Which new laptop to buy for $1,000 - $2,000?

[Shark7]

Hello. I am looking to buy a new intel based mac laptop with mac osx 10.5 leopard. The main uses for this laptop will be gaming - so it needs an up to date graphics card, as well as recording music on garageband or protools or logic - so it needs the necessary processing power to have 40 simultaneous tracks or however many as possible going in real time while the 41st track or whichever is recording, as well as editing films in imovie or final cut, as well as all the basics like microsoft word and all. As many GBs of memory as possible for the money of course. Also I'd like it to have that "photobooth" application with the webcam and camera to take pictures of yourself or to video chat or video message.

What are my best options for $1,000? What about $1,500? $2,000? I want to weigh the benefits of each against the costs.

As for screen size, I'm not sure what's more important to me, in terms of whether I'd like to sacrifice screen size for features or features for screen size. It really just depends on what's available in what screen sizes and all that.

Thank you so much for your help!

 

[iSaygoodbye]

for gaming,the macbook pro is the only way to go

 

[Abstract]

With your desire for gaming, and your budget, haven't you just narrowed yourself down to a single option? I don't know if you have options


I don't know how much CPU power it takes to have 40 tracks on simultaneously, with one additional track recording, but if a 15" MBP doesn't work, you'd have to go with a Mac Pro.

 

[miles01110]

With your budget you're pretty much limited to the Macbook. If your budget goes up to $2k, get the unibody. Consider yourself fortunate that you don't have to start another "MB vs MBP" thread.

 

[ZunePod]

You pretty much have to get the MBP, but to make it playable on some games you'll need to fork out and extra $800 or so.

 

[kindablue09]

I don't mean to shift the topic of the thread, but when on a budget a mb or mbp isn't the way to go for a "gaming" machine. Maybe you should think about a 2.0 macbook and build your one gaming desktop. It can be done for about 2,000.

 

[andiwm2003]

IMHO get the refurb 17" MBP early 2008 for $1799. Add 4 GB Ram. http://store.apple.com/us/product/FB486LL/A?mco=MjE0NDk5Mw

but as others have said: if you are on a budget and you want a gaming machine a mac is not the way to go. i would say compromise on gaming and focus on meaningful things. a 17" MBP with a 8600GT is good enough for some gaming and great for everything else. and you will appreciate the screen.

btw: apple care is $169 at ebay. with the nvidea problems it's a good thing to have.

 

[ZunePod]

I don't mean to shift the topic of the thread, but when on a budget a mb or mbp isn't the way to go for a "gaming" machine. Maybe you should think about a 2.0 macbook and build your one gaming desktop. It can be done for about 2,000.

That would be a smart thing to do, you can get an excellent Gaming PC for under $1000

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

This one keeps tempting me...........

http://store.apple.com/us/product/FB471LL/A?mco=MjE0NjE5MA

 

[Abstract]

I don't mean to shift the topic of the thread, but when on a budget a mb or mbp isn't the way to go for a "gaming" machine. Maybe you should think about a 2.0 macbook and build your one gaming desktop. It can be done for about 2,000.

No, you're absolutely right. It's what I should have recommended, but I made my recommendation assuming he had already knew whether the 9600M GT was fast enough to play the games he wants.

But who knows, right?