BlackBook or MBP?

[mikehokie]

Eww... Double posts...😱
Sorry about that.

NP

Yes I have the same camera (older model only 8 MP). It will not make a difference on your computer. Plus if you are making slideshows or putting the picutres in your portfolio I would assume you would want to show it to clients on a large screen. Any of the MBP's are able to output 1080p resolution so just hook it up to an HD TV.

BTW do you have a wide angle, fisheye, or telephoto lens for this camera?

 

[Fuzzy Orange]

Right now, I have a 18-55 mm (throwaway kit lens), 28-135 (very nice walkaround lens), and a 70-200 mm L lens (kinda good, but it was the cheapest model available and doesn't focus very well). I plan on getting a nice Wide-Angle eventually, not an L series one, but one with a USM.

 

[mikehokie]

Right now, I have a 18-55 mm (throwaway kit lens), 28-135 (very nice walkaround lens), and a 70-200 mm L lens (kinda good, but it was the cheapest model available and doesn't focus very well). I plan on getting a nice Wide-Angle eventually, not an L series one, but one with a USM.

The Canon L series ones are VERY nice. But I have a 55-200 MM telephoto. It was quite a bit of chink in the change, but well worth it.

What subjects to you photograph? I do some sports and cityscape stuff. As well as some photography in Alaska 🙂 which was AWESOME. I was on a bus trip in Denali and 2 guys come on with a Canon SLR Rebel XTI and EF 600mm f/4L IS USM lens. That thing was HUGE! But when you're in Alaska and the wildlife can be really far away especially on the bus trip I guess you need all 600 of it.

 

[Demon Hunter]

Yeah... The MacBook is pretty much out of the equation for me right now. I'm sure once I get the most out of this MBP, I will almost be in grad school like you, in which a MB would be a good fit for light carrying around. But... I need to start saving for PS CS3 and Aperture after paying back my 'rents..
🙁

The MBP is worth it -- especially if you have ANY intention of playing Starcraft 2. I wouldn't be surprised if the integrated graphics in the MacBook were not supported at all.

 

[amoda]

My vote is simply: Macbook Pro. I'm biased though since i've tried a macbook but i doubt i ever will.

 

[Fuzzy Orange]

Alright. I have made some considerations.
The 17'' HD MBP is awe-inspiring. And yes, it is my dream computer. But... it is too good for me. I simply do not need it. Asking for it is too much for my parents.
So I am considering the MB again. I might wait until they put SR in for the boosted X3000 graphics (I think that is what it is called), and then not have to pay them for it. I could use my money for PS, Aperture, and maybe a new lens. Or I could get a new 15'' SR MBP...

 

[ktbubster]

oops... double post? it said it didn't post my first time. sorry!

 

[ktbubster]

MBP 15inch?

Ok... First of all. Up until 4 months ago I still was using a 5 or so year old Tibook, which was techniqly runnin pretty much fine for me, but as I am a design student I wanted to upgrade simply so I could run more at one time and take advantage of the new programs coming out.

Anyway, the point here is that whatever you get now (for the most part) will last easily through most of your undergrad if you take care of it, AND purchase apple care. Trust me... after the 1st year runs out, you are gonna want it. It'll take you through highschool and the beginning of college with a warranty which you will NOT regret. Having the security, is a must. (whether your computer ever needs it or not... freshman year in a dorm though... you never know 🙂 )

Second...

Why do you keep going back and forth between a 17mbp and a regular mb? The 15 inch mbp is a wonderful machine. I know. I have one 🙂

I am a design student, I use a variety or programs you noted. I run Indesign, dreamweaver and basically the whole CS3 suite constantly. My bf has my same computer and plays games on it as well as does video work. Bottom line, the screen realstate is plenty to get along with (yes.. that extra 1.5 inches would be nice sometimes, but my dad has the 17 and with our computers next to eachother the difference isn't as huge as it seems sometimes)

I purchase my computer 4 months ago and have been extrememly happy with it. And it is only a CoreDuo 2.0 ghz 15 mbp. upgraded to 1.5 gig of ram. It doesn't run very hot, and it hasn't given me any problems. The 15 is a nice size... pretty durable so far (compared to my tibook lol) and fits in most basic computer bags as an added bonus.

Anyway, my suggestion to you, is to, like you already decided... to not bother with the 17 inch right now. It's too much computer, and you may be sorry one you get to school and will be carting it everywhere (and sitting it on stupid tiny lecture hall desks) not to mention it is a pretty penny. You are in highschool, you'll want to save your money.

If I were you i'd seriously consider looking at the refurb store. Good stuff, all gone over and checked with the same warranties, I never had a problem with it in the whole time me and my family have purchased from apple.

I purchased my current computer for 1599 total (included the 239 student discount applecare) My boyfriend just purchased a 2.16 ghz with twice video ram coreduo with a gig of ram (although you can find another gig stick or more for under 70 bucks now) for 1500 total with apple care as well.

This computer will still last you for quite some time, and down the line (once you get to undergrad and if for SOME reason you feel you want more.. by then you will probably have a bit saved up if you want to sell your old one (good resale value on maclaptops i noticed) and upgrade you can.)

This way you can chip in less then 1500 .. maybe even half that..(dependin how much your parents are chippin in) and have a lot left over to get copy of CS3 and whatever your heart desires (try to find a student or teacher copy.. it'll be worth the savings if your mom has the credentials to do it)

15-1600 for a very decent and still very new computer, that will run everything you want, give you a bit more screen realstate (my screen is great) keep your future proofed for as long as you need it and with a 3 year warranty.. is a GREAT deal IMO. That's 2300 or 2400 vs 15 or 1600.. that's 7-800 dollar savings between a new computer.. maybe even more if you wait a bit longer. Seems like a lot in this case.

I know this was rambling, but I hope it helped. Good luck on your computer purchases.

PS. CS3 is great 🙂 and you could look at a refurb 2.33 ghz intel core2duo (if you are set on the intel2 processor and faster.. it's the same price as the new baseline 2.2 at 1999)

 

[furious]

If I was in your position I would want the base MBP.

 

[JFreak]

Even if they won't be using apps that would benefit from a video card?

Yes. I don't know anyone who can say that in 5 years of time there will never be a situation where a dedicated GPU/VRAM would be beneficial. We cannot foresee what is to come, and that's why it's best to buy all the good components now instead of changing computers due to changing needs.

BlackBook costs roughly 1500 and MacBook costs roughly 2000. The price difference is not too much compared to making the computer more future-proof. Instead, if you compare the lowend MacBook (1000) to the highend MacBook Pro (3000), then the difference is so huge it might be best to buy the cheapo laptop now and pro model once the real need is there. But considering a BlackBook, IMO, is a waste of money. The only really good MacBook deal is the cheapest possible base model, but even then the motive of buying one should be the need for cheapest possible Mac laptop.

To repeat myself; If the laptop should last for 4ish years, there's no way I could recommend any MacBook. I have no problem recommending the base model MacBook Pro, even without the instant hard drive upgrade (which is a good upgrade to keep in reserve after few years of heavy use).

 

[Igantius]

All in all, that is excellent reasoning. The reason I asked, is your comment seemed a little cut and dry (i.e. cost should be the only factor to influence buying the MB), and wasn’t sure if you meant this generally or the OP’s particular position. In my laptop buying decision (I won’t bore you with all the details), although I wasn’t looking particularly looking for the cheapest option, a MBP wouldn’t have been appropriate, particularly as it wasn’t intended to be my main machine.

 

[netdog]

Given the lack of space for an external monitor on your desk, the 17" high resolution MBP for sure. The MacBook screen isn't really very good for editing photos whereas the MBP screen is (17" or 15"), and those judgements comes from firsthand experience.

 

[Fuzzy Orange]

Gah... I hate you, Apple.
Not because you are a bad company, but because you love to wave all these wondrous notebooks in my face. I drool about the 17'' whenever I think about it... but then I think about my wallet, and how buying the 17'' would be similar to rape for it.
My parents said that I can play any games I need to (Starcraft 2) on their Mac Pro. and I know that the MB can run WoW. But, I don't want to be downstairs a lot... So the MBP would be a better choice. And could anyone tell me why a 1920x1200 screen would be better for photo editing?

 

[Fuzzy Orange]

Hm... I was thinking today, and I have narrowed it down to two options-
1. Black MacBook with 2 GB of RAM + 23'' ACD
2. Upper End Stock 15'' MBP

Right now, I am honestly leaning towards the 1st option. Since I won't be traveling a bunch, I can enjoy 23 inches of pure satisfaction for photo editing/movie editing. My only beef is that I am not sure if the MB supports Aperture... Can anyone with experience tell me if it runs smoothly?

 

[iW00t]

Yes. I don't know anyone who can say that in 5 years of time there will never be a situation where a dedicated GPU/VRAM would be beneficial. We cannot foresee what is to come, and that's why it's best to buy all the good components now instead of changing computers due to changing needs.

BlackBook costs roughly 1500 and MacBook costs roughly 2000.

Nobody says you have to buy the Blackbook. Another comparison can be made with the mid model whitebook and the supremo $2499 MacBook Pro. The price difference between the two is in a word... astronomical.

What good is a 128mb graphics card going to do you in 5 years time? Mind you, GPUs do double in speed like every 10 months or so. In 5 years we are talking about GPUs that are easily 20 times faster. Can you still remember a GPU from 5 years ago that is useful today?

Buy what you need, save the difference, buy again when you need to again. As you go into the higher end of the market you pay more and more for diminishing returns.

 

[iW00t]

Hm... I was thinking today, and I have narrowed it down to two options-
1. Black MacBook with 2 GB of RAM + 23'' ACD
2. Upper End Stock 15'' MBP

Right now, I am honestly leaning towards the 1st option. Since I won't be traveling a bunch, I can enjoy 23 inches of pure satisfaction for photo editing/movie editing. My only beef is that I am not sure if the MB supports Aperture... Can anyone with experience tell me if it runs smoothly?

Aperture runs on my 1.83 mini, it is just not blazingly fast.

 

[Fuzzy Orange]

Well, I don't need it to be BLAZINGLY fast- but for it to run at a nice clip would be fantastic.🙂

 

[NewSc2]

Go for the base 15" MBP. Sure, the 17" HD is nice, but it's really expensive.

The Macbook's screen is pretty inferior to the MBP's, so I'd personally toss the Blackbook out of the discussion.

 

[Fuzzy Orange]

Bump.

 

[Wolfpup]

Alright. I have made some considerations.
The 17'' HD MBP is awe-inspiring. And yes, it is my dream computer. But... it is too good for me. I simply do not need it. Asking for it is too much for my parents.
So I am considering the MB again. I might wait until they put SR in for the boosted X3000 graphics (I think that is what it is called), and then not have to pay them for it. I could use my money for PS, Aperture, and maybe a new lens. Or I could get a new 15'' SR MBP...

I think the solution here is pretty easy-I don't think the Macbook really fits your needs, what with Intel video and the tiny screen. Since the 17" price is an issue...get the cheapest 15" model!

With the educational discount, it's only $400 more than the black Macbook...and actually closer to $300, because it ships with 2GB already. So for lets say $310 you get:

-15.4" screen with newer backlighting, versus a tiny 13.3" screen.
-2.2GHz/800MHz newest Core 2 versus 2.16/667 old model-significantly faster right there.
-A mid-range Geforce 8600GT, that will almost certainlly run Starcraft 2 (and run WoW 50 trillion times better), versus ultra low end Intel video. 32 stream processors and 128MB dedicated video RAM versus 4 pixel shaders and no video RAM at all (or vertex shaders at all).
-The ability to use 4GB in the future (or probably more)

Granted, the extra video RAM and larger screen on the 17" model would be nice, but I don't know why you're even comparing it to the Macbook, when the 15" MBP is just a bit over $300 more.

Personally I'd peg the upgrades as worth (for me personally):
-screen-$300
-better CPU-$200
-Geforce 8600GT-$300-500+
-ability to use more RAM-$50+
-better keyboard-$50-100

The *only* drawback to the MBP is the hard drive isn't user replaceable-at least not officially. But otherwise I think it's a much better value than the MB, especially if you plan to game at all, or need a decent sized screen, etc.