High-End Rev. E MBP vs. Low-End New MBP?

[steamed.hams]

High End Rev E. MBP:

Intel Core 2 Duo at 2.5 GHz
800MHz FSB, 6 MB shared L2 cache
250 GB Serial ATA at 5,400-rpm
NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT with 512 MB GDDR3 memory


New Low-End MBP:

Intel Core 2 Duo at 2.4GHz
1066MHz FSB, 3MB shared L2 cache
250 GB Serial ATA at 5,400-rpm
NVIDIA 9400M + 9600M with 256 MB


I'm torn as to what decision to make, seeing that the Rev E is $500 cheaper than the new MBP if I take the refurb route....

 

[sukanas]

note that the refurb has Matte and firewire 400

while the new one has that fancy trackpad (which im really liking)
better look (tapered edges, etc...)

 

[steamed.hams]

note that the refurb has Matte and firewire 400

while the new one has that fancy trackpad (which im really liking)
better look (tapered edges, etc...)

All valid, good points.

 

[fleshman03]

Also don't forget that the older one has a 6mb cache, whereas the other has a fast front side bus.

I'd be interested to see the benchmark difference. Although I think that the difference won't be large enough to justify $500. Plus - more aMh (Battery capacity) on the rev. E.

 

[wallaby]

Refurb hands down. The gloss of the new ones will wear off soon when everyone realizes how horrible the design changes are. UNLESS you really want to have a user-replaceable harddrive, which admittedly is nice.

 

[J the Ninja]

Also remember the new ones have DDR3 memory, so you get a fatter pipe there, plus the memory now runs 1:1 with the CPU FSB, instead of the 800Mhz/667Mhz combo the old ones had

 

[dougnewman]

Frankly for $500 more I can't imagine the new one being worth it unless you must have user-upgradeable HDD.

That is actually the one feature I was waiting for to begin with but the glossy display kills it for me. I have a MacBook now and I hate the glossy display. Add that to the new keyboard (which I expected but still don't like) and the user-upgradeable hard drive just doesn't outweigh the price difference and the two disadvantages. And the new one is slightly larger even though it's a bit thinner.

I have edu pricing so I'm buying a new old one at $300 less than a new new one (refurb comes to $400 less, no edu discount on refurbs). IMO the just-discontinued 15" MBP and current 17" MBP are to become classics... Though I'm not at all sorry to see the plastic MacBook nearing end-of-life (I haven't liked mine much).

 

[sukanas]

could the glossy actually loose its glossyness?? i thought glass lasted a long time?

Hrm.. im still having the same delima as OP

ARG WHY APPLE.. WHY COULDNT U JUST MAKE MATTE.. that woulda changed this whole outcome

well people woulda still bitched about no fw400.. or not a good enough this or that... people on this forum will always bitch about something

 

[makowb]

Um, faulty card anyone?

I was thinking, "wow, these are awesome deals, 33% off, 41% off." Then I thought about it. These all have the 8600 in them...which are KNOWN to be faulty. If you are only keeping yours for a couple years, might be a good deal...but I hope to have mine for awhile down the road. No thanks.

 

[fleshman03]

Also remember the new ones have DDR3 memory, so you get a fatter pipe there, plus the memory now runs 1:1 with the CPU FSB, instead of the 800Mhz/667Mhz combo the old ones had

I'm just wondering in case anyone knows.

Can you load in 800 mhz ram into the Rev. E MBP?

Plus will 1:1 ratio really make that big of a difference on the machine?

I'm think if do 1:1 on the 2.5 ghz MBP w/ it's 6mb cache, it could eek out performance close to the current middle MBP.

 

[alphaod]

All valid, good points.

Don't forget you have the Pro keyboard.

 

[steamed.hams]

These all have the 8600 in them...which are KNOWN to be faulty. ...No thanks.

Another good point. I don't play any games at all, and from the macrumor article:

"Apple states that the company will repair affected MacBook Pros within two years of the date of purchase free of charge, even if the MacBook Pro is out of warranty."