15 inch 2.2 vs. i7 13 inch with 512 SSD

[mdh95070]

I am curious if I will see an overall performance delta between the two 2011 MBP configurations. Both will have 4GB ram. Trying to decide.

My use case is:

- mostly desktop replacement
- will connect to external HDMI monitor
- MS office
- Will be moving some videos into ipad format via iTunes from my Flip video cam
- Skype video
- some vmware with Windows 7

I am struggling on price performance value.

 

[Naimfan]

Get the 15". The i7 13" doesn't offer enough of a jump from the base 13", and the quad core of the 15" will "future-proof" you more than the i7 13" will.

 

[kushed]

I am curious if I will see an overall performance delta between the two 2011 MBP configurations. Both will have 4GB ram. Trying to decide.

My use case is:

- mostly desktop replacement
- will connect to external HDMI monitor
- MS office
- Will be moving some videos into ipad format via iTunes from my Flip video cam
- Skype video
- some vmware with Windows 7

I am struggling on price performance value.

since youre using vmware the graphics card alone on the 15 should have sold you, and if it doesnt then surely the quadcore will? and if not then i dunno why the hell you wouldnt just want the 15 hahaha. its not even fair to throw the 13 in the lineups of the 15 and 17, the 13 became the unwanted stepchild of apple in this new refresh.

 

[corvus32]

Go for the 15. You can always add a SSD to it later, but you can't add a quad core i7 or 6750M to the 13".

 

[mdh95070]

really great advice everyone... I am looking for a desktop replacement with limited mobility. Now my braining is thinking too much to see what/if apple does something interesting to the iMac in the next several weeks. I really like the 13 inch form factor, but I will need to be fairly active in vmware and I don't like the speakers in the 13 inch.

 

[roe1234]

Just conjecture

Go for the 15. You can always add a SSD to it later, but you can't add a quad core i7 or 6750M to the 13".

This is just conjecture, but with the new thunderbolt port it *may* be possible at some point to add an external video card to the 13". Since the new port, in essence, exposes the PCIe bus, performance should be pretty good. Only time will tell.

 

[abhic]

I had pretty much the same use cases:

• Browsing + iTunes + Reading PDFs + Downloading Media
• TextMate + Browsing + iTunes
• Post-Process RAW Files in Aperture & Photoshop + iTunes
• Photoshop + Browsing + iTunes
• Local Media Server + Off-Site Backup Server

I had to move from my 2007 MacBook 2.2 C2D and I thought the 2011 13.3" i7 was the best option, but I did some research and found that I rather move up to the 15" 2.2 GHz i7 + 8GB + 128GB SSD to be really 'future ready'.

Here are my notes where I compiled research from all over the web - http://bit.ly/fp35F7

 

[jayhawk11]

I had pretty much the same use cases:

• Browsing + iTunes + Reading PDFs + Downloading Media
• TextMate + Browsing + iTunes
• Post-Process RAW Files in Aperture & Photoshop + iTunes
• Photoshop + Browsing + iTunes
• Local Media Server + Off-Site Backup Server

I had to move from my 2007 MacBook 2.2 C2D and I thought the 2011 13.3" i7 was the best option, but I did some research and found that I rather move up to the 15" 2.2 GHz i7 + 8GB + 128GB SSD to be really 'future ready'.

Here are my notes where I compiled research from all over the web - http://bit.ly/fp35F7

Good blog post. Looks like you did a helluva job researching it. Keep up the good work.

 

[abhic]

Thank you! What can I say - I heart

Good blog post. Looks like you did a helluva job researching it. Keep up the good work.

 

[corvus32]

This is just conjecture, but with the new thunderbolt port it *may* be possible at some point to add an external video card to the 13". Since the new port, in essence, exposes the PCIe bus, performance should be pretty good. Only time will tell.

If so, the same would also be true with the 15".