Macbook Pro 15"

[DeChrii]

Hey all, so after hearing about the promotion this year, I've decided to order a mbp 15" base model from macmall instead of apple because of the lower price and no sales tax. Anyways my original idea was if apple had the ipod (I would resell for 150) I could order from apple with the hi-res ag and end up paying about 1700 or so after selling the ipod. In this years case the ipod isnt in the promotion and therefore ordering from macmall for $1663 w/o hi-res ag was my next option. When I was about to hit buy, I had a second thought about the high end model being at $1982 which is $324 more than what I had expected and that is without the anti-glare.

I am unsure on which to purchase:
15" base model no hi-res ag (macmall) - $1658
15" base model hi res ag (from apple including tax) - $1962
15" high-end model no hi-res ag (macmall) - $1982

Now seeing that the low end with ag is 300 more seems a little too pricey for the upgrade. If i wanted to buy the ag from macmall, the upgrade price is +$244. So I'm not sure if upgrading to AG for that much more is worth it so I guess my real decision is if I should upgrade to the higher end model at $324.

Now what am I going to use the computer for? I'm going to be doing high-end hd video editing as I'm going into film school and studying film as a major. I currently work as a video editor as well so I think the higher end might do me better but what do you guys think. I'm not a big computer gamer though.

All help appreciated! Thanks!

 

[superericla]

For the most part, editing video doesn't take much advantage of the GPU so you probably don't need high end. The main decision you need to make is if you want anti glare or not.

 

[dusk007]

Yes the HD video even the Intel GPU can handly pretty well and the 6750 offers the very same UVD3 unit the 6490 has. There is 0 difference in media capability. Mondern GPUs use about 5% of their DIE size for actual mediawork. GPGPU accelerated encodeing never really took off, probably for a reason. Intel's Quick Sync is really good though but it only requires the Intel GPU and no dedicated GPU at all.

Really only for Games and CAD a decent GPU does something good.

But get AG and afaik there is no non high res AG. It is always high res.

 

[Orlandoech]

Get AG for sure. ITs awesome.

 

[polbit]

+1 AG. Best screen I've owned.

 

[h00ligan]

BTO the low end high res from apple with education discount..tax is offset with the discount and the $100 gift card. I'm not sure why macmall is charging $300 more, what else is different.

 

[DeChrii]

BTO the low end high res from apple with education discount..tax is offset with the discount and the $100 gift card. I'm not sure why macmall is charging $300 more, what else is different.

It seems like the lower end model is a better buy for video editing I guess. Now Macmall is charging $300 more because they're an aurthorized reseller so to get the custom upgrades, they would have to go through apple and therefore their "discount" is gone meaning you pay pretty much the same as from apple. (my guess)

Since the difference from base end no ag to w/ ag is around 300 to upgrade which is so much more, i'm not sure if its worth paying that much. I included the educational discounts in the option through apple and the $100 gift card wont be used at all so that really wont matter to me.

What I might end up doing is since i'm paying only $1648 (macmall went even lower today) then I can spend the rest that I could of spent on the ag/high-end on 8gigs of ram and possibly an ssd in the future.