Hello, I'm looking for some advice:
Current computer:
Early 2011 17" 2.2 i7 SSD 256 +HD 1tb 16GB RAM attached to 2x24 inch monitors with a Matrox adapter which seems to be dying because of the GPU.
I rarely use the laptop standalone, but I need it because sometimes I have to work at a client's office, or at least carry it in case something urgent comes up. My 17" is quite heavy and I would love to carry something like the mba.
Question:
Would you buy maxed out 13", 15" 2.0 (about same price) or 2.3 (maybe 2.6 even)?
I think I don't benefit at all from quad core or dedicated, and the 2.8 single core benchmarks are better on 13" than 2.0, and 2.3 are not so far ahead.
I have bought a maxed out MBA 13" for my wife (she does about the same work with it), and after doing some real world tests it outperforms my current computer, but it's limited to 8 GBs of RAM so she gets swapping eventually, and it doesn't support my matrox adaptor for 2 1920x1200 monitors.
I have a third option, which is a brand new 2012 15" 2,7 mbpro for 1.600 in which I could fit my ram and go with ssd raid 0 with my owc adaptor.
Current usage
I'm a web designer/developer, who runs at the same time:
I usually watch 1080p movies on VLC while doing repetitive tasks.
I don't edit any videos AT ALL. My Phothoshop files are not too big because they are meant for the web, and don't apply too many filters or effects.
I need 16 gbs of RAM for sure, but I think 4 cores is a waste.
Thanks in advance for the opinions.
Current computer:
Early 2011 17" 2.2 i7 SSD 256 +HD 1tb 16GB RAM attached to 2x24 inch monitors with a Matrox adapter which seems to be dying because of the GPU.
I rarely use the laptop standalone, but I need it because sometimes I have to work at a client's office, or at least carry it in case something urgent comes up. My 17" is quite heavy and I would love to carry something like the mba.
Question:
Would you buy maxed out 13", 15" 2.0 (about same price) or 2.3 (maybe 2.6 even)?
I think I don't benefit at all from quad core or dedicated, and the 2.8 single core benchmarks are better on 13" than 2.0, and 2.3 are not so far ahead.
I have bought a maxed out MBA 13" for my wife (she does about the same work with it), and after doing some real world tests it outperforms my current computer, but it's limited to 8 GBs of RAM so she gets swapping eventually, and it doesn't support my matrox adaptor for 2 1920x1200 monitors.
I have a third option, which is a brand new 2012 15" 2,7 mbpro for 1.600 in which I could fit my ram and go with ssd raid 0 with my owc adaptor.
Current usage
I'm a web designer/developer, who runs at the same time:
- Netbeans (java based IDE)
- Word, Excel and/or Powerpoint (at least 1 or 2 of that 3)
- Firefox
- Chrome (with about 10-20 tabs each)
- MAMP
- Navicat (database program)
- SourceTree (versioning software)
- Photoshop CC
- Bridge CC
- Billings (time control)
- Transmit (FTP)
- Jdownloader (Ocasionally)
- a couple VMs (quite rarely)
I usually watch 1080p movies on VLC while doing repetitive tasks.
I don't edit any videos AT ALL. My Phothoshop files are not too big because they are meant for the web, and don't apply too many filters or effects.
I need 16 gbs of RAM for sure, but I think 4 cores is a waste.
Thanks in advance for the opinions.