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03-10-2008, 01:58 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Michigan, USA | | | Mac Book vs. Mac Book Pro
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How much more do you really get with a Mac Book Pro? Is it worth the extra $$$? Graduation is coming soon and I'm getting a laptop, so these are my options. Things i'll be doing with it is:
-Writing papers of course
-Surfing the internet
-Handling lots and lots of music (which is held on a TB external harddrive, so internal space is not an issue.)
-Recording 1 or 2 people (I have an M-Audio 2 input interface)
-Bootlegging my band's shows probably in Garage Band
-Uploading videos I shoot on YouTube
So, do you think these things warrant getting a Pro? Is it worth the extra money for the fact that I won't need to upgrade as soon? Thanks for the advice.
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03-10-2008, 02:02 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Listowel/KW Ontario | | | My two year old macbook handles all those things fine. If you are going to be doing a lot of music recording you might want the pro as my macbook can lag at times if I am running it too hard.
lowsound
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Originally Posted by username n/a  How is a picture of me feeling up a stranger music related? | |
03-10-2008, 02:02 PM
|  | The Lowdown Diggler | | Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Huntington Beach, CA | | | I have a MacBook Pro, but it wasn't on my dime. My DJ has a top of the line Macbook and it hangs pretty good for a live DJ situation. I would venture to say that you could get by fine with a MacBook, but get the faster processor and boost the memory for the audio work. |
03-10-2008, 02:05 PM
| | | | Not worth the extra.
I've got a pro, but work payed for it :-) The main win is the graphics card which is way better in the pro, but for most stuff the MacBook is fine.The other win with the pro is that the case is tougher (and looks cooler).
I actually prefer the smaller screen of the MacBook - less to carry around, and you can hook to to a big monitor when you're home.
+1 on maxing the RAM |
03-10-2008, 02:06 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Michigan, USA | | | Is it really that neccessary to have 4 GB of RAM? And is there a really big difference between 2.4 GHz and 2.5 GHz? It seems overpriced (+$400) for 2 more GB of ram, and the Macbook doesn't even have the 2.5 GHz; I would have to go with the Pro.
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03-10-2008, 02:11 PM
| | Graphics Whore
Designer: Beav's Graphics | | Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Middle Tennessee | | | Just buy some aftermarket RAM unless you want to be bent over a table. There are plenty of sources to show you how to do it, and it's pretty easy.
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03-10-2008, 02:19 PM
| | The Lowdown Diggler | | Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Huntington Beach, CA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Beav Just buy some aftermarket RAM unless you want to be bent over a table. There are plenty of sources to show you how to do it, and it's pretty easy. | +1. Changing the ram is as easy as lifting the keyboard out. |
03-10-2008, 02:34 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Finland, EU | | If you have to ask, then the Pro isn't for you 
I'm sure you'll be happy with the MB, and adding the RAM yourself is easy - remove the battery, unscrew the metal flap protecting the RAM and HDD, and swap the modules, you're done. And unlike with most laptops, you can swap the HDD just as easily, so there's no need to opt for a larger HDD either.
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Last edited by Tsal : 03-10-2008 at 02:37 PM.
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03-10-2008, 02:42 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Listowel/KW Ontario | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Tsal If you have to ask, then the Pro isn't for you
I'm sure you'll be happy with the MB, and adding the RAM yourself is easy - remove the battery, unscrew the metal flap protecting the RAM and HDD, and swap the modules, you're done. And unlike with most laptops, you can swap the HDD just as easily, so there's no need to opt for a larger HDD either. | HD better be easy to change, I have to replace mine.
lowsound
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Originally Posted by username n/a How is a picture of me feeling up a stranger music related? | |
03-10-2008, 02:56 PM
| | | | Mac Book Pro has firewire, Mac book does not
Also the Mac Book Pro, I believe has a better video card.
If your going to do video get the Pro |
03-10-2008, 02:59 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Listowel/KW Ontario | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Barkless Dog Mac Book Pro has firewire, Mac book does not
Also the Mac Book Pro, I believe has a better video card.
If your going to do video get the Pro | My macbook has firewire. All of my friends that have macbooks (3 or 4) all have firewire as well.
EDIT: just checked the website, the macbooks DO have firewire. http://www.apple.com/macbook/features.html
lowsound
__________________ Quote:
Originally Posted by username n/a How is a picture of me feeling up a stranger music related? |
Last edited by iamlowsound : 03-10-2008 at 03:04 PM.
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03-10-2008, 04:16 PM
| | | | >Is it really that neccessary to have 4 GB of RAM?
No, but it helps. 4BG is about $100 to upgrade from non-apple sources.
You can add the extra later. I've only got 2GB in mine, and it's fine, but I do plan to upgrade.
>And is there a really big difference between 2.4 GHz and 2.5 GHz?
.1 of a GHz - you do the maths. All things being equal (which they rarely are - bus speed is more importat) you're talking about a 4% speed increase.
Ian |
03-10-2008, 06:23 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Madison, NJ | | | Not worth the Pro, really.
Get the 2.4GHz model... pretty quick processor, SuperDrive, etc. If you need more RAM, buy from Kingston. Great memory, approx 1/5th of the price.
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03-10-2008, 10:02 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Michigan, USA | | | Thanks guys, you really helped!
Keep throwing in the advice if you have it.
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03-10-2008, 10:37 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Montreal, Canada | | | I bought 2 macbook about 6 weeks ago. One is working fine the other as spent more time with the tech then here.
I love it though. The macbook should be more then enough for your need.
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03-11-2008, 01:13 AM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NY / NJ / PA | | | i got my macbook pro as a refurb and only payed a few hundred more than a new macbook. and frankly, mixing and tracking on a small 13" is not my idea of fun.
Last edited by jokerjkny : 03-11-2008 at 01:17 AM.
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03-11-2008, 04:59 AM
|  | Working on his world citizenship... | | Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: The Colonies | | The MBP is worth it over the regular MacBook if:
a) You will be using it primarily without an external monitor - there's way more screen real estate on those bigger MBP screens (especially the 17").
b) For serious audio recording. Having the FireWire 800 interface really makes a difference for high-end audio interfaces and fast external HDs (the one on the regular MacBook is only a FW400 which is scarcely faster than USB 2.0).
c) For gaming - the MBP has a great graphics card, but the regular MacBook only has fairly bog-standard integrated graphics. You'll probably do most of your gaming in Windows mode with Boot Camp, though.
And I thoroughly recommend a 4GB RAM upgrade - Macs fly with that much RAM! |
03-11-2008, 05:30 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Texas, USSA | | Just bought mine to replace my dying Windows box...that I built 5 years ago. They are a real trip coming from Winblows land. Having to get used to a whole new animal...
That said, I am planning to get the 4GB memory for the swap this weekend. Other than that, I have a 120GB HD, 2.2GHz Intel Proc, and the stock 1GB RAM. It still runs circles around any Winblows machine I have piloted! | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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