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Is the MBP 15" a good deal now?

R

rSweden

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 28, 2010
4
0
Hi, new to mac and macrumors I have a question that probably have been asked a million times (didn't find in during my 1 min search though).

I was ready to buy the 15" MBP and was planning to throw out the DVD and replace it with a SSD instead (optibay solution). Hearing that the new formfactor of the Air was the new way all laptops would be (or something similar) I now hesitate and wonder if it would be better to wait until next update for the MBP and perhaps not have to pay for a DVD I wont use (and the extra weight).

What do you recommend? I know no one knows for sure if the next versions will be more like the air but still. My usage scenario is that I'm doing simpler graphics & photoediting. No gaming or anything but I need a decent resolution on the screen (13" is too small) and need to be able to run Adobe PS, ID & AI without too much lag.
 
rSweden said:
Hi, new to mac and macrumors I have a question that probably have been asked a million times (didn't find in during my 1 min search though).

I was ready to buy the 15" MBP and was planning to throw out the DVD and replace it with a SSD instead (optibay solution). Hearing that the new formfactor of the Air was the new way all laptops would be (or something similar) I now hesitate and wonder if it would be better to wait until next update for the MBP and perhaps not have to pay for a DVD I wont use (and the extra weight).

What do you recommend? I know no one knows for sure if the next versions will be more like the air but still. My usage scenario is that I'm doing simpler graphics & photoediting. No gaming or anything but I need a decent resolution on the screen (13" is too small) and need to be able to run Adobe PS, ID & AI without too much lag.
Click to expand...

You could always get an Air and buy an external monitor for. It would be about the same price as a 15"
 
rSweden said:
Hi, new to mac and macrumors I have a question that probably have been asked a million times (didn't find in during my 1 min search though).

I was ready to buy the 15" MBP and was planning to throw out the DVD and replace it with a SSD instead (optibay solution). Hearing that the new formfactor of the Air was the new way all laptops would be (or something similar) I now hesitate and wonder if it would be better to wait until next update for the MBP and perhaps not have to pay for a DVD I wont use (and the extra weight).

What do you recommend? I know no one knows for sure if the next versions will be more like the air but still. My usage scenario is that I'm doing simpler graphics & photoediting. No gaming or anything but I need a decent resolution on the screen (13" is too small) and need to be able to run Adobe PS, ID & AI without too much lag.
Click to expand...

Read the descriptions of MBP 15" and MB Air 13" on Apple's website very carefully, go to an Apple Store to compare them in real life, compare the prices, check what you need, and make your decision based on that. "Hearing .. was the new way" - that is nonsense. Don't make decisions based on what others claim or predict or wish for, make your decision based on cold facts.

Facts: 1. Base MBP 15" with 4 GB / 320 GB and MB Air with 4 GB / 256 GB cost the same. 2. The MacBook Air looks absolutely beautiful and is really, really light. One big, big, big plus if you carry your computer round with you all the time. The MBP doesn't look bad but has normal weight (five pound or so). 3. Performance wise they are about the same; MBP has the faster CPU, Air has the faster hard drive, not much difference. Same screen resolution. 4. MBP is expandable but that costs money (8G Ram, 1 TB hard drive). 5. MBP has the better battery. 6. MBP has a higher resolution screen but that costs extra money. You can add an SSD drive, but that costs extra money. The screen is larger; a plus especially when you are >40 years old.

If the Air offers you enough, and especially if you carry it around a lot, then buy it. If you need more than 4 GB / 256 GB, now or in the future, then buy the MBP. Write down what you are willing to spend, and then check exactly what you get for that money, and buy what suits you best. I'd say the MB Air is surprisingly good value for money compared to the MBP.

And the MBP will _not_ get more like the Air. The Air makes compromises (battery, CPU speed, DVD drive, ports) that some people are happy with, while others couldn't live with those compromises. Air and MBP are intentionally different products. A slimmer MBP would end up being less good than an Air for those who want an Air, and less good than a MBP for those who want an MBP.
 
gnasher729 said:
Read the descriptions of MBP 15" and MB Air 13" on Apple's website very carefully, go to an Apple Store to compare them in real life, compare the prices, check what you need, and make your decision based on that. "Hearing .. was the new way" - that is nonsense. Don't make decisions based on what others claim or predict or wish for, make your decision based on cold facts.

Facts: 1. Base MBP 15" with 4 GB / 320 GB and MB Air with 4 GB / 256 GB cost the same. 2. The MacBook Air looks absolutely beautiful and is really, really light. One big, big, big plus if you carry your computer round with you all the time. The MBP doesn't look bad but has normal weight (five pound or so). 3. Performance wise they are about the same; MBP has the faster CPU, Air has the faster hard drive, not much difference. Same screen resolution. 4. MBP is expandable but that costs money (8G Ram, 1 TB hard drive). 5. MBP has the better battery. 6. MBP has a higher resolution screen but that costs extra money. You can add an SSD drive, but that costs extra money. The screen is larger; a plus especially when you are >40 years old.

If the Air offers you enough, and especially if you carry it around a lot, then buy it. If you need more than 4 GB / 256 GB, now or in the future, then buy the MBP. Write down what you are willing to spend, and then check exactly what you get for that money, and buy what suits you best. I'd say the MB Air is surprisingly good value for money compared to the MBP.

And the MBP will _not_ get more like the Air. The Air makes compromises (battery, CPU speed, DVD drive, ports) that some people are happy with, while others couldn't live with those compromises. Air and MBP are intentionally different products. A slimmer MBP would end up being less good than an Air for those who want an Air, and less good than a MBP for those who want an MBP.
Click to expand...

This is great advice for you rSweden. Experience first and then decide your needs. Well well put gnasher729.
 
I'd look for some benchmark tests

Maybe some will come out soon.

From my experience, I'd go for the MBP simply because they have the new i-7 processors and be upped to 8 gigs of memory.

I bought the first generation MBP 2 yrs ago with the fastest processor and mem available at the time and I thought even then that the Adobe Suite ran a little slow. Now, with other graphics apps, and other things running... its way too slow and feels like a 5 yr old machine.

The MBA, as I understand, has a slower processor, and I'm not sure exactly how it's setup is faster unless it is just having an SSD. Then, who knows what resources newer apps will utilize in the future.
 
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