From MBP 4.1 to Unibody MBP: Worth the Upgrade????

As some of you know, I purchased my first Mac just about a week ago. It's the latest build of the previous gen MBPs; Penryn, Multi-Touch, LED, etc.

I have a couple of small gripes with the previous gen MBP that lead me to consider an upgrade (I figure about a $500 investment) to the latest generation unibody MBP:

1. Small trackpad. The trackpad on the older MBP makes it difficult to rotate and pinch, often confusing the two in practice. The move to the larger, single-click trackpad on the latest MBPs was a stroke of genius; the amount of "play" is excellent. Not to mention that I use expose all the time and the newest 4-finger claw is the perfect addition.

2. Keyboard. I find the keyboard on the older MBP a tad sluggish and unresponsive. By contrast, the unibody MBP has what is perhaps the most responsive and tactile keyboard I have ever used. This is important, as I do a great deal of note-taking on my notebook.

3. 8600M GT issues. I don't game often, but that only makes the risk of a malfunctioning video card AFTER the extended 2 year warranty all the more likely. Plus, the upgrade to a 9600M GT would certainly be nice once the newer Diablo and Starcraft games come out...anybody know if the unibody MBP can run Fallout 3 well?

4. Upgradeability. I'm not a 7200RPM fanatic, but nor am I competent enough to open up a MBP by myself. I really like the idea that the latest build is easily upgradeable. A nice touch.

That's about it. Small gripes, I know. But $500 may not be all that much to leap into a new system that's top of the line and which. I think that the new trackpad is actually the biggest selling point for me, as Apple's evolution of multi-touch features have totally changed the way I compute. It's amazing not to have to scroll or use a keyboard for minutes at a time!

I should note that as far as aesthetics go, I actually prefer the look of the older MBP. There's something visually striking about a uniform, all-aluminum body. The black on aluminum of the current model is a bit of a throw-off - one which actually harkens back to the color scheme of the iPhone 2G - which I think devalues the chicness of the Pro. As for screens, I think the matte screen is bombastic; but I could go either way.

Anybody made the move and regret/rejoice in it? Your thoughts generally?

Also, would the bump up to a 1066mhz bus in the ram and processor make any difference?

 

The newer MBP all have really glossy screens now. Matte (or anti-glare) screen options are not available. If you do not mind the mirror finish, you may want to "upgrade." I am not sure if it is worth it IMHO.

 

Spend that money!! Our economy needs some consumer spending!

BUY BUY BUY!

Hah, joking aside, $500 seams a bit steep, but I must admit, the first 4 reasons you noted would be gripes of mine as well, if I were a MAC user.

Being a devoted PC-user, I'm not as willing to pay a premium as the average MAC buyer is. In the end, you're the only one who can put a price on the convenience of having 1-4.

Good luck!

P.S. "I see your [track-pad] is as big as mine!"

 

... for 500? I personally don't think so. but it's up to you.

 

The "trade-up" is somewhat questionable at the $500 premium. Its a personal choice really. If you really want the new keyboard, graphics chipset, and larger trackpad it does seem somewhat worth the price. But it's still too pricey as Yuio says above.

 

Just got the new MBP some hours ago, I have the old MBP as well as an MBA.
Right now, I'm not sure if I like the new one so much. It's larger then the old one, which makes typing not so easy. It feels more like the 17", which I owned also. Designwise is, like you said, an uniform silver more appealing to me than silver+black. I've seen this combination on many laptops, but no one besides Apple makes solid alu. I strongly advise you to try the new one for longer. Maybe rent one from a friend? I'll wait the next days to decide if I send it back to Apple or not.

 

I'd love to hear your thoughts in a couple of days. In case I miss it, PM me to notify me of a response.

Incidentally, I felt similarly about the "size" of the new MBP. It certainly gives off an impression of being bigger. And I am absolute in my preference for the older MBP's aesthetic. I consider it much more elegant.

 

I actually like the new one more than the old one (I have both).

After almost two weeks now, I've gotten used to the keyboard, and I like it more than the old.

The new MBP is indeed a bit bigger, the edges of the screen are thicker, but it's a bit of an optical illusion. Because the new screen is actually thinner when closed, than the old one.

I like the new one.

 

Do you like the new one $500 more?

 

At $500 more, I would probably stick with the older one, unfortunately. That $500 could be used for a lot of different things!

 

It's very subjective as to whether it'll be $500 well spent. I think it's a toss up. You've made some compelling points for owning the new one, I would probably upgrade especially since you have the chance to do so at minimal loss since you've just bought yours a week ago.

Having said, I played around with the new MBP last night and the mirror finish didn't bother me as much as I thought it would, but the larger bezel (space between screen and case-edge) annoyed me and it does increase the footprint of the new one quite a bit. Also, while the mirror finish didn't diminish much of the screen's attributes (IMO), it did have a ton of glaring fingerprints near the top (by the web cam) for every time you lift the lid opening it. It's a spot that's very visible and will have finger prints constantly; it's annoying.

I love the new trackpad. The new keyboard for me is a wash; I really can't say I prefer it over the old MBP's. The sturdiness and general build quality of the new one is a step up.

I don't know. For $500 it doesn't seem like a great investment but then again it might be if those differences are important to you. Great help I am, hey?

 

I've decided that I'll probably wait for the refresh of the current unibody MBP before buying. I doubt that the latest of the last gens will depreciate too considerably by that time, there might be some kinks worked out and notable upgrades in the next refresh, and despite the differences I've come to conclude that the current differences between the two models doesn't merit $500. That really is a lot of money that could go elsewhere - like to charity.

Sometimes my technological fetishes help me to realize just how selfish I am.

 

Great post. I learned my lesson with my techie fetish in the last few weeks. I realize you've already decided not to upgrade, but I'll share my story anyway, maybe it'll help someone else.

I bought a Penryn 2.4Ghz MBP on May 21, 2008. I'd wanted a mac for awhile, and I'd saved up. It was quite exciting. I loved my laptop, it was beautiful, fast, etc etc. I took it to Australia with me for two months, and the love affair continued.

When I got back to the states at the end of July, I heard constant rumors the new MBP was about to come out. Stupidly, I started slathering over the new model. I was also annoyed that my fairly new baby would become old within a month. So, I decided to sell it while I could still get top dollar and wait for the upgrade. I almost felt like a betrayer packaging it up, taking pics, and sending it to some lucky schlub on fleabay.

Fast forward to the updates to the mac laptop line on Oct. 14, 2008. I was excited, finally the day had come. I'd been waiting for months! The money was literally burning a hole in my pocket, and the 2Ghz BlackBook I'd been using was rad, but it was no MBP. I went into the Apple store the 15th and came home with my new MBP. I unwrapped it, and it was indeed pretty, but it was also heavier. Wider. And I noticed it. People may say "its negligible" or call me an idiot or say I should go to the gym so the extra weight won't bother my puny arms. After using the BlackBook, and even my old MBP, I didn't like the added size and weight. It felt larger to me, regardless of the exact measurements.

Anyway, to make this long tale short. I figured the new MacBook would work well for me, the video card was plenty, it was light and thin. So I swapped my new MBP for the MB. However, the screen was subpar and I couldn't take it anymore. Not for that much money.

I decided to return it. Apple waived the restocking fee, and the genius actually agreed the screen on the MBs leave something to be desired for for the price. I ordered myself a refurb Penryn 2.4Ghz "classic" MBP, and I couldn't be happier. I should have never sold my first one, it was perfect. I got caught up in the hype and my own techie lust, and I've learned my lesson. I had my mind totally made up about getting the new MBP, even though I didn't really need it.

I feel like I cheated on my old MBP, but I can't wait to get back together.

That was really long, ha. Sorry about that.

 

That is a good post, QueenOfSpades. My next laptop will sadly not be another MacBook, since I'm in need of a tablet which Apple doesn't make, and will not make in the future. Glad I stuck with my 2007 MBP, it gets the job done, and is rock solid (sans the keyboard, but that's not a deal breaker anymore because I got used to it ).

 

What do you do that requires a tablet? I'm not asking for any reason other than curiosity.

The thing about it was I loved my early 2008 MBP. The only minor annoyance I ever had it with it was I hated the latch as compared to the non-latching macbooks. However, starry-eyed as I was about the new MacBooks, I was not all that impressed with either the Pro or the regular.

Luckily I snagged a good deal on the same model MBP I had before. I like the old form factor better. Who would have thought?

 

Haha, Nice post QueenofSpades!

 

I briefly considered an upgrade out of lust/temptation... but my current MBP does a sterling job of everything I throw at it so I am going to wait for a few more product revisions

 

I am in a lot of meetings and I find that drawing flowcharts and other diagrams more beneficial than just trying to frantically type out notes. A picture is worth a thousand words, espeically when designing software. Also on the side I do some hobby drawerings and having a tablet would be helpful in that regard as well although I know there are some very cheap alternatives to doing digital drawings without the full PC part such as the Bamboo Wacom digitizer pad.

 

I am new to this forum and very happy to read all you guys reviews and sharing.

I bought my MBP 2.4GHz C2D, 160GB HD, V256MB in Sept 2007 and have been in love with it!
I immediately upgraded to 4GB of RAM...making it really smooth when running VMware.

Although I think the new MBP is good in some aspects, I haven't thought of getting the new one. Instead, I am looking for an upgrade to the Samsung 500GB/5400RPM hard disk (about $200). In this way, I think I can live with the spec of my MBP for another 2 more years. For me, getting a computer hardware that can stay among the top of the line (especially the outlook of the all-aluminum body) for like 3 years is great.

 

Dang, it was on sale for $109.99 yesterday, but now it's still much cheaper than $200 at $129.99:

Samsung 500GB 5400RPM laptop hard drive

 

My quote was just a rough price idea. I'm from Hong Kong and this model has been out of stock for a while. The price here is about US$175.....so bad.

 

but forgot to tell one thing. All hard disk products bought here in Hong Kong are covered by 3-year warranty. Not sure if that makes the price difference.