MBP 15" i5 vs i7! Help!

[xPAULx]

Hey guys!
Im looking to buy a MBP 15" but im not sure what version to get the i5 or the i7?

I Do a degree in multimedia so I will be using it for pretty hardware intensive tasks Eg Maya, Logic, After effects etc.
I currently have a 24" iMac which I have had for 2 years and still going strong!

I will be upgrading the laptop to 8GB of RAM , 7200RPM 500GB hardrive and hi res antiglare screen.

I can get student discount on it but is the price difference between the to laptops worth it?

Please help!
Thanks!

 

[millertime021]

Try using Mroogle. There are lots of threads about this. I've even started one a while back.


But I'd say if you can get the student discount get the i7. Some people says it's not worth the upgrade proce, but your student discount (plus iPod deal now) will basically make the i7 the same price as the high end i5.
Plus if you use processor intensive apps, then you should benefit from the extra processing power.

 

[npropes]

The i7 will be faster than the i5. However, the current running speed isn't where you'll notice a big difference. The increased speed of the i7 will probably allow you to continue to use the MBP an extra year. I'm assuming that you're just starting your degree. The other thing you can look at is the computer access that your university has. Many schools here allow students to use some very powerful computers on campus. I always found that it was easier for me to go to the computer labs and use the school's high end computers than for me to spend a lot of my own money and try to do things at home.

Also, you'll want to go and take a good long look at that hi-res display on the 15". Many people are dissatisfied with it due to the pixel density being difficult to read. Personally, I'd get a 13" MBP and a 24" external monitor or a 13" MBP and a 27" iMac if I was going back to college today.

 

[Hellhammer]

IMO, unless it's work related where faster computer means more productivity which means more money, just get the base 15".