Tough decisions

[X5-452]

So I've been eyeing a mac for some years now, and was all prepared to buy an iBook last year. However, with the switch to Intel I decided it would be best to wait. Now that the MacBook is finally here, I can get my mac. However, I have a tough decision to make.

As I see it, I can either go for the 1.83 Ghz model, with upgraded 1 GB of RAM and 80 GB HDD, or the 2.0 Ghz model with the same upgrades. The difference between these two would be the extra 177 Mhz per core, and the SuperDrive. Presently I'm on a Windows desktop with no DVD burner, so I think it would be cool to finally have one. I've never burnt a DVD in my life and can get by without one, but if I had one, I'd make some copies DVDs that I enjoyed that my friends and family own, so that I can have a physical copy of it. My question is, if I were to rip a DVD to my HDD and then make a DVD out of it, what would the quality be like? Would it be comparable to the original DVD or would it lose some quality? My friend was explaing to me that MPG's are the format the movie would have to be in, and my own experience with MPG's is that the quality isn't as good as, say, AVI files.

Like I said, the DVD burner is just something that I would like to have, but don't need. The thing is, that with the upgrades on both machines, the 2.0 Ghz model is only $170 more, and that's including taxes. So basically the upgrade only costs $170, which isn't that much of a difference, I guess. However, lately I've been thinking that I could always get an external DVD burner that would be faster. The only problem with getting an external burner is that this laptop is going to become my main computer as I'll be losing my Windows desktop. So having everything all in one would be nice. Also, the more I think about it, the more I realize that OS X + my app's are going to take up about 15 GB, plus my own files like music and pictures another 15 GB, so is the 80 GB HDD upgrade worth it? Should I just stick to the 60 that comes base in the 1.83 and 2.0 Ghz models? If I stick to the original 60 then I'd have about 25 GB's of left over space to serve me.

As I'm sure you can tell, I'm a little confused, so any other opinions would be great, and highly appreciated.

 

[ImNoSuperMan]

I`d definitely recommend the 2.0Ghz MB with SD. I m using one myself. Even though external SD will be faster n better; nothing beats the inbuilt functionality. And since you dont have a SD already, I`d definitely advice you to go for the 2.0MB.

As far as HDD is concerned nothing can be big enough. Get the biggest you can afford. Get the 80GB instead of regular 60GB, if you wish to. But dont get a 100GB or bigger model from Apple at all. It`ll be better to order 60 GB from Apple and buying a 120GB from Seagate or some other brand. You`ll really save a lot of cash this way. These HDD costs bout 180$ . Also you`ll have an extra 60GB HDD(which you`ll take out from the MB). Either ebay it or Put it in an external case and use as external HDD.

Apple charges 250$ for a 120GB HDD upgrade. So buy from them at all.

 

[tristan]

Well, you can get your RAM third party, that could save you some $$$. Also one thing to think about is that if you have an internal DVD burner you may not need a larger HD because its pretty easy to make backups. And I don't think the small speed bump will make much difference.

Still, in the end its all subjective - one guy might be super happy to get a base Macbook while someone else would complain about the small screen, small hard drive, no DVD burner, etc. You have to figure out what's important to you. You should bump up the RAM though, especially if you use Rosetta.

 

[X5-452]

Yeah, no matter what I'm going to upgrade the RAM to 1 GB. Regardless of which model I get, or what other upgrades I choose.

 

[X5-452]

I've decided to go for the 2.0 Ghz model w/ SuperDrive, 1 GB of RAM. I'm still undecided about the 80 GB HDD though.

Also, does anyone know if I were to rip a DVD to my HDD and then make a DVD out of it, if it be comparable to the original DVD or would it lose some quality? Those darn MPG's, I tell ya...

 

[Smallville]

Get the SD. I didn't think I'd ever use it with my iMac G5, but when I finally got a digital camera and imported some of my music to the computer, I found all kinds of photo galleries set to music I could make with the DVD burner and watch it as a movie.

I made one of my trip to Metropolis, Ill, to visit the Superman Museum and set it to John Williams' score. My wife makes them of her nieces' and newphews' birthday parties and at Christmas. We burn a bunch and give them to the parents and grandparents.

For my birthday (in July), my mom is getting me a DV camcorder so we can shoot movies and burn her DVDs of our trips (we're 2,000 miles apart).

I thought all the iLife stuff was something I'd never use until I realize how much you can document the good parts of life.

Jeez, this sounds like a bad commercial.