Macbook 2.4 13.3 unibody vs. Macbook Pro 2.4 15.4 unibody

[jbrooksga]

Was looking at these two notebooks and I wanted to get a question answered.

Is the screen the only difference between these two? It appeared that way to me.

On the refurb site, there is a $300 price difference between them. So I was pondering if the screen was worth the extra money.

Are there other differences I'm not aware of?

 

[aaquib]

- Larger display + MUCH better viewing angle, deeper blacks. Just an overall better display.

- A significantly better DEDICATED graphics card.

- Louder speakers

- Firewire

For an extra $300.

 

[j5045096]

I have the 15.4 unibody Pro - I previous had a plastic MacBook. My one gripe with the 15.4 was the fact that it was bigger - I liked the MacBook's size/weight/dimensions. I have loved EVERYTHING about the Pro including the dimensions - the screen is nice and big but the computer as a whole no longer feels like it's that much bigger than my old MacBook so it took a little time getting used to I guess.

Oh and lets not forget that one thing that was a must for me (don't know your situation): FIREWIRE. I would be typing this to you on a 13" unibody MacBook if Apple had included Firewire which is the only transfer protocol for my very expensive Canon XL 1 DV camera.

 

[Patriks7]

- Larger display + MUCH better viewing angle, deeper blacks. Just an overall better display.

- A significantly better DEDICATED graphics card.

- Louder speakers

- Firewire

For an extra $300.

This guy just summed up the difference. If you travel a lot, then the MacBook might be better. Otherwise, the 300$ is more than worth the upgrades (well depending on what you do).
So if you tell us what you plan to do with them, we could help you decide better.

 

[Abstract]

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- Larger display + MUCH better viewing angle, deeper blacks. Just an overall better display.

- A significantly better DEDICATED graphics card.

- Louder speakers

- Firewire

For an extra $300.

Higher resolutions turn me on.

 

[EB66]

the only way it is not worth it is if you NEED the portability of the macbook, if you don't NEED it then you won't mind the extra size of the pro it is not much and the screen is gorgeous on the pro

 

[michael.lauden]

the graphics increase, let alone, would be worth it. also it would be nice to have a firewire from time to time - but i'm not really hurtin' that badly. just got the 13.3" 2.0GHz and it's still flying.


for me, i'd stick with the macbook 13.3". 15" is just too big for me to be carrying around

 

[PC2MAC16]

the graphics increase, let alone, would be worth it. also it would be nice to have a firewire from time to time - but i'm not really hurtin' that badly. just got the 13.3" 2.0GHz and it's still flying.


for me, i'd stick with the macbook 13.3". 15" is just too big for me to be carrying around

I made the same decision (got the 13" 2.4) a few days ago and posted a similar thread today. Oh well, perhaps someday Apple will come out with a 13" MBP for the road warriors

 

[samleung]

Exact same dilemna here. I owned a MBP right before, so I worried about the smaller screen, graphics of the MB. I ended up getting the MB and spent the extra money on a 500gb HD i put in. Portablity =)

 

[xhambonex]

everyone acts like the MB is so much more portable, I don't get it, maybe I'd know the difference between the 17" MBP and the MB but not the 15. The portable computer is the Air, and for $300 more you'd be getting such a better computer.

 

[bailorg]

- Larger display + MUCH better viewing angle, deeper blacks. Just an overall better display.

- A significantly better DEDICATED graphics card.

- Louder speakers

- Firewire

For an extra $300.

I'm in a sort of similar quandry, but I already have external speakers where I'll be primarily using my computer, and I don't have any Firewire devices. So would I be better served putting the $300 difference toward an external monitor, primarily for the added workspace, as opposed to upgrading to the MBP?

The most intense gaming I'd be doing is something akin to Civ IV, but no real-time shooters and if I did start to do any video editing I can't imagine I'd use anything more advanced than iMovie. Would I really notice the difference in graphics cards?

Would the integrated graphics of the MB be able to satisfactorily utilize a decent external monitor?

 

[xhambonex]

I'm in a sort of similar quandry, but I already have external speakers where I'll be primarily using my computer, and I don't have any Firewire devices. So would I be better served putting the $300 difference toward an external monitor, primarily for the added workspace, as opposed to upgrading to the MBP?

The most intense gaming I'd be doing is something akin to Civ IV, but no real-time shooters and if I did start to do any video editing I can't imagine I'd use anything more advanced than iMovie. Would I really notice the difference in graphics cards?


Would the integrated graphics of the MB be able to satisfactorily utilize a decent external monitor?

Yup the newer MB is supposed to be able to power an external at 2560 x 1600 and the internal at full res at the same time. And you probably wont go that high so I see no reason why it would do the job. The difference is there it just depends on if you think you'd ever use all that power in the graphics cards. From the sounds of it the answer is no, you probably wouldn't notice so much. But its a case by case thing. it's something I'd notice right away just depends on the usage you put your computer through.