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13" no good?

R

RedJeans

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 27, 2010
93
0
I have a friend who told me to pay the extra $700 and purchase the 15" because it has the new processors.

I will only use it for simple things: MS Office, MSN, Internet, movies, music, a bit of PhotoShop and a bit of minor gaming.

I've been wanting to get the 13" but he said that it's a waste of money and that I should fork out the extra $700 and get the i5 15".

Thoughts?
 
The 13" MBP, and even the 13" MB, is more than enough for your needs.

Your friend just doesn't know your needs and maybe has to have the latest technology, as the 15" and 17" MBP have those new i5/7 CPUs, while the 13" has still a Core2Duo CPU, but that is still enough for your needs.
 
it all boils down to what you will ultimately be using it for. I use mine for work and do a lot of reports & presentations so the 13" works out perfect for me.

Don't let your friend influence your decision because it is something he likes. Go with what you feel more comfortable with.
 
RedJeans said:
I have a friend who told me to pay the extra $700 and purchase the 15" because it has the new processors.

I will only use it for simple things: MS Office, MSN, Internet, movies, music, a bit of PhotoShop and a bit of minor gaming.

I've been wanting to get the 13" but he said that it's a waste of money and that I should fork out the extra $700 and get the i5 15".

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

Like the first responder wrote............. none of your apps require the i5/i7 processor. The C2D will do just fine.

****** I would HIGHLY recommend getting a SSD for it though. That will make MUCH more difference in real world use. ******
 
be careful its a slippery slope. Yes its another $700 but then for just $100 more you can get the high res screen and for just another $200 you can get it with the ssd and on and on until your way over what you set out to spend.

The 13" is an extremely nice computer and if thats the one you want.. then get it and don't look back.
 
Thanks so much guys :)

He said that if it doesn't make the difference now, it will in the future. He says that the Core2Duo processor is very outdated.
 
RedJeans said:
Thanks so much guys :)

He said that if it doesn't make the difference now, it will in the future. He says that the Core2Duo processor is very outdated.
Click to expand...

There's NO SUCH thing as future proof when it comes to computer HW. Your friend is giving you bum advice.
 
Despite sticking with the Core 2 Duo processor, Apple has nevertheless significantly upgraded the 13 inch MBP with the addition of the NVIDIA 320M GPU. The 13 inch MBP is a fine computer and should do a good job for some time to come for all but those who make the most arduous demands of it. For most users there is no real world difference in performance between the 13 inch MBP and the 15 inch version.
 
The 13 has better battery life than the 15. You won't be able to notice the performance difference (you're not taxing the system enough). Get it.

Also, who buys PhotoShop for "a bit of it"?
 
The 13" is definitely enough for you. I am running all the standard workspace apps (MS Office, Adobe CS5, and of course, Apple's own software). On Bootcamp win7, I am running bioshock, oblivion, fallout 3, borderlands (and starcraft 1 ;) ) on highest settings, with great fps rates.
Next up: Crysis and Bioshock 2.

I am on the Base model 13". It is one amazing machine. You won't regret it.
 
Yeah I was thinking about getting the base 13" 2.4 GHz model.

I don't know - he just says that the i5 processor will serve me better for the future because it's more recent technology vs. the Core2Duo
 
I am in a similar dilemea, tried out both machines today, the 13" could only play 1 hd trailer flawlessly while the 17" i5 could play 3 at the same time with no visible slowdown. So if you find yourself fustrated with the speed of your computer now, I would suggest the i5, if you never noticed a slowdown before, then just stick with core 2.
 
RedJeans said:
Yeah I was thinking about getting the base 13" 2.4 GHz model.

I don't know - he just says that the i5 processor will serve me better for the future because it's more recent technology vs. the Core2Duo
Click to expand...

like what the previous posters said the 13" will be fine. I have both and find myself using the 13" more than the 15". although my 15" is the previous model.
 
The Final Cut said:
I am in a similar dilemea, tried out both machines today, the 13" could only play 1 hd trailer flawlessly while the 17" i5 could play 3 at the same time with no visible slowdown. So if you find yourself fustrated with the speed of your computer now, I would suggest the i5, if you never noticed a slowdown before, then just stick with core 2.
Click to expand...

Why would you want to watch 3 HD movie trailers at the same time?
 
LOL. The C2D is not going to run any slower two years from now. If you think the C2D will be outdated you are basically saying that in a couple of years new software will have significantly higher CPU / graphics demands and that it's worth paying 50% more today in case that happens. It's definitely possible that the next version of your favorite software could require a lot more horsepower but that's far from certain. In the Microsoft world, for example (only), it worked that way for a long time. But the latest Windows 7 and Office 2010 do not require faster hardware.
 
If you drop that $700 on a SSD upgrade it will blow the i7 15 out of the water in everyday tasks. Only in serious number crunching will you notice the difference a i5/i7 will make.
 
I think the 13 sucks. C2D in a $1,500 computer in 2010? I wanted the 13 but will not settle for a 2-3 year old chip for a premium price. I bought the i5 15 and I love it!

Get the i5 then save for an intel SSD and you'll have a computer for the next 5 years!
 
I must admit, I used to be like your friend, I always wanted the best technology and the newest. In terms of laptops, before finally getting the new 13" MBP, I always had high-end HPs. HDX18 and HDX16's. Both with top of the line processors and whatnot. Then I realized that the power I was getting wasn't what I really needed. That my every day usage could be done on a much smaller/cheaper laptop. I then went with an HP dm3t. I noticed no changes, nothing was "slower," nothing changed whatsoever. Now I've gone to a 13" MBP, and things are good.

Sometimes having the newest technology isn't the best thing. Many times we won't actually take advantage of it, and that's the bottomline. For computers, I say buy what you'll actually use, and not what you think you'll use. By the time you need more "power" chances are, you'll want a new computer anyways.
 
drew0020 said:
I think the 13 sucks. C2D in a $1,500 computer in 2010? I wanted the 13 but will not settle for a 2-3 year old chip for a premium price. I bought the i5 15 and I love it!

Get the i5 then save for an intel SSD and you'll have a computer for the next 5 years!
Click to expand...

Well, $1099 from Amazon.

Personally I think paying an extra $650-750 for the I5 is absolutely ridiculous.
 
vty said:
Well, $1099 from Amazon.

Personally I think paying an extra $650-750 for the I5 is absolutely ridiculous.
Click to expand...

I cant recommend the c2d in a 2010 computer but if someone was going to buy something for a premium price thats already outdated the base model is the only way to go if you are on a budget, but if youre on a budget get a PC. If you were thinking of paying $1499 then get the 15 for $1750 or so from Amazon.
 
The MBP 13 is definitely is expensive compared to other makes ($1,049 from Macconnection.com vs. i5 models by other brands sell for hundreds less).
But putting aside OS and design considerations, I didn't find anything else that had the same combination of (1) screen quality, (2) battery life, (3) weight, (4) great trackpad, and (5) better than Intel graphics.
 
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