Torn with what to do?

[StUPoT]

Atm I am stuck in a rut with what to do...

I have a 2009 c2d iMac and a 2008 c2d MacBook of which i want to sell in order to cover some of the cost towards a MacBook Pro.

I understand that there are new ones on there way but known of us really know if they are gunna be next week or next month.

My questions really are...

How significant a speed bump with it be from the Sandy Bridge CPUs and the Ivy Bridge ones?

As im an illustrator do you think there with be a significant GPU boost in terms of resolution etc etc?

I want to use the macbook pro plugged into an external monitor when im at home to counter the loss of my iMac, From what we assume the GPU will be in the new macbook pro will there be much benefit from the wait?

Thanks

Sorry to cover boring issues of macbook pro rumours and what not

 

[iThinkergoiMac]

The speed bump for either will be significant compared to your current Macs, which is more important. There will definitely be a bump compared to the current Mac's GPU, but hard to say how significant. However, even the GPUs in your current Macs can power an external monitor without noticeable slowdown, so you won't have any issues there anyway.

What kind of illustration software do you use? Does it actually use the GPU, or is it mostly CPU-based. For example, if you use Adobe Illustrator, GPU doesn't really come into play at all. If you use Adobe AfterEffects, then GPU is huge. Most illustration software I can think of either doesn't use the GPU, or uses it slightly.

 

[Ohrstrom]

You can probably google nvidias and amds different gpu's to find out what resolutions the Macbooks will support, Intel HD 4000 supports 2560x1600 or something, so real gpus (15,17) should support quite a bit more.

 

[StUPoT]

The speed bump for either will be significant compared to your current Macs, which is more important. There will definitely be a bump compared to the current Mac's GPU, but hard to say how significant. However, even the GPUs in your current Macs can power an external monitor without noticeable slowdown, so you won't have any issues there anyway.

What kind of illustration software do you use? Does it actually use the GPU, or is it mostly CPU-based. For example, if you use Adobe Illustrator, GPU doesn't really come into play at all. If you use Adobe AfterEffects, then GPU is huge. Most illustration software I can think of either doesn't use the GPU, or uses it slightly.

I am only using Illustrator and Photoshop atm with a little bit of SketchPad Pro aswell so it looks as if the GPU is not a major issue.
Im understand the CPU would double my geekbench score of my iMac anyway so thats another bonus.

the other thing im worried about those are these rumours of a retina display which would be lovely as an illustrator but I can't see it happening just yet due to the delays on the iPad one...
The optical drive would be a bonus aswell as I dont think im done with them yet.

arrgh! There are so many things to think about, with arguments for waiting and for not

hmmm

 

[iThinkergoiMac]

The software will need to support a retina resolution or else everything will be really tiny or somewhat fuzzy, depending on how it's handled.

The answer to this question is always the same answer to another question: do you need it? If you need to upgrade, then do so. If not, then wait.

 

[WardC]

Right now, if you have *any* Mac that will run at least Snow Leopard and tide you over for at least a few weeks -- my recommendation is *wait* because the new one will be released very shortly, within the next month or two. Apple has remained very tight-lipped about the specs and design, but we can count on the fact they will be Ivy Bridge. Retina displays have not been confirmed, but a re-design of the physical chassis and case design of the machine has been rumored and is likely in the works.

 

[Risasi]

You can probably google nvidias and amds different gpu's to find out what resolutions the Macbooks will support, Intel HD 4000 supports 2560x1600 or something, so real gpus (15,17) should support quite a bit more.

IvB HD 4000 can drive 4K.

To give you an idea of capability: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=jOHBkFOyckY


I expect that Intel HD 4000 will perform similarly to the Radeon HD 6490m of the early 2011 MBP 15" model.

Processor speed bump is somewhere in the vicinity of 5-15%, vs Sandy Bridge (not much).

Anandtech has a lot of benchmarks already, here is the latest one on their desktop model: http://www.anandtech.com/show/5771/the-intel-ivy-bridge-core-i7-3770k-review/1

Note: This is a desktop CPU.

 

[Ccrew]

Processor speed bump is somewhere in the vicinity of 5-15%, vs Sandy Bridge (not much).

Agreed, when you look at spec Ivy Bridge is essentially a die shrunk Sandy Bridge until you get to the GPU. Intel pretty much took low end graphics cards off the market with this chipset.

 

[Medic278]

The current machines are great and will be leaps and bounds better than your C2D machines. However with a refresh imminent and Ivy Bridge all but guaranteed you would do well to wait. If you wait for the refresh and don't what like you see then you should be able to get a current gen machine at a discount. However I know how hard it is to wait, if you cannot wait then you will be very happy with a current gen machine and it will serve you well.

 

[StUPoT]

I think Im going to try and hold out on the pretense of the possible HD screen and if it's the same old screen the fair enough at least I get Ivy Bridge and a better GPU.

Oh yeah and a new box for it all to go in

 

[Risasi]

The difference between the core2duo and the sandy bridge line is astounding. The difference between sandy bridge and ivy bridge...not so much.

I actually have my early 2011 MBP 13" sold, with final transfer of ownership in July or August. Now seeing how specs are shaping up I'm kind of disappointed in myself for selling my current sandy bridge unit. But I'm a slut for specs, specifically the GPU improvements between HD 3000 and HD 4000. So I'm chasing.

Most likely I'm going to get the next 11" MBA, or if it's around, the next 13" MBP, then slip my current SSD+HDD drive combo, and 8GB of memory in it and call it good for the next four years.
I do use an external monitor frequently, for work. If I need more raw power I intend to do a home brew Mini-ITX IvB quad core computer and mount it to the back of said monitor. Or if I don't want to mess with doing it myself, I'll buy the next Mac mini and do the same, mounting it to the back of the monitor. This second machine would mostly be used for VM's, portable ever, media machine to sit on the kitchen counter and perhaps a little gaming if I want to get into that again...

 

[eric/]

I say wait since it's not going to be too much longer until the update. It sucks and it's hard to wait, but at this point you may as well get the most for your money.

 

[StUPoT]

Another idea I did have was to get the MBP now and use it for 2 years and let all the kinks be ironed out with the new ones and buy one then.

The thought of a new one though is just to tempting right now so I wil try and hold out

 

[eric/]

Another idea I did have was to get the MBP now and use it for 2 years and let all the kinks be ironed out with the new ones and buy one then.

The thought of a new one though is just to tempting right now so I wil try and hold out

That's a horrible idea. Just wait until the refresh, get the latest and maximize your $$ spent.

If you don't, here is how it'll go down:

You buy macbook pro and you're super happy for a while
New macbook pro line comes out, even if it's not that much better it's still better
You end up spending hours on Apple's website comparing the specs of the new MBP with your now "old" one while wishing you had just waited a little bit longer
It forever haunts you.

 

[Risasi]

Yeah, if you can hold out for a couple more months, wait for the refresh. Even if you can't rationalize the cost of the 2012 models, the Mac refurb store has great deals on 2011 Sandy Bridge models. They will likely drop a little further in price after the Ivy Bridge models are out.

 

[StUPoT]

That's a horrible idea. Just wait until the refresh, get the latest and maximize your $$ spent.

If you don't, here is how it'll go down:

You buy macbook pro and you're super happy for a while
New macbook pro line comes out, even if it's not that much better it's still better
You end up spending hours on Apple's website comparing the specs of the new MBP with your now "old" one while wishing you had just waited a little bit longer
It forever haunts you.

Haha yeah that's exactly what I think would happen!
Don't worry I am going to bite my lip and wait as much as it hurts! Kid in a sweet shop springs to mind.
Does anyone think there will be a price increase because that's the last thing I want... In the UK they are already so expensive