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MBP faster harddisk upgrade vs faster processor upgrade which is more important

K

kmac88

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 11, 2009
45
0
AUSTRALIA
Hi, will be ordering my first mac computer in a week. i have a set budget of $3700 AU. looking to get the recently announced macbook pro 15inch 2.8GHZ.
Would like to upgrade the specs, but not sure whether to go for 3.06 GHZ processor upgrade or 500GB 7200rpm(faster) harddrive upgrade. Would like to choose both but unfortunately do not have the budget to spend that much.
Could someone give me some advice which is more important and which i should upgrade?

A little about me..
  • first time mac user.
  • 3rd year architecture student.so mainly be using the computer for 2d and 3d Cad programs and design programs (photoshop, illustrator...etc). other uses include, light gaming, watching movies and listening to music.

Thanks
 
but $$$?

yeah, but if upgrade the processor and buy an extra 3rd party harddrive it will still be out of my price range... also im abit of a noob, wouldn't know how to change it and what to do with the other harddrive.

which is more important? hardrive or faster processor
Another option is to go with 320gb 7200rpm, it might not be 500gb but it's faster. and get the processor upgrade as well
 
kmac88 said:
yeah, but if upgrade the processor and buy an extra 3rd party harddrive it will still be out of my price range... also im abit of a noob, wouldn't know how to change it and what to do with the other harddrive.

which is more important? hardrive or faster processor
Another option is to go with 320gb 7200rpm, it might not be 500gb but it's faster. and get the processor upgrade as well
Click to expand...

Honestly, the difference between 2.8GHz and 3.06GHz shouldn't even matter.


Use this link, find your MBP model, and you'll learn how to switch hard drives:

http://support.apple.com/manuals/#macbookpro
 
Hi. I was going to check the price differences, but the Apple Store site kept crashing every time I hit the Store button. Must be that phone thing...

Like the previous poster said, the processor difference will be negligible, The 5400 and 7200 drives transfer data at the same rare (limited by bus speed) but the faster spin will find it much faster. Folks on the forum say the upgrade for the 7200 is worth it.

Dale
 
Get a faster professor as it is not upgradable. You can always get a faster HD whenever you like.
 
post-upgrading

I probably wont be upgrading once i received the product. So what ever i configure before buying, will be the only upgrade i will be doing.

BTW.. I already have 2x 250gb external harddrive, but it has been filled up already
 
If you do not plan on ever upgrading I would suggest the faster harddrive. Faster harddrives in laptops make laptops feel like desktops.
 
Tallest Skil said:
NEVER buy hard drives from Apple.

Get the CPU, buy a HDD separate, install it yourself.
Click to expand...

Never? What if I only wanted to upgrade from a 160 to a 250. It only costs me $55. Saves me the trouble of having to transfer my data/reinstall OS. What do you suggest?
 
Generally Apple harddrives and ram are lots more expensive but they have came down in cost as of late which is why everyone is telling you not to buy from apple.
 
Price for uprgrade

It is $432 AU to upgrade to 3.06 GHZ from 2.8
and for harddrive - $72 to go from 500gb 5400rpm to 320GB 7200rpm or
add $144 to go from 500gb 5400rpm to 500gb 7200rpm

So to wrap it up..

2.8GHZ, 500GB 7200RPM -A$ 3,471.00
or
3.08GHZ 500gb 5400rpm - A$ 3,831.00
or
3.08 GHZ, 320GB 7200RPM - A$ 3,759.00
 
Have you checked out the prices with student discount?
You may find it's a bit cheaper.

Alternatively you could even sign yourself up as a Student Apple Developer, you don't have to be studying programming, just be a student.

I'm studying a Dip of IT part time and it just cost me $120 AUS to become Student AD, but it will give me a discount of over $700 on the top end 15" MBP. :D
Just have to wait for this months pay to clear so I can order it!!!

This way, you could have the faster processor AND faster HDD, and it would still be cheaper than what you had been looking at!
 
Student price

hey Scarecrow01, thanks. but the price is with student discount. so they are the prices i am looking at, with A$ 3,831.00 at max
 
Upgrade the CPU first, then get the Hard Drive later. Why don't you ask around to see how much it would cost to have a apple certified tech do the upgrade for you? Then you can compare with the base model hard drive.
 
kmac88 said:
I probably wont be upgrading once i received the product. So what ever i configure before buying, will be the only upgrade i will be doing.

BTW.. I already have 2x 250gb external harddrive, but it has been filled up already
Click to expand...

I don't think you should be dead set on not upgrading it later on. Its very easy to upgrade the RAM and HDD!

Personally, Id get the 3.06 processor now then get a 7200rpm drive in the future
 
BlizzardBomb said:
This is coming from the person who said...



Bit of a U-Turn?
Click to expand...

YES! ROASTED!

hahahahahahaha

that post made my day

EDIT: nothing personal, tallest skil has gotta be one of the more engaging forum members on this site :)

Also, to be on topic, I'd consider the HD if you think of yourself as a "noob" with no desire to upgrade later down the road.

the processor would be a better idea if you want to empower yourself and learn2upgrade later down the line (if you absolutely wanted to have "the best" specs.)

but really i don't think the better processor is worth the money. save on it and get applecare / something worth 400 bucks.
 
kmac88 said:
hey Scarecrow01, thanks. but the price is with student discount. so they are the prices i am looking at, with A$ 3,831.00 at max
Click to expand...

These are the prices with the standard student discount.

If you sign up as a student developer, you pay A$120, and then get a one off hardware discount through the ADC Hardware Purchase Program.

It equates to about 20% off. I'm just about to order mine and it comes in a hell of a lot cheaper.

Check out
http://developer.apple.com/products/membership.html

and
http://store.apple.com/au_epp-discounted_55827

Hope this helps clear it up.
 
wow

wow Scarecrow01 :eek: , i didn't realize that there were difference between normal uni student discount and student developer discount. Big savings aye. thanks for the information!

BTW what is the ADC membership? what does the membership offer me apart from discount? does it affect my purchasing? e.g. warranty...etc? do i join ADC from an Australian website? or the US website?
 
kmac88 said:
wow Scarecrow01 :eek: , i didn't realize that there were difference between normal uni student discount and student developer discount. Big savings aye. thanks for the information!

BTW what is the ADC membership? what does the membership offer me apart from discount? does it affect my purchasing? e.g. warranty...etc? do i join ADC from an Australian website? or the US website?
Click to expand...

THE ADC membership is meant for students majoring in a computer-related major such as Computer Science/ITT. It is meant for development purchases only and if you're found out to be misusing the program (they require a transcript and take a look at your classes) you'll be denied membership and lose your $120 AUD.
 
Adc Memberhsip

Warelin said:
THE ADC membership is meant for students majoring in a computer-related major such as Computer Science/ITT. It is meant for development purchases only and if you're found out to be misusing the program (they require a transcript and take a look at your classes) you'll be denied membership and lose your $120 AUD.
Click to expand...

so, you have to be in a computer-related major? but ihaven't heard anyone finding about such.. what if your a hobbie computer developer? developing part time as well as studying architecture at uni?
 
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