How Much Better is the Pro?

[knarzie]

agreed, even with my higher education discount it is at least twice as much as my budget. and ideally, I would want a 20". if they release a smaller cheaper one in january i might go for that, simply because I would sell my own mother for apple products

Unfortunately, now I'm going through the painful process of choosing a 24" monitor. I love the new Cinema Display, but for that price, I don't love it that much

 

[Kwill]

So I ran this on my macbook and the specs given on this chart are WRONG. I got a score of 3126 with my MBP w/ 2GB of RAM.

Individual results can vary. Factors affecting score include but are not limited to amount of RAM, whether machine was restarted before test, if other applications are running and whether 32-bit or 64-bit test is performed.

I have a G5 Duo 2.3GHz with 8GB of RAM scoring 2046, that significantly beats the base configuration score of 1962. My iMac 2.4GHz with 4GB RAM scores 3243 which is close to the 3241 listed with 32-bit testing. Registered users of Geekbench can upload results that are used to compile results.

The most recent MacBook scores were from a controlled environment following the same procedure for each machine. Therefore they serve as relative benchmarks.

 

[sangosimo]

geek bench scores mean nothing because they provide no real realation to the real world. If my computer scores 5% higher geek bench what does that mean and 3000 what.

 

[Kwill]

geek bench scores mean nothing because they provide no real realation to the real world. If my computer scores 5% higher geek bench what does that mean and 3000 what.

From the Primate Labs Blog:

As always, I’ve reported the average overall score for each model and processor combination. If you’re unfamiliar with Geekbench and how it measures performance, a score of 1000 is the score a Power Mac G5 @ 1.6GHz would receive. Higher scores are better.

Also, keep in mind that Geekbench 2 only measures processor and memory performance which is why, for example, MacBook and MacBook Pro scores are so similar, despite both having radically different graphics adapters.

 

[sangosimo]

floating point performance and memory latency aren't good metrics for understanding real world performance. A computer doesn't just use one interface at a time that is why the geek bench tests are useless. The score they give you doesn't mean much.

 

[knarzie]

so I have read 3 pages of bickering, give or take a couple of posts, and I am none the wiser.

 

[Jagurandi]

so I have read 3 pages of bickering, give or take a couple of posts, and I am none the wiser.

Well I'm no expert by any means, but I'll be ordering my MB today and spent a lot of time trying to decide between the MB and MBP.

A little background: presently a college student, going to be a graduate student in the fall, all the normal activities (work, music, torrents, etc), some light gaming (roms, escape velocity, WoW here and there), and I'm usually running a ton of programs and instances at once.

After scouring the internet for reviews, opinions, thoughts, and traveling to the apple store on multiple occasions to view the two computers, fondle them (you heard me), lift them around, and generally get a feel for them, I'm going with the kitted MB. Part of the reason for not going with the low-end MBP, I'll admit, is that the difference in price also gets me an iPhone .

I don't have a dog in this MBP rulez, MB droolz race that seems to be going on here, but I'll say that actual use of the MB and MBP at the store (yeah, I'm that guy that shows up at the store and messes with the computer for an hour), I can say that the MBP didn't really impress me over MB. The MBP is really cool, but it just didn't do it for me.

I don't know if this helps at all... but just to give you an idea from my lay perspective.

 

[robzr]

Once again you left out many features the new Macbook Pro has compared to the low end (all reg alu Macbook's are low end to me) Macbook. I think it makes you feel special by saying your laptop is just as good as the Pro. Whatever floats your boat.

Face reality? I got my new Macbook Pro for $1749 USD. I paid only $150 more than the 2.4 Crapbook. Reality is a lot of people got ripped off by getting the low end Macbook for $1599 USD when they could of paid $150 more and got the much better one. I know, I know. Most bought it for portability and not because it was cheaper. That is always the excuse.

MacConnection and Macmall is selling the new Macbook Pro for $1749. Really good deal especially when it is only $150 more than the cheap reg. Macbook.

Are you comparing a after-rebate price on the MBP to a full price on the MB? After rebate, MacConnection has the 2.4gHz MB for $1399; last time I looked thats a $350 difference, not $150. So for $350 you get +1 lbs, larger package, higher res/larger screen, express card, dedicated gpu.

Personally, money not being an object, I went with a MB since I carry mine around everyday, size & weight were key. Dedicated GPU, Express Card, 1440 screen are all nice but not enough of a benefit to warrant the extra size and weight. *for me*

Rob

Edit - forgot about firewire, shows how important that is to me

 

[shoppy]

I got the following score from my 2.4 with 4gigs ram whilst still downloading, surfing and playing itunes.

 

[knarzie]

this does actually help quite a lot. thank you.

Well I'm no expert by any means, but I'll be ordering my MB today and spent a lot of time trying to decide between the MB and MBP.

A little background: presently a college student, going to be a graduate student in the fall, all the normal activities (work, music, torrents, etc), some light gaming (roms, escape velocity, WoW here and there), and I'm usually running a ton of programs and instances at once.

After scouring the internet for reviews, opinions, thoughts, and traveling to the apple store on multiple occasions to view the two computers, fondle them (you heard me), lift them around, and generally get a feel for them, I'm going with the kitted MB. Part of the reason for not going with the low-end MBP, I'll admit, is that the difference in price also gets me an iPhone .

I don't have a dog in this MBP rulez, MB droolz race that seems to be going on here, but I'll say that actual use of the MB and MBP at the store (yeah, I'm that guy that shows up at the store and messes with the computer for an hour), I can say that the MBP didn't really impress me over MB. The MBP is really cool, but it just didn't do it for me.

I don't know if this helps at all... but just to give you an idea from my lay perspective.

 

[MacJenn]

Are you comparing a after-rebate price on the MBP to a full price on the MB? After rebate, MacConnection has the 2.4gHz MB for $1399; last time I looked thats a $350 difference, not $150. So for $350 you get +1 lbs, larger package, higher res/larger screen, express card, dedicated gpu.

Personally, money not being an object, I went with a MB since I carry mine around everyday, size & weight were key. Dedicated GPU, Express Card, 1440 screen are all nice but not enough of a benefit to warrant the extra size and weight. *for me*

Rob

Edit - forgot about firewire, shows how important that is to me

You are the type who posts without reading all the posts. I will repeat this for the slow and lazy people. When I made that comparison the mb wasn't on sale. Only the pro. Then someone said the mb was just put on sale. Next time read then post. I still say $350 is well worth paying for the pro.

 

[Brianstorm91]

I'm going for the Pro in the hope that it'll offer me a little more longevity in the long run, I want it to last quite some time.

 

[hogfaninga]

Yeah I pretty much made up my mind to go with the Macbook Pro for the minimal price difference (to me), but I'm also tempted to buy the Macbook Air. I'm trying to convince myself to buy the Air (sexy, lightweight, the new one is a lot better than the previous one, screen is awesome, etc.) but a few people I have talked to say I should go with the Pro. I already own a Blackbook which I'm keeping (selling the wife's Whitebook and giving her my 7 month old Blackbook--upgrade for her) so I will have FW (which I need) and it is powerful enough for what I do plus I have a pretty decent desktop for anything else. I guess I have 5 weeks to decide. A nice problem to have I guess.

 

[Jagurandi]

I've also been considering product longevity in terms of going in on a MB or MBP. My thoughts are as follows:

My experience with computers (and Apple) is this: except for gaming and intensive/professional applications, a good computer will do you a long way. I've only owned two apple computers... my family bought a performa back when I was a child, and I got a MB (plastic) while I was in college. The MB wasn't the most kitted out computer, but it's seen me through all of my work, roms, WoW (no, it doesn't look great but it runs), and still looks damn good. You're experience may vary, but my MB was a quality product... and with those exceptions that I mentioned above, quality computers have good longevity.

**EDIT**

2.4 aluminum Macbook--RETURNED THE CRAPBOOK for a real computer.
new alu 2.4 Macbook Pro
Still miss my Blackbook--Great lappy.

MacJenn, did an aluminum macbook beat you up as a child or kick your puppy or something? You seem to have a bit of a personal beef with that computer, haha

 

[silverblack]

Yeah I pretty much made up my mind to go with the Macbook Pro for the minimal price difference (to me),

Hey hogfaninga, MBP is nice. You do realize the price difference of MBP is $350 over the 2.4 MB, and $600 over the 2.0 MB (not $150), right? ... at least at MacConnection as we speak today.

 

[hogfaninga]

Hey hogfaninga, MBP is nice. You do realize the price difference of MBP is $350 over the 2.4 MB, and $600 over the 2.0 MB (not $150), right? ... at least at MacConnection as we speak today.

Yeah. I just feel it is worth it for me. My opinion is the new 2.0 Macbook is the sweet spot for the new one and the 2.4 Pro is the sweetspot for the Pro model. Like I said it is my opinion on that. I still love the Air though. Damn Apple.

 

[Jiten]

Wouldn't it be great to have a "Pro" version of the 13 inch Macbook? Look at the T400 Thinkpad and the Vaio Z - smaller form factor but specs similar to the Macbook Pro. I would pay extra for that.

 

[robzr]

You are the type who posts without reading all the posts. I will repeat this for the slow and lazy people. When I made that comparison the mb wasn't on sale. Only the pro. Then someone said the mb was just put on sale. Next time read then post. I still say $350 is well worth paying for the pro.

Yah right, I've been watching the prices since they came out, the rebates were all out simultaneously... I think you're the slow and lazy one

Rob

 

[idonotliketostu]

i used the macbook pro
it was too big
so i switch to the mb
i do not play any games or use the firewire
the only noticeable differences are overall size and screen quality, which the mb lacks in both

 

[questmcoupe]

How would the MB compare to my iMac 2.8Ghz? The only thing I really want to do is photo edit and run Traktor DJ 3 without any hiccups like on my iMac...would the MB be able to handle that?