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Macbook Or Macbook Pro

N

Nintendolinky

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 29, 2008
624
175
Hey guys im buying a Macbook today (Saturday). Shall i get the Macbook Pro or Macbook. Im a Uni student in the UK, studying business. Im in my final year and want a laptop that will do me good in the next 1-2 years. Im planning on adding 4GB ram on which ever i buy, and also increasing the hard drive. Im currently playing spore on my imac and will want to play this game on which ever i buy.
Thanks for any help.
 
You might be interested in this benchmark. They have videos comparing Spore on a Macbook vs a Macbook Pro.

Now that the Macbook and Macbook Pro are so close in CPU performance, the two major differences between the two really come down to screen size and discrete GPU. If you really need a 15" screen or the graphics performance of a discrete video card, then go Macbook Pro.
 
Get the pro, far superior screen and it will cost you only £1163 approx 196 more then the 2.4 MB. Well worth it in my opinion, 4 gigs or ram will cost you £87 upgrade in store. They take your old 2 gigs and put 4 in. Makes sense to me cheaper then crucial and covered by apple. Apple care will cost you approx £54. Also in the long run I would rather have a bigger screen, better screen and the additional graphics card.
 
If you're buying the computer today (Saturday), then why are you asking for advice? I don't mean to sound rude, but if you're dropping that much money on a computer, then perhaps you should have the cost/benefit analysis already done. Any laptop will last for the next two years, but if you don't need the mobility after uni, then why not buy a desktop? Better bang for your buck, IMO.

Bottom line is buy according to your needs. Figure out what you need, then go out and buy it. Not the other way around.
 
nope7308 said:
If you're buying the computer today (Saturday), then why are you asking for advice? I don't mean to sound rude, but if you're dropping that much money on a computer, then perhaps you should have the cost/benefit analysis already done. Any laptop will last for the next two years, but if you don't need the mobility after uni, then why not buy a desktop? Better bang for your buck, IMO.

Bottom line is buy according to your needs. Figure out what you need, then go out and buy it. Not the other way around.
Click to expand...

Im asking for advice, as i dont know which one to buy. I already have a desktop and that is my 24" imac. Im just not sure on a Macbook, Macbook Air or Macbook Pro.
 
Nintendolinky said:
Im asking for advice, as i dont know which one to buy. I already have a desktop and that is my 24" imac. Im just not sure on a Macbook, Macbook Air or Macbook Pro.
Click to expand...

Ok, so are you moving alot? Do you need demanding graphics? Are you cool with 13" or 15"? Is weight a consideration? Is processing power a must? Do you use power hungry apps?

Ask yourself does questions. Answer them here clearly and to the point, and most certainly you will get an answer from us.
 
jav6454 said:
Ok, so are you moving alot? Do you need demanding graphics? Are you cool with 13" or 15"? Is weight a consideration? Is processing power a must? Do you use power hungry apps?

Ask yourself does questions. Answer them here clearly and to the point, and most certainly you will get an answer from us.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your help. I want the best i can get, but with portability. Im planning on playing some newer games on the laptop, such as spore etc. I used to have a 1st gen White Macbook Core Duo, so im happy with the 13" but would like to have a similar experience that i have with my imac. I was thinking of either getting the higher end macbook, or lower end macbook pro. But the macbook air is tempting, as its very portable but im miffed about all the things i will loose, such as Ethernet, dvd drive, more than one usb. Argh so confused help.
I use visualhub a bit to convert videos and do general photoshop work on my imac.
 
I do not have a desktop as I travel thus I have my 17" and a 15" MBP. If you want it for traveling I would get the macbook as it is the best of both worlds better the a macbook air as it has a dvd drive built in and not that much bigger.
 
Also Apple is about to release a new 17" version Macbook Pro so if your looking for a laptop with a nice big screen i would wait 5 days.
 
I had a macbook air and got rid of oit as portable as it was it was too much of a sacrifice. A macbook will not give you the same experience in the context of gaming.
 
kastenbrust said:
Also Apple is about to release a new 17" version Macbook Pro so if your looking for a laptop with a nice big screen i would wait 5 days.
Click to expand...

Do you think it will be readily available, because if so, I will be selling my Oct 17"MBP now as I want a new unibody 17".
 
Nintendolinky said:
Thanks for your help. I want the best i can get, but with portability. Im planning on playing some newer games on the laptop, such as spore etc. I used to have a 1st gen White Macbook Core Duo, so im happy with the 13" but would like to have a similar experience that i have with my imac. I was thinking of either getting the higher end macbook, or lower end macbook pro. But the macbook air is tempting, as its very portable but im miffed about all the things i will loose, such as Ethernet, dvd drive, more than one usb. Argh so confused help.
I use visualhub a bit to convert videos and do general photoshop work on my imac.
Click to expand...

Your answers from my reading your post

Portability: As portable as it can get.
Demanding graphics: Spore like games.
13" or 15": Looking for a iMac experience or same 13"
Weight: unanswered
Processing Power: unanswered
Power hungry apps: unanswered

Still, missing some key factors there.
 
jav6454 said:
Your answers from my reading your post

Portability: As portable as it can get.
Demanding graphics: Spore like games.
13" or 15": Looking for a iMac experience or same 13"
Weight: unanswered
Processing Power: unanswered
Power hungry apps: unanswered

Still, missing some key factors there.
Click to expand...

Weight wise something that isnt too heavy, as i will have text books etc in my bag as it is.
Processing power well as stated im looking round the 2.4ghz area as thats what the higher end macbook and lower end pro have. I use visualhub and a bit of photoshop.
 
Your final answers:

Portability: As portable as it can get.
Demanding graphics: Spore like games.
13" or 15": Looking for a iMac experience or same 13"
Weight: Light as possible
Processing Power: 2.4GHz range
Power hungry apps: Photoshop/visual hub

Advice: The MacBook Air is out of the question since you want 2.4GHz range and will need power for Photoshop which requires as much RAM as possible. Having a 2GB cap isn't good. Since you want to play games, need processing power and look for an iMac experience, then the most relevant Mac here will be the MacBook Pro. The downside is that it weighs at 5.5 lbs (vs MacBook at 4.5 lbs) and it can be a little less portable.

Now, it will depend on what priorities you will have for you final decision. Gaming vs work? etc... Those questions are left for you to answer to yourself.
 
I had to make this decision this time last year. I ended up getting the 15" MBP.

From my perspective, as a student, do everything you can to avoid a MBP.

The perfect setup is really a 13" MacBook and if you need mac POWER get a desktop for home. The difference in portability between the 13 and 15 seem tiny at first. Trust me, the more you carry your MBP around, the more you'll wish it was just a bit lighter and smaller.

MacBook + iMac = :D
 
From what you need, the only reason not to get a MB is the lower quality screen, integrated graphics card and loss of ports. The only reason to get it, OTOH, is portability and price.

If the MB had the same quality screen as the pro, only smaller, I'd get it in a minute (or, more specifically, I would have kept mine). It's probably the best screen apple's ever put in an entry level notebook (they have a long history on cheaping out on the ibook and macbook screens), but in terms of viewing angle, contrast, and displaying dark colors it's not equal with the pro's screen.

The only reason NOT to get a pro is that you've already got a 24" imac, and can use that for heavy lifting. Geez, how much money do students have for computers these days??? :(
 
Since you have the iMac I would get the new Air. Your desktop can do all the heavy lifting so the Air should do the rest. If you have to have an optical drive on the go then get the MacBook. The Air's screen is miles better than the MacBook's it really is a 13" MacBook Pro quality screen. It has almost as good a graphics card as the MacBook.
 
darngooddesign said:
Since you have the iMac I would get the new Air. Your desktop can do all the heavy lifting so the Air should do the rest. If you have to have an optical drive on the go then get the MacBook. The Air's screen is miles better than the MacBook's it really is a 13" MacBook Pro quality screen. It has almost as good a graphics card as the MacBook.
Click to expand...

You're paying a premium price for the design and the OP said he's not happy about losing the ports on the air.

You know, if they put the MBA screen on the MB, who the frak would buy anything else?
 
darngooddesign said:
Since you have the iMac I would get the new Air. Your desktop can do all the heavy lifting so the Air should do the rest. If you have to have an optical drive on the go then get the MacBook. The Air's screen is miles better than the MacBook's it really is a 13" MacBook Pro quality screen. It has almost as good a graphics card as the MacBook.
Click to expand...

The Air and Macbook have the exact same graphic card. So it isn't almost anything. It is the same.
 
clyde2801 said:
You're paying a premium price for the design and the OP said he's not happy about losing the ports on the air.
Click to expand...

And yet in his second post he mentions the Air as a choice so he's willing at accept the loss of ports. You always pay a premium for a smaller, lighter design, and for some people what its missing is a non-issue, especially if you have a desktop computer at your disposal.

Honestly, if I had an iMac or one of the new LED displays the lack of ports on the Air wouldn't be so much of a concern. At that point the display becomes a docking station.

hogfaninga said:
The Air and Macbook have the exact same graphic card. So it isn't almost anything. It is the same.
Click to expand...

In the keynote SJ said it was toned back a little, compared to the MacBook's, for heat reduction. It, and the Air in general, is still miles ahead of the 1st gen.

We can argue the validity of the Air all we want, but its up to him to decide if the Air fits his needs.
 
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