New Macbook Pro spec opinion

[Dtp8513]

I am going to get the new MBP today with the following specs:
# 2.3GHz Quad-core Intel Core i7
# 4GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x2GB
# 256GB Solid State Drive
# SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
# MacBook Pro 15-inch Hi-Res Antiglare Widescreen Display

What would you change? I was considering spending more to get the 500g or possibly 8 gig ram. I use the computer for basic purposes, but plan on using photoshop now.

 

[Tiki35]

I would not buy the RAM or SSD from Apple. I would buy them from third-party retailers for much cheaper (and faster for the SSD) and install them myself.

 

[vincenz]

Definitely get the ram from somewhere else. The prices to upgrade from apple are highway robbery. 8 gb ram is cheap nowadays.

 

[axu539]

Save yourself a lot of money. Don't buy the ram and ssd from Apple as they are MUCH cheaper and faster elsewhere. Also, I'd recommend against the processor upgrade, as 2 mb extra cache and .1 GHz extra click speed are noth worth $250 imo. Since you're just using photoshop, you'd hardly see a difference either.

 

[Dtp8513]

Im not very computer savy- is it difficult to install an SSD drive?

 

[jetjaguar]

the edu price of the 256gb ssd from apple is 450 while the 240gb from owc is 500+ .. i know the owc is way faster

i dont think i can go back to not using an ssd .. 90 for the 128gb ssd is a nice price but hardly any space

 

[axu539]

Im not very computer savy- is it difficult to install an SSD drive?

It'll literally take you 10 minutes tops. I think Apple even has a tutorial on the support site.

 

[Dtp8513]

Thanks.. I really appreciate all the feedback. I think the route im going to go is the lower processor, the 256 SSD, and the 4 gig ram.. the prices i saw for the other SSDs online werent THAT much cheaper, id pay a bit extra to have it preinstalled...