What non-unibody Macbook Pro should I purchase?

[GenesisJLS]

I am asking this question since I'm looking for a newer laptop with in a few months, and I know the 8600 GPU's in Macbook Pro's are defective. I would have to buy a lemon for $500. So, what non-unibody Macbook Pro should I purchase, e.g., one with an X1600 GPU or a Nvidia? Thanks for reading this post and any feedback would be appreciated.

 

[getz76]

I am asking this question since I'm looking for a newer laptop with in a few months, and I know the 8600 GPU's in Macbook Pro's are defective. I would have to buy a lemon for $500. So, what non-unibody Macbook Pro should I purchase, e.g., one with an X1600 GPU or a Nvidia? Thanks for reading this post and any feedback would be appreciated.

What do you plan to do with the machine? What applications do you need to use? Is your budget $500?

 

[GenesisJLS]

What do you plan to do with the machine? What applications do you need to use? Is your budget $500?

Yes, basic web browsing and development. I don't play games. I just don't want a machine that can't handle youtube, i.e., Black Macbook early 2007, like I have right now.

 

[getz76]

Yes, basic web browsing and development. I don't play games. I just don't want a machine that can't handle youtube, i.e., Black Macbook early 2007, like I have right now.

Really? I have a 2008 white MacBook with a 2.4gHz Core 2 Duo processor kicking around the house. I upgraded it to 4gB RAM and it has no problems with YouTube. The biggest problem with that machine is the horrible display.

What version of OS X are you running? Have you updated your Adobe Flash recently? How much RAM is in the machine? How is your hard drive doing?

If you like that form-factor and you want to buy a machine, have you considered the 13" MacBook Pro. If you wait a couple of months, the 2009 version should drop in price.

 

[GenesisJLS]

Really? I have a 2008 white MacBook with a 2.4gHz Core 2 Duo processor kicking around the house. I upgraded it to 4gB RAM and it has no problems with YouTube. The biggest problem with that machine is the horrible display.

What version of OS X are you running? Have you updated your Adobe Flash recently? How much RAM is in the machine? How is your hard drive doing?

If you like that form-factor and you want to buy a machine, have you considered the 13" MacBook Pro. If you wait a couple of months, the 2009 version should drop in price.

Yes, the 2008 Macbooks fair much better with the X3100GPU, than the GMA 950 GPU. I have 4 GB of ram in my machine. It just simply has issues with simple web browsing and have more than a few application open. The machine over heats too often, so I'm looking to get a little bit bigger screen and a computer with a dedicated GPU, hence the Macbook Pro, but I'm nervous about getting any machine with a 8400 GPU on it.

 

[randomrazr]

base line 13inch new macbook pro are 1049 i beleive with student discount. why not spend the extra for a new machine that will last?

 

[GenesisJLS]

base line 13inch new macbook pro are 1049 i beleive with student discount. why not spend the extra for a new machine that will last?

I'm not a huge fan of 13 inch laptops, plus I'm not spending a grand for for a laptop. I spend fifteen-hundred dollars for a BlackBook back in early 2007, and it certainly wasn't worth it.

 

[getz76]

Do you need OS X? In that price range, I would go Windows 7.

 

[Naimfan]

I'd look for a 2.16 or 2.33 GHz C2D. You can get one for $300-400 and max the RAM and upgrade the hard drive. Good machines and they don't suffer from the 8600m problem.

They're obviously not as fast, but for what you're talking about doing, they should be fine.

 

[TSE]

I would honestly get a Windows 7 laptop for $500... Checkout the Thinkpad Edge line or some of ASUS's and Toshiba's budget models.

If you REALLY need a computer that can play Youtube for $500 and absolutely despise Windows, have you considered an iPad?

 

[randomrazr]

I'm not a huge fan of 13 inch laptops, plus I'm not spending a grand for for a laptop. I spend fifteen-hundred dollars for a BlackBook back in early 2007, and it certainly wasn't worth it.

that was back than.. the current macbooks have so much power and functionality with them now. plus quality has jumpd since 2007, its well worth it!

 

[SmoothJ]

I had a machine with the 8600m card in it for years without it dying for my job. It was on for at least 8 hours a day, Monday-Friday (sometimes on weekends) and never once had an issue. So that shows you, there are good machines out there, just pray that you get lucky

http://support.apple.com/kb/ts2377

"If the NVIDIA graphics processor in your MacBook Pro has failed, or fails within four years of the original date of purchase, a repair will be done free of charge, even if your MacBook Pro is out of warranty."