Time for a new MBP... decisions, decisions...

[joatman]

I am starting to look for a replacement for my "old" 15" 2.33GHz Core 2 Duo MBP.

I am considering going with a 13" MBP this time around. I've always had 15" models, but like the smaller, lighter aspect of the 13" model.

When at my desk, I am plugged into a 17" monitor, so the smaller screen size shouldn't be a factor most of the time. I use the MBP monitor for toolbars, etc. and the 17" for the workspace.

My concern is more about processor/speed. Am I making a lateral move going to a 13" 2.66GHz Core 2 Duo? Bus speed is higher (1066 vs. 667 now), but the rest of the specs look like a wash.

I mostly use Illustrator and Photoshop with a little video editing thrown in. Video editing is slow for me now, but I do it so rarely, that it doesn't bother me too much.

After reading all of the other posts about which model to choose, I am fairly confident that the 13" will do what I need, but since I am spending the money, it would be nice to see a performance boost.

Thanks!

 

[Jaro65]

Have you considered putting an SSD in your machine? I have a similar 15" MBP to yours and that machine was literally transformed after I put a small SSD in it. It is super-responsive and I'll be definitely keeping it around for some time, though I only use it as a backup machine. Doing this could save you some time before spending quite a bit more cash for a new MBP. Certainly worth the effort, in my opinion, especially since you're not sure about getting a machine with a C2D processor.

 

[indg]

the 13" has a geekbench score of 3739. your current mbp geekbench is 2970. that's a 26% increase. the nvidia 320m's 3DMark 05 rating is 7262 vs the ATI X1600's 3708. that's nearly double the graphics performance (96%). add the faster bus speed as you mentioned and the ability to utilize up to 8gb or ram (rather than 3gb in your mbp) and you've got quite a big jump in overall performance. other stuff include a sd card slot and a 10 hour battery. all that for a unit that costs $1000 less than what you probably paid for the 15" (granted the 13" has a smaller lcd).

as jaro65 stated, an ssd will also eliminate one of the bottlenecks in the system (the hdd) and would be a relatively cheap upgrade to your 15" mbp (compared to buying a new system). i think 128gb ssd's run about $200-$300 these days. weigh that against the cost of the 13" mbp ($1500) minus selling your 15" on ebay (maybe $1000?), so about $500 for the new system.

i've gone through a similar evaluation. however, i've decided to just wait for the next refresh of the mac mini for my desktop needs and pair it with an ipad for my occasional mobile needs.

 

[joatman]

I failed to mention that the reason I started thinking about a new MBP is that I am going to be due for a new battery very soon, and now the Airport card disappears at least once a day. I have to open the lid and remove and reseat the card for it to be recognized again...

So I figure I am looking at at least $300 in parts to bring it back to full operation. I'm just guessing, as I haven't even priced a new airport card yet.