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So I am making the MBP jump.

G

gopens

macrumors newbie
Original poster
I have been dealing with Windows for a very long time. I never saw the reason to pay 2-3 times more for the same specs on a Mac. Well I am tired of my Windows machine crashing and have to do full system reboots.

I am thinking of the MBP 13". I really want a 15" but can't really justify the extra 600 bucks right now. As a student, I can get the entry level 13" for 1099.00.

I hope the entry level would be just fine for me. I use Microsoft Office and will do some minor video editing. Oh and tons of basic web browsing. Whats your thought? Will the entry be just fine for me?

Another question I have is the 13" keyboard the same size as the 15"? Also is the track pad the same size on the 13" and 15" I have a Windows 11" netbook and the trackpad is so TINY.

Thanks
 
The 13" base is easily enough for your needs. The keyboard and trackpad are all the same size on the 13, 15 and 17 models.
 
Alaerian said:
Honestly, a MBP is overkill. Save the money and get a MacBook.
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I'd say the MacBook is a giant rip off at the moment. It would only be $150 cheaper with the edu discount, and it has a processor that is 2 generations older, half the RAM (2GB is pretty weak these days), and a smaller hard drive, with less I/O. MBP is definitely a better deal
 
gopens said:
I have been dealing with Windows for a very long time. I never saw the reason to pay 2-3 times more for the same specs on a Mac. Well I am tired of my Windows machine crashing and have to do full system reboots.
Click to expand...

You just answered yourself, that's what the higher margin's for.
 
MBP 13" for $1100 is a much better deal than the old-design MB for $950 - double the ram, i5 CPU, Sandy Bridge, bigger HD, much nicer case, thunderbolt, better camera, etc., etc., etc. Frankly, Apple needs to either discontinue or update MB, there is no place for it in the line up otherwise.
 
I have a 13 inch 2011 MBP and love it. I bumped the hard drive to 500GB for $45 (ed pricing) The only thing missing is at least an option for a higher resolution screen but its not a big deal.
 
Don't get the Macbook as the price difference is way too small and the hardware improvements are huge on the MBP. Maybe when Apple decides to upgrade the Macbook it will be worth it but until then...
 
all specs set aside. The MBP is far better than the MB just because:

1) its aluminum 😀
2) Thunderbolt 😀

These two alone make it worth the 200$. IMHO.

Now of course theres like 7 other hardware options that make the Pro much better, but pricewise these two make it very comparable to the macbook.

I would highly recommend, you getting a MBP just for These two previous notes.

IF you ge the 15, get the HD screen as well, WELL WORTH the money.
Sounds like you don't need any hardware upgrades, but you wont be complaining if you get a SSD.
 
Wait!!! Don

WAIT! DON'T BUY NOW. WAIT A LITTLE!

New MBP revision is due very soon. I know the feeling, I went trough the same frustration with Windows back in 2007. I bough my MBP under the condition of returning it if I didn't like MAC OS X. Also, I was going to buy a MAC Pro to complement it. In the end, I got the MBP fully loaded (except for RAM, which I bought directly from Crucial), and never had the need to get the MAC Pro. The MBP was good enough to handle all my tasks and now, three years later, still performs as expected.

New MBP will have some design changes: https://www.macrumors.com/2011/04/25/next-macbook-pro-to-get-new-case-design/
 
Made the switch to a 2011 13" MBP from a 2007 15" Latitude about a month ago. I loved the Dell's screen and it never gave me any trouble, but I needed something more portable for medical school in the fall. I consider myself a decently "tech-savvy" person and began to really become curious about Macs after I got my first iPhone 2 years ago. It's funny how many people are opened up to the world of Apple by their iOS 'toys' as some like to call them around this forum. Long story short is that you should run, not walk, and grab a base 2011 13". It is the best/fastest computer I have ever used. If you are at all familiar with how an OS works, OS X will be a breeze for you to learn and it just feels so much smoother in operation. Also, check out the app BetterTouchTool. It allows you to customize a million gestures and their actions on your touchpad. I have it set to open/close/cycle tabs in Firefox, quit/launch applications, and even make the computer go to sleep. Definitely worth checking out. Hope all goes well with your decision/purchase!
 
Amazing Iceman said:
WAIT! DON'T BUY NOW. WAIT A LITTLE!

New MBP revision is due very soon. I know the feeling, I went trough the same frustration with Windows back in 2007. I bough my MBP under the condition of returning it if I didn't like MAC OS X. Also, I was going to buy a MAC Pro to complement it. In the end, I got the MBP fully loaded (except for RAM, which I bought directly from Crucial), and never had the need to get the MAC Pro. The MBP was good enough to handle all my tasks and now, three years later, still performs as expected.

New MBP will have some design changes: https://www.macrumors.com/2011/04/25/next-macbook-pro-to-get-new-case-design/
Click to expand...

If by earlier next year you mean very soon, then yeah.
 
Amazing Iceman said:
WAIT! DON'T BUY NOW. WAIT A LITTLE!

New MBP revision is due very soon. I know the feeling, I went trough the same frustration with Windows back in 2007. I bough my MBP under the condition of returning it if I didn't like MAC OS X. Also, I was going to buy a MAC Pro to complement it. In the end, I got the MBP fully loaded (except for RAM, which I bought directly from Crucial), and never had the need to get the MAC Pro. The MBP was good enough to handle all my tasks and now, three years later, still performs as expected.

New MBP will have some design changes: https://www.macrumors.com/2011/04/25/next-macbook-pro-to-get-new-case-design/
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. I really appreciate it. 🙂

I am about to buy a 2011 MBP within the next few days but I guess I'll just wait for the redesign. 😀
 
SPEEDwithJJ said:
Thanks for the info. I really appreciate it. 🙂

I am about to buy a 2011 MBP within the next few days but I guess I'll just wait for the redesign. 😀
Click to expand...

Hey, get one now. The redesign is not going to be 'very soon' like Iceman said. It will be 2012 at the earliest, and these MBPs have just been updated with IMO the best stuff since the switch to unibody.
 
ThaDoggg said:
You might be waiting until early next year 😉. Quite a long time to wait IMO.
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cambookpro said:
Hey, get one now. The redesign is not going to be 'very soon' like Iceman said. It will be 2012 at the earliest, and these MBPs have just been updated with IMO the best stuff since the switch to unibody.
Click to expand...

kobyh15 said:
+1. Feb/Mar of 2012 for an update. The dang thing just got updated 2 months ago.
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Hey, you guys are absolutely correct that the redesign will happen only next year. 🙂 I wonder how the heck did I miss that? 😕 😱

I think it may make more sense for me to wait simply because I've never had any kind of luck getting decent resale values from selling my Macs. 🙁 Oh well, I guess it is gonna be a super long & "happy" wait for me. 😀
 
Not sure why everyone calls this an incremental upgrade to MBP. Sandy Bridge, quad core, Thunderbolt - all substantial changes. Yes, the case design hasn't changed, but unless you hate the current unibody, I see absolutely no reason to wait for the next upgrade cycle. These new MBP are an awesome upgrade, and I'm so glad I decided to get a Mac at this time. Ivy, next on Intel's path, is just a die shrink. Yes, they will run a little cooler, and be a little faster, but nothing revolutionary. It will be some time before the next MBP is substantially better than the current MBP.

Polbit
 
polbit said:
Not sure why everyone calls this an incremental upgrade to MBP. Sandy Bridge, quad core, Thunderbolt - all substantial changes. Yes, the case design hasn't changed, but unless you hate the current unibody, I see absolutely no reason to wait for the next upgrade cycle. These new MBP are an awesome upgrade, and I'm so glad I decided to get a Mac at this time. Ivy, next on Intel's path, is just a die shrink. Yes, they will run a little cooler, and be a little faster, but nothing revolutionary. It will be some time before the next MBP is substantially better than the current MBP.

Polbit
Click to expand...

At least, the chassis design of the new redesigned ones will not be "obsolete" in the next 3-4 years.... 😛
 
cambookpro said:
Hey, get one now. The redesign is not going to be 'very soon' like Iceman said. It will be 2012 at the earliest, and these MBPs have just been updated with IMO the best stuff since the switch to unibody.
Click to expand...

Agreed. And the 2011 is eminently upgradeable, whereas the 2012s may not be.
 
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