New Macbook or Old Pro?

[MartiNZ]

Yes the old MacBook Pro is superior to the new MacBook.

However, if they had done this shake up back in February, I would have bought an MB rather than the MBP I did. At that time the MB's graphics were much poorer, the MB's display was much lower quality, and the case was cheap plastic with many reports of cracks and breaks as well as general hard-to-keep-clean-ness.

For -me-, these points added up to far more than the "no firewire", to which we are now reduced to most intents and purposes. Yes there is still a graphics gap - early reports suggest that the aluminium MB's 9400 gives about 55% the performance of the old MBP's 8600, but compared to 11% for the X3100....

And that's just on the technical, without considering the size, weight and all-important look .

 

[alexlovesmacs]

I'll be getting the pro soon

 

[TheReef]

Yep it's some kind of audience shift. I couldn't even remember if the 12" PB had firewire. I never used the one on mine. The FW switching back and forward of late is a bit darn odd though - the first MBP didn't have an 800 or something?

And now they're using FW to differentiate the market. I guess with the improved graphics and technology parity between the MB and MBP, they needed some separators ... FW, express card, graphics - is that it now? I do like that they are no longer separating on the technology though; the LED-backlighting and massive graphics gap were big pushes to the pro in February.

So it's a 12" PB replacement for part of its former market, and it's just sad for the other part .

A pretty unfortunate differentiation. Every Mac no matter what end of the spectrum it was at had FireWire…until now. (Air doesn't count).
Why not give the MacBook Pro a new feature that helps set it from the rest, rather than robbing simple things that have been standard on Apple's budget notebooks for years (my PB G3 also has it, of which I still use). How about Blue-Ray to differentiate instead.

 

[dougnewman]

And that's just on the technical, without considering the size, weight and all-important look .

Well, look is subjective.

Size... Well, what's more important to you, a small notebook or a big screen?

I will concede that less weight is for all intents and purposes always better.

 

[CommodityFetish]

I just ordered the refurb MBP from February's release. By my calculations only $160 more than today's MB release, and a lot more for the money!


I do like the new MB's, was waiting for them but can't pass up that deal on the MBP. Maybe for the next laptop 5 more years down the road...

 

[andiwm2003]

i decided for the refurb 2.5GHz MBP for US $1499. Main reason was the matte display and the firewire ports. I would have liked a 13 inch MB that is 1 pound less heavy. But you get a lot more bang for the buck with the refurb MBP. the 512MB 8600M GT is better, larger screen, express card slot is good for future expansion (esata or so).