Help on Macbook

[Weshzu]

Not too long ago i was stuck between which macbook to buy. I was relectent that my dad's co-worker offered to lend me his MBP and to play around with it before i purchase it. I had it all planned out since its used and for a fairly good price i could resell it if I do make it to 3D animation the 2nd year. I found out yesterday that the battery life conditions were not kept very well. With a 100% battery life it lasted less than 3hours. Which would be troublesome to carry it around campus. I was told the macbook pro was 1-2 months ago but than found out using coconut battery that it was 13months. I quickly returned it and is now left with no computer to start off my college year.

I will be going to the apple store later this week. I'm still stuck between the 13" and the 15". My dad is swaying towards the 13" more since its the cheapest but than i still have the last say on things. My family is not very wealthy so i have to save every penny. It sucks that the 13" and the 15" has a freaken $600 dollar difference. Apple why did you not make a 13" i5?!?

I really don't know what to expect since I have no clue what programs i'll be needing next year. It is safe to say that i5 isn't the latest processor nor is it the oldest, which will last me quite a long time. Ye it will cost me 600$ more but how long would a 13" C2D last me D;. I'm very confused and open to all suggestions.

Thanks in advanced

 

[Corndog5595]

More descriptive title please.

As stated before in many threads like this, the C2D will treat you fine and in some cases will be faster than the i5. I own a 15” with a C2D and I don’t feel like I am missing anything at all. You might see a 20% increase in performance from a 2.4GHz C2D to the same clock i5; and that is only when encoding video, IE: ripping a DVD with handbrake.

I would definitely recommend the 13” MBP, but only if a Mac is the right computer in your situation. If you can’t afford it easily, I really wouldn’t force yourself to pay for it. Don’t let a fanboy tell you otherwise, you can get a similar - better - computer for the same/less amount of money.

 

[alust2013]

Apple why did you not make a 13" i5?!?

To answer that question, ask intel why they wouldn't allow the i5 to be paired with a respectable integrated GPU. That is the only reason, the Arrandale chips (the i-series that are in the MBPs) come with intel HD graphics built in, and intel's graphics suck. There isn't room for a separate GPU in the 13", so they stuck with C2D and the 320m. That gave the best overall system performance. If you're concerned about C2D not lasting long enough, don't worry about it. It may not be the newest thing out there, but it still is pretty darn fast, and will last for quite some time to come.

 

[blunderboy]

I'd recommend the MBP 13".

I would definitely recommend the 13” MBP, but only if a Mac is the right computer in your situation. If you can’t afford it easily, I really wouldn’t force yourself to pay for it. Don’t let a fanboy tell you otherwise, you can get a similar - better - computer for the same/less amount of money.

...*headdesk* They're talking about Macs. Nowhere were Windows PCs mentioned.

 

[Weshzu]

@alust2013 ah thanks for the info . I thought apple makes the call on which mac gets the i5.

@Corndog5595 Honestly I would prefer windows if I had a chance. for the price i'm paying for a 13" MBP I could get the best window laptop lol. Too bad I will be needing it for my school. Price does not matter since its a tool to enchance my learning. Most if not all people in the art industry uses mac. I would not be on par if I did not own one myself. That's why I'm looking for honest opinons to see which MBP is the right one for me, despite $600 diff. In the end it is what's best for me to be able to cope with the programs given to me at school

 

[Corndog5595]

I'd recommend the MBP 13".



...*headdesk* They're talking about Macs. Nowhere were Windows PCs mentioned.

I'm sorry that I want to give an honest opinion instead of limiting it to Macs.

And OP, the extra screen real-estate might be worth that money for the industry you will be in and the amount of time you will spend on the laptop. You can always get an external monitor in the future though. A 13" should suit you well.

 

[fcortese]

I'm sorry that I want to give an honest opinion instead of limiting it to Macs.

And OP, the extra screen real-estate might be worth that money for the industry you will be in and the amount of time you will spend on the laptop. You can always get an external monitor in the future though. A 13" should suit you well.

I agree with corndog in your particular situation and cost being an issue. Try calling the apple store when you order, you may get some extra discounts on the price. At least you can cost compare. good luck and welcome to

 

[Weshzu]

yeah there is a student promotion going on. Free ipod touch and 200 discount I think. Not sure about the mac word processor programs D:

 

[tble]

If money is a problem, the question you have to ask is do you really need a mac? I recently found this awesome asus laptop for about $1100 for my gf's younger brother who won't touch a mac cause he doesn't like OSX (actually never used just assumed).

The specs are even better than the i5 imac for a little more than half the price I thought it was a steal.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...20690&cm_re=asus_n61jq-_-34-220-690-_-Product

 

[Corndog5595]

yeah there is a student promotion going on. Free ipod touch and 200 discount I think. Not sure about the mac word processor programs D:

iWork is 50 bucks. If you get a nice sales rep (in store) you should be able to get AppleCare for half off.

 

[Weshzu]

when I purchase MBP does itcome with warranty ( applecare? ) or do I have to buy it seperately. On the other thread i'm seeing a lot of people suggest 15" i5 for a person who has similar needs as me. Now i'm back to being confused D:.

Hope I get lucky and find a used 15" :/?

 

[Corndog5595]

when I purchase MBP does itcome with warranty ( applecare? ) or do I have to buy it seperately. On the other thread i'm seeing a lot of people suggest 15" i5 for a person who has similar needs as me. Now i'm back to being confused D:.

Hope I get lucky and find a used 15" :/?

It comes with a 1 year warranty that covers hardware failures.
AppleCare costs 300 bucks (150 with a teacher discount, it might be the same for students too) and its a 3 year warranty for hardware failures and you get 24/7 support, etc. It’s a must have.

 

[Weshzu]

It comes with a 1 year warranty that covers hardware failures.
AppleCare costs 300 bucks (150 with a teacher discount, it might be the same for students too) and its a 3 year warranty for hardware failures and you get 24/7 support, etc. It’s a must have.

Ah you can only have the option of choosing 3 years?? 300 might be a little too much 150 i could consider. Thanks for your help!!

anyone got a used 15" 2010 :/ would help me greatly haha

 

[Weshzu]

Anymore opinons? I will be going to the apple store tomorrow :/

I will be in a 3D animation programs. May consist rendering and all that funky stuff. I don't have a lot of money to spend but, if it comes down to acually needing the extra processor I might have to spend more. If not it will save me in the long run for having to purchase another MBP the following year.

Thanks in advanced!

 

[djasterix]

Anymore opinons? I will be going to the apple store tomorrow :/

I will be in a 3D animation programs. May consist rendering and all that funky stuff. I don't have a lot of money to spend but, if it comes down to acually needing the extra processor I might have to spend more. If not it will save me in the long run for having to purchase another MBP the following year.

Thanks in advanced!

Then get the 15" i5, the extra GPU will be usefull for you. I'm using it and it's great, and felt a significant upgrade from my previous 13" C2D.

 

[Weshzu]

I purchased 15"!!! Was pretty satisfied with it. I've gotten a little minor problems with it. I downloaded coconut battery when I first got my MBP. It says 2 cycles and 4 months old!! Oo I also got my first start up freeze on the first day of purchase not a very good sign :/...other than that i'm pretty happy about it even took tons of picture of me unboxing my macbook haha i'm such a geek

 

[Weshzu]

so does anyone have any suggestions on what to download for my MBP?
also is there any way that my MBP can play wmv videos? or do i have to make a window partition before i can proceed


EDIT: also does bashflash work? i downloaded it and nothing happened. I'm not sure how you run the program :/ and how do you know when its working

 

[fcortese]

so does anyone have any suggestions on what to download for my MBP?
also is there any way that my MBP can play wmv videos? or do i have to make a window partition before i can proceed


EDIT: also does bashflash work? i downloaded it and nothing happened. I'm not sure how you run the program :/ and how do you know when its working

There is an application for playing wmv on QuickTime. here it is:
www.microsoft.com/mac/products/flip4mac.mspx

 

[Weshzu]

There is an application for playing wmv on QuickTime. here it is:
www.microsoft.com/mac/products/flip4mac.mspx

o ok thanks.

Does anyone know anything about bashflash?

 

[davidlv]

o ok thanks.
Does anyone know anything about bashflash?

You have a computer now right? Do you know how to start a browser and do a search on Google for information on Bashflash? Lots of reviews are available, and then there is macupdate.com, very useful, with comments etc by users.
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/32322/bashflash
The consensus seems to be Click2flash is better, but that only works for Safari.
I suggest you some research before you post such simple questions, it will be good practice for your educational experience. While this forum is great for solving hard problems, with many very experienced users here, just relying on other people on forums like this - without checking things out yourself - is not exactly doing yourself any favors, nor is it what the net is really all about.

 

[MrCheeto]

I would prefer windows if I had a chance. for the price i'm paying for a 13" MBP I could get the best window laptop

Mmhm, yep, you could.

But take this analogy into consideration.

The 302 Windsor could optimally put out 290 horsepower. (The intel i5 CPU)

The 302w was offered in Mustangs (Macs) as well as Thunderbirds (Generic Windows computers). (The i5 is offered in Macs and Generic PC's)

So, same engine, same performance, right? Haha, no sir. The 1969 Mustang is lighter, finely tuned, and more efficient than the heavy, utilitarian, 1978 Thunderbird.

With the Mustang, you pay more and get looks and pure performance at the cost of almost unusable rear seats and, perhaps, air conditioning.

The Thunderbird is large and heavy, so it's not going anywhere fast, though it has more leg room and amenities.

It's just a fact that UNIX, and thus OS X, is lighter and more efficient. So while you may be able to encode a movie at the same frame-rates, the system itself will always be smoother and faster on OS X.

Windows XP chokes on my 2.2ghz AMD 3500. Mac OS X Leopard (a 6-year-younger OS!!) "scrolls like butter" [-Steve Jobs] on my 1.25ghz PowerMac.

Also, you will be far more capable with OS X and Windows will probably not have similar features for 5-7 years. I mean, it took 6 years for them to rip something as simple and useful as Exposé... and when I see these "Windows 7 was my idea" ads, I just say, "yeah, well, you would have been doing that for the past 10-years if you had chosen a Mac."

 

[Weshzu]

You have a computer now right? Do you know how to start a browser and do a search on Google for information on Bashflash? Lots of reviews are available, and then there is macupdate.com, very useful, with comments etc by users.
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/32322/bashflash
The consensus seems to be Click2flash is better, but that only works for Safari.
I suggest you some research before you post such simple questions, it will be good practice for your educational experience. While this forum is great for solving hard problems, with many very experienced users here, just relying on other people on forums like this - without checking things out yourself - is not exactly doing yourself any favors, nor is it what the net is really all about.

as a matter of fact i did do my research by searching through the whole forum. Look at the 4th post above this. Also i use google chrome so why would i care about Click2flash. Maybe you shouldn't place judgment on others without having knowledge of the guy who asked question. My bad on my part for leaving out details. But please do yourself a favor and leave this forum if you are not willing to help others who just got their macbooks. I'm sure once I get used to my MBP i'll be doing the same with others.

Keep macrumors forum a friendly enviorment please and thank you

 

[MonkeyET]

If money is a problem, the question you have to ask is do you really need a mac? I recently found this awesome asus laptop for about $1100 for my gf's younger brother who won't touch a mac cause he doesn't like OSX (actually never used just assumed).

The specs are even better than the i5 imac for a little more than half the price I thought it was a steal.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...20690&cm_re=asus_n61jq-_-34-220-690-_-Product

So in my experience, specs do not always dictate the outcome. I have seen some Macs work more efficiently with lower specs than Windows PCs. Granted, I am not saying this will always be the case, I have just learned that the specs don't always dictate the user experience. May be something to consider.

 

[Weshzu]

i already got a 15" MBP anyways does anyone have experinces wih bashflash. I use google chrome only. I read the Q&A and it says bashflash is placed near the menubar by theclock and volume. I still don't see it can anyone help :/