Hardware Upgrades?

[canis-orca]

My Current MBP is mid-2009 2.53Ghz C2D w/8Gb RAM
I am watching the Prices for 12Gb and 16Gb ram kits, 500GB - 1TB HDD, and 512GB SSD's dropping relatively radically.

I am also considering replacing my current MBP to a refurbished 2011 13" MBP model and upgrade the RAM and HDD to higher capacity HDD or ~512Gb SSD, in tandem.

I am going to be running Adobe Creative Suite Design Premium, Maya & Mudbox, and Painter 12.

Not all of these applications will be running at the same time, but I expect for workflows I may have say maya and photoshop extended running at the same time.

RAM, Stability, processor speed, and small size are my key points.
For as long as I can, I will stick with the 13" MBP's and use an external screen for additional workspace.

 

[The-Pro]

My Current MBP is mid-2009 2.53Ghz C2D w/8Gb RAM
I am watching the Prices for 12Gb and 16Gb ram kits, 500GB - 1TB HDD, and 512GB SSD's dropping relatively radically.

I am also considering replacing my current MBP to a refurbished 2011 13" MBP model and upgrade the RAM and HDD to higher capacity HDD or ~512Gb SSD, in tandem.

I am going to be running Adobe Creative Suite Design Premium, Maya & Mudbox, and Painter 12.

Not all of these applications will be running at the same time, but I expect for workflows I may have say maya and photoshop extended running at the same time.

RAM, Stability, processor speed, and small size are my key points.
For as long as I can, I will stick with the 13" MBP's and use an external screen for additional workspace.

Only the 2011 MBP can handle more than 8GB of RAM. If you upgrade to the 2011 MBP you will have a better integrated GPU which you would benefit from as your current MBP has the 9400M (?). Intel HD 3000 is supposedly around 3 times better. You will be able to upgrade to 16GB or 12GB but those are like 1000$ to buy. If you use CS5 heavily you will definitely benefit from more then 8GB RAM, but looking at those prices I would suggest you get a a base iMac, and have 16GB for like 100-150$ (as it has 4 RAM slots). Use the iMac for the heavy lifting, and the MBP when you are on the go. I don't know how much you rely on portability so its up to you. You can buy a base iMac and 16GB RAM for far less then a 13" MBP with 16GB.

SSD will make a huge difference, you can always just use 2x250 or 300 GB SSD in the MBP (via optibay) or in the iMac. two of these are cheaper then one 512 or 600GB SSD. Of course it'l use more space but you can RAID them together for insane speeds.

 

[canis-orca]

Portability is a big issue with me and I am not keen on being stuck to one area for my entire life.

From what you have said, I could just get a refurbished 2011 MBP and upgrade the HDD to a SSD. This should allow some speed increases until the price for 12 or 16GB RAM kits becomes low enough.

Currently, I have a compact external drive that holds easily over 500GB. Space is not an issue.

Are the RAM still PC5300's? Or am I calling the wrong name?
I figured I could transfer the two 4GB sticks from my current MBP to the new one.

 

[The-Pro]

Portability is a big issue with me and I am not keen on being stuck to one area for my entire life.

From what you have said, I could just get a refurbished 2011 MBP and upgrade the HDD to a SSD. This should allow some speed increases until the price for 12 or 16GB RAM kits becomes low enough.

Currently, I have a compact external drive that holds easily over 500GB. Space is not an issue.

Are the RAM still PC5300's? Or am I calling the wrong name?
I figured I could transfer the two 4GB sticks from my current MBP to the new one.

It would definitely give you a significant speed increase. That might take a while, but you never know.

Nope, in the 2011 MBP the RAM is PC3-10600.
You could put your current RAM sticks in to the new MBP, but you wont benefit. The MBP only has 2 RAM slots, so you would be exchanging 4GB 1333MHz RAM with 4GB 1066MHz RAM. Which is minimally slower.