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mattnxtc

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 20, 2008
31
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This post will probably show how much of a newbie I am haha.

I have a pretty good discount through work on the MBP and a willing buyer for my Dell Desktop which means its MBP time!!

I had a few questions though:

1. Is it worth the upgrade to the 250gig hdd @7200rpms as opposed to the standard?

2. I keep hearing that everybody is buying Ram from a third party. Is that the best option? I will be running window XP as well so is it necessary to get 4 gigs?

3. Is Iworks worth it?
 
mattnxtc said:
This post will probably show how much of a newbie I am haha.

I have a pretty good discount through work on the MBP and a willing buyer for my Dell Desktop which means its MBP time!!

I had a few questions though:

1. Is it worth the upgrade to the 250gig hdd @7200rpms as opposed to the standard?

2. I keep hearing that everybody is buying Ram from a third party. Is that the best option? I will be running window XP as well so is it necessary to get 4 gigs?

3. Is Iworks worth it?
Click to expand...

1) if you value the space. get it third party
2)yes get ram third party. osx can support more than 2 gigs unlike xp
3)depends. do you share a lot of office work? do you want access to the same files while using bootcamp? i personally like office over iwork but to each his own
 
mattnxtc said:
1. Is it worth the upgrade to the 250gig hdd @7200rpms as opposed to the standard?
Click to expand...
What are you using your machine for? I use mine for audio so yes I think its very much worth it. If you're primarily using it for movies, internet & word processing I'd say no. For photos I'd say more RAM is the way to go. Not sure about gaming. If you can afford it then it wouldn't hurt but for general use I'd say your money is better spent elsewhere.

mattnxtc said:
2. I keep hearing that everybody is buying Ram from a third party. Is that the best option? I will be running window XP as well so is it necessary to get 4 gigs?
Click to expand...
YES buy it from Apple if you have the new notebooks, NO do not if you get the previous model. One thing people haven't seemed to grasp yet is Apple offers the DDR3 RAM in the new machines at the same cost as anyone else. PLUS its covered by their warranty and AppleCare. If you buy it elsewhere you also have to install it yourself or pay someone else to do it for you. Best deal I've heard for DDR3 RAM is $148 and Apple sells it for $150 installed! The only downside imo is you have to do a BTO and wait. If you buy it from another vendor you can buy your laptop in a store & get it going right away.

mattnxtc said:
3. Is Iworks worth it?
Click to expand...
Yes
 
As far as I know, iWork does not come with any new mac. You have to buy it separately. iLife comes with macs but not iwork.. they're two different things. But if you're buying a program like that might as well get microsoft office, you'll probably have less trouble with compatibility. Or maybe I'm thinking of something different...
 
Sounded like he was asking if it worth it to *buy* iWorks. How would it be better to buy Office? I'm pretty sure iWorks can do all the same things, is cheaper and more integrated w/ the rest of the Mac programs...I think it would have less trouble w/ compatibility myself. If I didn't already own Office I'd go for iWork myself...might just do it anyways. Bugs me how much useless space Office hogs up for what could be a more streamlined program.
 
I had a few questions though:

1. Is it worth the upgrade to the 250gig hdd @7200rpms as opposed to the standard?

From Apple no. If you want a faster drive buy a bare drive online and install yourself. Very easy and you'll save $. I bought a Seagate 320GB 7200 drive for $90 shipped to give you an example. I put the OEM drive in an enclosure to use as a backup.

2. I keep hearing that everybody is buying Ram from a third party. Is that the best option? I will be running window XP as well so is it necessary to get 4 gigs?

Again, buying RAM from Apple is dumb, buying 3rd party is smart. But buy from a vendor that guarantees the RAM to work with the MBP. Crucial, OWC are good vendors. Keep the OEM RAM in case you need to send your MBP in for warranty service. Put the OEM RAM back in before you do.

3. Is Iworks worth it?

Depends. Personally I stick with Office because I need the cross platform compatibility and Pages isn't that deep of a word processor.
 
Chupa Chupa said:
2. I keep hearing that everybody is buying Ram from a third party. Is that the best option? I will be running window XP as well so is it necessary to get 4 gigs?

Again, buying RAM from Apple is dumb, buying 3rd party is smart. But buy from a vendor that guarantees the RAM to work with the MBP. Crucial, OWC are good vendors. Keep the OEM RAM in case you need to send your MBP in for warranty service. Put the OEM RAM back in before you do.
Click to expand...

Not with DDR3 it isn't. It cost a whopping $2-8 more (price fluctuates at 3rd parties) from Apple than Crucial and they install it from the get-go. For a new Mac notebook to not buy RAM from Apple is dumb.
 
It used to be dumb to buy RAM from apple when their memory was significantly more expensive but they now sell it at close to what you can get it for yourself. Buy the apple ram upgrade at purchase.
The hard drive however is still a consideration to go outside apple. With the ease of changing the HD on the new MBPs configure the cheapest drive when you buy. Then go out and get the best you deal you can find on a better quality drive (none of the apple supplied 320GB drives come with 16mb cache currently - apple uses fujitsu which tops out at 8mb cache on the 7200 rpm). seagate and hitachi have 320gb 7200rpm drives with 16 on the cache at very good prices and often rebate coupons.
e.g. config your MBP 2.53 with the 250gb option and save $50. then buy a much better 320 from htiachi or seagate for about $120 (less $20 on a rebate if you are not too lazy). you will end up with a great drive and keep the 250 as a backup.
 
I seriously wish I had seen your post before ordering my computer. I went w/ the 320 @ 7200 because I need the speed for audio. I've heard about doing what you said to wind up w/ a backup but couldn't be bothered this time around as I already have lots of backup storage...however I didn't know about the 8/16mb cache thing. How much of a difference does that make?
 
The cache can make a difference especially with audio or streaming but there is no point in regretting your decision. Its just an opportunity down the raod to upgrade and by then you will face lower prices and perhaps even better drives.
You have a great machine. Enjoy it.
 
rychencop said:
yes
yes
no
Click to expand...

Ok, I'll bite. Now that Apple is selling RAM at the same price as the competition and the installation cost is included in the price...why would it be better to purchase from a 3rd party? Other than the wait time for a BTO I can't think of a single reason...in fact all I can think of us reasons not to buy from a 3rd party. Having everything fall under the AppleCare/warranty umbrella is a bonus...that way if anything goes wrong its covered all in the same place etc.
 
I have the 7200rpm and it is definitely worth it. If you ever do alot of data transfers, it so worth the extra money to get the faster hdd.
 
There isn't even a BTO wait time for a RAM upgrade from Apple; they did mine in store in half an hour, it cost a few dollars more than 3rd party, and it is covered with the original warranty. Why do that yourself?
 
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