To all the people complaining about what the new MBP/MB DOESN'T have

[chrmjenkins]

The most unfounded gripe I am hearing is "Omigosh 3MB cache that is so underpowered apple you suckz!"

It is my impression that a large majority of users have no idea of what kind of real impact cache size has. The 4MB on previous models was plenty, and I firmly believe you will be hard-pressed to find a situation in which the difference between 6 and 3MB cripples performance.

To those of you who are mad Blu Ray has been left out. The format war has only very recently been decided, and much too late for it to be placed in the latest product. Do you think Apple wants obsolete technology in their products? Hardly. Do you think it would be a wise marketing strategy to offer expensive HDDVD/Blu Ray combo drives?

Factor X is wrong about the case. The case is likely going to be re-designed around the forthcoming montevina chipset, which is smaller than santa rosa. If you don't like the current MBP/MB, then wait.

I think if you look at the spec increases given that the price has remained the same, you will realize you are getting your money's worth.

 

[Eidorian]

The most unfounded gripe I am hearing is "Omigosh 3MB cache that is so underpowered apple you suckz!"

It is my impression that a large majority of users have no idea of what kind of real impact cache size has.

Truth

Factor X is wrong about the case. The case is likely going to be re-designed around the forthcoming montevina chipset, which is smaller than santa rosa. If you don't like the current MBP/MB, then wait.

I expect this as well with the smaller Montevina motherboards.

My only complaint about the current laptop hardware from Apple is the lack of a price drop and the obsession with the fastest processors.

 

[Mikebuzzsaw]

Apple buyers are stats junkies. They want the highest specs even though they only surf the web and listen to their music. Maybe decode a dvd twice a year.

 

[MacBookJoePro]

But its just like the Mercedes Benz commercial. "Why do we need window wipers to perform at autobahn speeds. Why do we need an SUV to descent a 70% incline. Because if we didn't then we wouldn't be making a true Mercedes Benz"

Hehe. If apple doesn't include the latest and greatest, then they will not be making a true Apple Macbook Pro.

-JoE

 

[andreaseto]

A pro machine should have the best processors, because it is for pros.

 

[xpovos]

I think if you look at the spec increases given that the price has remained the same, you will realize you are getting your money's worth.

Not really, IMO. As much as I love my 2.6GHz 17" high-res, I've never once been under the erroneous impression that the hardware is worth what I paid for it. As great as they are, MacBook Pros are not price-competitive, at least not purely in terms of their tech specs. Today's bump in specs doesn't change that---again, IMO.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

<snip>
Hehe. If apple doesn't include the latest and greatest, then they will not be making a true Apple Macbook Pro.

Don't you mean "If apple does include the latest and greatest, then they will not be making a true Apple Macbook Pro"?

 

[JohnHawkins]

But its just like the Mercedes Benz commercial. "Why do we need window wipers to perform at autobahn speeds. Why do we need an SUV to descent a 70% incline. Because if we didn't then we wouldn't be making a true Mercedes Benz"

Hehe. If apple doesn't include the latest and greatest, then they will not be making a true Apple Macbook Pro.

-JoE

<3

 

[Zorn]

But its just like the Mercedes Benz commercial. "Why do we need window wipers to perform at autobahn speeds. Why do we need an SUV to descent a 70% incline. Because if we didn't then we wouldn't be making a true Mercedes Benz"

Hehe. If apple doesn't include the latest and greatest, then they will not be making a true Apple Macbook Pro.

-JoE

I think this is a great analogy.

 

[gothamm]

Excuse me for being on your case, but this is a terrible argument.

It doesn't matter how big or little the impact of having 3 vs 4mb of cache is, the point is that it is lesser . how is that supposed to be an "upgrade"??

 

[chrmjenkins]

Not really, IMO. As much as I love my 2.6GHz 17" high-res, I've never once been under the erroneous impression that the hardware is worth what I paid for it. As great as they are, MacBook Pros are not price-competitive, at least not purely in terms of their tech specs. Today's bump in specs doesn't change that---again, IMO.

You have to consider it relativistically. I don't mean you are getting your money's worth compared to a Windows laptop. I can configure a 2.5 MBP equivalent for 1000 less on xoticpc.com. The point is that compared to what we had before, you are getting more for your money.

 

[markrivers]

Excuse me for being on your case, but this is a terrible argument.

It doesn't matter how big or little the impact of having 3 vs 4mb of cache is, the point is that it is lesser . how is that supposed to be an "upgrade"??

windows XP upgrade for the VISTA...sounds familiar?
maybe...just maybe... when we're all busy reading MR...
the "definition" of UPGRADE was changed

 

[chrmjenkins]

Excuse me for being on your case, but this is a terrible argument.

It doesn't matter how big or little the impact of having 3 vs 4mb of cache is, the point is that it is lesser . how is that supposed to be an "upgrade"??

I'm sorry, but you are just proving that you are one of the people that doesn't understand how this is not a downgrade.

For the base model, you are increasing .2 ghz to begin with. You also gain increased power efficiency, which means better battery life, lower temperatures (which means longer component life), and SSE4 additions, which improve performance 40% on applications that utilize them. Not much uses them yet, but in the coming months, they will. That makes your computer future-proof, and its performance will increase in comparison to the previous memron as more applications implement them.

I can give 4gb of RAM to a 2.2 processor and give 2gb of RAM to a 2.4 processor, which one do you think will perform better? The point is, they are both already large amounts of RAM, so you are subject to diminishing returns. You have to look at more than the numbers printed on a sheet if you want to be taken seriously.

 

[xpovos]

You have to consider it relativistically. I don't mean you are getting your money's worth compared to a Windows laptop. I can configure a 2.5 MBP equivalent for 1000 less on xoticpc.com. The point is that compared to what we had before, you are getting more for your money.

Agreed. Always more for the money with every upgrade, and that's one of Apple's practices that I really like.

I just wish they would price these models a little more competitively. But since they have the nicest design and best OS on the planet, I guess Apple know they don't have to compete as aggressively on price. Despite criticisms to the contrary, I think they understand their target audience pretty well on this point.