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Canceled new Macbook Pro order?

MBP 15" 2.2 SR $1499 vs MBP 2.4 Penryn $1799

  • MBP 15" 2.2 Santa Rosa $1499

    Votes: 16 48.5%

  • MBP 15" 2.4 Penryn $1799

    Votes: 17 51.5%
  • Total voters
    33
  • Poll closed .
R

rishi13

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 15, 2007
69
0
I canceled my order for the new MBP because my campus Apple store had the SR 2.2 MBP for $1499. Do you think this was a good call? I do not do anything very graphic intensive, more data intensive. Thanks for your input!

**The poll should read Memrom/SR vs Penryn/SR, but you guys get the idea**
 
rishi13 said:
I canceled my order for the new MBP because my campus Apple store had the SR 2.2 MBP for $1499. Do you think this was a good call? I do not do anything very graphic intensive, more data intensive. Thanks for your input!
Click to expand...

Bad call. The $300 difference is well worth it. Here is what you get for the extra cash:

10%-40% speed boost (admittedly 40% only once apps utilizing SSE4 are released)
larger hdd
more VRAM
multitouch trackpad
 
yeah i don't think it was a good call. Since you're an EDU buyer, you're only saving a few hundred bucks. I'd rather have the faster CPU, twice the graphics memory, a 45nm processor, multi-touch, etc.

That being said, $1.5k is a pretty good deal for what you got - i juts don't think it's a steal or anything
 
akadmon said:
Bad call. The $300 difference is well worth it. Here is what you get for the extra cash:

10%-40% speed boost (admittedly 40% only once apps utilizing SSE4 are released)
larger hdd
more VRAM
multitouch trackpad
Click to expand...

thats terrible. I know you are one of the many who waited a long long time for the update, so you need reasons to justify the wait, but there is NO real life difference between the two. The penryn update was extremely lackluster. There is a thread where a member posted the geekbench scores for the penryn macbook pro. i think the score was 3050. Pathetic. lesser cache is also a joke. My SR MACBOOK got a 2930. Not even 10%.

multitouch trackpad costs apple $2.95 to implement. straight from the horses mouth.

more vram?

i would rather take those $300 and donate it to the less fortunate.
 
I think you made a good call, unless you have $300 lying around that will just be used for beer money. The pros to the new penryn MBPs include the increased video ram (but you don't do anything graphics intensive), 17" LED screen (you're getting the 15", so you'll have an LED screen anyway), pretty similar CPU performance for the base model based on benchmark tests (comparing 2.2 GHz w/ 4mb Cache to 2.4 GHz w/ 3mb Cache), larger hard drive (this could be useful), and multi-touch (I actually think this is very useful and will be fully utilized with software updates, but the SR MBP you're buying doesn't have the hardware to ever have multi-touch). Other things of note, the Penryn chip should run cooler and more energy efficient, meaning less burn if you keep it on your lap and better battery life. Also, as said before, the penryn chip utilizes a new set of code instructions, and future programs that are written for these will potentially run up to 40% faster. But, that is all dependent on if you ever use any of those yet uncreated programs...

So, the choice is yours. But if money is a factor, and that appears to be the case, then I concur with your decision.

-Ado
 
i say extremely good call. If you're running an version of the c2d there is really very little difference, and will continue to be until there are quad core processors
 
So I pulled the trigger on the $1499 SR MBP. I really have no practical use for the VRAM and multi-touch. The extra HDD space would have been nice, but not necessary for my needs. As far as the speed difference goes, I am not sure I would have noticed a difference between the two. This MBP is excellent! And a huge upgrade from the 12" PowerBook I have been using. I am extremely happy with my purchase. With the cash that I saved, I might invest in a Time Capsule (I am in dire need of a new router and an external HDD would complement this system nicely). Thanks again everyone for your inputs.
 
Update that Signature!

Nice purchase. Screw the haters who buy the extra CPU and never use it.
 
I think you should update the original post and add a poll for us to get the "true" numbers.
 
rishi13 said:
So I pulled the trigger on the $1499 SR MBP. I really have no practical use for the VRAM and multi-touch. The extra HDD space would have been nice, but not necessary for my needs. As far as the speed difference goes, I am not sure I would have noticed a difference between the two. This MBP is excellent! And a huge upgrade from the 12" PowerBook I have been using. I am extremely happy with my purchase. With the cash that I saved, I might invest in a Time Capsule (I am in dire need of a new router and an external HDD would complement this system nicely). Thanks again everyone for your inputs.
Click to expand...

Looking to sell the 12" PB?
 
If it was me, I would buy the latest model. The multi-touch is really cool. Bigger hard drive space will be come really useful later on, plus having more video RAM will be useful later on if you ever want to make the most out of the laptop (play a game or something).

I think it is worth it.
 
gothamm said:
oh god, this is embarrasing:

the overall performance in Geekbench is lower on the January 2008's MacBook Pro (with Intel Core 2 Duo T8300 running at 2.4GHz) than the June 2007 model (with Core 2 Duo T7700 at 2.4GHz) because the new machine "has less L2 cache than processor in the old MacBook Pro."

http://www.primatelabs.ca/blog/2008/02/macbook-pro-performance-february-2008/
Click to expand...

Quote:

However, when you consider the new MacBook Pro 2.4GHz is the base model, while the old MacBook Pro 2.4GHz was the mid-range model, the small drop in performance comes with a significant reduction in price. Plus, the new Penryn processor uses less energy than the old Merom processor, which means a cooler laptop with increased battery life.
 
Enjoy the new computer. I think I would have gone for the Penryn in this case for a reason no one has mentioned yet: the smaller processor makes the machine use less energy => longer battery life and less heat given off (ideal for preventing damage to your lap!).

That aside, you got a very fine machine for an EXTREMELY fine price. Really, there was no wrong decision you could have made here.
 
old machine >> new machine. use the $300 for something useful (like bills) or something fun (like food).
 
Get the penryn if you have the money for it, otherwise go with the old (too old) mbp. Altho, imo, its better to get the new model since the old one is last year...
 
What is the main difference between 3MB of L2 cache and 6MB? I'm looking to buy the base model MBP and my primary purpose is for day-to-day work such as word, excel but also lots of time spent in Photoshop.

For an extra few hundred am I shooting myself in the foot by not buying the mid-range model?
 
I like getting a bigger HD in the new machines seeing as I probably won't bother upgrading it later, this way I won't be lamenting the loss of 40 gigs later on..
 
tlawski said:
What is the main difference between 3MB of L2 cache and 6MB? I'm looking to buy the base model MBP and my primary purpose is for day-to-day work such as word, excel but also lots of time spent in Photoshop.

For an extra few hundred am I shooting myself in the foot by not buying the mid-range model?
Click to expand...

Read this thread, it has some very good posts by computer hardware experts explaining importance of cache.
 
Meh, be happy with your choice. You will not notice much of a difference from what i understand. I had the EXCACT same dilemma.. And if not for the EDU discount I could have gotten the 2.2 or the old 2.4. In the end i had already pulled out thhe student loan to get the 1800 choice, and i felt the extra money was worth having the latest, but both choices were good choices.
 
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