2.3GHz 15" Macbook? 256 SSD or 128 + Optibay?

[soooren]

3 months ago my 17" macbook pro (2007) died and i bought it to the humac store (danish retailer) and had to pay $1025 to get it fixed - this was totally not worth it, but it was either that or throwing out a computer i had payed $3900 for 4 years ago (yes apple prices are ridiculous in denmark - for a start we have a 25% consumption tax).

I wanted to buy a new macbook but also wanted to wait so i could get the one of the new ones and here i am.

Im going to need the computer for stuff like
· Photoshop (very large picture sizes)
· Illustrator
· After Effects
· Cinema 4d
· Gaming (not much gaming right now but i want to be able to run Diablo 3, dota2 and maybe even battlefield 3)

So right off the bat these are the configurable specs i know im going to get:

8GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM
MacBook Pro 15-inch Hi-Res Glossy Widescreen Display

but with the processor and hard drive i am a little undecided.

how much better is the 2.3GHz Quad core i7 compared to the 2.2 GHz standart one? is it worth the $370 extra?

what do people think concerning harddrive? I want speed before all so im going to get an SSD no matter what - but should i go for the 128 gb and then add another one with the MCE OptiBay drive in a few months, or should i simply order the MCE OptiBay now and put a normal 500-750 GB harddrive in it? (and how will this effect sound, temperature and speed?). $600 seems a little over the top for 256 gigs, but how much faster is having everything (os, programs, files) on the fast harddrive compared to only having the os and the programs on it?

hope you guys can help me out here!

 

[cupcakes2000]

Well I doubt there is THAT much noticeable difference between the 2.2 or 2.3. They are both quad core. Would depend on what you're doing. It would help def with after effects, but I'm not sure how much.

If I was you I would get the 2.2, max it out with ram. Order it with the 750 drive already in it.
Then get a 3rd party 128gb SSD and an optibay. Stick your os and stuff on that, and have all your other ***** on the big drive!

Good to go!! It will scream!

Jealous.

 

[Dyrvig]

3 months ago my 17" macbook pro (2007) died and i bought it to the humac store (danish retailer) and had to pay $1025 to get it fixed - this was totally not worth it, but it was either that or throwing out a computer i had payed $3900 for 4 years ago (yes apple prices are ridiculous in denmark - for a start we have a 25% consumption tax).

I wanted to buy a new macbook but also wanted to wait so i could get the one of the new ones and here i am.

Im going to need the computer for stuff like
· Photoshop (very large picture sizes)
· Illustrator
· After Effects
· Cinema 4d
· Gaming (not much gaming right now but i want to be able to run Diablo 3, dota2 and maybe even battlefield 3)

So right off the bat these are the configurable specs i know im going to get:

8GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM
MacBook Pro 15-inch Hi-Res Glossy Widescreen Display

but with the processor and hard drive i am a little undecided.

how much better is the 2.3GHz Quad core i7 compared to the 2.2 GHz standart one? is it worth the $370 extra?

what do people think concerning harddrive? I want speed before all so im going to get an SSD no matter what - but should i go for the 128 gb and then add another one with the MCE OptiBay drive in a few months, or should i simply order the MCE OptiBay now and put a normal 500-750 GB harddrive in it? (and how will this effect sound, temperature and speed?). $600 seems a little over the top for 256 gigs, but how much faster is having everything (os, programs, files) on the fast harddrive compared to only having the os and the programs on it?

hope you guys can help me out here!

Lad vær med at opgradere hverken HDD eller RAM via apple, er så over priced!

Redigerer du billeder skal du klart have en anti glare skærm i stedet for glossy, giver et langt mere virkelighedstro billede end glossy (dine billeder ser ud på skærmen som på print).

2,2 eller 2,3, du vil ikke mærke den store forskel, og til det en opgradering koster er det igen over priced.

Hvis du vil have lidt mere speed, så tag 500 gb 7200rpm i stedet for de 750gb, vil du kunne mærke..

Køb derefter en optibay og put en 128 eller 256 (alt efter hvor mange programmer osv. du har) i.. Vil dog råde dig til at vente et par måneder med at investere i din ssd, der kommer en ny generation SATA III SSD diske ud der skulle sparke røv!

Har læst noget om, at der på opti bay skulle være problemer med SATA III, de skulle kun være i stand til at køre SATA II grundet en fejl.. så hvis du køber en SATA III vil jeg råde dig til at sætte den i som det interne drev og så putte din stock hdd i opti bay.. Men der er to gode tråde herinde omkring det at bruge optibay på de nye MBP's.

Det var mine 50 cent.

btw, har lige selv bestilt en 15", dog bare base model med anti glare

 

[madonionrings]

I actually have the same question, and will have the same needs. Thanks anyone with good advice in advance!

 

[sk3tch]

I didn't want to mess with opening up my MacBook Pro so I went 128GB SSD (wasn't happy with the fit/finish after I had replaced RAM/HD on a previous MBP). I'm going to add another drive via Optibay if I find it isn't enough...but I have all of my large files on a NAS so I think I will be OK.

 

[Dyrvig]

I actually have the same question, and will have the same needs. Thanks anyone with good advice in advance!

sorry for the danish answer to the question then..

but my advice

Go for the high end but with the 2,2GHz, not that much difference compared to the price..

Upgrade to the 500GB 7200rpm for free (less space more speed) - depends on your needs

Upgrade the SSD + opti bay and RAM your self, Apple are over priced when it comes to hardware upgrades..

Else I was talking about whether you should wait for the new SATA III SSD's and whether to place it in the internal port og install the SSD in the opti bay.. Read that the opti bay has some problems running, only able to run SATA II, so no point in buying an SATA III and placing it there.. but 2 nice threads about that in here somewhere

And yes, important.. Go for the anti glare high res if you are doing photo editing, gives a more realistic view on what your printed photos are going to look like

Just bought the base 15" high res anti glare myself, or I have ordered it

 

[keithano]

For your information, I am in the exact situation when I ordered my MBP 15" a week ago.

I research quite a bit, and I came up the final spec' as follow, and it should be arriving this Friday.

15" 2.2ghz quad core
128GB SSD
6750m 1GB graphic card
Hi-res anti-glare screen
8gb Crucial ram (ordered from Newegg).

I have to process large photoshop files, and also needs some on-location photography job. The anti-glare screen would suit best for me. I am also not a gamer, but the only game I have been waiting for 10 years is Diablo 3.

Hope I can help a lil bit by sharing.

 

[Dyrvig]

For your information, I am in the exact situation when I ordered my MBP 15" a week ago.

I research quite a bit, and I came up the final spec' as follow, and it should be arriving this Friday.

15" 2.2ghz quad core
128GB SSD
6750m 1GB graphic card
Hi-res anti-glare screen
8gb Crucial ram (ordered from Newegg).

I have to process large photoshop files, and also needs some on-location photography job. The anti-glare screen would suit best for me. I am also not a gamer, but the only game I have been waiting for 10 years is Diablo 3.

Hope I can help a lil bit by sharing.

Just my words.. Though I would go for a third party SSD and opti bay solution.. makes more sense in my head

 

[IGotuBagged]

Hey quick question. Let's say the operating systems are on one drive (ssd), will I be able to read/write too the 2nd hard drive from both operating systems?

 

[DarwinOSX]

Hey quick question. Let's say the operating systems are on one drive (ssd), will I be able to read/write too the 2nd hard drive from both operating systems?

Yes, you will be able to see the hd from both OS'

I don't know about Denmark but in the US the Apple 128GB drive is only another $100. I'd go with that and optibay another hard drive. I would nt pay extra for the 2.3 ghz proc though.