wvuviv30

I am currently debating which on Apple laptop to get. I know I can get a Dell through work with a nice discount but it comes with Vista. The 4 computers at work have Vista and they are SLOW and crash at least once a week; they have the AMD Sempron 3500 and 512 gig of ram and it also makes me feel like I am on old P3 desktop with 128mb of ram.


So with that knowledge of the new computer I am looking at Apple Laptops... plus they are better for what I have heard.

I was looking at the MacBook with the 2.0 Intel Core 2 Duo processor for $1500 OR the MacBook Pro with the 2.16GHz Intel Core 2 Duo for $2000.

Both computers will come with:
- 1GB 667 DDR2 SDRAM - 2x512
- 120GB Serial ATA drive @ 5400 rpm
- Superdrive 6x (DVD+R DL/DVD?RW/CD-RW)

How ever I have noticed a couple of differences:
MacBook has a 13" widescreen where as the MacBook Pro has a 15" widescreen,
The graphic chips are different,
MacBook Pro has an illuminated key board, Firewire800, and PCI Express Card slot.


Now here is what I plan on doing with my NEW Laptop... I plan on recording some live music and then maybe doing some studio work with it (using like a PreSonus FirePod or similar). I will also use this to playback music in between sets. Other than that I plan on using the Laptop for day to day use (Internet, iTunes, word processing and what ever else). So which one should I choose; is spending the extra $500 worth it on the laptop for a couple of other things?

Pest

I'd say go with the Pro. The processor speed is unimportant. With a Mac you won't notice any difference unless you're doing hardcore encoding or compressing, like if you used Final Cut and were encoding a 2 hour long movie you just crafted, it would take maybe 12 hours instead of 15 hours to do.

It's the bigger screen that you want, especially if you use any editing software for music or movies, lots of little windows you'll want open. The lighted keyboard is awsome, my PowerBook G4 has it, it's painful to use a laptop or keyboard that isn't lighted anymore.

The only thing I'd suggest changing is getting more ram. Yes, 1 gig is sufficiant, but once you hit the editing you'll want at least 1.5 gigs (at least for video, which is what I do).

In the end, whatever Mac you buy, I can pretty much guarentee you'll be in love with it.

dibble9012

I'd say pro also (thats what I'm typing on now )

Express card slot for expansion like memory card readers. (I don't think the macbook has that)

Also the backlit keyboard is a awesome feature.

I would get the max ram you can, I have 2gb on my laptop, it's nice to be able to have several programs open at the same time and not skip a beat. I noticed a huge difference when I upgraded from 1gb to 2gb.

Also the pro has digital in and out (fiber optic) you need a special cable, but that might be something to consider since you are recording music.

Whatever you get, if it's a mac, I guarantee you will be happy, I switched from windows on my first computer that I owned (parents didn't like apple) and never looked back. Now my mom has a mac as her main computer too. Hey if you don't like OS 10, then you can always dual boot windows.

One things for sure, Apple products are Quality products, you can't beat the fit and finish. I've had many people at school and work complement me on my computer, how sleek it is, how it doesn't squeak and crack when it's picked up, how fast it goes to sleep and wakes up, and of course the backlit keyboard. Even the power cord is innovative.

If you have any questions or need help finding mac applications that suit your needs, I'd be happy to help and I'm sure other people on here would too.

wvuviv30

can I get a picture of the backlit key board... I have a tough time find pictures of that.

Most of the time I'll be in dimly lit areas.

Pest

I'd take a picture of mine quick, but I'm at work right now. I'll get one later if you still need it when I get off work.

A quick Google search yielded this:

http://www.tuaw.com/media/2006/04/Ap...boardLight.png

http://mobilitytoday.com/vbmcms/imag..._light_key.jpg

The other cool things that are rarely mentioned are the ambient light sensors. The light on the keyboard turns off when it senses light, and on when it gets dark. It also adjusts the brightness of the screen AND the keyboard backlight to suite the lighting conditions. <3 Mac.

nieuwendyk-25

I'd go with the Macbook unless money is no object, and you want to tote around a large laptop. I have used both and love the Macbook because it is smaller. It has a 13 in. widescreen, and it is glossy like the pro. It will save you a few bucks and if you get it from the Apple store you can get a bigger harddrive. Get your own memory and install it yourself...it is much cheaper! The only thing negative I can say about the Macbook is stay away from the black one. I have it, and it has a matte finish on it that can chip off, it still looks really cool though, and it is lightening fast!

norcalsvx

i use the pro as my home computer, i love it

dibble9012

Heres a couple pictures of mine, it's a high quality fiber optic white light. And like other people have said, it's all automatic, along with the screen brightness. Of course if you want to manually adjust it theres that option too. The pics are kinda blurry because the camera was having a hard time in the dark.

wvuviv30

I am sold... I am getting MacBook Pro...

that is AWESOME!!!!

drguitarum2005

i have the plain macbook and i got it because i wanted small to take to class. the only time the screen size sucks is when im doing any kinda CAD work, otherwise its perfect for me.

might i recommend that you NOT get any RAM upgrades from apple? you can save some money by getting the bare minimum then buying your ram upgrade from newegg. i went from 512 to 2 gigs for $180 from newegg, and on the pro, going from 1 to 2 is an additional $175...you could get to what you want for cheaper if you do it yourself and it is VERY easy to install.

89macrunner

macbook pro would be nice if you are gaming or going to be editing video and need a firewire 800 drive.

Macbook pro is a GREAT size..13.3" makes it nice and portable without being too tiny.

Get one with the Core 2 T7200 processor (high l2 cache) and 2 gigs of ram. It will be a powerhouse.

dibble9012

Which size do you think you will get? 15 or 17"

I have the 15" and it's the perfect size, although my next purchase might be the 17 inch. 15" fits fine in coach of most airliners, 17" might be pushing it, but I'm at my desk more than a plane so that evens out hahaha.

I have the matte finish on my screen, and my boss has an HP glossy screen, I have to say, I like the matte finish a whole lot better. The reflections on the screen in an office setting, with florescent lights, are awful.

nieuwendyk-25

I disagree....glossy all the way, much more clarity! No glare on my desk...

nick-m

Glossy screens are reflective. Much more so then matte screens, period. This is a fact. A mirror like surface can turn into a real headache for long periods of use. Glossy panels can appear a lot more contrasty and vibrant then matte type panels, much more 'wow' factor. This has made them a heck of a lot more popular and most laptop companies offer them as standard equipment, usually you pay extra for matte screens. For graphics professionals, and anyone else looking for accurate color reproduction - matte is most often the way to go.

If you can get one configured with the Mac, I would highly suggest it.

nieuwendyk-25

The Macs may be slightly more reflective, but they are backlit by a very bright LCD. The Macs are not overly reflective like the Sony's and HP's. When I got my Macbook it came standard with a Matte screen....the glossy is an option and that is what I got. I have 4 laptops in my possession. Two with matte and two with glossy. The matte screens almost look dirty, and imo are harder to focus on. The colors all appear washed out, or like they have a gray haze over them. I understand what you are saying about the reflectiveness, I see it on my Sony, the Mac is much less so. I am typing on one of the glossy ones right now with a light behind me and there is no glare...it is not mirror like...it is just clear. I am speaking as someone who has much better than 20/20 vision in my right eye (I can read the 10 ft. eyechart from 40 ft away) and 20/20 in my left eye. I say this not to brag about my vision, but as a point of reference. This perspective may be different from someone who wears glasses or corrective lenses.

This is just my opinion, I do a lot of photography. Anything from Macro dental photography where colors are very important, to scenery. Color accuracy is more related to the quality of the display than the screen type.
Also, not all matte screens are created equal, and not all glossy screens are created equal. There are good and bad versions of both...you probably can't go wrong with either in a Macbook or Macbook Pro. And yes I still say "wow" every time I look at my Macbook.

rubysRunner

Thread revival....

Ok all you mac gurus, I also need your advice/opinions (you already helped me decide btwn macbook and macbook pro in this thread..thanks). I'm going to be buying a macbook pro 15". My toss up is this: Apple just released the new macbooks, with faster processors, more ram, and a new graphics card. Since they just released these, the older model is now on sale. I'm wondering if you think it's worth it to get the newer one for a few hundred more. I'll be using it mostly for photoshop & watching movies (as well as internet etc., of course). The main thing I'm wondering about is the graphics, anyone know the big differences between the Radeon and the GeForce? Is it a $300 difference?


here's the specs:

older model $1900

Intel Core 2 Duo 2.16 GHz
1 GB ram
120 GB HD
ATI Mobility Radeon X1600

new model $2200:

Intel Core 2 Duo 2.2 GHz
2 GB ram
120 GB HD
128MB NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT

Thanks for you help!

isaac338

Even the double the RAM for $300 is worth it to me.

rubysRunner

Yeah, but I can double the ram myself for $120, maybe even cheaper if I shop around. I will probably end getting the older model (since the new one is sold out everywhere around here it seems), and adding the ram...unless someone can tell me a reason not too.

spaceycayce

Lessee, I bought two HP laptops (15" screen..AMD processerors, etc). A. I had a hell of a time to get slackware to install on it and then the wireless card never worked. b. when I went to put the stock copy of windows that came with the computer it ended up trying to tell me the copy of windows was already registered and thus a fake. c. the first computer broke and fried at 13 months(1 month past the warrenty) the fans died and the power port cracked and no longer took the power cord. d. it was soo heavy and didn't fit in any of my carrying cases. e. the 2nd computer lasted about 3 more months before it became a useless piece of technology, this time the screen broke and wouldn't sit up it would just go flat instead of the tradition 90ish degree angle.
I don't want a laptop, I need a laptop for my program in school as all students are required to have one. I bought the smaller macbook 2.0 Intel, etc. Its smaller but lighter weight on your lap and is easier to fit in any computer bag. I like it alot, it comes with almost all the software you need and is ready to go. I ended up buying a second one for this year since they are offering the free IPOD nano. My wife loves it as well and she's been a windows user forever. The learning curve is easy. That being said...as the other mentioned, it depends on what you want. If you want the power and bells and whistles get the top of the line one. (macbookpro). Just remember it may be bigger and heavier.
With the graphics card I'd say Umm probably not enough unless you plan on running parallels and windows with the intention of gaming. I got the basic card with photoshop and the built in movie maker and I love it. Also, they are going to release an upgraded operating system as well soon.
I'd take advantage and get the cheaper graphics card and upgrade the memory and what not.
anyway I love my mac and have little to no complaints so far.

rubysRunner

Yeah, I ended up getting the older model, and I ordered an extra gig of ram online. I've had it for a week now, and I love it. I'll never go back to windoze.