yes.. Another 15" i5 vs 17" core 2 duo thread!!

[Rhino420]

Okay I have $1700 dollars to spend on a new mbp... currently have a mb which wife and I share but I need a laptop for me since I am a hobbyist photographer and need a comp to post edit i.e. Photoshop light room those sort of things.. so to my question which should I buy 17" mbp core2duo last years model mc226lla vs the current 15" i5 model? my concerns are..
1. processor that big of a difference
2. graphics cards new vs last year
3. anything else you guys can give me insight in why I choose one over the other? do I need the 17" or is the 15" going to be fine for editing ? any info would be very very helpful guys. thanks so much. and sorry for another one of those which mac to buy.

 

[Pentad]

That is a tough one..... Some things to consider:

1. 17" has 1920 x 1200 resolution which is better than the 15" model for editing photos.

2. The 15" has the i5 core when will be faster in Photoshop, et al.

3. Does the 17" have a warranty or Apple Care? I guess I wasn't sure if it was used by your post.

4. I think it comes down to screen resolution vs speed.

IMHO, I would want screen-real-estate over speed but its a tough call. I do lots of Photoshop (CS5) work and 1920 x 1200 is pretty nice as most notebooks don't offer that size of screen.

Good Luck!

-P

 

[Rhino420]

That is a tough one..... Some things to consider:

1. 17" has 1920 x 1200 resolution which is better than the 15" model for editing photos.

2. The 15" has the i5 core when will be faster in Photoshop, et al.

3. Does the 17" have a warranty or Apple Care? I guess I wasn't sure if it was used by your post.

4. I think it comes down to screen resolution vs speed.

IMHO, I would want screen-real-estate over speed but its a tough call. I do lots of Photoshop (CS5) work and 1920 x 1200 is pretty nice as most notebooks don't offer that size of screen.

Good Luck!

-P

thank you for the awesome insight !!!

the 17 is brand new in box from a an authorized retailer so yes comes with the warranty.

what about the graphics cards? is that a big deal to look at?

and i dont think the speed will be that big of a difference ?
any who thanks for the insight any more guys?

 

[No1nfoProvided]

How mobile do you need to be? If you're considering a 17", you might just be using it around the house. If so, I would also consider an iMac. That being said, performance-wise, the 15" is the choice. However, the the screen size and resolution of 17" might be enough of a positive over the 15" to get that. I would, personally, go for the 15", because I do have an external monitor if I need it, and I would rather have the performance.

 

[pjcforpres2020]

Keep in mind you might also want a Anti-Glare screen if doing photo editing... has more accurate Post Production colors.

 

[Rhino420]

How mobile do you need to be? If you're considering a 17", you might just be using it around the house. If so, I would also consider an iMac. That being said, performance-wise, the 15" is the choice. However, the the screen size and resolution of 17" might be enough of a positive over the 15" to get that. I would, personally, go for the 15", because I do have an external monitor if I need it, and I would rather have the performance.

ughh why is this such a tough decision!! haha
portability is do want I love watchn tv and surfn the web so the desktop idea is not gonna fly.... i was thinking of going with the 15 and then buying an external monitor down the line... man this is a tuff decision!!

yea and anit glare!! i think i might do is go 15 inch new tech with i5 and then do a 27 inch matte external on the side.

what do you guys think about the graphics card 15 vs 17 ? any info on that ?

 

[alust2013]

thank you for the awesome insight !!!

the 17 is brand new in box from a an authorized retailer so yes comes with the warranty.

what about the graphics cards? is that a big deal to look at?

and i dont think the speed will be that big of a difference ?
any who thanks for the insight any more guys?

Graphics cards won't make much difference unless you are gaming or doing a lot of 3D modeling, not so much for Photoshop/Lightroom. I can do some Ps work on my computer, without issues, so I would say either computer would work.

 

[AdamRock]

get the 15" i5, go to the apple store and see it in person. it looks bigger in person rather then looking at numbers.

 

[No1nfoProvided]

Graphics cards won't make much difference unless you are gaming or doing a lot of 3D modeling, not so much for Photoshop/Lightroom. I can do some Ps work on my computer, without issues, so I would say either computer would work.

This is true. However, just if you wanna see, here are some benchmarks.

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Graphics-Cards-Benchmark-List.844.0.html

The card in the 17" is the 9600M GT (#96) and the one in the 15" is the GT 330M (#67).

I like your plan about the 15" and an external in the future. That's exactly what I did.

 

[Rhino420]

thanks guys i think im going with the 15inch!!! u guys rock i know i can always count on macrumors.com to give me good advice !