MacBook options advice!

[sockwars]

I am on the verge of purchasing a nice new MacBook but I have been looking on the Apple site, software/hardware reviews etc and have a choice to make before buying...

Initially I was going to go for the mid-level MacBook - 2 GHz, SuperDrive, 512MB RAM plus an upgrade to a 80GB hard drive. But now I am thinking about Photoshop, which I use a lot, and the need for the extra RAM to power it on Rosetta before the new Intel version comes out. So for this scenario I have come up with the lower-end MacBook - 1.83GHz, no SuperDrive, 1GB RAM plus the 80GB hard drive upgrade.

The price difference is about 100 EUR, the 1.83GHz model being the cheaper of the two. These are the only two variations I can afford and I need some outside help to make the choice. What do you reckon? Less powerful computer with more RAM (but no DVD+RW)? Or more powerful processor but with less RAM?

Photoshop is the only major non-universal app that I use daily, but there's also Microsoft Office too, unless I can find some suitable replacement apps to use instead of Word/Excel.

Personally I think I would go for the 2GHz model, but I am worried about how Photoshop might be affected by the lack of decent RAM.

Thanks for any comments

 

[Abstract]

Less powerful? The 1.83 Core Duo is almost as powerful as the 2GHz Core Duo. It makes like 4% difference in speed, give or take a few percent.

I'd go for the 1.83 GHz model. The 2 GHz model isn't worth it because it doesn't seem to make much difference. On the other hand, RAM will make a difference, but I don't think it'll make much difference when running apps under Rosetta. I'm sure it will, but not much at all. The reason PS will run slow isn't RAM.....but because it's being run in emulation.

 

[sockwars]

OK, I have just found some other similar questions like mine from other posters... I didn't realise the difference between the 2GHz and 1.82GHz would be so little. I don't know TOO much about computers

Also, I just realised that I won't be using a DVD RW as much as I will need the extra RAM... I am heading more towards the 1.83 now, but please give me some more comments if you can, just to make me more certain of my choice!