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Macbook or Macbook Pro?

M

macgeek77

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 24, 2006
153
0
I know I have posted a thread or two concerning choosing an apple notebook, but I have become more specific what what I think I will need:

1) Engineering- Computer and Electricial
2) Final Cut Express HD (maybe from time to time)
3) Be able to run Windows
4) On Windows, be able to play games one would find on PS2 and XBox 360.
5) Store massive amounts of media

My choices are:

1) Black Macbook
2) Macbook Pro 15" baseline
3) Macbook Pro 15" best


Thanks for any help.:apple:
 
The reason for the MB is that it's cheaper and smaller. Since you have not listed either as a requirement, the MBP it is.
 
What's your budget? If money isn't a problem, then i would just get the top end 15 inch mbp. If you can afford it, why not? However a baseline mbp would do just fine too.
 
If money is a concern, then base mbp. If it isn't, then the top 15" mbp. Forget the macbook. It's not the value that it used to be since mbps have LED screens, a newer chipset, better graphics card, twice the RAM(included and maximum supported), and the numerous other small features like a back-lit keyboard.
 
The MacBook Pro baseline was my pick. And it should be yours, as well.

Unless money isn't an issue, then go wild and get the top-end MacBook Pro. For me, it's not worth the $500 just for 128 more MB of RAM on the video card. It's not all THAT much of a performance boost.
 
ravenvii said:
The MacBook Pro baseline was my pick. And it should be yours, as well.

Unless money isn't an issue, then go wild and get the top-end MacBook Pro. For me, it's not worth the $500 just for 128 more MB of RAM on the video card. It's not all THAT much of a performance boost.
Click to expand...

Low end 15" MBP then get 2X2 GB RAM from OWC for $200 and your engineering programs should work great plus the games will run smooth with Windows.
 
MBP is a lot better in terms of spec compared to the MB and you get the larger screen as well.

Ether one of the MBPs

the base model would be fine but if your rich no reason not to go for the top end.
 
Right…

1) No idea on this one – if you’re using specialist apps during your studies, which are GPU-intensive, go for the MBP.
2) This runs well on either machine; until the recent update to the MBPs, the performance when editing using FC on MBs and MBPs was basically the same.
3) Either machine.
4) Although it kind of depends what type of games, but it’s easier to say just go with a MBP. If it’s specifically console games you’re interested in, I would look into getting a console
5) You should be thinking about getting an external drive for back-ups; but if you were just concerned about internal storage, the MB has it over the MBP as it’s a doddle to install new drives yourself.

Presumably, you want the Black MB because you don’t like the white enclosure, but I’ll mention that the white models represent more value for money (if not coolness) anyway.

If you have no interest in using an external monitor, I would be inclined going with a MBP.

In terms of CPU power, although the MBPs do beat MBs, the latter are decent machines and it’s nothing like the difference in apps that are GPU intensive (e.g. see http://www.barefeats.com/rosa02.html).

In your situation, unless I was flushed with cash, I would get the lower MBP.
 
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