Considering a Macbook pro

[nickswf]

Hi Guys,

I was considering a macbook pro and was wondering from your guy's experience - how long does it last before you notice it getting old? I've owned an imac and inherited an older powermac (which still does some heavy lifting), but I have no idea how good these notebooks are.

The imac lasted about a good 4 years before it started having issues.
The powermac is about 5 years old, and is still kicking strong.


I'm graphic designer and now freelancing. Portability would be great for gigs that require that I have my own computer and for presentations etc. I do mostly web design and constantly have Flash, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Dreamweaver all running at once. I do some motion with after effects as well.

Let me know how guys are liking yours. I saw some good deals on refurbs for a little over 2k. Is it worth the $$? If not, I'll just save the money and get another desktop.

 

[alea]

Personally I think, since you're freelancing, purchase the current 2.4GHz i5 macbook pro. I use my old Santa Rosa mbp for Motion work so even though it is not ideal, it does the job just fine. If possible, obtain the AppleCare too. It is a potential lifesaver.

Keep the laptop for 2 years, sell and upgrade. If the laptop is in reasonably good condition, chances are, you can get 50-60% of what you paid for originally.

 

[R94N]

Macs last a long time if you look after them well. Many people are still using older PowerMacs (from 2000-2001) and they're still going strong, although I'd imagine not a lot of stuff can run on those PowerPC processors anymore (most stuff can only work on Intel chips).

 

[iDisk]

take care of your machine and it will last. some people on here still use the G4's which is still very capable depending on your needs

 

[nickswf]

Thanks!

Thanks for your input. Just got a good deal on a 17 inch i7 refurb. Can't wait! Been 5 years since my last mac. Now if you can recommend a nice monitor that's not as expensive as a cinema display, I'm set.

 

[R94N]

Now if you can recommend a nice monitor that's not as expensive as a cinema display, I'm set.

I don't personally have one, but Dell make a few good ones - I've seen a few users on here on the 'setup' thread with them.

 

[Giuly]

24" CinemaView, $399
27" Dell, $999