Which Macbook Pro should I buy?

[Awfisch]

I am helping a friend pick out a macbook pro for film school. He has a limited budget, so I am trying to keep it cheap, yet get a great macbook for his needs. He needs something with good video rendering, good graphics, and the ability to run smoothly.
I am thinking one of these two models:

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13-inch: 2.7 GHz
2.7GHz dual-core
Intel Core i7
4GB 1333MHz
500GB 5400-rpm1
Intel HD Graphics 3000
Built-in battery (7 hours)2


Ships: Within 24hrs
Free Shipping
$1,399.00
Was $1,499.00
Students save $100
__________________​

OR....

__________________

15-inch: 2.0 GHz
2.0GHz quad-core
Intel Core i7
4GB 1333MHz
500GB 5400-rpm1
Intel HD Graphics 3000
AMD Radeon HD 6490M with 256MB GDDR5
Built-in battery (7 hours)2


Ships: Within 24hrs
Free Shipping
$1,699.00
Was $1,799.00
Students save $100
__________________​

Which one is the best bet for him? I'm really interested in the 13'' one (its alot cheaper) On the 15'', is it really that much faster to make it worth the extra $300?? Thanks for your help.

Andrew

 

[iVeBeenDrinkin']

Buy one of each.

 

[movieboy23]

I would definitely go with the 15" 2011 MBP. You're talking about a quad-core i7 vs a dual-core i7, which is a significant speed boost. Here are the benchmarks to prove it.

http://www.primatelabs.ca/geekbench/mac-benchmarks/

Also, the 15" screen estate is extremely noticeable and appreciated when you're editing any kind of video, especially HD. You might even want to have him consider the high res anti-glare since that's less of an eye-strain when you're editing video than a glossy screen.

Also, the dedicated speaker grilles and subs on the 15" vs. the 13" will make your sound A LOT crispier and cleaner.

And last, DEFINITELY bump up that HD to a 7200 RPM for video editing, or consider buying an SSD depending on your budget.

 

[AppleScruff1]

I vote for the 15" too.

 

[tcador]

I too think he'll be better off with the 15.

 

[Final Hour]

No brainer- 15" 2.0 graphics wise a step up from the IGP on the 13's.