Macbook considerations...

[magikmm]

So, I'm new here and have been browsing all around to find an answer. Well I'm sort of sure but I'm wondering if someone might be able to help inform me a little more.

So what I would like to be able to do in the least is run 3Ds max, maya, and UDK. I'm not looking for a super computer because I know that most of the work I do will be at a company. Also, once I'm done with my AAS degree, I'll be switching to something non 3D work related with more "write a paper on" assignments. So I've come down to these decisions:
Macbook pro 13" i5 or i7 OR
Macbook pro 15" with 6490M OR 6750M
I'm still saving for one but I'm eager to make a decision so that I can figure which one to save for...i'm kinda leaning towards 15" 6490M but if I can save money thats helpful

Now I've heard the IG3000 gets a lot of crap (possibly from bad impressions of past intel cards which were horrible) and its integrated but will it be sufficient for the preview window of the programs that I use? I've seen people be able to run crysis 2 and other games on the 13 so...idk. But should I up the ante and get 15"? And with 15" in mind will 6490M be sufficient...or should I up the ante again and get the 6750M?

and lastly what is the real battery life on these things?

Thank you

 

[Macjames]

MacBook Pro 15" 2.2 GHz i7 with the 6750 1GB Graphics Card.

You might as well not compromise if you can wait and save a little longer.

I get 5:30 hours browsing the web, iTunes and writing.

 

[Orlandoech]

MacBook Pro 15" 2.2 GHz i7 with the 6750 1GB Graphics Card.

You might as well not compromise if you can wait and save a little longer.

I get 5:30 hours browsing the web, iTunes and writing.

I concur. 15" i7 2.2GHz for sure.

 

[Young Spade]

If you know how Apple prices and equips various computers, you can just agree with what the above posters stated without even looking at the specs.

If you're getting a 13 inch, get the baseline; the 300 dollar hike for 180 extra gigs of storage and a .X clockspeed isn't worth it.

You could just pay for an extra internal harddrive that's better than that for less. AND get an external to use for Time Machine.

With the 15 inch, they both offer discrete graphics, which is great, but when you're paying that much for either, you might as well pay the extra few hundred for the one with a whole gig of graphics memory.

That's Apple's secret motto "you might as well pay the extra".