Which MacBook Pro should I get?

I'm gonna do it. Question is, which one?
The 1.83 is $500 cheaper, which leaves some extra $$ for upgrading RAM, and going with the 100 GB 7200 rpm HD. I'm guessing the performance difference between the 1.83 and the 2.0 would be negligible. However, I noticed the 1.83 has 128 mb of video ram while the 2.0 has 256, and it's not possible to upgrade the 1.83. I'm wondering how significant this will be, especially since I use Aperture and from what I understand it relies heavily on the graphics chip.
What do you think? Should I go with the 1.83 or bit the bullet and get the 2.0?
Thanks...

Thanks for your feedback.
The question (and I think it's a valid one), is how much of a difference will the extra 128 MB on the video card and the .17 Ghz on the chips make? Will it be noticeable, or simply somethinig that can be measured by speed tests in a lab?
I know with G5 desktops for example I can't tell a huge difference in day-to-day usage between the dual 2.0 and the dual 2.3. The major speed bumps, in my experience, tend to come from hard drive speed, RAM and graphics chip.

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Which Macbook Pro should i get for use with Solidworks?

I want to get a Macbook Pro but unsure whether to go for the higher end 13 inch or the lower end 15 inch.
I will be running Solidworks(CAD) a lot as im in my final year of an engineering degree.
Has anyone got either and had any problems etc?
Thanks

Yes, the MBP you've suggested will do fine with MainStage but at the same time, I'd recommend you getting the fastest machine you can realistically afford as MS is still a very resource-hungry beast.....especially once you get to know it and decide that you want to do extra stuff that you didn't originally intend to do with it!
I also run a MOTU Ultralite MK3 and can recommend this as a very good bang-for-buck interface.....especially the new hybrid model (which I don't have) that has both firewire AND USB. Apart from Apogee interfaces - which are apparently phenomenal (and phenomenally expensive!) - I've also heard extremely good things about the RME Fireface 400 and 800 interfaces.
But back to the MOTU Ultralite MK3: it has heaps of I/O, is half-rack space (so very portable), is bus-powered (with A/C option), has onboard DSP FX, the latency is very low, is easy to set up and use, and is quite affordable for what you're getting. And MOTU is pretty good with tech support and the drivers are very high quality. Can't go wrong, really.
The only other thing I'll mention about using a MBP is that having a decent screen size can really help if you're using it live at gigs. I have the current top of the line 17" model and really notice the screen size difference compared to friends who have the 13" or 15" models.....there's a HUGE difference in screen "real estate" with the 17" screen.
BTW, it's rumored that Apple will soon be announcing the next MBP models and so you may want to wait till the end of April before you decide to buy something.

Which Macbook pro should I get? 2.53 vs 2.66

Does anyone have a good reason to get the 2.66 over the 2.53 macbook pro?
Both are 15" both have 4GB ram
2.53 3MB cache:
250GB 5400RPM Hard drive.
Nvidia 9400M shared graphics.
1 fan
2.66 3MB cache:
320GB 5400RPM Hard drive.
Nvidia 9400M + 9600M GT (w/dedicated 256MB ram)
2 fans
I'm not a game player, I am not sure I'd see a huge speed increase (.13 ghz) and the extra 70GB isn't that enticing. So normally, I'd say it's not worth it, but I wonder if there's other apps that would make use of the 9600GT now that OpenCL has been included in 10.6
Thoughts please! Convince me to stay at 2.53 or move higher!

I'm always a proponent of more RAM for performance, but I'm using a late 2007 MBP 2.6 GHz with 4 Gig of RAM and feel that is sufficient for my needs. My biggest users of resources are 2 virtual machines (Fusion 2.0.6 right now, 3.0 within a month I'm planning). I also run XCode occassionally (mostly for iPhone, but sometimes for Mac). Also do some website development with MAMP Pro. To date I've never run low on RAM with this configuration.
For better Virtual Machine performance I would seriously consider an external drive. No matter how you slice it having 2 OSs use the same drive will create some resource contention. SSDs may pretty much eliminate that with near zero seek time, but it is my understanding SSD write performance is about the same as a 7200 RPM traditional disk.
What I did to speed up I/O was to purchase a RAID 0 external disk. I am currently using it via Firewire 800. Originally I was connecting it via eSATA (not an option for the newer 15" MBPs) which may have had a bit more performance, but not significant.
To me the more significant difference between the 2.53 & 2.66 models is the separate graphics card. With Snow Leopard being able to use the processing power in that card for general purposes you will likely see a greater performance difference than just the .13 GHz of the respective CPUs.
I always try to get the best non-upgradeable specs on a computer as I can afford. As you have implied at some point you can put in more memory or upgrade to a faster hard drive (whatever the technology at the time) but the CPU speed and graphics capabilities are fixed for the life of the computer.

Which Macbook Pro should I get (Iris Pro or no Iris Pro?)

I have an outdated MBP (2009) and want to get a newer one. I use it mostly for work --- web/editing images but expect to occasionally need to edit videos as related to my job.
I am looking at refurbished and it's between:
Refurbished 15.4-inch MacBook Pro 2.0GHz Quad-core Intel i7 with Retina Display for $1659. This one has Iris graphics
http://store.apple.com/us/product/FE...retina-display
or
Refurbished 15.4-inch MacBook Pro 2.3GHz Quad-core Intel i7 with Retina Display. No Iris Pro. $60 cheaper.
http://store.apple.com/us/product/FC...retina-Display
So, I guess my question is do I need Iris Pro for my purposes? I don't know much about computers but it looks like the processor on the one with Iris Pro Graphics is slower. Is that right?
Thanks.

I would choose the first one.

Which macbook pro should I buy?? 13 or 15??

I am planning to buy a macbook pro but I don't know which macbook pro I should buy.
Games are not that important to me, however I play games such as call of duty, nba 2k, need for speed sometimes. Portability is important to me because it is compulsory for bringing laptops to school. I am confused on buying which macbook pro because the gpu of 13 is bad but 15 might be too big and heavy.
So which macbook pro should I buy?

Hi Lawrence,
You've point out some of the important factors. For me, the choice would be easy. I'd gladly put up with a bit more bulk/weight to have a 15" display. ymmv

Which macbook pro should i buy if i use finalcut7?the i5 or i7?

which macbook pro should i buy if i use finalcut7?the i5 or i7?

Either one will do the job. The more powerful the CPU, the faster it will perform. I suggest that if the budget is tight, go for the i5, if not go for what the bank account will allow.
It is nice to have a fast CPU, but they are not essential to the overwhelming applications that most people use, especially in a non-vocational context. On this forum there are the 'speed freaks' who will tout the virtues of faster CPUs, yet most have never compared two MBPs side by side and experienced the differences of real world results.
Ciao.

Which macbook pro should i buy?

I am looking at buying a new macbook after 6 years with my current one which is running really slow. I will be using the macbook pro with the retina display 13 inch to -
1. Add photos and videos as well as edit them as well possibly by using adobe photo shop
2. Surf the internet
3. Update my blog
4. Basic Web design
Which macbook pro should i buy for the tasks that i plan to do??
The 256GB with the i5 processor and buy a 1TB external hard drive
or 256GB with the i7 processor and buy an external hard drive
or go max out at buy the 512GB with the i7 processor

Consider this option.
lknights1987 wrote:
or go max out at buy the 512GB with the i7 processor
Best.

Which Macbook Pro 15" to get?

Hi, I've been thinking about buying a new Macbook Pro for a while now, as I've been getting tired of my Windows machine, and I plan on going to University next year, I thought it'd be nice to have time to get used to using one.
Basically, I have decided that I want a 15" Macbook Pro, but not which processor speed. (I have customised them to give them Hi-Res screens and at least a 500GB HD).
I would also like to say that I am aware it is cheaper to buy RAM from external companies but I'd prefer to get it straight from Apple.
*Setup 1:*
+Intel Core i5 2.4GHz Processor+
+8GB RAM+
+500GB HD+
+256MB NVIDIA Graphics+
+Hi-Res Screen+
+Total Cost:+ £1979
*Setup 2:*
+Intel Core i5 2.53GHz Processor+
+8GB RAM+
+500GB HD+
+256MB NVIDIA Graphics+
+Hi-Res Screen+
+Total Cost:+ £2050
*Setup 3:*
+Intel Core i5 2.66GHz Processor+
+4GB RAM+
+500GB HD+
+512MB NVIDIA Graphics+
+Hi-Res Screen+
+Total Cost:+ £1879 +(£2199 with 8GB RAM)+
I know a fair bit about computers, and I'm going to be doing an IT based course at Uni, so I want a decent computer. I know you can get better spec laptops/desktops including iMacs for cheaper but I really want a Macbook.
Basically what I'm asking is do you think it would be worth getting the 8GB RAM on the lower processor speed models, and what sort of a difference would the 512MB Graphics memory make compared to the 256MB one.
Also, if you think it would be worth paying £2199 for 8GB on the best spec one.
If you have read all of this so far, then, well, thank you, and please post even if it's a sentence.
Thanks for reading!
Edit: Sorry if this is in the wrong place I didn't really know where to post it.
Message was edited by: JamesWood

I have an i7 2.66 with hi-res screen in front of me and I just can't take my eyes off of it
I would recommend you do the same if you can afford it ..why ??
Well 512MB Nvidia 330m is a nice difference for starters ..if you imagine how HD technology and games are evolving everyday ..
i7 is a true beast and when you invest you should invest something good for a while ..
I have 4GB ram on my machine and unless you deal with movie editing etc. swapping GB files around all the time you will be more than fine with that amount ..
my 2 pennies goes to i7 2.66 15" 4GB with Hi-Res display that's my machine (oh and I also have an SSD :p)

Which MacBook Pro should I go for? Which will complete my needs?

I wanted to buy a MacBook Pro for school in September. I was just curious on which model I should go for.
I need to do the following:
- I need to be able to run accounting software (Simply Accounting).
- I need to be able to Skype with friends/family.
- I need to be able to run Adobe Suite CS5+.
- I would like to create a home studio surrounded around this new computer.
- I would like something portable and durable. I need to be able to carry this laptop everyday and it's going to be used in an environment that is more or less abusive.
- I would also like a CD drive (I still find myself using CDs every once in a while).
- And I would like to get a nice screen, the stock screen is fine on the 13 inch, but I would need the upgrade on the 15 inch.
So, basically;
Option 1: 15 inch MacBook Pro base (no extras)
Option 2: 13 inch MacBook Pro with an Intel 520 240GB SSD + 8GB RAM
Option 3: Wait until June/July for the next generation of MacBook Pro's.
Which would you guy do?
Thanks.

Skip the 13", does not have the audio I/O you will need. The 15" with as much ram as you can afford. You can wait, keeping in mind that you will spend time working bugs ou, depending how Apple rearranges the "furnature yet again. I have a 15" running SnowLeopard as my music production, as I do a lot of live, and it is VERY stable. (can't afford issuses) I have a 13" Bare bones for doing light duty stuff and I'm to lazy to lug the big 15" bag of cables/adapters... with me. Best of luck, hope I helped, and did not confuse you too much. All the Best

Which macbook pro should i buy for architecture/interior design?

My question is about the 13" or the 15" pro. My wife is starting out in architecture/interior design and she already knows she'll be using photoshop cs3, Rhino and auto cad. Her concern is the weight of the unit and the price and is therefore leaning towards the 13". But I've been pushing her to the high end 15" because of the better video card and processor.
All said and done is the extra $1000 worth it, considering she'll be using it for the next 4 years? She is the careful one with the money, so I need a better way to rationalize the extra $1000 for the 15" than just saying that its "better". As far as she's concerned, I'm just buying into the apple occult over the best shiny new thing!
Another question concerns whether, if she can make it through first term without a computer, we should wait until the next refresh. My friend told me that macbook pros might become like the mac airs. If that's the case it'd really solve our weight problems.
Thanks!

The AIR is the way it is because it's stripped down and has lousy integrated graphics where the CPU handles it, thus they overheat. A Windows PC laptop would be the same and a lot leas expensive (although not as thin), dragging the external optical drive around is a real pain too.
Your correct about the 15" for the software she needs to run, namely Photoshop and AutoCad, and likely VMFusion and Windows too.
I would get the 2.2 Ghz 15" MacBook Pro and the anti-glare high resolution screen, the glare of the glossy screens makes it unsuitable for most professional uses.
Don't go by my word 100%, just read the posts from professionals here
https://macmatte.wordpress.com/
and the general computing public here.
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/blogs/2011/05/23/glossy-vs-matte-screens-why-the-pc-indus trys-out-of-touch/
The 15" and 17" MBP are the only anti-glare screen computers Apple still makes, so grab a powerful 2.2 Ghz while they still sell them and make it last as long as possible
That would make the lowest annaul cost of ownership possible, as the software wouldn't need to be replaced as soon, the softwares combined is likely to cost more than the machine.
The AIR is nice, if she used it as a consumer computer, but she's got "Pro" intentions and the AIR, the 13" and the 2.0 Ghz 15" doesn't cut it, especially in the graphics/3D rendering which AutoCAD is sorely needed a strong video card to render fast.
Some get a/iPad for light portable uses and the MaBook Pro for the heavy lifting, that could be a option for a extra $500,
Good Luck.

Architecture student, Which MacBook Pro should I buy?

I want to buy a macbook pro, i'm going to study architecture, but I don't know which model is the best one to run AutoCad and other architecture programs.
I think I need a i7 chip, but I don't know if the 13-inch MBP i7 dual-core 8gb Ram or 15-inch MBP i7 Quad-core 4Gb Ram, what do you think?

Well I got the MBP 13" 2.9 GHz. I weighed all the options the price differences and pros and cons. I'm am very happy with my dission.
The Retina was way out of price range for what you get. The ability to no upgrade unit was a huge turnoff. And to buy it fully loaded was not even worth it. I don't have that kinda dough to throw around, and I think it highly over rated. It's new and has a wow factor, but does not make sense. Millions of great photos connived and edited before retina display, so to say its needed or worth it at that price is not logical for me.
The 15" was a close to me, but $700 difference out of pocket still was not sure for me after selling my old MPB. portability was issue, and if my old 13" MBP did my editing ok in PS CS5 and Lightroom 4 then the new 13" should be no problem.
What I got:
I got MBP 13" 2.9MHz i7. I figured it have a better resale value in long run over the 2.3MHz i5.
the size is perfect as I travel all the time. I'm a pilot full time so it fits in my camera bag perfect.
I added my already owned 256GB SSD drive in it, and upgraded to 16GB RAM for $110. It's amazing fast. 4 sec open PS CS6.
I have been using it to edit my photos in LTR4 and PS CS6, no problem and fast. In the 14 days owned I have not even opened the cover of my laptop, it's always been used on external 27" display. So money saved I upgraded my gear New CF Cards, USB 3.0 HUB, USB 3.0 Card Reader, USB 3.0 External Hadrive. Still money saved, cause I sold all my old USB and Drives and Cardsbon EBay too. The USB 3.0 was main reason I upgraded, it's worth it to. 3.0 makes a differencebandni can see the transfer speed differences. So much faster.
So theres my reasons for doing what I did.

Which Macbook Pro should I buy for recording, making music and editing videos?

I really have a huge interest in music and editing videos and I want to make it as a part of my career so I want to start making some videos/music videos, etc. I have an iMac, but I share with my whole family, so I don't really have the time and I don't have the privacy that I need. I was thinking about buying a PC but that gets viruses easily unlike the Mac OS. I really hope someone could help me. I was thinking about the 13 inch Macbook Pro with Retina display (8GB Memory and 500+ Flash Storage). That's what I could afford right now.
Thanks.

Based on reports here and elsewhere, I'm not sure buying a Retina MBP is such a great investment of your money as Retina Displays make much higher demands on the systems... and provide a lower overall performance with CPU/Sub Systems intensive and timing reliant/critical applications such as Logic Pro X
While I understand the 'draw' of Laptops.. because of their portability etc... there are drawbacks that should be taken into account too.. and compared to a similar priced iMac/Mac Mini.... you get much better power/cost ration with an iMac/Mac Mini than you will ever get with a MBP....
Simply put you will spend roughly twice as much for a MBP compared to an iMac/Mac Mini to obtain the same performance... and while Retina does provide for a very good clear screen... the overheads that places on the systems of a MBP.. can often outweigh its real benefits when used with an App like LPX where Retina really serves no useful purpose/benefits....... especially for the extra cost.
Example..My nearly 3 year old 3.4Ghz i7 32GB iMac which cost less by some degree as my top of the range 2013 2.5 Ghz i7 16GB MBP with Retina.. 'smokes' the MBP so easily..... when using identical versions of LPX/LP9 under Mavericks.. Even my 2010 Mac Mini Server 2.0 Ghz 16GB gives the MBP a good run for it's money in comparision.. and that cost me less than $800 plus Monitor!
Note: This is just a personal opinion and should be viewed as such....

Which Macbook Pro should I purchase? I'm thinking the non-Retina 13" with 2.9GHZ and 128GB SSD...

I am looking to purchase a new laptop in the near future but I am not sure which configurations--specifically relating to speed and memory--I should choose. As of now I am thinking about this:
13" non Retina Macbook Pro
2.9GHz Dual-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz
8GB 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM — 2x4GB
128GB Solid State Drive
SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Backlit Keyboard (English) & User's Guide
the total cost for this package is $1,599 which is just about my total budget-- it don't want to go over $1,800.
At this point, I have sort of ruled out the Retina display because I'm not really sure if it is worth it. Instead, I would like to buy a Macbook Pro that is very fast, durable, and spacious (in terms of memory).
In the past, I have opted for the standard specs but I have learned the hard way that configurations matter.
I plan to use this laptop for my last two years of college in hopes that it will last me at least 3 years after that (My current Macbook is in its 5th year but has seen two different hard drives....). I have a large music collection (100 gigs or so) stored on a variety of different drives as well as some movies that I would love to (for the first time since I downloaded Napster) have on the same device without losing computing power or processing speed. Also I am a beginner/intermediate programmer who likes to spend very extended time periods jumping between programs and just messing around on the Internet (but honestly, who doesn't? haha).
One thing I'm not entirely sure about is the eminent release of Mountain Lion OS X. Should I be waiting for this to be the standard on all laptops or does it not matter all the much?
If anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears...

Hey Mitch,
i've had the same decission, the same budget and the Mac was for the same purposes (a little bit of coding and the rest just for normal work at university). So what do you think i ordered yesterday? Exactly the same configuration you posted above! Why? The Retina Macbook Pro was too expensive, the other 15'' models haven't got SSDs and when you choose the buy to order option with SSD you can just go and buy the Retina Macbook. So there's only the 13'' MacBook Pro left (if you want a Macbook Pro - i wanted one because the configuration of an MB Air with the 1,8GHz Prozessor and 8GB of Ram is more expansive than the Macbook pro Configuration you posted above, plus u have less of processor power. And i don't mind carrying around 800g more, for mobile working i have an iPad). Then i had to go with the i7 MBP because on the long runs you will definetly need his power. And in a few years you would regret if you chose less power.... and SSD is a must have just like 8GB of ram.
And when you think about the future you always have the possibilty to upgrade your Mac to 16gb of ram or to an 512 gb ssd (when they are cheaper :P) cause the "thick" macbooks have those parts not directly on the mainboard so that they can be changed by yourself in just a few minutes. And if your missing a dedicated graphic card the future will bring thunderbold graphic cards.
For OSX Mountain Lion you don't have to wait. If you buy your mac now the upgrade is free so it is does not matter that much. You can always wait for better times but waiting for ever shouldn't be the goal.
I hope i could help you,
greetings from Europe

Which Macbook Air should i get? 11 or 13 inch model

Im 14 and i need a new computer. Mostly i use my computer for browsing, email, twitter, listening music, youtube and sometimes gaming. I like light laptops that i can when im in my bed, when im laying in sofa,... But now i cant decide what model should i get 11 or 13 inch model. I hope u guys can help me.
Jessica

Hi Jessica,
I think that the deciding factor concerning which size to get would be how you intend to use it. People who tote their macbooks around alot, such as sales people or executives (road warriors) and also students who need to take their computers to school, surely would benefit from the smaller 11inch version. In your case, if you are going to use it in a comfortable environment, such as in bed, or on the sofa, the larger 13inch model would be more beneficial,especially if you watch videos and play games fairly often. Even if you lug it around a little, to Starbucks or a friends house, or take it with you on vacation once in a while, I feel the larger model would be suitable for you.

Which MacBook Air should I get? 13 inch or 11 inch

I want a MacBook Air for Reaktor 5, uploading videos to YouTube with iMovie, stuff I cannot do on my iPad, games (Assassins Creed, Bioshock), web browsing, etc. Should I get the Refurbished MacBook Air 11 inch 128gb SSD 4gb RAM intel core i7 2.0 ghz, or refurbished Macbook Air 13 inch 256gb SSD 4gb RAM intel core i5 1.8ghz. I am 12 years old so I need something more portable than the MacBook Pros.

If you can afford, buy a new MB Air 13-inch with 256 GB storage and 8GB RAM.
Otherwise go for "refurbished Macbook Air 13 inch 256gb SSD 4gb RAM intel core i5 1.8ghz".

Which MacBook Pro should I get?

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