switching from PC

[ValentinoV]

Hi, I currently have a Dell inspiron 14r

Intel® Core™ i5-2430M (2.4GHz, 3MB Cache) processor
6GB installed memory
640GB hard drive
8X CD/DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive)
14.0" High Definition (720p) WLED Display with TrueLife™
Intel© Centrino© Wireless-N 1030 with Bluetooth
8-in-1 Media Card Reader
Integrated 1.0MP HD (1280 x 720) webcam
6-Cell Lithium Ion Battery (48 WHr)
Genuine Windows 7 ® Home Premium (64-bit)
Dimensions 13.5"W x 1.29"H x 9.68"D (4.89lbs)
1 year warranty

I want to go Mac.

Are there any Air models or Pro models that will be a slight upgrade to these specs?

Is the pro my only choice?

I looked at the air but they only offer up to 4gb of ram, I'm already pushing hard with 6gb of ram, and want to either stay at 6 or go higher.

Thank you all in advance!

 

[talmy]

13" MacBook Pro will be slightly smaller display but with more pixels (1280x800). It has a bigger (63.5 Wh/h) battery that has about 3x the life of a traditional Lithium Ion battery. The base model has the same processor but there is a more expensive (by $300) model that has a faster 2.8GHz i7 processor and a 750GB HD. The base model has a 500GB HD, with a 750 an option. Basically the same webcam. Slightly less weight and 1/4" thinner. SDXC card reader (most people don't need anything else these days). Different OS. You can add extra RAM cheaply and easily after purchase. Other features you cite are equivalent.

 

[pat park]

I'll second the recommendation for a Macbook Pro 13. Add 8 GB RAM and it'll be a super fast, reliable machine. Get the base model as the perceived difference in processors is pretty minimal. You'll notice more of a speed boost once the RAM gets upgraded. 500 gb HD is plenty for most people.
For me it's been a super reliable work computer. I hook it up to a monitor and wireless keyboard/track pad at the office.

 

[tarponbeach]

I switched from a Dell with almost the exact specifications as yours. I now have a 13" MBP i5 with 8 gigs of ram.

While the MBP's hardware is comparable to the Dell, the OS, IMO, is what really makes the difference. My MBP glides through anything that I've thrown at it, and is much more responsive than the Dell, with Windows 7. I believe that OSX is far superior to Windows with regard to speed, ease of operation, and function.

The trackpad on the MBP blows away any machine running Windows OEM, which, for me, makes navigating a true pleasure.

My learning curve was fairly short, as OSX is so intuitive. I'm no fan boy by any stretch, the last Apple product I owned was in 1981 (Apple III), but I have to admit, the MBP is a terrific combination of hardware and OS.

 

[skasol]

Don't look at the specs and try to make a correlation with your pc. Mac OS X utilizes resources a lot better. my MBP with only 8gb of ram feels snappier and faster than my older gaming pc with 16gb of ram and faster ram as that.

you won't regret switching to mac. if you need something really portable I will definitely suggest the highest air model. it is speedy enough. if you must have one of the fastest and baddest mac then go with the macbook pro.

good luck.

 

[ValentinoV]

Thank you all for your input!

I'm very excited to make the switch!

Does any know if the upcoming airs or pros are going to be a refresh or a redesign?

Also I was thinking if i am going to buy a mbpro/air I might as well get the one that gives me the best bang for my buck/will not be obsolete soon, should I go i7? 15"? I want one that will be my main go to laptop, something I can bring with me

 

[D.T.]

Thank you all for your input!

I'm very excited to make the switch!

Does any know if the upcoming airs or pros are going to be a refresh or a redesign?

Also I was thinking if i am going to buy a mbpro/air I might as well get the one that gives me the best bang for my buck/will not be obsolete soon, should I go i7? 15"? I want one that will be my main go to laptop, something I can bring with me

Are you near a Microcenter? They had a killer deal going on a MBP 15” with the upgraded HR display (and in Anti-Glare).

The 15 and 17 also have discreet GPUs, and quad cores, so they’re a good bit of extra performance.

I’ve been recommending to folks a MBA over a MBP when considering the 13” size. Just because I think the better display, standard SSD, form factor is awesome, and the 13 MBP isn’t an upgrade in a few areas.

What the 13 MBP does offer is the cheapest Apple notebook that’s upgradable to 8GB of RAM (actually 16GB via aftermarket), plus a few other perks that may/may not be relevant to you (optical drive, firewire, GB [wired] ethernet).

 

[Krazy Bill]

Thank you all for your input!Does any know if the upcoming airs or pros are going to be a refresh or a redesign?

No.

one that gives me the best bang for my buck/will not be obsolete soon,

It will only be obsolete when you say so.

should I go i7? 15"? I want one that will be my main go to laptop, something I can bring with me

That's like asking "what kind of tools do I get to build something?"

What are you trying to build? (i.e., what will you use the mac for?)

 

[dusk007]

"what kind of tools do I get to build something?"

I guess the answer would be "some kind".

For some reason people on forums asking for help always seem to think they are in psychic forms full of mind readers.

 

[talmy]

Does any know if the upcoming airs or pros are going to be a refresh or a redesign?

Nobody knows, but there are predictions of more "Air-like" Pros and perhaps dropping of the 13" Pro and adding a 15" Air. The next generation of processors will bring apparently large improvements in power consumption which could mean quad-core processors in the 13" MBP. Also much greater embedded graphics performance in the Air and 13" MBP. Possible increased battery life. No optical drives. All sorts of possibilities. Time marches on.

Also I was thinking if i am going to buy a mbpro/air I might as well get the one that gives me the best bang for my buck/will not be obsolete soon, should I go i7? 15"? I want one that will be my main go to laptop, something I can bring with me

Technically the 13" MBP gives the most bang/buck mainly because it has one of the fewest bucks and more than it's fair share of bang. The 15" Models carry a considerable premium in cost over the 13". But they are better as one's sole computer. I feel I do fine with a 13" for portability and a 27" iMac (truly the best bang/buck if you don't have to be portable) at the desk.

 

[Dr McKay]

Personally I would go for a 15", because I find a 13" screen to be insufferably small. But that's just me, If I had to have a 13" laptop, I'd buy an external monitor.

 

[ValentinoV]

can i upgrade the graphics card on a 13" or 15"?

 

[Freyqq]

Hi, I currently have a Dell inspiron 14r

Intel® Core™ i5-2430M (2.4GHz, 3MB Cache) processor
6GB installed memory
640GB hard drive
8X CD/DVD Burner (Dual Layer DVD+/-R Drive)
14.0" High Definition (720p) WLED Display with TrueLife™
Intel© Centrino© Wireless-N 1030 with Bluetooth
8-in-1 Media Card Reader
Integrated 1.0MP HD (1280 x 720) webcam
6-Cell Lithium Ion Battery (48 WHr)
Genuine Windows 7 ® Home Premium (64-bit)
Dimensions 13.5"W x 1.29"H x 9.68"D (4.89lbs)
1 year warranty

I want to go Mac.

Are there any Air models or Pro models that will be a slight upgrade to these specs?

Is the pro my only choice?

I looked at the air but they only offer up to 4gb of ram, I'm already pushing hard with 6gb of ram, and want to either stay at 6 or go higher.

Thank you all in advance!

that looks like a brand new computer. I recommend waiting until ivy bridge comes out, so at least you get a speed boost.

 

[dusk007]

can i upgrade the graphics card on a 13" or 15"?

You CANNOT upgrade a graphics card on any notebook. You have to live with whatever you get when you buy it.
Usually a gpu is soldered to the logic board and there is no way to change it without replacing the entire logicboard. There are very few notebooks that take mxm form factor GPUs but those are clunky gaming barebones usually.

The 13" sells only with the Intel GPu onboard.
The 15" sells only with the 6750M and 6770M which is the same chip just different clocks. The only true difference is the amount of VRAM, 512 vs 1024 MB.

 

[shootist]

Hi, I currently have a Dell inspiron 14r



I want to go Mac.

Are there any Air models or Pro models that will be a slight upgrade to these specs?

Is the pro my only choice?

I looked at the air but they only offer up to 4gb of ram, I'm already pushing hard with 6gb of ram, and want to either stay at 6 or go higher.

Thank you all in advance!

Don't do it, Just buy a better Dell.

----------

You CANNOT upgrade a graphics card on any notebook.

That is incorrect. Only on Mac notebooks you can't upgrade any other then RAM and HDD.
On other notebooks, Windows PCs you can if the model you bought had a better graphic card other then what you bought on that specific model line.

 

[dusk007]

You CANNOT upgrade a graphics card on any notebook. You have to live with whatever you get when you buy it.
Usually a gpu is soldered to the logic board and there is no way to change it without replacing the entire logicboard. There are very few notebooks that take mxm form factor GPUs but those are clunky gaming barebones usually.

That is incorrect. Only on Mac notebooks you can't upgrade any other then RAM and HDD.
On other notebooks, Windows PCs you can if the model you bought had a better graphic card other then what you bought on that specific model line.

No you cannot. As I said there are a few but they are all big workstations or some gaming notebooks. For the big majority of windows notebooks it is the same as with Mac Notebooks you cannot upgrade the GPU.
It used to be more notebooks some years back now it is all full logic boards or custom modules that you cannot get a replacement for.