Is it worth upgrading my SR MacBook for a unibody?

[maclover001]

Hey all,

I have the base Santa Rosa MacBook, and I was thinking of upgrading to the base unibody.
How much of a speed increase would I notice?

I mainly use it for Safari, iTunes, iWork, etc. You know, the usual stuff

I also use it for iMovie with my VIXIA camcorder, and some Photoshop CS4.

I remember reading that several themes are removed from iMovie and iPhoto unless you have a current gen computer? Is this true?

And one more. When I am importing footage to iMovie, the fans scream, and the temperature goes up to ~93°C. Is the aluminum one cooler?

I lied, one more:
For my needs, would the Pro be a better choice, aside from screen size? Some say that the Pro has a better screen.

Thanks

 

[anti-microsoft]

I remember reading that several themes are removed from iMovie and iPhoto unless you have a current gen computer? Is this true?

This only applies to PowerPC Macs. You have an Intel Core 2 Duo "Santa Rosa" MacBook, it's an intel platform so there is no loss in content or features for the Intel Mac user.

Ams.

 

[ppc750fx]

When I am importing footage to iMovie, the fans scream, and the temperature goes up to ~93°C. Is the aluminum one cooler?

Yes, the aluminium MacBooks do tend to run cooler -- but that's quite a high temperature for an SR MacBook; you're within a couple degrees of a thermal shutdown at that point. You should definitely call Apple and/or take it in to an Apple store and tell them about it. I've got an SR MacBook, and even under a sustained load on both cores I can't get the die temp above 85C -- above 90C is definitely cause for concern.

 

[maclover001]

you're within a couple degrees of a thermal shutdown at that point.

Thermal shutdown? The highest this things ever been is 96°C, when I was transcoding in iDVD.

This only applies to PowerPC Macs. You have an Intel Core 2 Duo "Santa Rosa" MacBook, it's an intel platform so there is no loss in content or features for the Intel Mac user.

Ams.

Y'sure? I only have 6 slidehow options in iPhoto. I thought there were much more than that...

 

[J&JPolangin]

...how old is your SR MB?

Is the ram max'd out?

If you have the $$ to burn, why not go for the new 17 inch MBP

 

[ppc750fx]

Thermal shutdown? The highest this things ever been is 96°C, when I was transcoding in iDVD.

Your machine *definitely* should not be getting that hot. You should see if you can get it serviced.

From what I remember, the C2D in the SR 'books will halt when it hits 100C.

 

[alphaod]

Y'sure? I only have 6 slidehow options in iPhoto. I thought there were much more than that...

Which version of iPhoto do you have?

Also you can just buy iLife '09 if you want more features.

You don't really need the upgrade; I feel like the new MacBook are sturdier.

If you have the $$ to burn, why not go for the new 17 inch MBP

Having money and need/want should never be mixed up.

 

[nick9191]

Is the VIXIA USB or Firewire?

 

[GfulDedFan]

I have a first gen MacBook (May '06) and I don't feel that I need to upgrade to a unibody at this time. Everything runs too well and I can run all of the latest versions like the OS and iWork '09. And believe me, I use mine for the usual stuff and then some. -GDF

 

[clyde2801]

If you truly need the new system now, i.e., if you old system won't do what you need it to do, then buy the uni now.

If you don't truly need the new system, then wait until your current system won't do what you need it to do.

When that day comes a year, two years, nine, whatever, take the money that you saved and buy a new system then. More than likely you will get a new OS, new iLife bundle and a new speed bumped, quad, positronic matrix chip if you wait for the same money spent now.

That being said, do as I SAY, not as I DO.

 

[maclover001]

Is the VIXIA USB or Firewire?

USB

 

[anti-microsoft]

Y'sure? I only have 6 slidehow options in iPhoto. I thought there were much more than that...

I'm sure. If you go to Apple's website and watch the tutorial on making slideshows it says "Choose one of the six themes".

Ams.

 

[Eidorian]

Your machine *definitely* should not be getting that hot. You should see if you can get it serviced.

From what I remember, the C2D in the SR 'books will halt when it hits 100C.

The older plastic models will throttle up the fans starting at 60° C until you hit about 85° C at 6200 RPM. The new aluminium models won't throttle until you hit just shy of 100° C and then cool it off.

 

[maclover001]

I'm sure. If you go to Apple's website and watch the tutorial on making slideshows it says "Choose one of the six themes".

Ams.

Ah okay, thanks.

The older plastic models will throttle up the fans starting at 60° C until you hit about 85° C at 6200 RPM. The new aluminium models won't throttle until you hit just shy of 100° C and then cool it off.

Really? So the thing'll be silent at 85°?

 

[Eidorian]

Really? So the thing'll be silent at 85°?

Sadly, yes.

 

[Abstract]

Is the VIXIA USB or Firewire?

Clearly it's USB. One of the benefits of FireWire is that the CPU isn't involved in the data transfer. The Firewire chipset handles the transfer and frees the CPU so that your computer doesn't slow down when you're transferring data. Transfer through USB makes your computer slow down.


The heat you're observing sounds extreme though. You don't need a faster or new system. You need to get your Mac checked. Perhaps it's excessive thermal paste, or something else to do with your heat sink. I don't know, but even a new unibody aluminium MacBook could suffer from this type of problem.....although only when something is wrong.

 

[Patriks7]

Sadly, yes.

Or you can do what I do, and whenever you do something that might bring the temp up, run SMCFanControl and raise the fan speed. It actually works really well for a lot of things.
But I never knew that such a high temperature on the older MacBooks was bad. I have the late 07 one and watching Youtube or doing something like that it gets up to 95° or 98° and the fan at max does nothing while my MBP now goes down by quite a lot with fans on max (only difference is that I haven't managed to get it past 85° yet)