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Macbook Pro or Blackbook

B

bern1812

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 1, 2008
99
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I know I know...Noob use the search feature! but this is less about what I do on the laptop and more about value.

Through my college I have the opportunity to get a Blackbook for around 1400 dollars, complete with applecare, or a Macbook Pro for around 1800 dollars complete with apple care. Is the Macbook Pro really worth the extra 400 dollars? I really only do Web surfing, Word Processing and email, along with light video editing. Is 400 dollars worth it for the LED screen and the added real estate, seeing as i really dont have much of a need for the graphics card, or should i stick with a blackbook and get a monitor with the money i save?
 
IMHO the only thing better about the pro is the graphics card. Everyone always has something bad to say about the integrated graphics card in the MacBooks but, they are perfectly capable of HD video and even gaming. Besides, with the extra $400 you can buy a PS3 and be a real gamer.
 
If durability is an issue think macbook pro. The aluminum is much more durable, and shows less wear than the black macbooks do. The screen really is much nicer than the macbooks and makes web surfing that much more fun. Of course i have a macbook pro so i'm probably biased.
 
my university offered the same thing, and i went for the MBP. only because of the money i was saving. if i look at it like i was walking into the apple store, i was sorta getting a MBP for the price of a black book. If that makes any sense.

you will love the screen size and power of the MBP. go with it.

and what University do you go to?
 
i'd pick the 15" Pro...i don't understand why people would pay a premium just so that their macbook would look like any generic PC laptops from ten years ago...:confused:
 
tMac85 said:
my university offered the same thing, and i went for the MBP. only because of the money i was saving. if i look at it like i was walking into the apple store, i was sorta getting a MBP for the price of a black book. If that makes any sense.

you will love the screen size and power of the MBP. go with it.

and what University do you go to?
Click to expand...

Im goin to Miami University next year...the real Miami, the one in Ohio:cool:
 
I'm actually in the same boat as with the OP right now. But I think I'm getting the baseline MacBook Pro. Anything else that I needed to know about the baseline MBP? BTW, its screen is already LED right?
 
don't forget that the black macbook is going to be a little more portable than the macbook pro if you're planning on taking it to and from lectures etc.

personally i think the keyboard on the macbook pro is enough of a reason to get the pro.
 
bern1812 said:
I know I know...Noob use the search feature! but this is less about what I do on the laptop and more about value.

Through my college I have the opportunity to get a Blackbook for around 1400 dollars, complete with applecare, or a Macbook Pro for around 1800 dollars complete with apple care. Is the Macbook Pro really worth the extra 400 dollars? I really only do Web surfing, Word Processing and email, along with light video editing. Is 400 dollars worth it for the LED screen and the added real estate, seeing as i really dont have much of a need for the graphics card, or should i stick with a blackbook and get a monitor with the money i save?
Click to expand...

When I think of buying any electronics I think of bang for your buck in reference to how you the equipment will be put to use. If you get a MBP you have all the features, if you don't need them then get the MB, macs statistically have a awesome resale value so if you need more just sell it and buy another. My school will only let me buy one Computer per school year though.

cheers
 
I find that having a 15" screen is really nice for extended sessions with typing papers, web surfing, and recording (which I am just throwing in there to compare with your video editing)

The backlit keyboard is nice for typing in darker dorm room (as to not disturb others), but that feature is just a nice bonus, not actually WORTH $400.

Ultimately, getting the MBP will allow you to expand your light viodeo editing hobby if you ever choose to do so without having to get a new computer.
 
paul.b.davis said:
I find that having a 15" screen is really nice for extended sessions with typing papers, web surfing, and recording (which I am just throwing in there to compare with your video editing)

The backlit keyboard is nice for typing in darker dorm room (as to not disturb others), but that fature is just a nice bonus, not actually WORTH $400.

Ultimately, getting the MBP will allow you to expand your light viodeo editing hobby if you ever choose to do so without having to get a new computer.
Click to expand...

...And, if you get a pro you can learn to spell and type like Paul.:rolleyes:
 
I had to make a similar decision and ended up buying the Black MB. I don't regret it, I actually like the keyboard more than my old PB as the spacing between seems to make more accurate. It is still a good looking laptop and does all the things you should need to do. I play a lot of flight sim games and the integrated graphics do just fine, Ok the fans kick in around 5000 RPM, but that's what they are meant to do, right?

I also prefer to have a top end lower model than a bottom end, high spec, if you see what I mean.
 
Hey bern...
I have had both in the past 8 months and here is why...
I originally purchased the Blackbook and loved it! Great machine and looks great...at first. After a while you will see wear on the touchpad and keyboard. The black matte finish is worn off by your finger tips! Looks horrible in my opinion. Of course, apple care will replace the everything, but it is still a pain.

My MBP is great! It is the basic 15" model. It is really not that much more to carry around and looks so much better. For what you are doing, the MBP would be overkill, but you never know what you might have to do for school and it is always better to have more power than less. I do a lot of video editing and run quite a few apps at the same time and have found that the MBP runs a lot smoother and faster than my Blackbook ever did or could.

Have fun in school, enjoy it but stay focused!
 
I have both. First I bought a blackbook about a year ago (upgraded from my 15" 1.5ghz powerbook - or at least I thought it was going to be an upgrade at the time I bought it). I now also have the latest and greatest 17" MBP which arrived last week.
While there is nothing "wrong" with buying the blackbook I think the pro machines are much better for the following reasons (speaking from personal experience):

1. Screen - even my old powerbook screen looks better than the blackbook screen. Maybe this is because I now realize I don't like glossy screens (now after using glossy for a year I definitely feel matte is better). Extra screen size also makes a huge difference. Powerbook was much better in this department and my new 17" MBP LED screen is simply stunning - looks better than my 24" iMac which also looks great). Extra resolution offered on pro machines is also an obvious advantage (requires less scrolling so if you need laptop for web browsing this may be a bigger deal than you may realize).

2. Keyboard - it feels so good to be back on old friendly keyboard I was used to when using powerbooks (now that I have the MBP). I can't stand the macbook keyboards (and don't like the new iMac keyboards either). It will be a very sad day when next generation of MPB's come out and the great keyboards are gone for good (at least I'm affraid this is going to happen). Actually this was the main reason I decided to pull the trigger and buy the MBP now (to get a really up to date Apple machine with great keyboard - now that they are still available in this probably last generation).

3. Performance - I wanted to try installing and running Vista (on a small separate partition). I work in IT and windows is unfortunately still used a lot so I feel like I have to learn Vista insides sooner or later so this is a good way to get into it without blowing money for a dedicated windows computer. I'm not sure how well the blackbook would have done with Vista in terms of performance but 17" 2.6ghz pro with 4g ram runs so smooth - it is actually fun to use and Aero graphics look very nice - i'ts hard to swallow saying this but I'm positively surprised by Vista after all the negatives I have heard and my own experience with MS products in the past did not lead me to believe I would like it - I don't actually mind booting into that at all).

4. Ports - firewire 800 is much more useful than people think (especially now with all the huge multimedia files making ways to our hard drives).

5. I offered my 9 year old son a choice between my old powerbook and blackbook and he immediately picked the powerbook (told me he hates the keyboard on the blackbook - arrived to this conclusion independently and I was shocked to hear this!).

6. I hate the sharp edges on the blackbook (my wrists quickly get sore after rubbing against those edges while I type - combine that with horrible keyboard and it ruins the fun of using the computer).
 
I bought a MacBook Pro last summer even though all I really wanted to use it for was internet and syncing with my iPhone. I liked the bigger screen size. The light up keyboard has never been useful to me, not even once in all these months.

What I do like:

Bright Display
Keyboard easy to read
Case always stays looking sharp and clean

It does show some wear on a few of the keys and the touchpad as all computers will over time. I refuse to hide the beauty of this laptop by using a keyboard cover.

I then bought a BlackBook last week just for something different. I like this laptop just as much as my MBP. With the correct color profile, the display looks almost as nice as my MBPs screen, just not as bright. Side by side, the colors on the same webpage look almost identical, just the MBPs colors look a tiny bit deeper.

A few minor annoyances:

Keyboard hard to read in certain lighting conditions mainly because well, it's all black with white print on the keys.
Viewing angles aren't the greatest while viewing movies. It is the only time I have had a problem with the viewing angles.

The MacBook rarely gets hot and is very light and easy to carry around. The smaller screen size really does not bother me as I thought it would and using a mighty mouse with it's ability to side scroll, helps a great deal with that.

The MacBook is about as fast at doing everyday tasks as my MBP even though my MBP is a 2.0GHZ with 4GB ram. My MacBook still has the standard 2.

There appear to be several LCD panel manufacturers that Apple is using for the MacBook and some of them are causing the dithering complaints that appear in all the usual forums lately. Mine has of the good displays and that is likely why I am extremely pleased with it. Others aren't so lucky and get the ones with the bad displays and assume that all the new MacBooks must have the same problems.
 
The MB will certainly satisfy all of your needs with ease. However, if you have the $400 to spend, the MBP is, in my opinion, the better computer and value long term.

Consider a few of the features or options you get with a MBP that the MB cannot offer: option for a matte screen (if that's your inclination), backlit keyboard with ambient light sensors (cannot tell how how incredibly useful and practical that has been for me), better graphics card (think long term, digital photography/video editing as you get older), multitouch trackpad & LED monitors, bigger screen for pretty much the same weight of computer (extra real estate is always better) and a much better monitor image. Also, I prefer the aesthetics of the MBP, but that's just me.

If the above is worth $400 to you, there's your decision. If you don't care for these things, or are indifferent, then you are a future Blackbook owner. The beauty of your conundrum is, either way, you win. Enjoy the new Mac.
 
Another Vote for MacBook Pro

I say go for the MBP.

After owning a new Penryn BlackBook for just a few weeks, I have decided to sell it and purchase a new mid-range MBP. While I really appreciate the MacBook's smaller size and magnetic latch, I have ultimately decided that the MBP will be a better desktop replacement computer (at least for me).

I currently have my BlackBook hooked up to a 22" LCD now (does a fantastic job BTW), but I appreciate the fact that the MBP can handle a 30" LCD as I may want to upgrade in a year or so. Speaking of LCD's, I really prefer the matte finish and LED lighting found in the MBP display.

I also decided that I wanted a computer that would stand the course of time spec-wise and be capable of doing practically anything that I wanted it to do (3D Final Cut effects, games, etc).

While the MacBook has served me well, I won't have any regrets after purchasing a MBP (unless I get a lemon). Good luck with your decision!
 
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