Macbook pro seems slow compared to old whitebook?

[jamin100]

Hi guys,

I recently sold my Mid 08 whitebook (core2Duo 2ghz, 3GB RAM,) for a new base model macbook pro 13" (2.26ghz, 2GB RAM)

I've noticed that this machine seems considerably slower than my old whitebook. Simple things like opening safari, importing photo's into iphoto and un zipping archives seem to be slower.

I'm also seeing the beachball a few times.

Now i know my white book had more RAM so i'm thinking about upping that to 4GB. BUT my whitebook also had a 7200RPM hard drive whereas this macbook pro is only 5400RPM.

I can't afford to do both at the moment so which upgrade do you recommend first? Hard Drive or RAM?

Can you suggest me a hard drive which will play nicely with this macbook pro? Looking for either a 250GB or 320GB but defiantly 7200RPM . .

Thanks

 

[dr. shdw]

Forget the RAM/7200rpm HD, save up and get a X25-M 80gb Gen2.

 

[jamin100]

i think SSD's are way to expensive and overkill for what i do on my computer.
Thanks for the suggestion though

 

[clyde2801]

Macworld tested the 2.26 with two and 4 gigs of ram, and the performance difference between the two was negligible. Considering that, and the fact that I can tell a noticeable difference when I've upgraded my laptops to a 7200, I'd have to say go with the faster hd.

 

[jamin100]

Macworld tested the 2.26 with two and 4 gigs of ram, and the performance difference between the two was negligible. Considering that, and the fact that I can tell a noticeable difference when I've upgraded my laptops to a 7200, I'd have to say go with the faster hd.

Thanks, can you recommend me any drives?

I had a 2 WD drives fail on me in the past year, which WD replaced each time but i think it may have been to do with the free fall sensor built into the drive not being compatible with my macbook . . .

I know the drives must be 9.5mm

Are there any portable HD's that come with 7200RPM drives?

 

[dr. shdw]

Thanks, can you recommend me any drives?

I had a 2 WD drives fail on me in the past year, which WD replaced each time but i think it may have been to do with the free fall sensor built into the drive not being compatible with my macbook . . .

I know the drives must be 9.5mm

Are there any portable HD's that come with 7200RPM drives?

WD3200BEKT

You'd think a SSD wouldn't help in your case, but you're dearly wrong. It's like going from a 1ghz Pentium to a Quad Core i7.

 

[jamin100]

WD3200BEKT

You'd think a SSD wouldn't help in your case, but you're dearly wrong. It's like going from a 1ghz Pentium to a Quad Core i7.

yes but i can get a 320 7200RPM HD for £50 where as a 160GB SSD will cost me nearly £200

 

[dr. shdw]

yes but i can get a 320 7200RPM HD for £50 where as a 160GB SSD will cost me nearly £200

Yes but it's not really worth the price/performance gain. Might as well save up for a SSD. Also the SATA port on the new MBP 13" is all fugly..

 

[farmermac]

Macworld tested the 2.26 with two and 4 gigs of ram, and the performance difference between the two was negligible. Considering that, and the fact that I can tell a noticeable difference when I've upgraded my laptops to a 7200, I'd have to say go with the faster hd.

Benchmarks =/= real life

My umbp is crawling with only 2gb (really 1.75 after the video takes its share) compared to my similar spec iMac. If you only have 1 app open, its comparable, but once you gobble up the 1.75 which is very easy to do, you hit a brick wall.