2.4Ghz MacBook Pro question

[techguy40]

How is the new 2.4Ghz MacBook Pro?

* 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
* 2GB memory
* 200GB hard drive1
* Double-layer SuperDrive
* NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT with 256MB



should I go to the 2.5GHz model? or should I just buy some more ram for 2.4ghz model above?

will 512MB for the graphic card really make a difference and the extra cache?


How is the basic 2gb memory of ram that comes with it?

Thanks

 

[markrivers]

tell us first how you will use your MBP.
what softwares are you going to use.
if you'll just surf, listen, watch a movie..
you can just buy the base model..
better yet, buy the macbook.

 

[burningrave101]

For even a power user there's no real benefit to the higher priced 2.5Ghz model. The T9300 is only marginally faster than the T8300 and the 8600M GT can't make use of 512MB of RAM. The 8600M GT is limited by a 128-bit memory bus so all that extra memory is just wasted. 256MB of VRAM is about all an 8600M GT is fast enough to efficiently make use of. Go with the 2.4Ghz base model, upgrade maybe the hard drive and RAM and that's likely more than you need.

 

[techguy40]

tell us first how you will use your MBP.
what softwares are you going to use.
if you'll just surf, listen, watch a movie..
you can just buy the base model..
better yet, buy the macbook.

Its going to be for the very basic to more advance things as I learn the Mac. So I don't want to be limited later on.

I will be a pc switcher.

 

[Pees330]

I have the 2.4GHz model and it is a great laptop. For your needs it will be more than enough power. It's not worth the extra money for what you are using the machine for.

 

[EvryDayImShufln]

Buy the base one. You will NEVER need more than that. Don't fool yourself.

I had the old 2.2 base model and even that was good enough for me, and I consider myself a power user. I would game demanding First person shooters and use photoshop and encode videos. You would see a very small benefit, especially now that they brought the videoram up to 256.

 

[shoppy]

Go for it I don't notice any difference in my standard 2.4 and my 17" 2.6. I run logic on mine mainly, aperture, and adobe creative suite.

 

[bamf]

I've got the base model. I upgraded the HD to the 200GB/7,200 RPM option and also did an aftermarket RAM upgrade to 4GB. The machine runs great with those two options...

I'm using it as my primary business machine, so I'm also running Fusion. I've got a Vista install in BootCamp that Fusion has up all the time so I can do the Windows Sysadmin portion of my job. Again, the machine runs great doing this.

Like the people above said, the marginal processor upgrade won't get you a ton unless you just have to have the fastest thing out...