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MattZani

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Apr 20, 2008
2,554
103
UK
Hi, im about to buy a Macbook Pro, and have been this whole time looking at the 2.5Ghz 15", but now im not so sure...

What i'll be using it for:
School Work
Web & Graphic Design
Internet
Games (Not alot since i own a PS3, 360 and PSP, just PC Titles)
Xp (For Games)
VMWare (For Windows Live Messenger and Photoshop etc. until i switch to mac versions)

Now, i understand the .1Ghz doesnt make much difference, but does the extra 3mb of Cache? And from PC Experience, Added GPU Ram only helps with higher resolutions.

If anyone has links to a comparison of the 2.4Ghz and 2.5Ghz in things such as games, Photoshop etc. that would be great, as im not paying £187 extra for a couple FPS.

Macbook Pro 2.4Ghz - £1,296 (£1,326 With 4Gb Ram)
2.4Ghz C2D Penryn
2Gb Ram (Will be able to go to 4Gb Sooner)
8600M GT 256Mb
250Gb Hdd
Glossy Screen
Apple Remote

Macbook Pro 2.5Ghz - £1,484
2.5Ghz C2D Penryn
2Gb Ram (Wont be able to afford 4Gb until next year)
8600M GT 512Mb
250Gb Hdd
Glossy Screen
Apple Remote

Also would the 4Gb Ram offer a bigger performance increase rather than more cache and GPU Ram?

Last Q, how much does 2Gb of MBP Ram go for second hand?
 

Mike49

macrumors member
Jan 28, 2008
53
33
If you work with graphics and design, you'll need the 2nd option you described with a minimum of 4GB RAM. Buy your RAM from OWC on the net.

Edit: Get the High Def screen *NOT GLOSSY* for working with graphics.
 

tMac85

macrumors 65816
Sep 15, 2007
1,144
0
in a great place
yeah dont go with the glossy for design work. thats a big no-no. get your ram from a third party. you will save hundreds.
and i really dont think you will see the difference between the 2.4 and 2.5, especially because you will be maxing out the ram at 4gb.

otherwise enjoy your new mac!

oh and i would say you could get $75 to $100 bucks for your ram. i could be wrong though. but its a guess. oh and im not sure what that would be in brit pounds but im sure you can figure.
 

MattZani

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Apr 20, 2008
2,554
103
UK
I cant go for the Hi Res screen as its out of my budget, and i need it to be portable.

I decided Glossy as even though the colours arent as true, theyre still not that far off, and i like the way the colours really pop off the screen.

I'll be getting the Ram from Crucial, 4Gb is £55 and 2Gb is £30, so i may just keep the Ram incase it needs to go in for repairs.

So there is no real difference in games between 256mb and 512mb?
 

zign

macrumors 6502
Apr 9, 2006
284
0
London
I cant go for the Hi Res screen as its out of my budget, and i need it to be portable.

I decided Glossy as even though the colours arent as true, theyre still not that far off, and i like the way the colours really pop off the screen.

I'll be getting the Ram from Crucial, 4Gb is £55 and 2Gb is £30, so i may just keep the Ram incase it needs to go in for repairs.

So there is no real difference in games between 256mb and 512mb?

I do web/graphic design and development and I went for a 2.5Ghz model with glossy. The reason I went for glossy is that it actually works better in a bright office. The colours are not exactly true on the matte either. I have 3 mbps in my office and 2 of them are matte. Glossy is just so much better.

I think 2.4 mbp will work fine for you.
 

MattZani

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Apr 20, 2008
2,554
103
UK
Thanks for the good response, im swinging towards the 2.4Ghz as if i did go for 2.5Ghz, i would be able to buy a Case etc. for it, or a Mighty Mouse.

Im still pondering though, and havent found any benchmarks between the two, so it could all change.
 

schradec

macrumors newbie
Apr 19, 2008
19
0
So California.
Thanks for the good response, im swinging towards the 2.4Ghz as if i did go for 2.5Ghz, i would be able to buy a Case etc. for it, or a Mighty Mouse.

Im still pondering though, and havent found any benchmarks between the two, so it could all change.

If you work with graphics and design, you'll need the 2nd option you described with a minimum of 4GB RAM. Buy your RAM from OWC on the net.

Edit: Get the High Def screen *NOT GLOSSY* for working with graphics.

Agreed with Mike...I have the 2GB ram in my MBP right now and will be going to 4 VERY VERY soon. I use Photoshop CS3, Illustrator CS3, InDesign CS3 and so on and so on daily and working with those you can tell the machine lags a little bit. Also go Hi-Def....its awesome when it comes to working with graphics if thats what your going to be using it for.

Also in regards to a case, I picked up one of the InCase slim backpacks of the Apple website...Awesome little pack, super comfy, awesome notebook pocket and tons-o-storage.
 

MattZani

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Apr 20, 2008
2,554
103
UK
I think i've decided on a Marware one, it looks kick ass with the blue, has some nice features like lips around the zips.


As stated before, i cannot go 17" for 2 Reasons.

1. Size, i will be taking my MBP almost everywhere i can use it.
2. The 2.5Ghz 15" is stretching my budget, the 17" is out of my range, and the Hi Def even more, if apple made a high def 15" i'd go for it. (Also, for the last 5 months i've been doing all work on a 32" 1366x768 HDTV, so i am getting more pixels anyway!)
 

schradec

macrumors newbie
Apr 19, 2008
19
0
So California.
I think i've decided on a Marware one, it looks kick ass with the blue, has some nice features like lips around the zips.


As stated before, i cannot go 17" for 2 Reasons.

1. Size, i will be taking my MBP almost everywhere i can use it.
2. The 2.5Ghz 15" is stretching my budget, the 17" is out of my range, and the Hi Def even more, if apple made a high def 15" i'd go for it. (Also, for the last 5 months i've been doing all work on a 32" 1366x768 HDTV, so i am getting more pixels anyway!)

Right on I am sure you will love it. My 17 in is pretty light, in a back pack I dont even notice it, so the 15 will be like carrying nothing at all.
 

hooly

macrumors regular
Nov 19, 2007
156
0
Right on I am sure you will love it. My 17 in is pretty light, in a back pack I dont even notice it, so the 15 will be like carrying nothing at all.

I recently upgraded from the old 2.33Ghz model with 2Gb ram to a 2.5Ghz with 4Gb ram.

I am strictly amateur, but I use the machine for quite intensive image processing and had occassional lags with the old machine (slowdowns, spinning wheels, which were nothing more serious than a nuisance and irritation).

Since the upgrade the machine is noticeably snappier. Editing files in Photoshop directly from Aperture used to cause problems nearly every time, to the extent I tended to avoid doing it. Now I do it without a moments hesitation and the spinning wheel is largely a thing of the past.

I attribute this more to the RAM upgrade than to the processor differences, but obviously I cannot be sure about this. (I got third party RAM, but installed it as soon as I received the machine).

On that basis I would definitely recommend saving for the RAM upgrade. From what I have read I dont think the processor upgrade is so clear-cut. I only went for the 2.5Ghz because I could afford it.

ps. on the portability issue, I agree the 15" is very portable *if* it's the only thing in your bag. But if you also add something like a dSLR, a couple of lenses, a book or two, the total weight pretty soon becomes a real burden.
 

Mike49

macrumors member
Jan 28, 2008
53
33
I cant go for the Hi Res screen as its out of my budget, and i need it to be portable.

I decided Glossy as even though the colours arent as true, theyre still not that far off, and i like the way the colours really pop off the screen.

OK. But glare is going to be a big issue, and in all probability your graphics output is going to suck.

As stated before, i cannot go 17" for 2 Reasons.

1. Size, i will be taking my MBP almost everywhere i can use it.
2. The 2.5Ghz 15" is stretching my budget, the 17" is out of my range, and the Hi Def even more, if apple made a high def 15" i'd go for it. (Also, for the last 5 months i've been doing all work on a 32" 1366x768 HDTV, so i am getting more pixels anyway!)

You didn't mention any budgetary constraints in your original post, so why did you ask in the first place?
 

MattZani

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Apr 20, 2008
2,554
103
UK
OK. But glare is going to be a big issue, and in all probability your graphics output is going to suck.



You didn't mention any budgetary constraints in your original post, so why did you ask in the first place?

I was asking if the small differences made any real impact, as im trying to save as much money as possible, and i would have thought by considering a cheaper version would mean i cannot afford a more expensive one, eh?

I've seen Glossy Pro's in the sun, and they look far more readable than theyre matte counterpart as long as you dont have any major bright glare streaks, where as The matte screen just becomes all washed out, making it unreadable, also, im going to be mainly working in Dim rooms.
 
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