Buying a MacBook Pro

Question

Im looking at buying a 13" MacBook Pro, but I'm not exactly sure which one I should buy. The Base 13" for $1,199 (2.5 ghz i5 Processor) or the upgraded 13" for $1,499 (2.9 ghz i7 Processor). I'm not sure whether to buy the cheaper one and save my money, because that is $300+ after taxes, or if it's worth it for the faster processor and such. (It really confuses me with the processor stuff because of the "Turbo Boost" with higher speeds, does that only work at select times?)
I don't know much about computers, so I don't know what the difference between an i5 or i7 processor is, and was hoping someone could steer me in the right direction. The games I'd be playing mostly would be stuff such as Sims 3, Cities XL 2012, and the new SimCity when it comes out. So mostly simulation games like those. I don't really play those intense shooter games or whatever that most people play, so I'm not sure if that's important for graphics/processor wise. I'll put the links comparing the two computers I'm looking into, and the links for the requirements for the games in hopes that someone will help me. Anyways, thanks in advance for anything. Any help is very much appreciated, since I have no idea about all the specs importance and stuff.
P.S., I'm not interested in any other computers, I want a MacBook Pro because I'll be in College soon and need something that works well for classes, typing papers, all the normal school stuff. I've used Apple products before and admire them for the very few viruses they get, compared to my families PC's.
Here are the links...
http://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs/13-and-15-inch/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SimCity_(2013_video_game)
http://www.thesims3.com/game/systemreq
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cities_XL_2012

Answer 1

Hi hawknelson,
I’ll give you a quick and dirty answer first:  While a 13 inch MacBook Pro (MBP) should play all of the games you mentioned, it may not play them particularly well.
Intel divides its current processors into three categories: i3, i5, and i7. The i3 is more in the budget processor range, the i5 in the mid-range, and the i7 is the premium range. For running games like the Sims, an i5 processor will do what you need it to do just fine. On a side note, Hyper Threading is meant to help your computer multitask better. Your computer doesn’t need to do this for most run-of-the-mill browsing and word processing, but it can get a nice performance boost when handling big, hairy computations such as 3D gaming or movie editing. I don’t think the processor is what’s going to hold you back here though; it’s the graphics memory you’ll need a little more of.
What I’m worried about is that the 13 inch MBP doesn’t include a dedicated graphics card. 3D graphics require a lot of memory. The integrated Intel HD graphics included with either 13 inch will do its best, and you’ll probably get the games to run, but gameplay will likely be slow with long load times.
I know that you’re concerned about price and, to be honest, gaming laptops are not cheap. You’re already playing a premium to be able to tote your computer around easily. Packing all that up-to-date hardware inside a portable package can get costly. If you’re committed to a MBP, you may be better off with one of the 15 inch models (they both include a dedicated graphics card). My roomate plays Sims 3 on his all the time and it works pretty well.
Happy Gaming!
Douglas|Social Media Specialist | Best Buy® Corporate
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