MBP for LR and PS

[bob5820]

Assuming the photo library is stored on an external drive

I'll most likely wait until Arrandale but I'm drunk and bored so anything could happen

 

[Morn]

Depends.
If you're dealing with large raw images, SSD might be worthwhile. Otherwise, if you're using a lot of filters on jpg's, I think you get more benefit from the CPU.
Might as well just wait for the i7 though.

 

[iBookG4user]

I'd go for the one with the SSD, as that'd most likely make a bigger difference than a slightly faster CPU.

 

[maflynn]

I'd say wait for arrandale, with one provision. Do you really want to buy a revision A laptop, especially one that will probably have many new "untested" components? By untested, I mean a brand new chipset that does not have any track record.

As the saying goes, if you need something now, get the computer now, if you can wait, then do so.

I bought my MBP last year, and I'm good for the next two or three years minimum. My 2.53 unibody MBP is plenty fast for me now, getting an i7 makes little sense for me in that it I'm paying a premium on performance that I don't need.

btw, I'm a LightRoom user as well, but I'd not consider myself a heavy user or anything.

 

[dan5.5]

I would wait. The improvements can be huge. The i5 iMacs are getting crazy good benchmarks.