Macbook or Macbook Pro

[deac]

3 hours is great?? Wow, I haven't really been paying attention to battery life reports. Thought it was more like 5-6 hrs.

[termleech]

5-6 hours on a laptop that's not a subcompact. Whatever you are smoking please pass some over this way. The only laptops you get over 3 hours on is the subcompacts which IMHO aren't worth doing any real work on for any extended period of time. They are usually too cramped.

[methcat]

MBP!!!!
i just switched from a PC to a macbook pro and I loveee it! I don't do "pro" things with it but I liked the bigger screen haha, it's a 15 inch because I thought 17 would be too big. yayayay.

[hexonxonx]

When I first brought my MacBook Pro home, I tested the battery life. Just normal surfing, I had an optical mouse attached and my Novatel Sprint Broadband Card attached. I got 4 hours and 10 minutes. I also had the brightness all the way up. I was amazed at this. I have two other laptops, both HP. One is a 3GHZ 17" and it barely gets over an hour and the other a 2.0 Dual Core 15" with barely 2 hours. MacBook Pro FTW!

[hexonxonx]

Originally Posted by Sleeper

Yeah, go with the Macbook. Buying an overpowered unit is just crazy if you're not going to use it.

Not if you want the bigger screen. I can't see using a MacBook with such a small screen. The bigger screen on the MBP plus the aluminum case helped make my decision. The lighted keyboard also helped although I will probably never have a use for that, it's just cool to have.

[Cantwait4iPhone]

Originally Posted by John

It depends.

The MacBook is a more compact, lightweight computer. In my opinion, it's better designed than the MacBookPro.

The MacBookPro is exactly what it says it is: The MacBook, but Pro style. It can handle more, and is better if you're going to use it for work, etc.

They both have the same hardware and software features. The Pro is also, of course, a bit more expensive. I have the Pro and I love it.

Your statements on size, not to be rude, are false. It is true that the MacBook is lighter, by 0.4 pounds, but it is in fact a thinner computer, by 0.08 inches. While this is an insignificant amount in most cases, I just want to point out that the MacBook Pro is not at all a fat or clunky computer. I would agree that the MacBook is more compact in the sense of height and width, though. The MacBook Pro simply has a great design and has, in fact, a better performance to size ratio than that of the MacBook, in my opinion.

Both are simply great machines. They will both run well and meet your needs, which seem to be pretty simple. Whether or not you have already made your choice, and I presume you have, I would like to point out also that the MacBook works great for anyone browsing the internet, creating word documents, creating Excel or Powerpoint files, or using simple graphical programs or using any of the iLife or iWork apps. This is where the line is drawn. Using more complex programs, such as Final Cut or Photoshop, is simply more efficiently done on a MacBook Pro. It is as the names suggest, the Pros are simply for the person who specializes, or is a "Pro" at something and is therefore using more complicated applications pertaining to that specific subject.


There is also the matter of cost. The margin between the cost of the Black MacBook and that of the lowest MacBook Pro is around $500, or a third of the Black MacBook's cost. That means you are paying a 33.3% premium to have a processor that is the same speed. So, where is the true difference found? In the graphical side of the machine. The screens are nice on all Apples these days, but the MacBook Pro runs on a better native resolution (1440x900) than that of the MacBook (1280x800) and the upward resolutions of the MacBook Pro are more complex than those found in the MacBook. Also, the screen size is a minimum of 2 inches bigger, so everything will be on a bigger scale, while still keeping the picture just as sharp.

The other, major bonuses of the MacBook Pro are found in the Hard Drive capacity and the GPU (Graphics Processor Unit). The hard drive on a regular MacBook starts at 120GB, sufficient certainly for the simple tasks mentioned above. If you are an avid music listener, a future director, or even just a person who uses many applications, this simply is not enough capacity. The MacBook Pro starts at 200GB of capacity, and this is definitely a large enough amount of memory to keep people running for years. The GPU on the MacBook shares memory with the main memory, basically meaning that only a small portion of performance is alloted to it at once. This simply means that graphical applications or games will not look nearly as good on the MacBook Pro, which has a separate and high-quality Nvidia Geforce 8600M chip.


Other benefits of the Macbook Pro include better sound quality, a battery life bonus of half an hour (in theory) and a better sellback value when the time comes to sell it.

Both systems are very good, and this is my limited knowledge on the issue. This debate could go on for hours, but simply put, if you are a user of basic applications, or you are a bit squeamish about spending extra money, go for one of the MacBooks. They are sophisticated and well-made machines. Anything beyond that, or if you have a little extra cash to shell out, buy a MacBook Pro.

Good luck to all!

[scandalex]

Originally Posted by Cantwait4iPhone

Both systems are very good, and this is my limited knowledge on the issue. This debate could go on for hours, but simply put, if you are a user of basic applications or are a bit low on cash, go for one of the MacBooks. They are sophisticated and well-made machines. Anything beyond that, or if you have a little extra cash to shell out, buy a MacBook Pro.

Good luck to all!

You gave reasons why one should go for the MacBook- how about simply just wanting one? Granted, we all have different needs, but your "low on cash" remark that made me say WOW! It's like anyone that chooses the MacBook is too poor to afford anything else.

[acosmichippo]

if i was low on cash, I wouldn't be buying a mac of any kind.

[Cantwait4iPhone]

Sorry if this statement came out wrong. What I meant to say is that if one does not wish to spend an extra portion of money, then they would likely opt for a MacBook. I said nothing about being poor, and I an sorry if my post can be desensitized to appear in that fashion. As shown I highly respect both machines and the buying of both, so I will edit my post. Thanks for pointing out this gap between meaning and general perception.

[acosmichippo]

yeah... i should probably use these -> more often.