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13" longevity

M

macman4789

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 12, 2007
371
33
Hi guys,

Is it still worth getting the 13". I am by no means a heavy user, usual web, music, light photoshop, word processing etc but will the 13" MBP still be more than capable 3 years down the line? I know they're upgradeable to 8Gb which is a plus point.

Also, whats the screen size like to use with word processing and pdf viewing? Does it get to be a pain in the bum with the size of the screen or does the trackpad/expose do its job well?

Thanks
 
your uses are similar as mine and from what i have been reading here at the forum the 2007 C2D p8600 should be more then enough for that particular type of usage.

However I will not be buying the MBP13 because of the p8600 (and the glossy 1280x800 screen) and upgrade to the MBP15 base HR AG instead. As far as future proofing/resale value goes i think it is a smarter choice. It is a little above my budget but i believe personally that it has less of an apple premium tax then the MBP13 does, which at €1150 is quite expensive compared to similar laptops.

But apart from price and specs i am sure the MBP13 will be able to all you mentioned for at least three years, you might ahve some scrolling to do on larger webpages and PDF docs with the 800 vertical resolution though.

stefan
 
I'm not sure if the previous poster is confused, but the new 2010 13" MBP does not have the p8600 processor. Correct me if I am wrong. I purchased the base 13" MBP about a month ago, and couldnt be happier. I, like you, am just a general computer user, no hard core gaming, no intense programs, but just normal internet browsing, excel spreadsheets, word docs, and pics. I didnt need the i5 processor. I actually wanted a smaller, more portable laptop, and this serves me well. You'll be pleased with the 13", but get whatever you think suits you best.
 
Thanks guys for the replies, I just wanna ensure that it will last me for at least 3 years without being a snail!

Any others with experience of word processing, pdf's with the 13" screen? Any info would be gratefully received!

Thanks
 
The 13" has been my main computer for a few years now and I haven't had a problem with it at all.

For some of the heavier lifting .docs that I have written (20+ pages), I use a 24" monitor. But, for the normal stuff, the 13" works great.
 
macman4789 said:
Thanks guys for the replies, I just wanna ensure that it will last me for at least 3 years without being a snail!
Click to expand...

well of course as long as you keep running the current software it will always be as fast as it is now (as long as the disk isn't almost 100% full). If you keep upgrading thought (OSX10.7, adobe CS7, office 2013, etc.) in the future it *might* get somewhat slower because of the specs of the machine, since perhaps they will promgram these to run multithreaded more and the C2D doesn't support hyperthreading .... which makes hardly any difference on any current version of OSX software, but might someday.

stefan
 
Im just wanting it to remain reasonably snappy and don't want it struggling after a year if that makes sense.
 
macman4789 said:
Im just wanting it to remain reasonably snappy and don't want it struggling after a year if that makes sense.
Click to expand...

PC's struggle because the operating system decays at a much more rapid pace. A Core 2 duo is more than fast enough for users like you. 8 gb is almost always going to be a bit overkill (32 bit can't even access anything above 4 gb), but an ssd will make your computer amazing. Plan on them being affordable in a year or two. A 13 inch screen is big enough, word processing and pdf's will look fine. Don't get office, get iwork.
 
Just make sure you get the faster model with the P8800 2.66GHz in it then, and if you're feeling its a bit sluggish after a year or so, you can pop an SSD in there.

As for the 13 inch screen, I just downsized from a 14 inch PC, and was a bit worried that I'd get eye-strain, but the 2010 model display is gorgeous, I don't miss the extra inch at all (not often you'll hear a man say that). And the trackpad is a revelation, I had a bluetooth mouse with my old PC, but I never seem to use it any more...
 
i just picked up the 2.4 13" mbp and i love it.
to keep it as fast as it is today, i plan on putting a SSD in it in a year or two and also 8gb at some point.

this is my first mac and its amazing
 
r3dhawk said:
i just picked up the 2.4 13" mbp and i love it.
to keep it as fast as it is today, i plan on putting a SSD in it in a year or two and also 8gb at some point.

this is my first mac and its amazing
Click to expand...

would upgrading the ram and SSD "future proof" the 13" for 5 years even though it is running C2D?
 
The C2D is plenty viable for quite a while, as multithreading won't come into full effect for a while, plus basic programs won't need to use it, due to not using very much processing power to begin with. It certainly won't slow down, and the base 13" should work well for you for quite a while, not much sense spending the extra $300 on a rather small upgrade.
 
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