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2.0 GHz vs 2.2 GHz 2011 15" MBP .

T

tchaikovsky

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 4, 2011
2
0
Currently, I’m trying to decide on weather to get the higher or lower end 2011 15” MPB. I can’t decided weather the boost in GPU and .2GHz is really worth the extra - I think 300$. Or I should just get the basic model and just invest the money in something else like upping the ram to 8gb and maybe a vertex 3 - I‘m just checking into those now. I know the geek bench tests are almost 2k apart, but I think 8-9k is still fairly respectable (?), certainly faster than what I’m on now that’s 2k. - though i think if i get the 2.2 i'll still upgrade the hard drive to an SSD, but a bit later like around Christmas or something.

For use - it’s really basic. I’m a college student. My major is engineering, computer to be specific. I play around with java and run visual basic at least three times a week. I do plan on running photoshop, CS5 if it matters, almost everyday. But it’s not really anything heavy duty for the most part, just tumblr graphics/gifs/occasionally some painting etc etc. and I don’t game - other than like the occasional yahoo game here and there.

I plan on keeping it for around 3-5 years.
 
For 3-5 years, I think spending a bit more with worth it; your needs may expand and the additional power will be worthwhile.

RAM prices come down and certainly will SSD prices. You certainly can't get much of an SSD for $300 much less $220 after upgrading the RAM to 8GB. That's not to say $300 SSDs are not respectable in performance, but capacity will certainly be lacking.

Also you're an engineer, so I imagine you'll be using AutoCAD and other CPU intensive applications soon if you aren't already.
 
I went with the higher end for the boost in processor, bigger HD, but more importantly the better graphics. Sort of a way to help make it hold it's value an extra year or two.
 
I am mechanical engineering student and bought a basic 15 with hi res option.
For basic things, (browsing, multimedia, office) and some normal cad work its absolutly fantastic.
Yes you could buy the high end, but you will never use it at max.
Personaly didn't regret for buying base model, and yes it is still a beast.
You/We are not profesional's that you will take all the potential.In 85% people buy high end for just to have.
Better go on 8gigs of ram and ssd.IMHO that's my opinion.
 
alphaod said:
For 3-5 years, I think spending a bit more with worth it; your needs may expand and the additional power will be worthwhile.

RAM prices come down and certainly will SSD prices. You certainly can't get much of an SSD for $300 much less $220 after upgrading the RAM to 8GB. That's not to say $300 SSDs are not respectable in performance, but capacity will certainly be.
Click to expand...
I have a budget around 3k so it's not only the $300 from the base to high end model that I have to work with. maybe around a total of $600 give or take. so i'm not against shelling out 500 for a 200gb. but I have a external/am clean freak with my files. space isn't too much of an issue. I think for 350 ish I could get a crucial ssd that I think is enough space for me personally. and I wouldn't mind upgrading the higher end model either , i would just have to wait a couple months.
AlanFord said:
I am mechanical engineering student and bought a basic 15 with hi res option.
For basic things, (browsing, multimedia, office) and some normal cad work its absolutly fantastic.
Yes you could buy the high end, but you will never use it at max.
Personaly didn't regret for buying base model, and yes it is still a beast.
You/We are not profesional's that you will take all the potential.In 85% people buy high end for just to have.
Better go on 8gigs of ram and ssd.IMHO that's my opinion.
Click to expand...
thats what I was thinking I'd notice the ssd more (multasking,boot time etc) than the CPU boost. but I couldn't be sure. I wasn't finding anything other than geekbench (something i dont fully understand ) and write times I couldn't find squat. any idea what's your boot time?
1quick1 said:
I went with the higher end for the boost in processor, bigger HD, but more importantly the better graphics. Sort of a way to help make it hold it's value an extra year or two.
Click to expand...
your last two reasons are truly some of the main reasons I always seem to fly back to the higher end model. ik I'm going to regret it if I see someone with he higher end and everything just looks better.
 
i opted for the 2.2Ghz\8 Gigs RAM\HD Glossy\128 SSD\ and i love it. i honestly can say i love my computer. its ridiculously fast. I hook it up to a 58" Samsung plasma to watch blurays and i couldn't be more happy!! im sure the 2.0 is going to be really fast too if you go that route, anything will be much faster than an outdated mac; however, if you're already dropping 2 grand on a computer.. whats another 400 right? ^_^
 
If you don't expect a big change in usage, why not just get the base model. It will do everything you need it to do. I think the 2.0 vs. 2.2 is pretty much unnoticeable without strenuous CPU use. And while the GPU boost is reasonably significant, if you don't game, it's not worth much. It's also worth noting that the base GPU doesn't suck either. If you're talking about terms of longevity, the 2.0 vs. 2.2 makes no difference. By the time one is slow (that's going to be a while), the other one will be too. My 2.4 C2D is still plenty for my needs, and it's short more than half the raw power of any of the quads, just for reference.
 
Boot time is 36 seconds.For me its just fine.Like I sad, rather buy a SSD, and invest in that.Whit this you will have the speed since HD is "slowest" thing.You wont be doing such things which will use full 2,2 cpu potential.
I really camped 2 days in my local apple reseller store, and try both model's plus 2010 base 15.In my country diference is 500e what is one month salary. So yes I really checked if the base will be fine.I would buy the higher if this one is too slow, but really it's not.Maybe for you American the 300$ isn't that much, but I guarante that 90% of people are not really aware how fast this thing's are.I am checking every little cpu percentage and its average 10%.So really is the 2,2 really that important.Ofc it's slightly better, yes it's nice to have a higher model, but will you use it full, no.No will 80% who have them.
CPU is 0,4-1,4% in use while I am writing this.And you sad that you will be doing normal base things.
Like I sad, it is your money, this is just my opinion.
 
I did the 15" 2.0 with high-res/anti-glare, and I was a little bit disappointed in the performance before I got my upgrade kit in from OWC a few days later.

I can say without hesitation that the 8 GB RAM upgrade and an SSD in place of the optical drive is 100% a better value (even right now with SSD prices) than the upgraded 2.2ghz and 1GB video card.

Unless you bought it to play 3D video games from last year. Then you shouldn't be buying a macbook anything, because even the "high-end" GPU isn't very fast by most gamer's standards. It's a decent mid-range card for late 2010/early 2011. It will still be the "top end" MBP option 10 months from now, though, and PC graphics will have moved 1.5-2 generations on down the line, and the games will follow suit.

The SSD has made probably the biggest single difference in my computing experience since the standardization and adoption of Wifi networking.

Maybe bigger. It's almost criminal that Apple is selling any MBP's without an SSD. It makes their machines seem less powerful than they are. That 5400 rpm drive they put in these slows everything down. It's not even that bad for a 5400 rpm drive, but compared to the rest of the machine (other than the GPU in a 3D environment, I guess), it's just miles behind. Sandy Bridge needs that speed, or you'll always just be sitting around waiting on the hard drive.

8 GB of RAM will keep you from needing it so often for switching between apps if you run heavier applications like anything video related, or Adobe CS, or engineering software.

If you offered me a free upgrade to 2.2/1GB, in exchange for not having the SSD I paid for and the 8 GB of RAM, I would decline the offer. So that's how much of a difference it is for me.
 
Options

I always look at buying the most non-upgradable parts in a Macbook that I can afford at the time. I went with the 2011 upgraded 15" because I can always add RAM and SSD when I can afford it, but changing the processor and graphics card is usually a non-starter. I couldn't justify the 2.3 for an extra $300 though. Less than 2% benchmark performance for 10% cost increase didn't seem worth it.

Just something to consider.

-Jim
 
Get the 2.2...the 1GB card is pretty badass, even if you don't so many graphics like me :)
 
The 2.2 is more worth it for the graphics than the CPU boost. Unless you're really pushing it, the CPU boost won't be noticed much. If you don't game much (or rather, if you don't play very recent games often), then you're probably better off spending the money on a nice SSD.
 
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