Hi,
I'm planning on getting the classic 15" MBP as a desktop replacement sometime around Xmas. And I'm not sure which model to choose.
As a reminder:
Base model:
2.3GHz quad-core Intel Core i7
Turbo Boost up to 3.3GHz
4GB 1600MHz memory
500GB 5400-rpm hard drive1
Intel HD Graphics 4000
NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 512MB of GDDR5 memory
+ high res
PRICE: 1899$
+ SSD 128GB - about 180$*
+ 8GB RAM - about 80$*
= 2160$
HIGH END
2.6GHz quad-core Intel Core i7
Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz
8GB 1600MHz memory
750GB 5400-rpm hard drive1
Intel HD Graphics 4000
NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 1GB of GDDR5 memory
+ high res
Price: 2300$
+ SSD
TOTAL= 2480$
[DIGRESSION] * Polish prices.
I live in Poland where the base model goes for the high end model's US price, so I'll definitely be buying in the US - though I have to wait for the opportunity, that is when my friend will be visiting, probably around Xmas (he brought me my 13" MBP on his last visit in May).
So the purchase date is determined by my friends travelling schedule☺ If not Christmas then his next visit will be somewhere around April/May 2013 and I don't want to wait that long. First of all I'm inpatient about getting new computers and other electronic gadgets
, second of all I will be learning Creative Suite intensely this summer/autumn, so itd great to have the machine for Xmas. Plus I don't know how much longer my Hackintosh will work. It's already 6 years old and SATA I HDDs are sometimes failing (they're unplugging themselves). Still have SATA II with OS on it, so it will keep on going if it has to, but it has only 320GB and that's not enough for me - music, movies alone take up 300GB already on the SATA I drives.
SET UP:
I plan to hook up the MBP to my 24" Dell monitor, buy a dock (Book Endz seems the best, but it's too expensive, so I'll have to go with Henge or Book Ark ) and swap in an SSD in place of the HDD + get a HDD dock to keep and use the original HDD. Hopefully SSD prices will drop even more by Xmas.
USAGE:
I'm getting more and more into Creative Suite (inDesign, Photoshop in near future, the rest of the suite in some later future hopefully). Now I'm just learning, but I would like to do some more serious stuff later on.
The Hackintosh manages CS better than I'd expected - it's not flying, by any means, it seems stretched on its capabilities, but it doesn't crash and its Nvidia GeForce 256MB gets the job done, though it doesn't handle simple games from AppStore too well Go figure...
QUESTIONS:
Back to the point Like I've said I wil be using the 15 incher as a desktop replacement (like to keep my dekstop and laptop separate with the 13" as an on the go/light stuff machine for Internet, Word, basic music editing - I like to meddle with my MP3s in Audition etc.
Therefore I want to ask you guys for your expertise, because I can't get to a decision:
will the base model be enough for the things I want to it to do (Creative Suite) and how long do you think it will last (technologically, so to speak)? Will it be 2 years or 5 years?
Or is it better to get the higher end with 1GB graphics (slightly better processor, a bit more HDD space, which is not crucial, but still it's always nice to have more of it)?
Should I get the cheaper model - put in 8GB RAM and swap the HDD? Or should I get the high end - swap the HDD only?
Are the graphics and processing power that much of a difference between the 2 in terms of Creative Suite and do they make the machine that much more timeproof?
PS. The price difference is significant for my budget, but not overwhelming I have some savings and Ill save up some more. Plus when spending that much amount of money those 300$ wont make my budget go the Greece way and since I want the machine to last a significant amount of time (5 years would be optimal) its acceptable. I also hope I will earn some money with it not for a day job (to make a living out of it and with it), but getting some additional income for savings account would be sweet. Therefore I want to make a good decision and not regret
getting less long term deal
nor
overpaying (getting too much in terms of what I need).
Therefore I would really appreciate your advice.
I'm planning on getting the classic 15" MBP as a desktop replacement sometime around Xmas. And I'm not sure which model to choose.
As a reminder:
Base model:
2.3GHz quad-core Intel Core i7
Turbo Boost up to 3.3GHz
4GB 1600MHz memory
500GB 5400-rpm hard drive1
Intel HD Graphics 4000
NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 512MB of GDDR5 memory
+ high res
PRICE: 1899$
+ SSD 128GB - about 180$*
+ 8GB RAM - about 80$*
= 2160$
HIGH END
2.6GHz quad-core Intel Core i7
Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz
8GB 1600MHz memory
750GB 5400-rpm hard drive1
Intel HD Graphics 4000
NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 1GB of GDDR5 memory
+ high res
Price: 2300$
+ SSD
TOTAL= 2480$
[DIGRESSION] * Polish prices.
I live in Poland where the base model goes for the high end model's US price, so I'll definitely be buying in the US - though I have to wait for the opportunity, that is when my friend will be visiting, probably around Xmas (he brought me my 13" MBP on his last visit in May).
So the purchase date is determined by my friends travelling schedule☺ If not Christmas then his next visit will be somewhere around April/May 2013 and I don't want to wait that long. First of all I'm inpatient about getting new computers and other electronic gadgets
, second of all I will be learning Creative Suite intensely this summer/autumn, so itd great to have the machine for Xmas. Plus I don't know how much longer my Hackintosh will work. It's already 6 years old and SATA I HDDs are sometimes failing (they're unplugging themselves). Still have SATA II with OS on it, so it will keep on going if it has to, but it has only 320GB and that's not enough for me - music, movies alone take up 300GB already on the SATA I drives. SET UP:
I plan to hook up the MBP to my 24" Dell monitor, buy a dock (Book Endz seems the best, but it's too expensive, so I'll have to go with Henge or Book Ark ) and swap in an SSD in place of the HDD + get a HDD dock to keep and use the original HDD. Hopefully SSD prices will drop even more by Xmas.
USAGE:
I'm getting more and more into Creative Suite (inDesign, Photoshop in near future, the rest of the suite in some later future hopefully). Now I'm just learning, but I would like to do some more serious stuff later on.
The Hackintosh manages CS better than I'd expected - it's not flying, by any means, it seems stretched on its capabilities, but it doesn't crash and its Nvidia GeForce 256MB gets the job done, though it doesn't handle simple games from AppStore too well
Go figure...QUESTIONS:
Back to the point
Like I've said I wil be using the 15 incher as a desktop replacement (like to keep my dekstop and laptop separate with the 13" as an on the go/light stuff machine for Internet, Word, basic music editing - I like to meddle with my MP3s in Audition etc. Therefore I want to ask you guys for your expertise, because I can't get to a decision:
will the base model be enough for the things I want to it to do (Creative Suite) and how long do you think it will last (technologically, so to speak)? Will it be 2 years or 5 years?
Or is it better to get the higher end with 1GB graphics (slightly better processor, a bit more HDD space, which is not crucial, but still it's always nice to have more of it)?
Should I get the cheaper model - put in 8GB RAM and swap the HDD? Or should I get the high end - swap the HDD only?
Are the graphics and processing power that much of a difference between the 2 in terms of Creative Suite and do they make the machine that much more timeproof?
PS. The price difference is significant for my budget, but not overwhelming I have some savings and Ill save up some more. Plus when spending that much amount of money those 300$ wont make my budget go the Greece way and since I want the machine to last a significant amount of time (5 years would be optimal) its acceptable. I also hope I will earn some money with it not for a day job (to make a living out of it and with it), but getting some additional income for savings account would be sweet. Therefore I want to make a good decision and not regret
getting less long term deal
nor
overpaying (getting too much in terms of what I need).
Therefore I would really appreciate your advice.
