Buying a MBP 17" 2010 vs 2011

[desmotesta]

Hello all,

This is my first official post although I have been a lurker for a while.

I THINK I have finally found a used 17" Macbook pro that is not only in my budget, has the specs I want but also has the applecare warranty that I would like to have.

My question is regarding the 2.8 i7 processor from mid-2010 as well as the Nvidia video card (NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M with 512 MB of dedicated GDDR3 SDRAM and Intel HD Graphics with 256 MB of DDR3 SDRAM)

Will the above processor and video card combo be enough to edit and process HD Home videos (AVCHD).

I am buying the laptop to replace my current home laptop, but also to finally be able to edit photos and HD Home videos.


Thank you for your response,

Looking forward to being an active member of this board

 

[Rhinoevans]

You probably now all this but

http://www.everymac.com/systems/app...7-2.8-aluminum-15-mid-2010-unibody-specs.html

It is a dual core i7, but I would say yes

 

[desmotesta]

You probably now all this but

http://www.everymac.com/systems/app...7-2.8-aluminum-15-mid-2010-unibody-specs.html

It is a dual core i7, but I would say yes

Thank you for the link.

I have been trying to find as many reviews on that particular model as possible, but was looking from first hand/real world feedback and that is why I asked the question here.

Still conflicted on whether the mid-2010 with Nvidia is "enough" or should I shell out more for a model with the newer AMD video card (early 2011)

Any help is greatly appreciated

 

[jvpython]

The processor in the 2011 version is significantly faster being a quad core i7. And yes you would also be getting quite a bit better graphics performance.

 

[tmagman]

i have a 2010 2.66i7 with the 512MB 330M and have had no problem editing with it. Just put a good SSD in and it'll fly. I'm editing fullHD footage from a 7D with no complaints at all.

 

[desmotesta]

i have a 2010 2.66i7 with the 512MB 330M and have had no problem editing with it. Just put a good SSD in and it'll fly. I'm editing fullHD footage from a 7D with no complaints at all.

Thank you for your input.

Thats the kind of feedback I was looking for

There seems to be about a $500 price difference between an Early 2011 WITH Apple care VS a mid-2010 With Applecare.

I could easily spend that saved money on an SSD and software.

I got 6 years and 3 months out of my current Core2Duo Dell but ediing HD movies is NOT something the poor thing can do (neither do I expect it to --)

Thanks

 

[desmotesta]

I apologize if I sound confused (and I actually am) but I am now leaning towards spending the extra $500ish and get one of the early 2011 models which has a quad core i7 amd an AMD Graphics chip with 1GB of video memory.

I have started thinking down the line, just 2 years later the mid-2010 may seem a lot "older" than the early 2011 which has a faster processor and faster graphics chip.

So, I now have to start looking for a used early-2011

and so it begins all over again

 

[tmagman]

2011 also a little bit more futureproof since it has thunderbolt.

Check out the marketplace on here... lots of people unloading 2011s for 2012s and rMBPs so there are lots of great deals. Few more months and we could see a 2013 with Haswell chips so the 2011s will really start to move.

Edit: still 2011 models lurking around in the refurbished section of the apple online store. Check those out too!

 

[desmotesta]

2011 also a little bit more futureproof since it has thunderbolt.

Check out the marketplace on here... lots of people unloading 2011s for 2012s and rMBPs so there are lots of great deals. Few more months and we could see a 2013 with Haswell chips so the 2011s will really start to move.

Edit: still 2011 models lurking around in the refurbished section of the apple online store. Check those out too!

Funny you mentioned the Apple Refurb store.

After almost buying from what seemed like a SCAM auction for refurbished Macbook Pro 17" on Ebay, I decided to buy directly from Apple.

17" Macbook pro with 2.2 i7, AMD Graphics chip and 750 GB (although a slow one with 5400 rpm) and only 4 GB of RAM

I hope to get an Optibay and move the 750GB to the Optibay and use it just for Storage and use an SSD as my main drive.

I ended up spending a couple hundred more than I wanted, but the 1 year warranty and an option to add 2 more years of warranty in 12 months was too much to pass - Not to mention the speed/performance difference between the mid 2010 machine Vs early 2011.

 

[tmagman]

good choice! best of luck in your future endeavors!