deciding between a 2.2Ghz or a 2.4Ghz macbook pro

[secretanchitman]

is $500 worth it for the extra 128MB vram for the 8600GT? i dont even know if the gpu is fast enough for 256MB of ram (reminded by the 6600/6800 days). i know the .2 difference for the cpu and the 40GB definitely isnt worth $500...

which do you think i should go for? TIA!

 

[randomlinh]

I would say yes, but I use Aperture, which will undoubtedly make use of that extra video memory. I would still lean towards yes just because upgrading those things are impossible, and I would like my laptop to last as long as possible.

Altho, if you don't really use anything that will make use of it, $500 might be better invested in RAM, or just to save for the macbook pro replacement depending on how long you intend to keep yours

 

[evetstech]

I was stuck in the same situation, and decided not to get the 2.4. I did a lot of googling on it, and I was not alone on this decision. Used the extra money to buy other stuff.

 

[secretanchitman]

Originally posted by: evetstech
I was stuck in the same situation, and decided not to get the 2.4. I did a lot of googling on it, and I was not alone on this decision. Used the extra money to buy other stuff.

yeah...i mean, the rig in my sig will probably be much faster in gaming then the mbp, and i probably wont use the mbp that much to play games, mostly for editing and college stuff.

 

[randomlinh]

Don't forget your educational discount then. And check to see if your school offers any purchase program through apple. I know we have specific bundles available that basically give you free apple care on top of the discount. Granted, the options you have are limited, but they may work for you.

 

[secretanchitman]

Originally posted by: randomlinh
Don't forget your educational discount then. And check to see if your school offers any purchase program through apple. I know we have specific bundles available that basically give you free apple care on top of the discount. Granted, the options you have are limited, but they may work for you.

yeap, the 2.2Ghz is $1799 with the discount and im planning to sell the nano when i get it, so hopefully that will net me at least $150. if not, just give it to my parents or something.

unfortunately, i called my apple store like an hour ago and they are all sold out of 15". guess i will have to order online...maybe tonight or tomorrow or something.

theres still time to persuade me for the 2.4Ghz model! but i doubt that is going to happen.

 

[keeleysam]

I went for the 2.2 with the education discount, free iPod, and free printer (which I sold for $300), so my net price was around $1600. I then bought 4GB of DDR2, sold my 2GB for $50, and upgraded the 120GB drive to 250GB (sold the 120GB for $65).

Total cost, around $1675 for a 2.2GHz MBP with 4GB DDR2 and a 250GB drive, which I'm sure will stomp all over a 2.4GHz one, for a lot less money.

 

[secretanchitman]

Originally posted by: keeleysam
I went for the 2.2 with the education discount, free iPod, and free printer (which I sold for $300), so my net price was around $1600. I then bought 4GB of DDR2, sold my 2GB for $50, and upgraded the 120GB drive to 250GB (sold the 120GB for $65).

Total cost, around $1675 for a 2.2GHz MBP with 4GB DDR2 and a 250GB drive, which I'm sure will stomp all over a 2.4GHz one, for a lot less money.

wow nice! im thinking of upping the ram to 4GB...but newegg sells 2x2GB for around $230 bucks, while 2x1GB kits go for less than 100 bucks with DDR2-800 2x1GB going for also under $100, so i have no idea whether or not to go for 4GB or not.

looking to get the printer as well, but i hear you have to cut out the upc to get the rebate. or did you just sell it as is?

250GB hd? im mostly looking for 7200RPM drives. battery life isnt much of a concern as ill probably be plugged in 90% of the time.

you dont miss the 256MB 8600GT on the 2.4Ghz model, do you? now im feeling that i wont miss it much at all, considering that i have 2 damn good computers which much better cpus, memory, video cards, and monitors that will play any game out there today and tomorrow with ease compared to the macbook pro.

 

[KeithP]

If you are interested Bare Feats benched both models. Here is a link: http://www.barefeats.com/rosa03.html

-Keith

 

[secretanchitman]

Originally posted by: KeithP
If your interested Bare Feats benched both models. Here is a link: http://www.barefeats.com/rosa03.html

-Keith

yep, i read that...doesnt justify the $500 increase...

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

So I'm not seeing even a considerable difference between the two video cards (128 vs. 256) on the mac side, what about the PC side? Does it then make a difference? Same question for the .2 GHz.

 

[secretanchitman]

Originally posted by: ChAoTiCpInOy
So I'm not seeing even a considerable difference between the two video cards (128 vs. 256) on the mac side, what about the PC side? Does it then make a difference? Same question for the .2 GHz.

well thats the thing. when im in windows, it'll be for office 2007 and windows only apps that my college uses. i wont be gaming that much on it, and if i do, it'll be games like nfsu2, ut2k4, halo, stuff that my friends and i play on lans, so nothing demanding at all considering my 6600GT handled those games at 1280x1024 with ease.

my rig in my sig is definitely my gaming computer if i need the latest and greatest...but i found out about the student developer program from apple...you pay $99 and you get a once per lifetime discount on any mac (i think is 20%, but correct me if im wrong). higher priced mac gets you a higher discount. i also saw that people chose not to get the applecare with the ADC discount because its around $110 cheaper buying it with the normal student education discount then with the ADC discount.

i will see if i can get the discount (i am in college), and i will let you know.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

Originally posted by: secretanchitman

Originally posted by: ChAoTiCpInOy
So I'm not seeing even a considerable difference between the two video cards (128 vs. 256) on the mac side, what about the PC side? Does it then make a difference? Same question for the .2 GHz.

well thats the thing. when im in windows, it'll be for office 2007 and windows only apps that my college uses. i wont be gaming that much on it, and if i do, it'll be games like nfsu2, ut2k4, halo, stuff that my friends and i play on lans, so nothing demanding at all considering my 6600GT handled those games at 1280x1024 with ease.

my rig in my sig is definitely my gaming computer if i need the latest and greatest...but i found out about the student developer program from apple...you pay $99 and you get a once per lifetime discount on any mac (i think is 20%, but correct me if im wrong). higher priced mac gets you a higher discount. i also saw that people chose not to get the applecare with the ADC discount because its around $110 cheaper buying it with the normal student education discount then with the ADC discount.

i will see if i can get the discount (i am in college), and i will let you know.

So doing the ADC student discount is the best way to go for buying it then huh? Even after you factor in the "free" printer and "free" iPod? For the ADC student thing, do you have to pay $99 yearly?

Can anyone else who uses the MBP as a Windows and Mac machine tell if the extra 128MB of RAM and the .2GHz does anything?

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

What kind of Hard Drive is in the MBP the 160GB version?

 

[evetstech]

Originally posted by: ChAoTiCpInOy
What kind of Hard Drive is in the MBP the 160GB version?

SATA 5400RPM

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

I meant does anyone know the actual model and manufacturer that created that hard drive?

 

[TheStu]

I know that mine is a Toshiba, but I would expect that they would use at least one other source for their drives.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

Originally posted by: TheStu
I know that mine is a Toshiba, but I would expect that they would use at least one other source for their drives.

Do you use a 5400RPM drive, if you do, do you see any lag in performance?

 

[TheStu]

I do have a 5400RPM drive (I don't think 7200 was an option when I bought my machine), and I have never really felt like I was limited by the hard drive. However, I have never had a 7200RPM 100GB drive in there to compare it to, so I really can't say.

Part of me wants to get a 250GB drive just so I can have Time Machine for when Leopard drops.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

The 128MB v. the 256MB versions of the 8600M card in the MBP do not make any difference in performance, from what I've gathered, on the Mac side. Well what about on the Windows side? Won't the extra 128MB help with gaming and Vista's Flip3D?

 

[TheStu]

GAH!!!! I hate Flip3D... they shined up Alt+Tab, whoop-dee-freaking-doo!!! /rant

OK, my Intel GMA950 can run Flip3D, so no, the extra GPU RAM will not make a difference in Flip3D of all things...

freaking Flip3D

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

Ok, well how about for gaming then?

 

[keeleysam]

Unless you're running a large external display, it won't make a difference.

 

[bearxor]

Originally posted by: ChAoTiCpInOy
The 128MB v. the 256MB versions of the 8600M card in the MBP do not make any difference in performance, from what I've gathered, on the Mac side. Well what about on the Windows side? Won't the extra 128MB help with gaming and Vista's Flip3D?

Flip3D is nothing.

The extra 128MB will help on games at higher resolutions. We're only talking in th 5-7% range though. Certainly not worth the extra $500.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

So what I'm hearing is the difference in specifications between the low end and the mid end range does not warrant the price difference. I guess using the difference in price to upgrade the RAM and Hard Drive, right?