'09 15" MBP to a current 13" MBP?

[derek.fulmer]

My trusty 15 macbook pro has served me really well since buying it in 2009 after that years refresh in the summer. However, I'm doing a lot more photo work and my devices are starting move forward while my computer has kind of plateaued. I've maxed out the RAM to 8GB and run Lightroom and Photoshop.

I'm considering of upgrading to a 13" macbook pro with 8GB of ram and a 256GB SSD drive, with all my images, music, docs on external drives. I like that USB 3 is there (which is what my card reader is) as well as thunderbolt AND firewire if I need it. I'd be losing 1.5-2" of screen real estate, but I don't do intensive editing as that's not my style, so im not so sure i'd really miss it.

If my current machine is working fine should I upgrade the whole thing or should I just get an SSD drive to put inside it to gain some stability in the system drive and move everything off the system drive and onto externals?

I was hoping that my next mac would be a desktop, but that's out of my budget at the moment.

 

[EvilEvil]

My trusty 15 macbook pro has served me really well since buying it in 2009 after that years refresh in the summer. However, I'm doing a lot more photo work and my devices are starting move forward while my computer has kind of plateaued. I've maxed out the RAM to 8GB and run Lightroom and Photoshop.

I'm considering of upgrading to a 13" macbook pro with 8GB of ram and a 256GB SSD drive, with all my images, music, docs on external drives. I like that USB 3 is there (which is what my card reader is) as well as thunderbolt AND firewire if I need it. I'd be losing 1.5-2" of screen real estate, but I don't do intensive editing as that's not my style, so im not so sure i'd really miss it.

If my current machine is working fine should I upgrade the whole thing or should I just get an SSD drive to put inside it to gain some stability in the system drive and move everything off the system drive and onto externals?

I was hoping that my next mac would be a desktop, but that's out of my budget at the moment.

I have the same model. If it's still working fine I would wait to upgrade until you have the money. You will be stuck with the configuration you get with a new MBP and won't be able to upgrade it. Definitely get an SSD drive! It'll breathe new life into your MBP. I put a 256 gig Crucial M4 SSD into mine and took out the super drive and moved my regular 500 gig drive in its place. It's so snappy. I also replaced my super drive with an external Samsung blu-ray player/burner. Good luck!

 

[derek.fulmer]

I have the same model. If it's still working fine I would wait to upgrade until you have the money. You will be stuck with the configuration you get with a new MBP and won't be able to upgrade it. Definitely get an SSD drive! It'll breathe new life into your MBP. I put a 256 gig Crucial M4 SSD into mine and took out the super drive and moved my regular 500 gig drive in its place. It's so snappy. I also replaced my super drive with an external Samsung blu-ray player/burner. Good luck!

Thanks for the info! Much appreciated it.

I'm really leaning toward just getting an SSD drive for now. I'd love to use this machine until it blows up...figuratively or literally...haha.

I think my shotty internet connection has a huge part to play with the slowness from time to time. I'm leeching off a neighborhood WiFi signal until later this month.