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13 or 17 Macbook pro?
- Thread starter tim2006
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13" w/ a SSD upgrade.
Unless your doing processor intensive stuff like rendering then the SSD makes all the difference in the world.
I found my 13" Macbook 2.26 Ghz with a 64gig SSD just as useable as my Quad Core 6600 w/ RAID 0 on a pair of WD Velociprators.
I just switched to a MB Pro 13 and could not believe how long I waited for it to boot compared to the SSD.
It runs Office and CS5 great, so long as your not doing rendering, and I'm sure it'll render fine but if you are doing things specifically around the processor speed then obviously you'll need more. My desktop would crush the MB Pro doing video rendering but since it was no longer a requirement I switched.
I went to a 13 MB Pro as a desktop replacement, I'll pair it with a 30" monitor and it'll do what I need.
I do travel a lot with my laptop so the form factor helps too.
My biggest complaint about the 13 is the 1280x800 but was before I started to use it. On a Windows machine 1440x900 is the bare minimum. I hated my wife's 1280x800 laptop and thought the same of the Mac before I started to use it. 1280x800 is perfectly useable although I'd love to be able to get a 1440x900 even in the 13".
Unless your doing processor intensive stuff like rendering then the SSD makes all the difference in the world.
I found my 13" Macbook 2.26 Ghz with a 64gig SSD just as useable as my Quad Core 6600 w/ RAID 0 on a pair of WD Velociprators.
I just switched to a MB Pro 13 and could not believe how long I waited for it to boot compared to the SSD.
It runs Office and CS5 great, so long as your not doing rendering, and I'm sure it'll render fine but if you are doing things specifically around the processor speed then obviously you'll need more. My desktop would crush the MB Pro doing video rendering but since it was no longer a requirement I switched.
I went to a 13 MB Pro as a desktop replacement, I'll pair it with a 30" monitor and it'll do what I need.
I do travel a lot with my laptop so the form factor helps too.
My biggest complaint about the 13 is the 1280x800 but was before I started to use it. On a Windows machine 1440x900 is the bare minimum. I hated my wife's 1280x800 laptop and thought the same of the Mac before I started to use it. 1280x800 is perfectly useable although I'd love to be able to get a 1440x900 even in the 13".
Kind of a loaded question because of the variables in specs. However, all other things being equal, I might go for the 13" because a lot of work I do with MacBook hooked up to an external screen. For those times when I'm lazily surfing on the couch, a bigger screen isn't really necessary.
if I were you I would get the low-end 15-inch MacBook Pro. The new Core i5/i7 MacBook Pros are significantly more powerful than the 13-inches. They also have discrete graphics, which allows you to play more games. For just a bit more money ($300), you're getting a much better machine. (http://www.macnn.com/articles/10/04/15/core.i5.more.than.sufficient/_
I myself have the bottom line 15-inch and I love it.
I myself have the bottom line 15-inch and I love it.
And neither of the options you suggested have a matte screen, so it alienates the people who can't stand to use computers with glossy screens.
if they were to be of the same price... wouldn't that mean either the 13 inch's specs is bumped up to the level of the 17 inch or the 17 inch is degraded to 13 inch's performance level?
Well, if it's the latter one, I would personally prefer the 13 inch. For me, portability means a lot. If it's the first one, then I would also prefer the 13 inch. Who wouldn't want power + portability?
