Is the MBP really worth it?

I'm considering getting another computer and up to this point I've ALWAYS gone with a windows based computer. I've heard many good things about apples and how the operating system is superior to microsoft's OS. I've used the apple OS briefly and I really liked it but I have a problem...I more or less need this system for school so I intend on running some type of Word processing program on it like Microsoft word...and I want a 15.4 inch widescreen laptop, for viewing multiple files and looking at pictures and such...I don't play many games thought..as a matter a fact the only "graphic intense" game I'll be playing if you could even call this a graphic intense game would be the sims 2 and soon sims 3...i know the MBP is designed to do EVERYTHING include gaming...my problem is whether I should settle with a Macbook which is smaller than I want because my hands are HUGE and the screen is too small...or do I go with the Macbook Pro eventhough I don't play many games...? I know the MBP has a backlit keyboard, the LED screen, and the FAST processor...for those of you who have a MBP and don't play many games do you wish you had saved the money and got the Macbook....and for those of you with the Macbook do you wish you spent the extra money to get the MBP because the Macbook isn't enough...? Thanks for your help everybody

 

Macbook has good processor, kinda low res screen.

The new Macbook has much improved integrated graphics. If you can live with 1200x800 on you main screen, the Macbook has plenty of CPU.

You could easily get a 14" PC for much less money though...

Other things that come standard with Macbook compared to most PCs:

1. draft n wireless
2. gigE networking
3. bluetooth

Apple's also hold their value fairly well compared to run of the mill HP/Dell laptops, but of course you pay more up front.

You can also easily use boot camp to boot into Windows should you want the best of both worlds.

 

I think MacBooks are perfect laptops for students. However, if you really do prefer the larger screen and such... a MBP would definitely be worth it (given that you can afford it).

It has superior specs, better materials, other goodies like the LED-backlit LCD, backlit keyboard... and obviously a higher resell value. Keep in mind that the MBP is only slightly heavier than the MacBook.
The MacBook is a good machine, but the MBP trumps it in almost every category.

 

Well, if you find the screen small, what you can do is get a MacBook and just hook it up to an external monitor with the money you saved from not getting a MBP.

But if you can afford it, I'd go MBP. Its extra features will probably be of use later on...like Sims 2 will play on the MacBook, but it looks much better on the MBP.

 

In my opinion, when you compare the macbook pro to windows machines, you can get a SLI 17" notebook with the latest technology for the same price as one of the 15" MBPs or a top of the line/state of the art 17" for the price of the 17"

A similar laptop to the 2499 15" is a compal ifl90 or dell e1520 or dell vosotro 1500 for around 1500-1750 bucks with same specs (macbookpro does have battery life and led screen and weight/size going for it however)

Macbook is fairly bang for the buck, slightly expensive but it is also so small that it makes up for it, the battery is nice too.

 

As I said before, it will really depend on what you're looking for. If you want the most poewrful notebook for the lowest price, it won't be a Mac, it'll be something like a Dell. But if you're looking for more features than just raw power, then that's where the MBP's price adds up.

 

I think Apple laptops are slipping in some ways.

I think the Macbook has some nice features, but is not that light, and could use a 1440x900 screen option. Unless you just love OS X, a 14" PC laptop is a much better value.

I think the Macbook Pro has some nice features, but, it really needs a 1680x1050 screen option and 2 more USB ports. I think the price points should shift down about $250.

But they are selling well and Apple is milking them for all they are worth, so, more power to 'em.

 

MBP IMO is worth it for students it is the thinnest and lightest 15.4", and 17" notebooks around, personally as a student I would not get them for my self because I game regularly. But as for the Macbook they are complete wastes of money and effort they are thick powerless expensive and the screen is terrible, for you like count_schemula said a 14" PC based laptop is probably your best bet I recomend the Lenovo T61 14". Performance is the same as the MBP and the size is just right and the price is near the macbook. If you are interested I can PM you with a sale "coupon".

 

but it isn't the same as the mbp... it has intergrated

 

1280 x 800 (MB) resolution is fine for nearly everybody

sry! most people dont really need 1600+

 

It does sometimes get frustrating in Photoshop though. Sometimes you're making a 1000x800 image, and the 1280x800 resolution makes it hard to do.

 

The resolution thing is something that I will never understand. If I was running any resolution higher than 1280x800 on even a 15.4 screen, I would have to turn it down, because everything becomes too small to see, and consequently impossible to use at a comfortable distance. Infact, I prefer 19 inch monitors that run at 1280x1024!
Disclaimer: I'm 21 and have greater than 20/20 vision with my contact lenses.

As for whether the MBP is worth it or not, it all depends. I've come to realize with my experience with a Macbook that Macs and OSX is more about style than anything else. The power is there, but the functionality built into OS X is designed to be streamlined for general consumer use, and ooh and ahh of the overall OS GUI. That's really all there is to it, in a MBP vs similar PC. Is the MBP worth it? I would only really recommend it to people who are smitten with it's looks and are style whores in general. (That's me, btw).

 

I don't know what to say. I've had 15" PC laptops with both 1600x1200 and 1680x1050 and all I can say is, I'd kill for that res on my MBP.

I'd pay extra, just like I did with the PC laptops.

I use apps that are hard on the screen, Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, Cinema 4d. The more res the better. I hate scrolling and shuffling palettes around.

I do use an external monitor at home, but, I'm not always at home.

 

I bought a SR laptop over the summer. Its a great machine and everything, but it is expensive. I'm thinking of just selling it to get a PC machine and throw Linux on it (for all the perks of OS X without the price).

If you have the money, they're awesome, but the 500-700 I could save is nice too.

 

I don't really game much on this anymore, and I still don't regret the purchase. The extra real estate is nice, plus I like the overall look and feel. You also don't give up much portability. With a student discount it is only $1800 which contrary to what some will say, is competitively priced to similar Windows models. I'd say go for it.

 

Well, OS X Tiger/Leopard have their quarks like any other operating system. So beauty and superiority is in the eye of the beholder. I'm a veteran of Windows 98SE and Windows XP. I made the switch to Tiger/Leopard primarily because Vista was such a disappointment, like Windows Me. Since OS X Leopard is capable of installing Windows XP/Vista on a partition and running it natively, I decided to give Apple a chance and I don't regret it. I'll admit the price is extremely high compared to similar and even more powerful laptops available, but the little bonuses here and there in not only the OS but in their design is worth the extra $ in my opinion. Since you're a veteran of Windows, expect to fall back onto Windows occasionally as gaming is limited and generally better in Boot Camp+Windows XP. Also, some things are just simpler or altogether possible only in a Windows environment. I'd say about 95% of your activities will be possible in OS X, while you'll occasionally have to switch to XP/Vista to do activities in it. That could change as time goes on, as Apple is reaching a new high in popularity and more and more developers are beginning to support Unix systems.

Well, if you're dead set on a 15.4" laptop than the MacBook Pro is your only choice. The cheapest being the 2.2GHz/128MB VRAM version at $1,999. The NVidia Geforce 8600m GT 128MB GDDR3 will provide future security for graphic intensive programs as well as the OS, since it's a little heavier on graphics. For gaming, there's no excuse to not get the 256MB version.

Well, the MBP's screen is larger, but you can always have a secondary display in your dorm/home for extra screen real estate. After all, 1440x900 isn't that big of an improvement from 1280x800. However, there is always an old saying. If you're really engaged, you won't really notice the size of the screen you're watching/working with. So from 15.4" to 13" won't be that much of a sacrifice.

I must say though, that the back-lit keyboard is simply beautiful and amazing. I'll cry when the light burns out, as I love it that much. So if you type in the dark frequently, like me, you'll love the back-lit keyboard, especially since you're a potential switcher like I was. The Mac keyboard is different from Windows and you'll have to memorize all new key locations and simply forget others.

The LED back-lit screen is nice, but aside from the brightness and longevity, I don't really see it as any different from an old fashion CCFL back-lit screen. Everyone says there's no light bleed, but I notice a lot of light bleed around the edges and slight shadow spots here and there. So it's a nice addition, but it'll be awhile before LED back-lit displays reach their peak.

The processor is fast, but is officially dated since the release of the T7800 (2.6GHz) and X7900 (2.8GHz) mobile Core 2 Duo processors. So it's not really anything to brag about anymore. That puts it only 200Mhz faster than the MacBook with it's T7500 (2.2GHz) processor. Also, if you want the 2.6GHz processor you'll have to select the 2.4GHz/256MB VRAM version at $2,499 than add an additional $250 to have it upgraded to the 2.6GHz processor, bringing it's total to $2,749. That'll make it 400Mhz faster than the fastest MacBook, but 200Mhz slower than what the fastest mobile processor offers (X7900/2.8GHz). So again, it's nothing to brag about.

Well, I don't play many games but the games I do play require a lot of power, such as Crysis, BioShock, Test Drive Unlimited, and of course some old favorites like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and FlatOut 2. So, to me, yes the MBP was my only choice and it was the right choice for me. Also, while I think the MacBook looks nice, it also looks cheap compared to the MacBook Pro. The MacBook is plastic, in either white or black, while the MacBook Pro is aluminum and grey.

As for the MacBook, a neighbor and former friend of mine owns one and he regrets his purchase decision. Unfortunately it was his only choice due to his low credit limit at the time. He has the previous-previous generation MacBook featuring the Napa Platform with it's Intel GMA 950. He plays games occasionally like World Of Warcraft and The Sims and he wishes he had the graphical horse power to make those games shine. He also complains about the keyboard and the overall build quality. The plastic palm rest is chipping/breaking apart due to a design flaw and he's very unhappy about that, especially since Apple refuses to replace it, calling it "Personal" damage he caused, not because of the faulty plastics or magnetic closing mechanism for the LCD display. I assume that's been taken care of though, with their latest refresh.

The Intel GMA X3100 present in the latest MacBook refresh performs about 3x faster compared to it's GMA 950 counterpart. The NVidia GeForce 8600m GT GDDR3 is about 10x faster compared to the GMA X3100. So in terms of graphical prowess, the MBP dominates and is the only decision if you need power for now and for a few years on down the line.

However, you should ask yourself another question about your buying decision. Do you want basic or professional? Basic will get you where you want to go, if it's allowed, but in it's own time. Professional will get you there faster and will have more roads open to it. Poor Metaphor, I know. Could YOU live with the decision of getting something weak when you could have gotten something more powerful? Could you live with the decision of blowing nearly twice as much money on a system that's about to become out-dated in early 2008 with the release of the Penryn platform?

If speed and power isn't all that necessary, I'd personally go with the MacBook.

 

I have a macbook and a few things bother me about it...

1) The screen resolution is much too low I prefer something like 1440 x 900

2) It's white and it gets dirty and I don't like having to spend time to clean it

3) I thought I wasn't going to play any games beyond Warcraft III on here, but eventually I wanted something else to play other than WC3 all the time and I was thinking something like Crysis but seeing how I don't have a graphics card that makes it difficult.

As a high school student the macbook fits all my needs perfectly and the battery life is great I can't say I regret the purchase because my parents bought it for me and I don't game often enough to make the MBP's graphics card worthwhile.

 

Well, Crysis doesn't play that well on any notebook right now . Its just so demanding...even the desktops need to be really powerful to run it nicely.

 

Whats the difference between the mbp 15" and 17"? except for the screen of course how much better is the screen n e way?

 

The 17-inch MBP doesn't have a LED-backlit display, keep in mind. It does however have the option to go to 1920x1200 resolution, which a lot of people want.

 

Damn id definitely take the 15" then.. smaller... same specs (except screen)..cheaper! I'm putting up with 1280x800 on a 15" screen at the mom i think 1440x900 will be fine!

 

I can not really put up with the small screen of 13.3 inch screen, it is too small. I like my 17 inch mac G5 screen.

 

also, the 17" has a 256MB graphics card versus the 128MB that the 15" has I believe.

 

its 2 expensive.

 

lol I agree

 

Yes, that's right.

 

Do you qualify for the Apple Store for Education or an ADC Student Membership? You should definitely look at the price differences for each if you do qualify. An ADC Student Membership costs US$99 so keep that in mind when you look at the prices.

ADC Student Developer Hardware Purchase Program Prices


Apple Store for Education Prices


Apple Store Prices (NO DISCOUNTS)


Apple sells Certified Refurbished Macs too. Availability fluctuates greatly; refurbished Macs sell fast.

 

The 15" can have 256MB VRAM

 

That is right also. The higher configuration 15.4-inch MBP does have the 256MB 8600M GT DDR3. And the 17-inch MBP also has this.

 

Except it's not worth the $500 price premium.

 

My only gripe with 17" laptops (and this is in general, not just with Apple, as I'm typing this on a 17" HP) is that it takes getting new cases that are big enough to fit these things. I was hoping my old backpack that I'd been lugging around my iBook (12") in would be able to work with it, but it was about an inch shy of fitting. And 17" backpacks are expensive! If you find a deal where you get a case with the MBP, take it IMO.

 

Oh man you do not understand how much I could go on and on about my MBP. I have the current 2.4ghz 15 incher and wow. I don't even know where to start.

My previous lappy was a Dell XPS M170. 11 pounds of pure 17 inch computing power. 2ghz P-M, 2 gigs of DDR2, and a 7800GTX, and a 1920x1200 LCD.

This is my first mac, and wow. It completely obliterates the XPS in all ways. It's five pounds, half as thick, it has a beautiful, bright, LED backlit screen, and it's fricking metal. It's fast and exceeds the gaming power of the Dell as well. And the keyboard glows! hahah.

Really, I've had it for four months and still can not believe how much I love it. I do heavy video editing with Final Cut Studio and lots of studio recording with Logic Studio as well, so it really fits the bill. Leopard never ceases to amaze, either.

It's a beautiful thing.

 

LOL

Welcome to the MBP fan club, fs454! I feel pretty much the same way about my own machine.


It's a beautiful thing!

 

Isn't weight/size/battery one of the most important features in a laptop? who really wants to carry around a 10 pound brick that's bigger than a library encyclopedia?

I think the MBP does a good job of packing all that power into a laptop while keeping it mobile.

 

That's what I say...raw power is no longer the sole factor in choosing a notebook nowadays, if you ask me. When you choose a car, do you just look at the engine? You look at the features, the size, the design, comfort and such too. With notebooks, that is also true, and I think the MBP does a good job of providing more than just raw power.

 

I agree but I think raw power is still a deciding factor in the notebook market. For example, I'd rather have a powerful laptop than necessarily one that was aesthetically appealing but far less powerful. But I do agree that the MBP does a good job of hitting all the bases as far as a mainstream laptop goes.

 

Size, weight, etc., are still the most important features to someone who uses their laptop on the road a lot (for business, vacations, etc.). However, I've been seeing a trend of gamers buying the most tricked-out laptops. Personally, if I were that much of a hardcore gamer, I'd be buying a desktop, as those laptops just aren't meant to be moved around much.

 

i live in the uk