Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Blending Professionalism and Consumerism with MBP

What do you think

  • Should keep options for pros, MBP lost the it's meaning

    Votes: 14 70.0%

  • Should keep options for pros, MBP is still exclusive

    Votes: 3 15.0%

  • Options is not needed for pros, MBP lost the it's meaning

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Options is not needed for pros, MBP is still exclusive

    Votes: 3 15.0%
  • Total voters
    20
B

blitzraider

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 16, 2009
82
0
Personally, I think that Apple is beginning to blur the lines between professionals who NEED the MBP and the average consumer who usually WANTS the MBP. This is probably because they want to expand their laptops to suit other niches as well and make more profit.

Unfortunately, I still feel that some options thats professionals use should be available. Do you agree with me?

Personally, I wished the MBPs would be reserved for more professional people. It made my feel special to have a 17 MBP. Now the word Macbook Pro doesn't mean anything special anymore.
 
The keyboard is not spill resistant, and it has no expresscard slot.

There is nothing "pro" about it but its name.
 
blitzraider said:
Personally, I think that Apple is beginning to blur the lines between professionals who NEED the MBP and the average consumer who usually WANTS the MBP. This is probably because they want to expand their laptops to suit other niches as well and make more profit.

Unfortunately, I still feel that some options thats professionals use should be available. Do you agree with me?

Personally, I wished the MBPs would be reserved for more professional people. It made my feel special to have a 17 MBP. Now the word Macbook Pro doesn't mean anything special anymore.
Click to expand...

Buy a Porsche. Then you can put your 17" consumer notebook in the trunk of your Porsche and feel special again. :D
 
There has never been anything particularly "pro" about any Macbook model. The displays are not good enough for pro level photograph editing, the soundcard is not good enough for pro level audio, even the discrete graphics card won't be quite enough for pro level 3D graphics.

The Mac Pro is one of the few Apple products truly aimed at professionals whereas the laptops are prosumer stuff at best.
 
Have to admit I bought the mbp because I wanted the aluminum laptop. I had a G3 iBook and always wanted the powerbook for DVI and optical audio. Didn't make sense for me to buy for any other reason and even those two were questionable. I also liked the status that came with the powerbook (shallow, I know). So when the macbook and macbook pros came out, sure enough DVI and optical audio on the macbooks - perfect! All I needed, cheaper than the powerbooks, great! ... except I really wanted an aluminum laptop. What did I do? I bought that macbook pro like a sucker so I could pretend that I'm a pro because I own a D50 and like edit photos... Apple knows what they're doing.
 
Define "professional" though. Who exactly is a professional?

My general interpretation of Apple's notebook line is that they start from the idea of a notebook - a computer that is going to be mobile. The most important thing to that is size, weight, and battery life.

From there, the specs are added, and generally speaking in the very broad spectrum of notebook computers, Apple notebooks tend to be on the upper 1/2.

I suppose Apple could make a 10 pound notebook with 17" display, huge graphics card, blu ray, 6 USB ports, and a zillion card readers, all with a one hour battery life, (hyperbole acknowledge), but that's not something you want to take on the road.

The upgraded notebook line in my opinion has made an already compelling line that much stronger.
 
JonHimself said:
Have to admit I bought the mbp because I wanted the aluminum laptop. I had a G3 iBook and always wanted the powerbook for DVI and optical audio. Didn't make sense for me to buy for any other reason and even those two were questionable. I also liked the status that came with the powerbook (shallow, I know). So when the macbook and macbook pros came out, sure enough DVI and optical audio on the macbooks - perfect! All I needed, cheaper than the powerbooks, great! ... except I really wanted an aluminum laptop. What did I do? I bought that macbook pro like a sucker so I could pretend that I'm a pro because I own a D50 and like edit photos... Apple knows what they're doing.
Click to expand...

I sometimes have that feeling too. But it sometimes makes me feel guilty. Having such an expensive laptop while others stare at me like I am a freak.
 
The only real difference between both was always the Display. And it got way better for the 13" now.
 
There are many things about the machine that are more pro than any other laptop. It's best in class construction and 7 hour battery for example. On the other hand there is a lot to be desired. Bear in mind it's not a desktop replacement machine, it's a highly portable laptop, which is best in class for power vs. price vs. weight.

It could do with an optional matte screen. I don't believe matte is any more "pro" than glossy, however there are certain situations (design transfer to matte paper) where a matte screen is preferable. If your paying $1700 for a laptop, you should be able to make the choice.

There is certainly room for a third USB port or a second Firewire 800 port on the 15", since they removed Express Card for the smaller SD slot. The SD slot should have been kept for the 13" and baseline 15", and left the ExpressCard on the rest. Optional 1920 x 1200 screen on the 15" and optional 1440 x 900 on the 13" is also a must. And they should have moved to DisplayPort, not Mini DisplayPort, even if it is an industry standard. Unless of course they can get all the OEM's to move to Mini DisplayPort.

Then again of course, who is to define "pro". The above is merely what I think constitutes to a "pro" laptop. If a professional is using a MacBook Pro and is happy with it, then it is a pro laptop.
 
Why do you need a high end graphics card or 8 cores or an express card to be a professional?

I think the Macbook Pro is aimed at professionals across the board, not just the creative industry. Hence why they probably are being conservative with the colour of their recent laptops.

It's a good move by Apple to entice business people from all industries to buy into their product, though I appreciate how many creative users would like to sandbox Mac to keep it exclusive.

Personally I run a business from mine, and that includes web and graphic design, making flash adverts, payroll and a whole range of tasks - and my MBP is always powerful enough to nail anything I set it.

(Actually I did notice it slowed down when trying to convert > 500 RAW images in PS CS3)

Consumers have a habit of buying things they don't need, and that includes powerful toys. It doesn't make the machine any less worthy of credit.

This update it lost the Express Card, but most professionals don't need one, your perspective is very limited towards a segment of the creative industry. We got Firewire though, I'm very happy with that, and look forward to picking up a 15inch with the GT card in August from the States..
 
What's in a name? It matters not what you call it - It matters how you use it!

:apple: should give more options when configuring online (though not as much as some other brands).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back