Can you help me with this setup?

Is this a good setup? It has the Core2 that I want. I'd prefer 2GB ram but I can upgrade that. I don't know about the X1600 128MB and the difference in performance between that and a 256MB model. I don't know if it's a matte screen or glossy - I'm on the fence as to my preference on that.

Brand New Sealed MacBook Pro
2.16GHz Intel Core 2 Duo w/2MB Cache
15.4 Display (1440 x 900)
1GB 667 DDR2 - 1 SO-DIMM (1x 1GB Single)
120GB SATA Hard Drive
SuperDrive 6x (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
AirPort Extreme Card & Bluetooth
ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 128MB
Apple One year warranty

After tons of research and thought I've decided to switch to Macs and get my first MBP. However, price is a factor. I'm looking for either a refurb or a new model on ebay. There are tons of Core Duos, but not many Core 2 Duos that are affordable.

I work mostly with photoshop CS2, dreamweaver, and lots of multitasking on the web. I need a fast responsive system.
Any suggestions for me? Any and all feedback is welcome.

Thanks!!

 

The setup is excellent, but do note that currently Photoshop and Adobe Studio are not universal binaries. So, they will be running on Rosetta, which will mean they won't run as fast and responsive as they would on G4 Powerbooks or PC Laptops.
So, a PC might be a better option for now, until the universal binaries of those applications are released.

 

Personally, I have always disliked the lack of compatibility with macs. I run photoshop cs2 myself on this machine, and it works like a charm. I don't think you need to spend the amount that you're looking at with a macbook pro.
About the screen, I've got a glossy and it's lurrrrrverly

 

Lisa, unfortunately Photoshop CS2 is not working on the Intel-Macs, because it doesn't have that Universal Binary support. BUT, there's already a beta Photoshop CS3 out there right now ... and it's only a matter of time before it comes out.

There's a lot of companies right now working on bringing that Universal Binary support to the Intel-Macs, so there's a little drought in software ... but it shouldn't take long before things start coming out soon. Plus, there's the new Mac OS on the way, Leopard. So there's good things coming in just the next couple of months.

I'm interested in seeing what people are going to say about the ATI X1600 128MB vs the 256MB model. Here's the 3dMark05 scores ....

Core2Duo 2.16 128MB X1600: 3870
Core2Duo 2.33 256MB X1600: 3976

Well it doesn't look like there's a whole lot of difference really, other than a hundred points.

No matter what MBP you get, you made a good choice for going with the C2D version.

I honestly don't see (from all the results I've been reading) that big a difference between the 2.16 and the 2.33 model. Either one should suit your needs I would think. They're both pretty powerful machines.

 

Can you clarify what you mean about this? Sorry - It's Monday. Do you mean I don't need to spend a lot, or I don't need a MBP?

Thanks

 

heh heh sorry, i didn't phrase it right, and indeed it is a monday. What I meant was that for what you're planning to do, perhaps you don't need such a powerful notebook i.e. so you don't have to spend as much

 

I use Photoshop CS2 and Illustrator on my Mac all the time. It runs fine, and I haven't had any problems. It's faster than our G4s, and nearly as fast as our G5 imac. Filters are a different story, but it's liveable since CS3 will be out really really soon. If it's a major problem.. you can run bootcamp and use your existing windows programs until it arrives. As for Glossies, I almost purchased one, but the apple sales rep convinced me otherwise. He told me about several graphics pros who had gotten glossies and had an impossible time getting accurate calibration since they tend to over saturate and contrast the image. I would go with matte if color calibration is a priority.

 

Since you are multitasking and running these large programs you should definately buy an extra gig of ram.

Photoshop CS2 runs great on my machine, it won't load as fast as it should but that can easily be fixed by downloading CS3 beta which is availible right now.

Once again, if you want to run these apps as fast as possible then use Windows under bootcamp, however Macs are fine for using these programs.

Since you won't be gaming hardcore don't worry about the upgraded model.

I have the glossy screen and it is fantastic. I get compliments all the time about how my laptop always seems more clear and brighter than other laptops. I would definately go with glossy-but that's personal preference.

 

whoever said CS2 programs do not work on these machines is completely wrong, it doesn't run at native speed, as it has to run under rosetta, but the Core 2 Duo's are so much faster and efficient compared to the G4 processors performance is not noticeably different unless you are working with some pretty large files.

As for the glossy screens over saturating and contrasting, that is complete rubbish. I believe the Glossy screens actually have a much better contrast overall. Don't let someone sway you one way or the other, just look and see which one you prefer.

I see Glossy and Matte MacBook Pro's everyday, as basically every single person in the design department of my school uses one (my school is an Apple Affiliate) and honestly the different is very very tiny, if nonexistant. Complete color accuracy is only important if you have or use a printer that knows what it is doing.

 

Thanks very much for all of your helpful feedback. I visited my local apple store again tonight and spent an hour talking with one of the salespeople and playing on a MBP. I've decided that I really do like the 17" screen and actually like the visual feel of the matte screen.

Now to find the right price - haha - off to check out refurbs!