i3 vs i5 on a 13"

[Camps23]

If the two 13" models are 1199 for the 13" with core i3 and 1499 for the 13" with the i5 is this price difference worth getting the i5 ? I have been reading a few reviews and by the sounds of it the new SB i5 is pretty impressive. I'm hoping to get into some video editing of family vacations, photo editing, etc (first mac). What price difference would warrant the jump from i3 to i5 was hoping to stay with the 13" but if the i5 is worth the jump and not available on the 13 I will make the jump to a 15".
Thanks

 

[Kauai]

In reality for the average person, probably not. However if you plan to do any processor intensive work at all -- or perhaps even to future proof it, then yes. Totally. i5 supports virtual cores (four cores) and hyper-threading whereas i3 doesn't. I'll probably pony up the cash myself but it all depends on what you want to do. The i3 is already slightly more powerful than the 2.66ghz C2D.

 

[CZSZSZ]

i5 supports virtual cores (four cores) and hyper-threading whereas i3 doesn't.

It is not true new i3s support
"4-way multi-task processing lets you get more done faster"
See http://www.intel.com/consumer/products/processors/index.htm

Thought i3 dosen't support turbo bost.

i3 vs i5 "Sandy Bridge" is (will be) like i5 vs i7 "arnndale".

 

[aiqw9182]

It is not true new i3s support
"4-way multi-task processing lets you get more done faster"
See http://www.intel.com/consumer/products/processors/index.htm

Thought i3 dosen't support turbo bost.

i3 vs i5 "Sandy Bridge" is (will be) like i5 vs i7 "arnndale".

Not quite, the only differences between the i5 and i7 Arrandale chips are the extra 1MB of L3 cache the i7 gets and the clock speeds(this is the same for the differences between dual core i5 and i7 Sandy Bridge chips as well).

The only differences between the Sandy Bridge i3 and i5 chips are the base clock speeds and that the i5 has turbo boost while the i3 does not.

Arrandale i5 to i7 = 1 MB of L3 cache and increased clock speeds
Sandy Bridge i5 to i7 = 1 MB of L3 cache and increased clock speeds
Sandy Bridge i3 to i5 = Turbo boost and increased clock speeds

 

[CZSZSZ]

^^^^^
That is super correct !
The question is whether apple will try to sell Arrandale i3 in 13".

 

[aiqw9182]

^^^^^
That is super correct !
The question is whether apple will try to sell Arrandale i3 in 13".

Arrandale precedes Sandy Bridge so the answer to that is never.

 

[Camps23]

Sandy Bridge i3 to i5 = Turbo boost and increased clock speeds

So for the two differences listed above is the upgrade worth it ?

 

[aiqw9182]

So for the two differences listed above is the upgrade worth it ?

If you are doing anything processor intensive such as video editing then yes, it will be worth it.

 

[Camps23]

I do plan on doing some basic video editing, so I guess we will wait to see if the higher end 13" is worth it. I'm interested to see what the spec difference is for 300 dollars. I know in the past the price to upgrade ram and the small difference in clock speeds on the C2D hasn't been worth it. Definitely a lot cheaper to do on your own later. If purchasing now i would definitely get the base model and bump up the ram myself don't feel the upgraded 13" is worth it. I was really considering it this time though if they put an i3 or i5 option because that's obviously something you wouldn't do yourself later.

 

[altecXP]

No way in he'll would it be worth it. There are 13in laptops with i5 now that cost under $850. And have a better GPU and more storage than the mbp13 comes with. If you pay another $650 just because it's Apple then you are crazy.

As it is an i3 laptop for over $999 is generally considered a waste of money, Apple had better lower prices or give a really good justification to what we pay this round or I'm going back to PC.

 

[aiqw9182]

I do plan on doing some basic video editing, so I guess we will wait to see if the higher end 13" is worth it. I'm interested to see what the spec difference is for 300 dollars. I know in the past the price to upgrade ram and the small difference in clock speeds on the C2D hasn't been worth it. Definitely a lot cheaper to do on your own later. If purchasing now i would definitely get the base model and bump up the ram myself don't feel the upgraded 13" is worth it. I was really considering it this time though if they put an i3 or i5 option because that's obviously something you wouldn't do yourself later.

Chances are that the 300 dollar difference will be justified a little more in comparison to the 2.1 i3 to the 2.3 i5 as opposed to going to a 2.4 C2D to a 2.66 C2D. Bottom line is if you plan on doing a lot of video editing or something that requires a little more punch processor wise, then go for the i5. It's not going to be THAT much of a difference but it should at the very least be noticeable.

No way in he'll would it be worth it. There are 13in laptops with i5 now that cost under $850. And have a better GPU and more storage than the mbp13 comes with. If you pay another $650 just because it's Apple then you are crazy.

As it is an i3 laptop for over $999 is generally considered a waste of money, Apple had better lower prices or give a really good justification to what we pay this round or I'm going back to PC.

Are you trying to say that the MacBook Pro isn't worth it or that the i5 over the i3 isn't worth it? Because the former has absolutely nothing to do with the topic at hand.

 

[Buck987]

Apple had better lower prices or give a really good justification to what we pay this round or I'm going back to PC.

C U...bye!

 

[leftyMac]

I'm guessing, 13" will start with i5 so that when the MBA refresh comes this fall, new MBAs will have i3 (Intel won't be making any more C2D, they need refresh sooner than later).

the low end 13" with SB i5 2.3Ghz + standard screen resolution + 128 GB SSD
the high end 13" with SB i5 2.6Ghz + hi res screen + 256 GB SSD.

wishful thinking, I know.

 

[altecXP]

Are you trying to say that the MacBook Pro isn't worth it or that the i5 over the i3 isn't worth it? Because the former has absolutely nothing to do with the topic at hand.

Well IMO Apples have never really been "worth it." I honestly don't know why I keep buying them.

How ever my point was that if the i5 version is $1,500 then thats basically a $650 mark up for the Apple name, and even for Apple that WAY to much to justify. When the competition has i5's better GPU's and nearly the same battery life for I have no probably saving over $650 even if it means that I use Windows and don't get as nice of a display. At that price I can buy a 120GB SSD and an external display and 2nd power cable and extended battery. While I can self justify a $250 mark up I can't justify $650.

And if Apple cant even justify the i3 price tag then the i5 price tag 100% can't be justified.

And in case you are wondering what laptop I'm comparing:
Acer 3820TG $833
Core i5
ATi 6550 (better than the 330 in the MBP15)
4GB RAM
500GB 7200RPM HDD
13in 1366x768 LED display
12hrs on extended battery.

I can add:
120GB SSD ($220)
23in display ($190)
external 2TB storage ($100)

And still have only spent $1,343 total. More than enough left for an extended warranty.

 

[aiqw9182]

tl;dr

This isn't a thread about whether or not the computer itself is worth it. It's about whether or not the i5 over the i3 is worth it.

But I'm sure you're the guy that buys a rolls royce then two years later realizes that he could get the same engine in a nissan for cheaper then goes on rolls royce's forums to post some comparison specs then claim they are the same thing and tell everyone to start buying nissan cars opposed to their rolls royces.

 

[altecXP]

This isn't a thread about whether or not the computer itself is worth it. It's about whether or not the i5 over the i3 is worth it.

But I'm sure you're the guy that buys a rolls royce then two years later realizes that he could get the same engine in a nissan for cheaper then goes on rolls royce's forums to post some comparison specs then claim they are the same thing and tell everyone to start buying nissan cars opposed to their rolls royces.

And I touched on that. Is the i5 worth a $300 upgrade from an i3? Sure, if the i3 is the slowest i3 and the i5 is the fastest i5, and even then there is a large mark up. For a $300 update better include a bigger HDD and a ram upgrade. At HP a $300 upgrade takes you from a 2.53 i5 to a mid range quad core i7. With 4 other options in between. When HP still offerend an i3 the upgrade to an i5 was only $100 or $150.

To stay competitive Apple has to get to a $899 starting price, with an i5 at $1099 or $1199 and those prices should include a HDD upgrade.

 

[aiqw9182]

And I touched on that. Is the i5 worth a $300 upgrade from an i3? Sure, if the i3 is the slowest i3 and the i5 is the fastest i5, and even then there is a large mark up. For a $300 update better include a bigger HDD and a ram upgrade.

Which it has in the past and it currently does as well. There's no reason to think that the next refresh the only differentiating factor between the high and low-end 13" will be the processor because it never has.

At HP a $300 upgrade takes you from a 2.53 i5 to a mid range quad core i7. With 4 other options in between. When HP still offerend an i3 the upgrade to an i5 was only $100 or $150.

Once again, the $300 difference is not only the processor. You want to start talking about HP who has a 25% failure rate last I checked?

To stay competitive Apple has to get to a $899 starting price, with an i5 at $1099 or $1199 and those prices should include a HDD upgrade.

Apple doesn't have to follow anything you say to continue to be competitive.
http://www.betanews.com/joewilcox/article/Apple-has-91-of-market-for-1000-PCs-says-NPD/1248313624

 

[altecXP]

Which it has in the past and it currently does as well. There's no reason to think that the next refresh the only differentiating factor between the high and low-end 13" will be the processor because it never has.

Show me where it gives a RAM upgrade, and it only gives a 70GB HDD upgrade, thats nothing. 500GB and 4GB and i5 is standard on even computers under $700 now. The 2.4 to 2.66 CPU upgrade is a worthless upgrade, they are basically charing $300 on top of the $1,200 just to give you performance that's still slower then many budget computers.

Once again, the $300 difference is not only the processor. You want to start talking about HP who has a 25% failure rate last I checked?

A 320GB 5400rpm HDD costs like $45, that's still $255 for 220MHz. Thats a joke. And Apple has a 17% failure rate, how does that relate to massive mark ups? Asus has 15% and is best in the industry and still charges less.

Apple doesn't have to follow anything you say to continue to be competitive.
http://www.betanews.com/joewilcox/article/Apple-has-91-of-market-for-1000-PCs-says-NPD/1248313624

That story is so terrible. Seeing as all of laptops are $1000 then ALL of their sales go to that price range. Places like Asus, Dell, Acer, ect sell the same or more performance for UNDER $999. You have no choice if you want an Apple but to spend over $1000, with PC's you do. That article is useless. The only people spending over $1000 on a Windows PC are gamers, video editors and software developers

 

[Camps23]

And I touched on that. Is the i5 worth a $300 upgrade from an i3? Sure, if the i3 is the slowest i3 and the i5 is the fastest i5, and even then there is a large mark up. For a $300 update better include a bigger HDD and a ram upgrade. At HP a $300 upgrade takes you from a 2.53 i5 to a mid range quad core i7. With 4 other options in between. When HP still offerend an i3 the upgrade to an i5 was only $100 or $150.

To stay competitive Apple has to get to a $899 starting price, with an i5 at $1099 or $1199 and those prices should include a HDD upgrade.

My question had nothing to do with what HP is offering for the money. I had an HP for the last 4 years and it was nothing but trouble....the reason why im in the market for a MBP. Thanks to aiqw9182 for helping answer my basic question. My mind is made up on the mac its just at what model. Like I said I will upgrade Ram myself so what Im looking at is the upgrade from i3 to i5

 

[altecXP]

My question had nothing to do with what HP is offering for the money. I had an HP for the last 4 years and it was nothing but trouble....the reason why im in the market for a MBP. Thanks to aiqw9182 for helping answer my basic question. My mind is made up on the mac its just at what model. Like I said I will upgrade Ram myself so what Im looking at is the upgrade from i3 to i5

Enjoy paying your over the top markup then.

I've owned 3 HP laptops and 1 HP desktop in my life and never had an issue, I've also had a Acer and a Dell, not counting the laptops I've used at work. On the other hand I've also had 2 Mac's with no issue but my brother has had nearly everything on his G4 Power book replaced in under 2 years, and was such a nightmare for him that he refuses to buy Apple again.

My point is that problems go both ways. Apples are not magical in anyway and for all the people that love to pull the "cost is for the build quality" card it doesn't mean much when Apple is only in the middle when it comes to quality.

I'd still like a new White MacBooks but there is no way that I will pay what Apple wants for the Pro line. If Apple gets rid of the base MacBook then I won't be buying any more Apples.

 

[aiqw9182]

Show me where it gives a RAM upgrade, and it only gives a 70GB HDD upgrade, thats nothing.

Mid 2009 MBP had the RAM difference. 70GB is nothing? Tell that to someone who has more than 250GB of space they need but less than 320GB.

500GB and 4GB and i5 is standard on even computers under $700 now. The 2.4 to 2.66 CPU upgrade is a worthless upgrade, they are basically charing $300 on top of the $1,200 just to give you performance that's still slower then many budget computers.

I never said it was a good upgrade to go from 2.4GHz to 2.66 GHz. I said the opposite in this thread already before.

A 320GB 5400rpm HDD costs like $45, that's still $255 for 220MHz. Thats a joke. And Apple has a 17% failure rate, how does that relate to massive mark ups? Asus has 15% and is best in the industry and still charges less.

So then don't buy it if you think it's a joke? What the hell do you want from me?

Apple happens to have the highest rated customer support in the industry, but I'm sure you'd love to leave that out of it.

That story is so terrible. Seeing as all of laptops are $1000 then ALL of their sales go to that price range. Places like Asus, Dell, Acer, ect sell the same or more performance for UNDER $999. You have no choice if you want an Apple but to spend over $1000, with PC's you do. That article is useless. The only people spending over $1000 on a Windows PC are gamers, video editors and software developers

Oh, so did you have a poll for this or did you just pull this random statistic out of your ass?

I'll bring up my car analogy one more time. You're the guy that buys a rolls royce then two years later realizes that he could get the same engine in a nissan for cheaper then goes on rolls royce's forums to post some comparison specs then claim they are the same thing and tell everyone to start buying nissan cars opposed to their rolls royces.

Enjoy your new PC and enjoy whatever new forum you end up going to. No one wants to hear the crap spewing from your mouth over here. We've all heard it ten times before from the same PC trolls who post on a forum with Mac in the title.

If you wanted to talk about Mac vs PC then discuss it in this thread instead of hijacking someone else's who's asking a simple question.

 

[mashsensor]

According to the Russian site that leaked some specs on the new machines:
http://translate.google.com/transla...ww.mcdigital.ru/catalog/macbook_pro_2011.html

The low end MBP 13 will have core i5.

If this source is right, I believe both version of MBP 13 will have i5. I personally think chances are high that both will have core i5. I am more interested on whether the 13 incher will have a nvidia discreet GPU.

Just fyi.

 

[aiqw9182]

Enjoy paying your over the top markup then.

I've owned 3 HP laptops and 1 HP desktop in my life and never had an issue, I've also had a Acer and a Dell, not counting the laptops I've used at work. On the other hand I've also had 2 Mac's with no issue but my brother has had nearly everything on his G4 Power book replaced in under 2 years, and was such a nightmare for him that he refuses to buy Apple again.

My point is that problems go both ways. Apples are not magical in anyway and for all the people that love to pull the "cost is for the build quality" card it doesn't mean much when Apple is only in the middle when it comes to quality.

I'd still like a new White MacBooks but there is no way that I will pay what Apple wants for the Pro line. If Apple gets rid of the base MacBook then I won't be buying any more Apples.

You seem to have an issue with what he wants to buy for no reason? If he wants to get a Mac then let him get a Mac. This thread was about whether an upgrade from Apple was going to be worth the price for him personally. Your post had zero relevance to the topic at hand.

You'd still like the white MacBook's but wouldn't pay just 200 dollars more for the aluminum enclosure, firewire port, backlit keyboard and 2GB's of RAM for the Pro? OK.

 

[altecXP]

You seem to have an issue with what he wants to buy for no reason? If he wants to get a Mac then let him get a Mac. This thread was about whether an upgrade from Apple was going to be worth the price for him personally. Your post had zero relevance to the topic at hand.

You'd still like the white MacBook's but wouldn't pay just 200 dollars more for the aluminum enclosure, firewire port, backlit keyboard and 2GB's of RAM for the Pro? OK.

I have a problem with seeing people waste money and over pay when they don't have to. To your car analogy I laugh at anyone that buys luxury cars like RR or Bentley in general.

And yes, I dont need FW, I find the aluminum as a gimmick as when it dents the laptops itself dents to be warped, and I already have Ram all over my house Why would I pay Apple for more? I also know how to type, so I have no need for a backlit keyboard. I only buy what I need.

 

[aiqw9182]

I have a problem with seeing people waste money and over pay when they don't have to. To your car analogy I laugh at anyone that buys luxury cars like RR or Bentley in general.

And yes, I dont need FW, I find the aluminum as a gimmick as when it dents the laptops itself dents to be warped, and I already have Ram all over my house Why would I pay Apple for more? I also know how to type, so I have no need for a backlit keyboard.

No, what you seem to have a problem with is jealousy. Let people spend their money how they want to if the thing they are spending it on is something they will enjoy. You're telling me you're that one guy that laughs at the rolls royce that drives by while everyone stares in awe? I'm sure you must be one popular guy.

All of this is hilarious coming from a guy who just a couple of weeks ago was going to buy a 13" MBP if all it had was a 1440x900 screen. Now that he found some cheap Acer he's anti-Apple and a spec whore who criticizes what other people purchase.