The Ultimate Macbook Pro (?)

[park123me]

Hey I am thinking of getting a new MBP 13-inch high end for christmas this year. However, I'm thinking of upgrading the MBP (if I get it) so it wont cause problems but I wanted to ask for some opinions. I am current a high school student and want to run games such as Skyrim on high settings.
I was thinking of removing the optical drive and HHD and replacing with the OCZ 240 GB Vertex 3 SATA III 2.5-Inch Solid State Drive MAX IOPS.
Is this too much for me? And recommendations on SSDs or RAM? Thanks!

 

[foxyfabio]

I wouldn't upgrade the RAM until you see your computer slowing down. Other than that it sounds good.

I would go with an Intel SSD as they are least prone to malfunction. Don't spend $500 on a large SSD. I would go for a 64GB SSD and run OSX and your applications off of that. Then use your HD for multimedia ETC.

PS-make sure you switch the SSD to the original HD spot and put the HD in the optical drive.

 

[elpmas]

If you want to run Skyrim on high settings, then the 13" won't do. Try the high end 15" or another brand that offers you a higher graphics card. The idea of swapping your optic bay for another HD is a good idea, but I think this really depends how big your ssd will be. If it's big enough (200+), I think you're wasting some time with the swap. You can just buy an external drive and still have the best of both world. The size I would suggest for the SSD is 128GB; it's at an affordable price range. GL with your choice.

 

[park123me]

I wouldn't upgrade the RAM until you see your computer slowing down. Other than that it sounds good.

I would go with an Intel SSD as they are least prone to malfunction. Don't spend $500 on a large SSD. I would go for a 64GB SSD and run OSX and your applications off of that. Then use your HD for multimedia ETC.

PS-make sure you switch the SSD to the original HD spot and put the HD in the optical drive.

Hey great advice!
Will a 64GB be good enough for me? I have used a normal MacBook for a year now and have already used up 200GB....
Also any specific recommendations?
Thanks!

 

[foxyfabio]

Hey great advice!
Will a 64GB be good enough for me? I have used a normal MacBook for a year now and have already used up 200GB....
Also any specific recommendations?
Thanks!

Well, like I said I would only put applications and the OS on the SSD. If most of your HD gets taken up my movies, music, and photos, then yes 64gb should be fine. Oh and even with all this you will not be able to run Skyrim @ full settings. Even 15 inchers with 2.53ghz have a hard time with it.

 

[park123me]

Well, like I said I would only put applications and the OS on the SSD. If most of your HD gets taken up my movies, music, and photos, then yes 64gb should be fine. Oh and even with all this you will not be able to run Skyrim @ full settings. Even 15 inchers with 2.53ghz have a hard time with it.

How can I control the comp so that movies, music, word doc, etc. gets saved of the HD? Also when i set up boot camp will it partition my SSD or the HD? (Sry im a major noob at this =P)

 

[PaulyD]

I have the 2010 13" MBP with the 320m overclocked and i can only get medium graphics, the HD3000 is about 20% slower at higher graphic settings from benchmarks I have seen (Anandtech did a great review and compared the two)

You would need a 15" with a dedicated card for any gaming with the eye candy turned up

 

[CountBrass]

How can I control the comp so that movies, music, word doc, etc. gets saved of the HD? Also when i set up boot camp will it partition my SSD or the HD? (Sry im a major noob at this =P)

They will appear as different drives (you can even give them names if you want) so you just choose the appropriate drive when you want to save stuff. Pretty easy.

 

[park123me]

They will appear as different drives (you can even give them names if you want) so you just choose the appropriate drive when you want to save stuff. Pretty easy.

Would doing a RAID 0 help me not have to worry about where to save my stuff? I dun know how to "just choose the appropriate drive"... like for my music, if i download it it just automatically saves to my HD doesnt it?

 

[daftpunkstu]

Would doing a RAID 0 help me not have to worry about where to save my stuff? I dun know how to "just choose the appropriate drive"... like for my music, if i download it it just automatically saves to my HD doesnt it?

RAID won't help you. It would more be a case of just moving files from your download folder to the corresponding secondary hdd folder. it sounds like a lot of effort but if you do it every time you download something right from the very start, it's little to no effort at all. my imac has 52gb used for applications and osx and then my external has all of my media on.

 

[park123me]

RAID won't help you Image It would more be a case of just moving files from your download folder to the corresponding secondary hdd folder. it sounds like a lot of effort but if you do it every time you download something right from the very start, it's little to no effort at all. my imac has 52gb used for applications and osx and then my external has all of my media on.

Is there like a tutorial vid on this or sth? hhaha

 

[Artagra]

I was thinking of removing the optical drive and HHD and replacing with the OCZ 240 GB Vertex 3 SATA III 2.5-Inch Solid State Drive MAX IOPS.
Is this too much for me? And recommendations on SSDs or RAM? Thanks!

Quoting from what I posted in the SSD buying guide thread earlier today:

That's not a suggested drive for the Macbook Pros - lots of people have had issues with Sandforce based drives.

Hell Hammer's suggested list (on page 3) for the Macbook Pro is as follows:
Crucial M4
Samsung PM830
Samsung 470 Series
Intel 320 Series

I agree with his choices overall, and so do most (informed) commentators on this forum and others. There's some disagreement on the order (some prefer Intel for reliability even though it's a bit slower, others like the Samsung's combination of reliability and performance) but all of these drives give good performance with good reliability. Having worked on Macbook Pros and other systems with just about every current controller (Sandforce, Sandforce 2, Intel 510, Intel 320, Samsung, Crucial) I can say that for most people, the performance differences are very small - so it's not worth going for a faster drive like the Vertex 3, but then having compatibility issues / micro stuttering / sleep issues / etc.

Otherwise, about the gaming - I have the Early 2011 (2.7ghz i7, 120gb Intel 320 SSD & 160gb Intel X25M SSD, 8gb memory) and it's not a great gaming platform You can play games, yes, but you will need to drop your settings in many cases. I'd rather go for the entry level 15" if you are keen on doing game.

 

[Artagra]

Would doing a RAID 0 help me not have to worry about where to save my stuff? I dun know how to "just choose the appropriate drive"... like for my music, if i download it it just automatically saves to my HD doesnt it?

You'll very quickly get used to managing two drives, if you go that route - it's not hard. Having said that, one big drive does save you from having to do this.

 

[thundersteele]

Having a second hard drive is like when you plug in a USB stick or an external HD into your computer. There will be an additional drive, and you can choose where to save applications and files and all that.

If you want to run Skyrim and other games in high settings, you will need the low end 15'' model with dedicated graphics card. No SSD or RAM upgrade will improve the graphics quality on the 13'' machine. It should still work on low/med settings I think.

It would be better to invest some of your own money (negotiate with parents maybe) in the 15'' MBP instead of going for an SSD right away. SSD prices will drop, some people expect them to be below 1$ per GB by summer 2012. Then you can buy a 256 or even a larger SSD.

 

[park123me]

Having a second hard drive is like when you plug in a USB stick or an external HD into your computer. There will be an additional drive, and you can choose where to save applications and files and all that.

If you want to run Skyrim and other games in high settings, you will need the low end 15'' model with dedicated graphics card. No SSD or RAM upgrade will improve the graphics quality on the 13'' machine. It should still work on low/med settings I think.

It would be better to invest some of your own money (negotiate with parents maybe) in the 15'' MBP instead of going for an SSD right away. SSD prices will drop, some people expect them to be below 1$ per GB by summer 2012. Then you can buy a 256 or even a larger SSD.

But a 15 inch has a 2.2Ghz QUAD CORE... i dont do much adobe or music editing... wouldnt it be slower than the 2.8Ghz dual-core?

 

[Eddyisgreat]

But a 15 inch has a 2.2Ghz QUAD CORE... i dont do much adobe or music editing... wouldnt it be slower than the 2.8Ghz dual-core?

I could get into a very long winded conversation about turbo boost and differences in n-number of cores and other wacky things but basically, no. The 2.2 Quad Core will not be slower than the 2.8 depending on the application.

 

[logicpro7]

I currently have a 13" mbp with a Momentus XT 500... I am thinking about a small SDD and removing the superdrive and swapping them all around.

I work with Logic Studio and alot of Music, what is the best option for me and how should i go about re installing to each drive from my external time machine back up without a total re install?

 

[park123me]

Let say I wont game like an addict and mostly use the comp as a student... I need quite a bit of mutlitasking going on....
what would be better?

A 15 inch MBP low end or a 13 inch MBP high end? Both will be upgraded with either a Crucial M4 256GB (6Gbps) or Samsung 830 512 GB and Crucial 8GB ram....

 

[Freyqq]

Let say I wont game like an addict and mostly use the comp as a student... I need quite a bit of mutlitasking going on....
what would be better?

A 15 inch MBP low end or a 13 inch MBP high end? Both will be upgraded with either a Crucial M4 256GB (6Gbps) or Samsung 830 512 GB and Crucial 8GB ram....

15" b\c the extra screen resolution and size will help with multitasking. Also, the dedicated graphics card and vram will make all the mission control transitions look smooth with a lot of windows open.

 

[park123me]

15" b\c the extra screen resolution and size will help with multitasking. Also, the dedicated graphics card and vram will make all the mission control transitions look smooth with a lot of windows open.

Great thanks! Now the main problem.... Crucial M4 256GB or Crucial M4 512GbG or Samsung 830 256GB or Samsung 830 512GB


If i was to get a 13 inch, wouldnt it be a waste of money if I get a high end because since i am going to change the HD??

 

[Fynd]

Didn't really read anything but the title, admittingly, but I must say that I feel like I currently own the ultimate MBP

Quad-core, SSD, HDD in optical bay with external ODD, 1gb dedicated graphics that runs the games I like, hi-res screen, etc. Friggin' love this machine!! Never been so happy with a computer, and I've had my fair share of macs/custom built pcs/the works.

 

[thundersteele]

Great thanks! Now the main problem.... Crucial M4 256GB or Crucial M4 512GbG or Samsung 830 256GB or Samsung 830 512GB


If i was to get a 13 inch, wouldnt it be a waste of money if I get a high end because since i am going to change the HD??

Well, if you can afford a 512 GB ssd, buy it! Both brands are fine I think.
The 15'' is better at multitasking because 4 cores beat 2.

The 13'' high end is a waste of money, unless you specifically need the extra power provided by the CPU.

 

[park123me]

Well, if you can afford a 512 GB ssd, buy it! Both brands are fine I think.
The 15'' is better at multitasking because 4 cores beat 2.

The 13'' high end is a waste of money, unless you specifically need the extra power provided by the CPU.

What is the big difference between 2.4GHz Intel Core i5 and 2.8GHz Intel Core i7???

 

[thundersteele]

What is the big difference between 2.4GHz Intel Core i5 and 2.8GHz Intel Core i7???

0.4 GHz

i3, i5, i7 are just brand names that intel uses.