What's wrong with the new macbook(s)?

[longball11]

I've been searching around these threads about the macbook and macbook pros. I've been thinking of getting a new apple laptop this summer to replace my 3-4 year old 15'' XPS laptop. I think I may be on a tight budget during the summer. I could probably make up to $2000-2500 by the end of summer depending on how much I go home with at the end of college. I hope I could finish the school year with $900-1000 left.
I hear people say get the macbook pro for better screen. I mean is the macbook unibody screen that bad? I have a 1 year old black macbook that I would use for school next year. I usually just email, music, surf the web and watch movies (not as much since Blu-ray fan and have ps3) and no gaming (could change my mind if Starcraft 2 actually comes out and lives up to its tremendous hype). I do enjoy the bigger screen as I have this XPS but I don't think I am willing to spend $1800-2000 on the macbook pro. That's the other thing, people say get the older macbook pro instead of the new one. I mean are the unibodies really that bad?

 

[ayeying]

I've been searching around these threads about the macbook and macbook pros. I've been thinking of getting a new apple laptop this summer to replace my 3-4 year old 15'' XPS laptop. I think I may be on a tight budget during the summer. I could probably make up to $2000-2500 by the end of summer depending on how much I go home with at the end of college. I hope I could finish the school year with $900-1000 left.
I hear people say get the macbook pro for better screen. I mean is the macbook unibody screen that bad? I have a 1 year old black macbook that I would use for school next year. I usually just email, music, surf the web and watch movies (not as much since Blu-ray fan and have ps3) and no gaming (could change my mind if Starcraft 2 actually comes out and lives up to its tremendous hype). I do enjoy the bigger screen as I have this XPS but I don't think I am willing to spend $1800-2000 on the macbook pro. That's the other thing, people say get the older macbook pro instead of the new one. I mean are the unibodies really that bad?

If all your doing is email, music, web and some movies, then no, you don't need the extra quality screen from the MacBook Pros. Personally, I do post-processing on high resolution photos. That requires a better screen. The MacBook, at least for me, didn't cut it for that type of work. It was painful and very frustrating when the pix you edit on screen looks nice but when printed has a slightly different tone.

 

[ceezy3000]

the screen on the macbook isnt bad, its bad compared to the new macbook pros, butthe screen isnt bad, its better than previous hen. macbook and mbp, so it is good, most people will say tho if your gonna get a macbook pro get the old generation, heres why
1.new mbp have weak hinges
2.new mbp graphiscs are basically the same as the 8600 gt anyway, 9600 gt wasjust put in to keep up appearances
3. the big deal about the macbooks being aluminum is because they didnt used to be,but the macbook pros have always been aluminum, so there isnt really much of a difference
4. old macbook pro is faster(read it on a site somewhere, they tested all macbooks and macbook pros)

 

[longball11]

the screen on the macbook isnt bad, its bad compared to the new macbook pros, butthe screen isnt bad, its better than previous hen. macbook and mbp, so it is good, most people will say tho if your gonna get a macbook pro get the old generation, heres why
1.new mbp have weak hinges
2.new mbp graphiscs are basically the same as the 8600 gt anyway, 9600 gt wasjust put in to keep up appearances
3. the big deal about the macbooks being aluminum is because they didnt used to be,but the macbook pros have always been aluminum, so there isnt really much of a difference
4. old macbook pro is faster(read it on a site somewhere, they tested all macbooks and macbook pros)

Interesting stuff, thanks. It was just when I was seeing these comparisons on threads it just makes me want to get the macbook pro because the screen is nicer. I do tend to find it funny when switch from my 15'' xps to my macbook because when i opened a webpage, there is space open in the page. In the macbook i had to scroll over right, left, and down more often which is kind of annoying.

 

[DolemiteJackson]

4. old macbook pro is faster(read it on a site somewhere, they tested all macbooks and macbook pros)

I had not heard this yet.

 

[vga4life]

Save your money. You don't need a new laptop yet based on what you've described. Wait until you do, then buy.

Your blackbook should do fine for you for another year or two. Save your money and the computer you buy when you do need one will be that much better.

 

[Abstract]

I hear people say get the macbook pro for better screen. I mean is the macbook unibody screen that bad?

It's as good, or as bad, as any current laptop at around the same price range. My white MacBook's screen is better than my brother's Lenovo T400's screen, although he has a 14" 1440 x 900 resolution screen (the exact size and res I'd like a MacBook Pro to have.....), and Lenovo makes some very good laptops.

When someone says a MacBook's screen is worse than the MBP's screen, what they're usually talking about is the viewing angle, and the black level. If you look at your laptop's screen head-on, and not at an angle, you're fine. If you look at your screen from a slight angle, you're still perfectly fine. If you increase the angle, the screen brightness and viewability becomes really poor. On the more expensive MBP, you can view your screen from sharper angles without affecting the screen brightness and what not. That's it.

The black levels of the MacBook are also a bit poor. There aren't as many gradations to show different levels of black, or should I say, different levels of "dark gray". In really dark scenes in movies, some of the things on a MacBook's screen that appears perfectly black may actually show up as dark grey detail on a MBP's screen.

See here.

 

[longball11]

It's as good, or as bad, as any current laptop at around the same price range. My white MacBook's screen is better than my brother's Lenovo T400's screen, although he has a 14" 1440 x 900 resolution screen (the exact size and res I'd like a MacBook Pro to have.....), and Lenovo makes some very good laptops.

When someone says a MacBook's screen is worse than the MBP's screen, what they're usually talking about is the viewing angle, and the black level. If you look at your laptop's screen head-on, and not at an angle, you're fine. If you look at your screen from a slight angle, you're still perfectly fine. If you increase the angle, the screen brightness and viewability becomes really poor. On the more expensive MBP, you can view your screen from sharper angles without affecting the screen brightness and what not. That's it.

The black levels of the MacBook are also a bit poor. There aren't as many gradations to show different levels of black, or should I say, different levels of "dark gray". In really dark scenes in movies, some of the things on a MacBook's screen that appears perfectly black may actually show up as dark grey detail on a MBP's screen.

See here.

Thanks for the link. It was helpful. That blackness in movies on the macbook looks like it could make me wait because I like to watch LOST and that show tends to have scenes that get really dark and I do remember on my black macbook that it does look like its pitch black in some scenes. It was annoying.

 

[kellen]

Save your money. You don't need a new laptop yet based on what you've described. Wait until you do, then buy.

Your blackbook should do fine for you for another year or two. Save your money and the computer you buy when you do need one will be that much better.

I agree. You have 2 laptops? One a dell and one a black macbook?

Is the blackbook holding you back? From your description it shouldn't be. I would spend your money by maxing out the performance of your macbook and calling it good. Max the ram to 4 or 2 GB if needed and put a larger HD in if needed.

 

[longball11]

I agree. You have 2 laptops? One a dell and one a black macbook?

Is the blackbook holding you back? From your description it shouldn't be. I would spend your money by maxing out the performance of your macbook and calling it good. Max the ram to 4 or 2 GB if needed and put a larger HD in if needed.

Of course it's not holding me back. It's an upgrade from my xps to the black macbook. I rarely use my macbook since I leave it home most of the time i go to college. I have with me now because i dont do any banking online on the xps due to previous viruses. I use the macbook for that. Starting next semester, I'll prolly use the macbook as my main and destroy the xps.

 

[Scottsdale]

Here's the thing. The quality of the screen is not as good in the MB as in the MBA and MBP. That doesn't mean it's not good. It doesn't mean it's bad. It's just not the same quality of the higher end Mac notebooks. For some people, they make their living off their computers, like me. I work night and day with my MBA. The quality for me is important. I look at my computer six to eight hours per day... and that usually doesn't include my personal time on the Mac. Does it mean I couldn't do the same things on a MB, nope. I just prefer the better quality display.

I actually think the MB has a rather nice display for the price point. Someone that uses it for light duty, it just doesn't make sense to buy the higher priced computer unless the quality is needed, OR you can afford it without any care.

In my opinion, I own a unibody MB, the display is good but is poor from different viewing angles. However, when looking straight on, it's pretty good.

So, if you don't use your computer as a tool or don't spend many hours per day on the computer, and the money is tough to come by, just buy the MB.

I do like the unibody MBs much better than the older MBPs... however, as a performance measure, the older MBP outperforms the unibody MB by most measures. But, I think the MB is more portable, and more fun to use with the unibody style.

So, make your decision based on all of the things that matter.

I bought a MBA rev B with 1.86 GHz and SSD, but to some people that is a tremendous waste. To me it was a business purchase. I look at my display all day, and wanted the luxury of a nicer display. I wanted instant app opening and fast boots all for work reasons. To me, it was a worthy expense of doing business. To others, it's a foolish expenditure.

If I didn't work on my computer, like when I was in college, I would be happy with a MB. Especially these new MBs, they are a thing of beauty. So, buy based on wants, needs, and funds available to equal overall value for you.

And don't let people influence you based on what's right for them. Buy the right computer for you. Spend some time playing in the Apple store with them. Don't let someone tell you not to buy it because they're mad the new MB doesn't have firewire - 95% of all accessories use USB and not firewire. Don't let someone persuade you to buy a matte display - MOST people prefer the glossy display... except high end photographers and graphics design users.

Any CURRENT Mac notebook sold by the Apple store or Apple.com, OTHER than the original MBA, is a worthy and exceptional computer for MOST people.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[Abstract]

Here's the thing. The quality of the screen is not as good in the MB as in the MBA and MBP. That doesn't mean it's not good. It doesn't mean it's bad. It's just not the same quality of the higher end Mac notebooks.

.....I actually think the MB has a rather nice display for the price point. Someone that uses it for light duty, it just doesn't make sense to buy the higher priced computer unless the quality is needed, OR you can afford it without any care.

In my opinion, I own a unibody MB, the display is good but is poor from different viewing angles. However, when looking straight on, it's pretty good.

^^^What he said.


I didn't mean to imply that the MacBook's screen was horrible. Like I said earlier, the MacBook's screen is as good as other laptop screens at the same price point, albeit a bit glossier. It's not great, but that doesn't necessarily imply that it's horrible.

Also, about the black levels I mentioned earlier, I doubt you'd even notice the missing details. How many movies do you watch where the screen is completely black? It's really important for graphics and photography work, but unless you're in the film industry, I wouldn't say it's really that important. I doubt you'd notice.