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Opinions needed: 2.53GHz 13" vs 2.66GHz 15"

Hey thanks a lot for your help - very useful. A noticeable difference in screen quality - even in comparison to the MBA. this is a set back
 
despite the screen issue, I think I am going with the 13" (mainly due to price).

I just need to know whether to go for the low end or high end one.
I'm thinking of buying a internal hard drive seperately, 500gb 7200rpm (any recommendations)
 
Mac Head said:
despite the screen issue, I think I am going with the 13" (mainly due to price).

I just need to know whether to go for the low end or high end one.
I'm thinking of buying a internal hard drive seperately, 500gb 7200rpm (any recommendations)
Click to expand...

Go for the low end. Upgrade the RAM from crucial when you need 4GB and upgrade the HD yourself. I doubt you'll notice the slight increase in CPU.

It's not a bad decision. You can add an external screen if needed. I've agonized over it too and finally went back to my first love - the 17" model. :)

15 with a high res screen would be a no brainer but if I can't live with the 13 (i'm volunteering abroad and this would be my only computer with no external monitor) and would be getting the 15" anyway, then I may as well get the 17. That's what I have now and it's been all over the world with me and I even took it into work for a year transporting it everyday.

Have fun with your computer. You'll like it. I would have too if I hadn't seen the others first ... paralysis by over analysis lol

eV
 
The 8GB kit costs £576 :eek:
Luckily the 4GB doesn't cost half of that - only £46.

If i change out the 160GB hard drive as soon as I get the computer (160gb is nowhere near enough), will I be able to restore all the software on it, so it would be like turning on a new computer?

Planning to just order the base model, as recommended, and buy the ram and hdd and upgrade it straight away.
 
Mac Head said:
The 8GB kit costs £576 :eek:
Luckily the 4GB doesn't cost half of that - only £46.

If i change out the 160GB hard drive as soon as I get the computer (160gb is nowhere near enough), will I be able to restore all the software on it, so it would be like turning on a new computer?

Planning to just order the base model, as recommended, and buy the ram and hdd and upgrade it straight away.
Click to expand...

You can install Leopard from disks that came with your Mac. Upgrade RAM and HD when it comes, no reason to stick with old ones ;)
 
Cool.
Just wondering if there was a specific 500gb 7200rpm drive for the notebook that was tried, tested and recommended. I have heard there are some noise issues with some models...

Thanks
 
Mac Head said:
Cool.
Just wondering if there was a specific 500gb 7200rpm drive for the notebook that was tried, tested and recommended. I have heard there are some noise issues with some models...

Thanks
Click to expand...

Seagate 7200.4 drives are quite popular and they go up to 500GB.
 
Mac Head said:
The AS or ASG?
I think the ASG has some sort of shock protection.
Click to expand...

Yea, ASG has G-force protection. I looked from Finnish computer store and ASG model was two Euros more expensive. I would go for ASG 'cause if your Mac falls from table to floor, it won't break so easily
 
The screen on my new 13" MBP sems better to my untrained eye then the 15". Resolution is lower but for some one who has all three macbooks and an air. Your eyes very quickly get used to teh screen. It's like watching a movie on the nano, first few minutes are strange, but you get accustomed.

Also if you look at my past posts, I have compared my 2 macbooks with the 15" and shown how the screens to be blunt were crap. I the newer screen that were updated in april were much better, in the UMB's. However the new one in my 13" pro blows it out of the water.

I can now sell my mb air and keep my 13" pro with no compromises what so ever.
 
shoppy said:
The screen on my new 13" MBP sems better to my untrained eye then the 15".
Click to expand...
Is your other eye trained? :p

shoppy said:
Resolution is lower but... Your eyes very quickly get used to teh screen.
Click to expand...
I hope you're right. I'm considering going from a 16.4" to a 13.3" because I want a laptop with a smaller footprint... but I'm naturally a bit concerned about how I'll like the smaller screen (resolution and real estate).
 
This 13 inch should be ordered by next week.....

Any other 13 inch success stories/failures more than welcome!
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but if you're doing a lot of audio work, wouldn't the 15" be better seeing as it has separate audio in and out ports instead of just one combo port? Sorry if that's irrelevant to you or anything.
 
You raise a good point.
I highly doubt I will ever use the line input on the macbook pro... I will only ever use headphones.

But in the case of iChat etc, does the macbook pro have a built in mic?

Thanks
 
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