iPad / Macbook / Macbook Pro....oh my.

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
T

timbob66

Junior Member
Jul 11, 2000
12
0
0
I know some of you get sick of seeing this type of thread but I have to ask yet again just in case someone sheds some light on a point that has not been brought up. I know the other Microsoft based options but let's just keep this on Apple right now if we can. My wife is dead set on getting the new iPad when it is released. I'm trying to talk her into getting a Macbook instead. I mean, by the time we get the iPad and the accessories that we would want, we could almost buy an entry level Macbook that would do so much more.

Now for my question I guess. What does the $200 extra buy you by moving up to the Macbook Pro 13 instead of the 13" Macbook besides the unibody construction and 2 gig of ram? I mean side by side the specs are pretty much identical other than a couple extra connections (which I really don't need). Actually the aluminum vs. the plastic body is a minor concern to me unless the plastic body is poorly made (like my daughter's Dell...ugh). I just can't see paying $200 for the additional ram.

Or am I missing something? (that's very possible). Some of you Apple owners that have had both, please chime in and give me some input.
 
K

Ka0t1x

Golden Member
Jan 23, 2004
1,724
0
71
FW800, SD Card slot, Illuminated Keyboard & Aluminum body.

Other than that.. they're the same. I think the LCD Panel could be better but I haven't used a newer plastic MB.

All of the above reasons will warrant me the $200 ($100 if you look past the RAM upgrade), no questions asked. Its actually thinner and lighter (the difference won't matter but its probably going to be said).

However.... new versions are on the rise (March last year!). Hopefully the 13" will see sandy bridge and the OS-Only SSD option(rumored but makes sense) and inherit the 13" MBA resolution change.
 
Last edited:
Phobic9

Phobic9

Golden Member
Apr 6, 2001
1,822
0
71
Well right now I'm going to hold on giving any concrete advice considering all of the products you listed in your title are getting updated within the next 2 weeks. The MB Pro line is said to be moving to the Sandy Bridge platform and the iPad 2 is rumored to be announced on 2 March.

I've owned several Macbook Pros and I just sold my iPad last week so I can give a little insight. The iPad is very much a consumption device. The ability to create and edit content with the iPad is doable, but I found that it was much easier to go to my desktop/laptop for those purposes. What the iPad does, it does fairly well, although it's faults are software based. Really though, if you've used an iPod touch at all in your life, the iPad really doesn't differ much outside of screen size and battery life.
 
Last edited:
T

timbob66

Junior Member
Jul 11, 2000
12
0
0
That was my thoughts on the iPad too. My son has the newest iPod touch and it is very slick. As is the iPad.....very very slick. But that's exactly what I'm trying to tell her. That once the "Ah!" factor wears off, she might regret not spending more and getting a Macbook. But those are probably selfish reasons. All she wants to do is be able to surf from the couch or wherever and be able to stream the TV shows that she misses from their respective websites. And possibly play a simple game or two. Not much. I'm the one that will want to do much more with it....bwaaahahaha.

I currently have nothing that connects via firewire. And our SD card never leaves our camera. We always just pop in the USB cable and store the pics off.

We will definitely wait to see what Apple announces in the next month or so. And although it is a two hour drive to the nearest Apple store, I plan on taking her down there to see what they have to offer.

Any thoughts on the durability of the Macbook's plastic housing?
 
KeypoX

KeypoX

Diamond Member
Aug 31, 2003
3,655
0
71
timbob66 said:
That is also true. The entry level on the Air is also $999. We REALLY need to go to the Apple Store and check them out in person.
Click to expand...

You really need to wait a week. New models are coming out this or next week. The Airs are horribly slow. I would like a 13inch sandy bridge though, for 999 (macbook) would be awesome or pro for the 1099 (edu discount).

http://www.redmondpie.com/intel-san...-trackpads-dedicated-ssd-drives-to-boot-os-x/


Though whats the point of only have the OS on the SSD??? I dont really care how long it takes to boot i care about how fast apps launch and ruun. I hope you have some GBs to spare to put most used apps on the ssd.
 
mammador

mammador

Platinum Member
Dec 9, 2010
2,120
1
76
I don't see the point of tablets. It depends on your wife's needs IMO. A decent netbook can do anything a tablet can, as I see it. Both devices meet the needs of the same market segment.
 
E

Estrella

Senior member
Jan 29, 2006
900
0
76
KeypoX said:
You really need to wait a week. New models are coming out this or next week. The Airs are horribly slow. I would like a 13inch sandy bridge though, for 999 (macbook) would be awesome or pro for the 1099 (edu discount).

http://www.redmondpie.com/intel-san...-trackpads-dedicated-ssd-drives-to-boot-os-x/


Though whats the point of only have the OS on the SSD??? I dont really care how long it takes to boot i care about how fast apps launch and ruun. I hope you have some GBs to spare to put most used apps on the ssd.
Click to expand...

However, IF they do actually go the MBA route, by past precendent, the Sandy Bridge version will not be out till at least OCT 2011.
 
manimal

manimal

Lifer
Mar 30, 2007
13,559
8
0
My wife has an ipad, I phone, mbp and so I will share her experience..


When she works she uses the MBP. Faster, easier to multitask, and a big screen.

The Ipad is a sit on the couch, bed, on the go device to stay connected for work-3G-and showing off baby pictures.
 
I

intogamer

Lifer
Dec 5, 2004
19,219
1
76
Phobic9 said:
http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/23/apples-light-peak-implementation-called-thunderbolt-coming-in/

They've named LightPeak "thunderbolt" (lol) and looks like the 13"high end will have an i5 with Intel 3000 HD graphics.

The GPU kills the 13" for me. Disappointed but hey, it's Apple so I'm not surprised.
Click to expand...

How does the Intel GPU compare? 1280 x 800 resolution, eh. However, if Apple bumped up the res, then it competes in MBA territory.

However, i5 makes it an ideal workhorse machine.. for Final Cut Pro? Though the same res doesn't really help film editors.

Apple didn't display the 16GB SSD boot drive. Could be a smart move?
 
Last edited:
Phobic9

Phobic9

Golden Member
Apr 6, 2001
1,822
0
71
intogamer said:
How does the Intel GPU compare? 1280 x 800 resolution, eh. However, if Apple bumped up the res, then it competes in MBA territory.

However, i5 makes it an ideal workhorse machine.. for Final Cut Pro? Though the same res doesn't really help film editors.

Apple didn't display the 16GB SSD boot drive. Could be a smart move?
Click to expand...

Anandtech did a writeup on the Intel HD graphics 3000. You can check it out here: http://www.anandtech.com/show/4083/...core-i7-2600k-i5-2500k-core-i3-2100-tested/11

It's faster in some areas than an nVidia 320m (mostly benchmarks) but overall I'd take the nVidia over the Intel variant. It's a downgrade but Macrumors is saying these are the specs for the low-end Macbook (i5, Intel HD 3000, 4GB Ram, Thunderbolt port (lightpeak)). It should be ok for a basic machine. The 16GB SSD boot drive is rumored to be in the bigger machines.

Anyway, didn't mean to derail the thread and it's probably time to make a new one. :D
 
Last edited:
T

timbob66

Junior Member
Jul 11, 2000
12
0
0
Oh, we will definitely be waiting until we hear all of the announcements and so forth. We are probably looking to buy in late March if everything is out by then. If not, we will wait a little longer. I'm definitely not going to buy last generation tech if we only have to wait a few months to get the new. Providing the pricing is competitive that is. That 13" MBP is sounding really interesting. I've softened my wife up a little (no comments...heh heh) and she's now listening to a little reason about the advantages of a MBP rather than an iPad. I'd like to have both but I've not won the lottery yet.
 
T

TheStu

Moderator<br>Mobile Devices & Gadgets
Moderator
Sep 15, 2004
12,089
45
91
KeypoX said:
If all these rumors are true http://www.macrumors.com/2011/02/22/macbook-pro-specs-leaked-ssd-better-battery-new-technology/

It would be hard to argue a mac is 'overpriced', im talking SSD, sandy bridge, Light Peak, 12 hours bat, lighter. For the first time in my memory I would say apple is competitive. Rebut? Well for the 13" at 1099, the 15", 17" are still way overpriced lol.
Click to expand...

Rebuttal on your saying it is the first time, unless you were born after 2006 of course :).

When the MacBook/Pro came out it was one of the first ones with the Core Duo CPU.
When they went to Santa Rosa/8600m, they were the first ones with that combo.

There is at least one other example in the mobile space of them receiving the parts ahead of the rest of the pack.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom