MBP vs MB ..but this is different from the others

[jeffgtr]

I just sold my beloved 12" ibook and going to buy a new laptop. I have a dual g5 2.0 desktop, plenty fast enough. Here is my quandary.
I typically have Coldfusion server, mysql, apache, Dreamweaver CS3, Photoshop CS3, sometimes TextMate, sometimes Flash Pro CS3, Transmit, Mail, ICal, Entourage if I"m telecommuting all running the same time. All of my graphics are for the web so the file sizes are not enormous.

I very rarely play games. There is a possibility I might need to dual boot into XP if my windows machine dies, however I seldom use it.

I also record music using Cubase3 and a few audio plugins, however this is normally on the desktop, I might on occasion take the laptop to band practice and record perhaps 6 tracks at once using an Alesis Multimix.

For the most part the Ibook G4 believe it or not worked out ok, however once I threw ColdFusion8 into the mix things bogged down, and it would be nice to have a larger screen.

The big plus I see with the Macbook is durability and portability. Granted I tote the laptop back and forth to work, into the living room, out on the porch and then there s the occasional jaunt into the fields with the telescope (I use stelarrium) so it's not like it will be abused. The plusses for the MacBook Pro are obvious, but I don't want to spend more money than I have to.

The thing is I need to do something fairly quickly. I make my living with the computer and I can't go without a laptop for very long. I know the new Macbooks are rumored to come out soon, but I need to do something by 11/9 at the very latest.

Sorry to ask the same questions as everyone else, however my needs are a little different than the others I've read lately and this forum always seems to put me on the right path.

 

[ktbubster]

I may be wrong, but it doesn't seem like any programs you use are graphic card intensive, so the integrated graphics of the macbook should be fine. So... max the ram out on a normal macbook and you should be AOK. I think it would suit your needs perfectly.

If you want a bigger screen though... and can't wait till the macbooks are updated ... I'd go with a low end macbook pro (you can max the ram to 4gb instead of the macbooks 2/3) and get a nice hard spec case if you are planning on being a little rougher with it (mine handles commute to and from classes and teh shop just fine, but you never know... outside and such)

Otherwise, wait if you can till next week ... if the new macbooks come out, pick one up, but if not, low end macbook pro may be the way to go for now?

Personally, I'd have gotten a macbook if I could have done with the integrated graphics

 

[MarlboroLite]

Hmm I don't see why people view the MBP as not being very portable--at least the the 15 inch one is very portable. I've been using a mammoth desktop replacement Pentium 4 Sony Vaio from 2004 that weighs about 9.5 pounds! Now that is totally awful in the portability department.

I'm thinking of getting the 15 inch 2.2 Ghz MBP and at only 5.4 pounds I thought it was extremely light, I couldn't believe what I've been missing all these years when I picked it up at an Apple Store. But you should get what you need at the end....if you think you want a MB then wait like everyone says for 1 or two weeks to see if they come out with a brand new one...

 

[jeffgtr]

Thought I would post a follow up. I wound up purchasing one of the new macbooks. I'm quite happy with it. There does seem to be an issue getting coldfusion8 to run with leopard and mysql. After reading through the forums I came across this solution http://www.cfinternals.org/blog/2007/06/deploying_coldf_2.html#more
Since I do on occasion need windows to open Access files this seems to be a very workable solution, plus by running virtual machines you can test pages on IE6 and IE7. I've ordered 4 gigs of ram. I'm quite happy with the size of the macbook as opposed to the pro. My only wish is that I would have ordered with a 160 gb drive but that is my only regret.

 

[compuguy1088]

Hmm I don't see why people view the MBP as not being very portable--at least the the 15 inch one is very portable. I've been using a mammoth desktop replacement Pentium 4 Sony Vaio from 2004 that weighs about 9.5 pounds! Now that is totally awful in the portability department.

I'm thinking of getting the 15 inch 2.2 Ghz MBP and at only 5.4 pounds I thought it was extremely light, I couldn't believe what I've been missing all these years when I picked it up at an Apple Store. But you should get what you need at the end....if you think you want a MB then wait like everyone says for 1 or two weeks to see if they come out with a brand new one...

I've been carrying around my MBP for the past couple of months, and it isn't that encumbering to carry around.