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First generation MacBook Vs last gen MacBook ?

B

bontempi

macrumors member
Original poster
May 14, 2008
68
13
hello

i bought my core duo 2.0 ghz MacBook the day it came out two years ago.

i was wondering if the latest 2.4 ghz core 2 duo would feel any faster.

i'm a music composer and use logic pro intensively.

would i feel a noticeable difference or just a non significant speed bump ? also, did the bus evolve ?

thanks !
 
Always going to be some performance improvements between previous intel chips and new chips.

Seriously if you've max out the first gen macbook in RAM (2GB) with your Intel Duo Core processor, the difference does not warrant and upgrade to the newer 45nm Intel Santa Rosa (Penyn) based chips.

It's like comparing a current generation BMW series (the 2006 (325i) model vs the 2007 model (328i). Same body shape, same style , almost similar engines, some performance difference, but not enough to warranty a brand new macbook to improve your daily computer habits.

Now if you were upgrading from an iBook to the current Macbook, than you would notice a difference in your audio programs.

The bus speed will not make a significant difference.
 
what i couldn't stand about the core duo macbook (in my brief week of owning one) was the high pitched noise always coming from it. it drove me nuts, and i replaced it with a 2.2 ghz macbook immediately. the speed differences are subtle, but they're there. if you haven't maxed out your ram yet, that's probably the best way to notice a significant speed increase.
 
Yeah, people are saying just max out the ram. They are 100% correct.

Just like you, I got the MacBook the day it came out. I had 1GB of ram, and I perform some heavy application on my MacBook. I love to use iMovie A LOT.

It was always being slow, so I decided to upgrad my MacBook Ram. Ever since then the computer has been working amazingly. It's like a totally new computer.

So save some money and just upgrade the RAM. Or just by a new MacBook if you want a new computer:rolleyes:
 
thanks everyone

i already have 2gb, and would upgrade to 4 if my machine could.

does a 7200 rpm hard drive give much improvement ? noise ?
 
thanks

too bad i just bought a 250 gb hard drive (needed it urgently)

i've found this website

http://browse.geekbench.ca

my macbook gets an average score of 2500

and the latest macbook pro gets a score of 3500 ...

something like a 40% increase. not bad but not enough for me (and macbook pros are more expensive)

i want a portable mac pro :)
 
bontempi said:
thanks everyone

i already have 2gb, and would upgrade to 4 if my machine could.

does a 7200 rpm hard drive give much improvement ? noise ?
Click to expand...

Yes, fast HD speed is essential when dealing with a lot of different samples in audio apps. Picking up something like a Hiatchi Travelstar 7k100 should in theory speed things up, apparently they actually out perform the older 5200 drives that shipped with MacBooks in both noise and heat, as well as power requirements. Either that or transfer your samples over to a firewire 400 7200 RPM external.
 
bontempi said:
thanks everyone

i already have 2gb, and would upgrade to 4 if my machine could.

does a 7200 rpm hard drive give much improvement ? noise ?
Click to expand...

I was just going to say that. A 7200 RPM drive along with more RAM would be a nice bump.

I'm in the same boat as you. I have a gen 1 MacBook. I upped the RAM to 2 Gigs. I was thinking about a newer, faster MacBook with 4G RAM, but recently I have been thinking that the next step should be a MacBook Pro.

I got an 8 core Mac Pro last month. On occasion, the wife uses it, so I have to jump on the MacBook to do whatever it is that I'm doing. It feels soooo slooooow now. I've gotten spoiled by the Mac Pro. Especially when it comes to graphics. Working with large iMovie files and complex GarageBand projects are just torture now on the MacBook. I also want to get into the pro apps too, like Aperture and Logic Studio. I don't know if the MacBook is not going to be able to handle those. If I can't sit in bed and "tinker" with it, then it becomes a $1200 surfin' machine. And that's kind of a waste. If I'm going to spend all that money on a maxed out 2.4 with 4G RAM ($1500), I might as well go the extra mile ($2000) and get a 15" MBP.

So how about you? Have you though about taking a step up? After all, the machine is 2 years old, and if she's givin' you all she's got maybe it's time to go Pro.
 
well i'd love to have a mac pro but :

- i still need a portable machine to record my drumkit in my basement
- mac pros are damn expensive
- with a laptop you can work wherever you want which is great for creativity
- the macbook handles logic super well, if you use only its internal plugins, which are the best you can find in any DAW in my opinion. if you use external plugins, things can get messy pretty fast. if you use kontakt it's better to have an external firewire drive like someone said

is there a cpu for laptops that has 4 cores ? planned ?
 
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