Refurb 2.66 17" uMBP or 2.6 17" non unibody MBP?

[Quad 2.5 G5 =)]

I have been wondering wether to get a 2.66 17" refurb MBP that is unibody, or a 2.6 non unibody MBP. What's the glass trackpad like? I am also going to upgrade my MB with 6GB RAM and a 500GB 7200RPM HDD. Would the aluminum MBP be better, so I can swap the RAM and the hard drive? Also, how does the MBP handle games, and which one would do gaming better?
For those wanting me to look at a 15" MBP, I owned a 17" PowerBook and the weight never seemed to be that much of a bother. I would be getting the last-gen non-unibody MBP with a high-res LED screen.

 

[thegoldenmackid]

Refurb all the way. Can someone say batter life. In terms of ease of upgrade in the words of the Apple Genius "they each have their own unique challenging parts."

 

[MacMini2009]

The Non-Unibody 17in Macbook Pro has a defective GPU that can fail at any time.

 

[Quad 2.5 G5 =)]

Refurb all the way. Can someone say batter life. In terms of ease of upgrade in the words of the Apple Genius "they each have their own unique challenging parts."

Is it as hard as replacing a PB 17" HDD? (which I have done before)

 

[Bill Gates]

Go for the refurb. You only need one reason; the GPU isn't the failure prone 8600M GT.

 

[Quad 2.5 G5 =)]

Go for the refurb. You only need one reason; the GPU isn't the failure prone 8600M GT.

Here is a link...http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2377
... it doesn't look like the one I'm looking for is affected.

 

[Bill Gates]

Here is a link...http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2377
... it doesn't look like the one I'm looking for is affected.

Specific products affected:

MacBook Pro 15-inch and 17-inch models with NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics processors
MacBook Pro (17-Inch, 2.4GHz)
MacBook Pro (15-Inch, 2.4/2.2GHz)
MacBook Pro (Early 2008)

I put the model you are considering in boldface. As you can see, it's affected.

 

[11800506]

Is it as hard as replacing a PB 17" HDD? (which I have done before)

Replacing parts on the Unibody is very simple. All you have to do is unscrew the bottom part and you have easy access to the Ram and Hard drive.

And I would definitely go for the Unibody refurb. The glass trackpad is wonderful to use, and you'll enjoy it much more than the older one.

 

[mcpryon2]

I recently picked up a refurb 17" 2.66GHz unibody and love it. I've had a few iMacs and Airs that I really liked, but this was the first one I started using and thought, THIS is my Mac.

 

[Quad 2.5 G5 =)]

I put the model you are considering in boldface. As you can see, it's affected.

I am actually looking at model A1261, which is the "Late 2008" model.
It isn't listed in that list.

 

[Bill Gates]

I am actually looking at model A1261, which is the "Late 2008" model.
It isn't listed in that list.

I see, and I apologize. However, I still stand by my earlier statement about the faulty GPU. It's widely believed that all 8600M GT's are affected. I would not buy any MacBook Pro with that GPU.

 

[Quad 2.5 G5 =)]

I see, and I apologize. However, I still stand by my earlier statement about the faulty GPU. It's widely believed that all 8600M GT's are affected. I would not buy any MacBook Pro with that GPU.

It isn't your fault. I see your reasoning, though, so I don't know.
I really liked my PowerBook 17" and I want a mac like that again. However, I am NOT purchasing a MBP with a possibly faulty GPU just for its appearance, This next 17" MacBook Pro will replace my MB and be a replacement for the 17" PB that I had a long time ago. Also, I will sell my Quad, and get a Quad or 8 core first-gen Mac Pro. But I won't sell my 12" PB, ever.

 

[Bill Gates]

It isn't your fault. I see your reasoning, though, so I don't know.
I really liked my PowerBook 17" and I want a mac like that again. However, I am NOT purchasing a MBP with a possibly faulty GPU just for its appearance, This next 17" MacBook Pro will replace my MB and be a replacement for the 17" PB that I had a long time ago. Also, I will sell my Quad, and get a Quad or 8 core first-gen Mac Pro. But I won't sell my 12" PB, ever.

Just because the older model isn't a good choice doesn't leave you in a sour spot. The unibody machine is a better computer all-around anyway. The glass trackpad is excellent, and I really love it's large surface area and the gestures that I can input with it. The build quality is far superior as well; the system really feels much sturdier than the old models and doesn't flex a millimeter. There's also the fact that the unibody 17" has an integrated battery that provides more life than one could hope for in such a thin and light notebook. If you're hoping for longevity, I see no reason why the unibody model wouldn't fit your needs.

 

[icanboogie]

Get the refurb unibody 17, best with antireflection display:
Great machine, you'll love it!

although I have the classic MBP 17 (late 2008) and I really like it, I would go for the refurbished unibody MBP 17 - but only if you get one with antireflection display. The new glassy displays are really a pain in the eyes.... the old, classic MBP gloss is fine, though.

And indeed, all old MBP with the 8600M seem to be affected, also the late 2008 ones. (like mine ) There are many, veryvery long posts on this matter here in the forum...