Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Why did you go pro?

I would have gone Pro for all the things mentioned below:

Firewire
Graphics
Screen Quality
ExpressCard slot
More computer for $400 difference.

But I actually went MacBook for the size and the weight. I have a 2.8 iMac from last year that does everything I need. So for portability I went with the smaller screen, smaller form factor, and less weight.

I was really in between the MacBook and the Air, but chose the MacBook over the Air despite the Air weighing less and having a better screen because the MacBook bested the Air in terms of:

Ports
New Clickable Glasspad
CPU
Upgradable RAM, HDD, battery access

And because the Air rev. B were not yet available, the MacBook is. Plus $200 less.

Weight was the biggest thing for me and why I stayed away from the 15" and 17" Pro models. It is also why the Air was so intriguing. Shaving .5 lbs off the MacBook in unibody helped get it closer to the Air. I really wanted something that I didn't feel I was lugging around. The Air just felt too confining in terms of expandability and the 1.6 or 1.8 CPU.
 
Bought a 17" hi-res screen MBP in February '08.

At the time, the MBP had the following advantages over the MB:

Larger, brighter, higher resolution, higher quality, more colour-accurate screen
Aluminium construction versus cheap polycarbonate
Backlit keyboard
Discrete GPU
Much faster CPU
Multitouch gestures
Much higher quality built-in speakers
More USB ports
FW 800 port
Better keyboard (I despise the chiclet form factor)
Better battery life


The current unibody MBP has different, and fewer, advantages over the current unibody MB:

Larger, higher resolution, higher quality screen (brightness and colour accuracy are now roughly the same)
Discrete GPU
Faster CPU
Much higher quality built-in speakers
Has Firewire (at all)


With unibody aluminium enclosures standard across Apple's notebook line, the gap between the "consumer" and "pro" lines has narrowed drastically. At a cursory glance, the only difference between the two lines is the size. The points of differentiation between the MBP and MB are fewer with the current lines, making the MacBook a more attractive option for the average consumer… as long as you don't need Firewire, that is.
 
It's going to be my only computer so wanted a nice powerful 15" laptop plus I play Windows games on it. Also dabble in 3D animation so the 9600m GT helps.
Also when I saw the new Mac Books screen compared to the Mac Book Pro's it was a no brainer.
 
Because I'm Pro

Actually, I'm used to 15" screens so when I saw the 13" it was ok but I needed more. More power, screen, graphics capabilities, ect. I go pro.
 
I was offered a discount by the store manager due to an error on their part making the standard MBP £10 less than the 2.4 MB, turned out to be a no brainer :p

However screen quality, Im talking viewing angles as much as res, coming from a 2.2 whitebook I'm loving the backlit keyboard.
 
Screen QUALITY

NC MacGuy said:
Returned a MB for a MBP because of poor quality display. So, guess it would be display quality for me.
Click to expand...

+1 on that.

Ordered the MacBook online, but when I saw the screen in a store, I immediately canceled my order in favor of a MBP.

And firewire ....
 
I purchased my MBP about a year ago.

Reasons at the time for MBP over MB:
  • Larger screen
  • Matte screen
  • Keyboard
  • Express card slot

With the new models, I much prefer the MB form factor, but would probably go with the MBP for the following reasons:
  • Larger screen
  • FW800
  • Express card slot
 
3D Modeling, Graphic design, Game development, Gaming (crysis and CoD4 to name a few), larger screen, better speakers, backlit keyboard, and expresscard to name a few.
 
Neil1138 said:
Because I'm Pro

Actually, I'm used to 15" screens so when I saw the 13" it was ok but I needed more. More power, screen, graphics capabilities, ect. I go pro.
Click to expand...

That's hilarious! Good answer.

I personally went with the Pro for:

screen size
GPU (video editing)
firewire (music recording)
aluminum

plus I bought mine brand new on clearance, when they came out with the Penryns, for only a few 100 more than I would've paid for the higher end whitebook.
 
Mainly for the GPU (I fear anything labeled "Intel GMA) and the bigger screen. Even 15.4" seems small when I actually use the screen.

Oh yeah, for the aluminum. I didn't want some POS plastic case. :)
 
haha thanks. I have one question though. I'm thinking about getting a shield for my MBP. Are they really worth it? I mean, im really careful with my electronics and the only thing I am worried about is if the aluminum is going to discolor where the palm sits. I didnt think aluminum could do that??? I want to go with bodyguards btw.
 
Larger display, better graphics, performance, video editing. Pretty much everything graphics oriented.
 
-Better graphics
-Bigger and better screen
-LED backlighting(at the time)
-multitouch (no big deal)
-I prefered the "normal" keyboard

I have a classic. :)
 
-FireWire 800
-Matte Screen
-LED 1440X990 Screen
-Logic and Aperture
-nVidia 8600 vs. at the time, Intel GMA
-Backlit keyboard.
 
Don't have one yet but I'm planning to get the MBP mainly because of the better display and FireWire. Otherwise I'd prefer the smaller MB since I have a desktop PC that's far more powerful than any of the Macbooks so it would not be my primary computer anyway. If the MB had FireWire I could almost live with the poor viewing angles of the display.
 
for eficient use of final cut pro.

i am majoring in film, and my university uses final cut pro
 
The quality of the design, the impressive spec, the superb screen, backlit keyboard, and the fact that I was offered it at a very attractive price (as it was a refurb, it cost only a little more than a new MB).

Cheers and good luck
 
so that I might get an extra year or two out of it

that and I've too much money
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back