Considering a mac pro core 2 vs i5

Im considering replacing a 2 month old sony vaio with a mac pro.

my question is, core2 or a i5 15 inch.

are there heat issues with the new i5's and macs?

is the price difference really worth it?

I know apple puts a ton of quality into their machines so it will run with no problems.

suggestions please.

 

No.
Yes.

Simple as that.

 

depends what your doing... and base it on the whole machine not just 1 part.

not any more so than normal... nothing major to worry about.

that depends on you... it can be worth it to one person, and not to another... it might be worth it to you... only you can decide that.

you mean they put a ton of quality so it rarely has problems or the problems are minor... or its overall less likely to have problems. Anything can have problems, no matter how well its made or how much it costs.

 

If you don't know the answer to that question, chances are you're not going to be doing anything serious on your computer.

 

disagree completely. people have never used Macs before and the first thing they see is the price tag.

the only people who can look at the surface and say, "yes it is" are those who need Apple-exclusive software. Everyone else needs to explore more of the features a Mac offers and make that decision themselves. and it's not as simple as doing anything serious or not. if there weren't Apple Stores in my immediate vicinity to have spent a couple of hours in, I probably wouldn't have a Mac on the way to my doorstep right now.

to the topic creator: what kinds of things do you typically do on your computer? what things to you NEED to be able to do? do you want a change of pace for any particular reason, or is Windows just not spinning your wheels these days? Have you tried a Mac before? I decided a Mac was worth the switch because of the quality matte display in 16:10 format and a lot of the apps I use on a daily basis run as well or better on OSX. because I'll get more battery life on a single charge and single battery than I ever have before. and because I love the touchpad. If I didn't have a need for those things, I would have bought a WinPC (Envy 17) and been very happy with more hardware for the money (blu-ray, more powerful gpu). If I didn't do a lot of graphic design, I probably would have never went OSX.

I'd recommend you spend some time with Macs...learn what makes them different...read up on how to do different things. stand there in the Apple Store until you're good and satisfied one way or the other. ask questions here (most guys are very helpful if asking genuine questions). and be happy with whatever decision you make.

 

there have been some heat issues, when theres a good enough load on the graphic card.

 

You apparently didn't read this thread.

He has made up his mind on getting a mac computer, his question is whether he should get a C2D or an i5.

If you're not aware of the difference between an i5 and the C2D series, chances are you won't be doing any tasks that require the power of an i5.

 

Based on personal experience?

There is so much more to the decision than the processor. Going from a base 13 inch MBP to a base 15 inch is $600. If you don't need the screen size or dedicated graphics be aware that the i5 systems have to use the Intel integrated solution compared to the 13 inch using NVIDIA integrated. Moving up to the 15 inch does give you the option of the $150 anti glare screen though. It comes down to a decision of what you need and nobody can tell you what the correct decision for you is.

I'd like to say I'd go for the 13 inch MBP but I can't really say for sure. The 20+ year PC in me says "go for the dedicated graphics and fastest processor I can find" (my PC side reminds me of Tim Allen in tool time " argh argh"). The 1+ year Mac in me says "go for the 13 inch because its all I will really use". To be honest I have the dedicated graphics turned off on my MBP and while I bought the 15 inch for editing pictures and video, I could just as easily done it on a 13 inch and been just as happy (My wife has the 13 inch unibody so I've tried it out).

 

What he said.

 

i would go with the i5...ok try to search for a laptop that has keyboard backlighting, light body, thin body, full metallic body, and a premium customer care support, all for $1700. When you find it, just let me know.

 

I know, I know, it was only $1400, not $1700.* And the full metal body is covered by an extra layer of carbon fiber, though it is 0.3 lbs heavier as a result. And there's a trackpoint. And an ExpressCard slot. And a modem. And a pre-installed WWAN antenna. And a replaceable battery. And...the keyboard isn't back-lit, there's a light that shines on it instead. And it's not a Chiclet design, it's you know, a ThinkPad keyboard (and spill-proof, I might add). Oh, and the CPU is faster; though the video card is a Quadro version, so better for CAD and the like but worse for gaming.

So it isn't a perfect comparison, but it does meet all of your criteria. Can haz cookie?

Anyways, my point here is you missed the relevant part: OSX. Trying to stand up an Apple product on specs alone is suicide. You buy Macs for OSX, plain as that.

*Though the 15" MBP starts at $1800, actually.

 

1: Heavier and bigger: less portable
2: around 3-4 hours of real life battery life with the 9-cell
3: Video card is as stronger as (if not weaker than) the geforce 320m
4: No carbon fiber: abs plastic (carbon only on high-end X-series and T410s)
5: Screen is okay, but not that good.