17" MacBook Pro not that attractive now

[atari1356]

The 17" MacBook Pro is a very nice machine, but consider this cost comparison:

For the price of this:
17" 2.16GHz MacBook Pro - $2799


You could get both of these (total $2798)
13" 1.83GHz MacBook - $1099
20" 2Ghz iMac - $1699

The cost would be $400 less if you went with the 17" iMac.

Granted, the MacBook and iMac would both need a RAM upgrade, but that's not much extra. I know where I'd put my money if I were looking to upgrade right now.

 

[MovieCutter]

Um, a mobile video editing station? A true mobile gaming machine for Windows and mac games? It's dedicated video memory, it's 20" screen resolution in a 17" form factor, DL Superdrive, Firewire 800. This is a pro-machine dude, not for the faint of heart or wallet. It's in another league. Why do you think it was announced at NAB?

 

[grapes911]

I had an iBook and a Power Mac G4. I hated having two primary machines. Nothing was ever synced up. I sold them both and got a 15 inch PowerBook. I do have other computers (PC for gaming and Mac Mini hooked to the tv), but I will never go back to having two "main" machines. I would pay extra to get 1 machine that does everything I need. I'm sure others disagree, but make sure you think about all possible aspects before making a decision.

 

[atari1356]

Um, a mobile video editing station? A true mobile gaming machine for Windows and mac games? It's dedicated video memory, it's 20" screen resolution in a 17" form factor, DL Superdrive, Firewire 800. This is a pro-machine dude, not for the faint of heart or wallet. It's in another league. Why do you think it was announced at NAB?

Sure the 17" MacBook Pro has it's uses... but for the price, I think the vast majority of people would be better off using the cash to get a MacBook and iMac.

Or, since the MacBook now supports closed lid mode - many people could just buy that and use it with a large external monitor.

 

[MovieCutter]

Sure the 17" MacBook Pro has it's uses... but for the price, I think the vast majority of people would be better off using the cash to get a MacBook and iMac.

Or, since the MacBook now supports closed lid mode - many people could just buy that and use it with a large external monitor.

That's great and all, but you're missing the point. The vast majority aren't looking at the 17" MBP. Those who don't have the money to buy this machine or would prefer to spend that amount of money on two machines are not the target for this product. Professional video editors like myself who have high end needs and large budgets are the target for this product. I'm not disputing the fact that for the price, the average consumer is better off getting a MacBook and an iMac. What I'm saying is, if you're even looking at a MacBook, you're not in the market for a 17" MBP regardless. You're misinterpreting the target market for the 17" MBP.

 

[atari1356]

I had an iBook and a Power Mac G4. I hated having two primary machines. Nothing was ever synced up. I sold them both and got a 15 inch PowerBook. I do have other computers (PC for gaming and Mac Mini hooked to the tv), but I will never go back to having two "main" machines. I would pay extra to get 1 machine that does everything I need. I'm sure others disagree, but make sure you think about all possible aspects before making a decision.

I actually agree with you and have a 15" PowerBook now, partly for the same reason as you. The iBook never seemed good enough to use as a primary machine (low screen resolution, no closed lid mode) so I bought the PowerBook instead... but the new MacBook has a decent wide screen (1280x800 - almost the same resolution as my PowerBook) and a nice fast processor.

I could see using it for most things like web design/development work, email, web browsing, etc... and the iMac would be for the family stuff (iLife, games).

 

[iPhil]

Um, a mobile video editing station? A true mobile gaming machine for Windows and mac games? It's dedicated video memory, it's 20" screen resolution in a 17" form factor, DL Superdrive, Firewire 800. This is a pro-machine dude, not for the faint of heart or wallet. It's in another league. Why do you think it was announced at NAB?

So true .. the MBP 17" is build for pros who need the Power on the road and got the cash to do that ..


@ my work the MBP 17" gets more inquries than iBooks G4..

 

[atari1356]

That's great and all, but you're missing the point. The vast majority aren't looking at the 17" MBP. Those who don't have the money to buy this machine or would prefer to spend that amount of money on two machines are not the target for this product. Professional video editors like myself who have high end needs and large budgets are the target for this product. I'm not disputing the fact that for the price, the average consumer is better off getting a MacBook and an iMac. What I'm saying is, if you're even looking at a MacBook, you're not in the market for a 17" MBP regardless. You're misinterpreting the target market for the 17" MBP.

I'm not missing the point. Prior to the MacBook announcement, I was looking at the 17" MacBook Pro - since it (and the 15" model) were the only machines that seemed like they would fill my needs. So, up until that point I WAS the target market.

Now that the MacBook's specs and price have been announced - I see that I'll be much better off with getting a MacBook/iMac than the MacBook Pro (which, for my uses is way overpriced).

I think the MacBook is a huge upgrade from the iBook, and it's good enough now that it will steal a lot of the market that used to belong to the PowerBook/MacBook Pro.

You need a portable video editing solution, that's fine... I don't.

 

[MovieCutter]

I'll make my point again, and then I'm done.

Now that the MacBook's specs and price have been announced - I see that I'll be much better off with getting a MacBook/iMac than the MacBook Pro (which, for my uses is way overpriced).

This statement demonstrates that you are NOT the target market for the 17" MBP, but a consumer with few choices. Now that the choices are available to you, you aren't forced to go down the road intended for professionals with professional needs and professional budgets. This does NOT make the 17" MBP any less attractive to it's target market (except that I want a black MacBook as my media center for my HDTV now ) Less attractive to you perhaps as a consumer previously pigeonholed with few choices, but certainly not to professionals. There, I'm done now.

 

[atari1356]

I'll make my point again, and then I'm done.

This statement demonstrates that you are NOT the target market for the 17" MBP, but a consumer with few choices. Now that the choices are available to you, you aren't forced to go down the road intended for professionals with professional needs and professional budgets. This does NOT make the 17" MBP any less attractive to it's target market (except that I want a black MacBook as my media center for my HDTV now ) Less attractive to you perhaps as a consumer previously pigeonholed with few choices, but certainly not to professionals. There, I'm done now.

I mostly agree with what you've said here, about being previously pigeonholed with few choices. We're arguing the same thing, just from different perspectives.

I'll also say that I AM a professional - and the MacBook is good enough for my uses. So, for me your argument that the MacBook is for consumers and not professionals doesn't fit. As a professional web designer/developer, I'll be better off with both a MacBook and iMac, so there. I'm done now too.

 

[EricChunky]

Sure the 17" MacBook Pro has it's uses... but for the price, I think the vast majority of people would be better off using the cash to get a MacBook and iMac.

Or, since the MacBook now supports closed lid mode - many people could just buy that and use it with a large external monitor.

since when the PowerBook/PowerMac or any other Pro products of apple have targeted to the "vast majorit"?

never

for me, buying a MacBook and then put a decent desktop (ATI x1800 Sli Range) will still cost less than a 2G 17" MacBook Pro
granted, i don't have a big enough car to let me watch HDTV on the go, and when i travel (5 months per year), i don't do dirty jobs with lappis.

 

[atari1356]

since when the PowerBook/PowerMac or any other Pro products of apple have targeted to the "vast majorit"?

never

I know that Apple didn't target the PowerBook/PowerMac for the majority of users (although, that could be argued since their strategy is generally to upsell you to a higher end model)... but I think a lot of people ended up getting them anyways because the iBook wasn't that great (low screen resolution/lack of closed lid mode were both dealbreakers to me).

I think many people who previously purchased a PowerBook will now choose to get a MacBook when it comes time to upgrade - because the features are good enough, and the price is so much cheaper than the MacBook Pro.