Let's talk upgrades then...

[capoditutti]

I've now decided to, and actually embarked on upgrading my rev-c MBPro rather than shell out for one of the new ones coz it seems to bring better value and immediate gains to me at the moment.

First upgrade - RAM, which i've upped from 2GB to 4GB @ 667MHz..

Schedule -Done!__________Cost/Spend: £35 incl Delivery

Second upgrade - MechDD to SSD: I'm gunning for is the 128GB Intel X-25M SSD, and i'm sure that the 'puter will be quicker in most things than anything new from Apple.

Schedule - early April 2009__________Cost/Spend: £600 max

Third upgrade - New battery: I've passed 300 cylces now and all meters report maximum 85% of original capacity, and i only get at most 2.5 hrs from it now.

Schedule - early June 2009[/I__________Cost/Spend: £100

Final upgrade -32/64GB flush-fit (even if i have to mod it myself) ExpressCard SSD. Relatively cheap, and will be a definite go-ahead if i can only get 128GB SSD for my money in April.

Schedule - early September 2009__________Cost/Spend: £150

I reckon with these upgrades to my beloved MBPro i can happily chug away till next september at the very very least without me feeling overly jealous, and if i want to get a whole new lappy then, it would have to be special...

cApO

 

[capoditutti]

Not so fast though!

After reading this article, i think i may hold off for a bit..

Can anyone recommend a solid-performing SATA 7200rpm mechanical drive of around 300GB plus for the MacBook Pro?

cApO

 

[uicandrew]

for the OP....

http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/20/intel-responds-to-ssd-performance-allegations-with-a-denial/

intel denies it? whoa!

for capoditutti....

http://barefeats.com/mbpp08.html

they compare SSD to a 7200rpm 320gb hard drive

------

for the OP again.....

i do not see the need for the SSD in the express card slot. Only windows has the drivers to use it as "speed boost" but even then, initial reviews (when vista first came out) weren't impressed. I don't have any links because i read it a while back and I don't have time to google it.

Instead, I would use the express card slot and put a memory card reader. I used the one made by griffin technology, but unfortunately, it was discontinued and it didn't support SDHC.

If you're so inclined, at least in the US, there are some 8gb or 16gb SSD express card for under $20 (maybe around $10) so you can get a taste of it on the cheap.

but for what purpose do you want an SSD express card for?

 

[SFStateStudent]

I'm really liking the SSD side of the house...

 

[ziggyonice]

As a first gen MBP owner, I've had to wonder myself if it is worth upgrading my machine or just getting a new one overall. It would require spending a chunk of money just to get it to match one of the newer models of MBPs...

Upgrade hard drive.
Install Dual-Layer SuperDrive.
Replace AirPort card with Mac Pro 802.11n card.

Not to mention that my machine is almost three years old... I just don't know. Maybe getting a new baby should happen in the future.

 

[apolloa]

I've now decided to, and actually embarked on upgrading my rev-c MBPro rather than shell out for one of the new ones coz it seems to bring better value and immediate gains to me at the moment.

First upgrade - RAM, which i've upped from 2GB to 4GB @ 667MHz..

Schedule -Done!__________Cost/Spend: £35 incl Delivery

Second upgrade - MechDD to SSD: I'm gunning for is the 128GB Intel X-25M SSD, and i'm sure that the 'puter will be quicker in most things than anything new from Apple.

Schedule - early April 2009__________Cost/Spend: £600 max

Third upgrade - New battery: I've passed 300 cylces now and all meters report maximum 85% of original capacity, and i only get at most 2.5 hrs from it now.

Schedule - early June 2009[/I__________Cost/Spend: £100

Final upgrade -32/64GB flush-fit (even if i have to mod it myself) ExpressCard SSD. Relatively cheap, and will be a definite go-ahead if i can only get 128GB SSD for my money in April.

Schedule - early September 2009__________Cost/Spend: £150

I reckon with these upgrades to my beloved MBPro i can happily chug away till next september at the very very least without me feeling overly jealous, and if i want to get a whole new lappy then, it would have to be special...

cApO

I wouldn't bother with the Express Card Slot mod, but would do the rest. And with regards to SSD, I would just wait a few months to see what comes out, with out doubt it is one of the best upgrades you can do to keep the current machine going and give it a massive performance boost, but is it not very recent tech? So I'm sure better faster Intel drives will come out soon or maybe drives from someone else. So for a third of the cost of a new MB Pro, you have the ram and the SSD, battery doesn't count as you have to replace it no matter what laptop you have, more an eventual necessity then an upgrade.

 

[capoditutti]

for the OP....

http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/20/intel-responds-to-ssd-performance-allegations-with-a-denial/

intel denies it? whoa!

for capoditutti....

http://barefeats.com/mbpp08.html

they compare SSD to a 7200rpm 320gb hard drive

------

for the OP again.....

i do not see the need for the SSD in the express card slot. Only windows has the drivers to use it as "speed boost" but even then, initial reviews (when vista first came out) weren't impressed. I don't have any links because i read it a while back and I don't have time to google it.

Instead, I would use the express card slot and put a memory card reader. I used the one made by griffin technology, but unfortunately, it was discontinued and it didn't support SDHC.

If you're so inclined, at least in the US, there are some 8gb or 16gb SSD express card for under $20 (maybe around $10) so you can get a taste of it on the cheap.

but for what purpose do you want an SSD express card for?

For storing my photos and music for ipod - no other reason really...

 

[xoggyux]

wow you are prepared to spend almost 1,000 pounds there (~$1300++) to upgrade a 1/2 years old computer? my recommendation is: either keep that one for another year, or when you ready to do the upgrades sell that one and get a new one.

 

[ViciousShadow21]

it seems that it is best to wait to upgrade unless you just really have to have it now. i will eventually upgrade but only after the performance of the write speed goes up more.