After a bit of advice guys.
My Desktop PC recently decided to give up the ghost (Pretty good for 7yrs use to be honest) and I have decided a laptop would be me useful to me now. After years of using windows, with several issues I may add (Viruses and generally just a pain), I have decided on a switch over to Apple. I have had a play with a relations last generation Macbook Pro 13" and my first impressions are good. I have always used laptops with a 15" screen but the size of the 13" Pro actually seemed ok.
The machine will mainly be used for internet browsing, ocassional word processing and photo editing. Having browsed online (Planning to visit the local Apple store this week), I have narrowed it down to 2 models (Base model 13" Pro and Base model 15" Pro) but there is a rather large price difference!
I noticed that the 15" models have quad core processors compared to the 13" models dual core and also a better graphics card. Does this make the 15" model more futureproof? There also seemed to be mixed reviews online, some say the 13" represents good value and the 15" not so.
My budget was around £1k which really rules out the 15" model but I will be planning to keep this for at least 5yrs so is the extra outlay of the 15" worth it? Which would you recommend?
Thanks
Luke
Just to add- I have access to Higher Education Discount which makes the 13" £859 and the 15" £1316.
If it were me, I'd make the decision based on what you are going to do with it. If it's going to be a desktop replacement with the occasional trip out of the home, I'd go for the 15". If it's going to be used while travelling a lot, I'd go for the 13".
It will mainly be a desktop replacement.
Is there much difference in speed between the i5 Dual Core and i7 Quad Core processors in the real world?
I use a 2009 13" MacBook Pro as my main computer. There are two things I'd change about it. First is the display resolution. 1280x800 is a bit low these days, especially when compared with the 13" MacBook Air. The second thing I'd change is to offer the same anti-glare display option that's available for the 15" MacBook Pro. There is a big difference in price though. My feeling is that if it's going to be your main computer for 5 years then I'd spend some more on it.
As an aside, my 2 year old MacBook pro is still smoking thanks to the ease of upgrading the hard disk and RAM. I now have a 240GB SSD and 8GB of RAM in mine, at a cost of £309 and £39 respectively. They have transformed the computer and mean I'll be using it for another 2 years at least. I can boot up from cold in ~10 seconds and everything is incredibly responsive.
ASUS EeePC and Ubuntu - Job done for <£300 :)
The 13.3 one is a much more versatile machine for me: small enough to carry around in trips etc, big enough to act as a desktop replacement without too much of a compromise. Plus I think the difference in price is huge. Go for the 13.3 and at some point down the line change the HDD and RAM, and I'm sure you'll be good for quite a few years. The other good thing is that whichever you choose, they both hold their value very well
Alex
I should add, go to the Trafford Centre or the Arndale and play with each for a while. Ask if you can see them side by side to compare them.
I have always had the 13" and found it enough.
I wouldn't get the 15" unless I took the upgraded screen option.
If it's a desktop replacement, go for the 15".
If you're planning to keep it over five years, the difference in cost is neither here nor there.
I use a 13" and find it perfect.
I often use it for recording/editing and producing music outside of the studios and it performs very well.
I sometimes feel like I need more screen, but what I'd really want is a second screen rather than the extra 2".
In fact, I think I might just invest in a tv adaptor right now! :P
I'd also say, and I'll touch wood here, that I'm in my 3rd year of ownership and it's been really excellent.
Before this I had a Sony Vaio of around the same price which I also battled on with for about 4 years, but to be honest it was a pile of crap after about a year.
The Mac however is still very quick and responsive and I feel already I've got my moneys worth, which I never felt with the Vaio.
Thanks for the advice guys.
I'm going to visit the Apple Store one evening this week, hopefully it will help me decide!
Remember, also, that you can use the smaller one with a large screen when it's in desktop "mode" - that way, you get the best of both worlds should you want to take it out and about with you too. I have my Macbook Pro hooked up to a 24" Dell monitor in the office and it's a really nice setup.
I went for the 13 as the £550 premium for the 15 seemed a little steep for the increase in specification. I mainly use it as a desktop replacement and it performs admirably with a 22 inch widescreen monitor.
15" then and unless youre caning the graphics and video dont worry about i7 QuadOriginally Posted by RaulGonzalez
RIAC
My son has the 13 inch and, since we bought it for him 6 weeks ago, he has been on it ever since. He's doing a digital art course and finds the 13 inch perfectly adequate for everything he needs to do. He also streams films to it, skypes and uses it for games as well as taking it to college every day.
Another 13" user here. I find it ideal.
If it's a desktop replacement, why not a 21" iMac?
Given it's to replace a desktop computer and will be kept for a number of years, I would suggest that the 15" version would be worth paying the extra for.
I bought a 13 inch macbook pro a couple of years ago to work on the train and give presentations to clients. I have even had a handful of people grouped around the screen watching a presentation and none of them complained about the screen size. I wouldn't describe it as a desktop replacement but I can do everything I do on my desktop on the mbp and I have been known to spend an entire day on the CAD or DTP programmes. The resolution on the screens has vastly improved from when I used to have a work laptop, which I avoided using it at all costs as I really felt like my eyeballs were being sucked dry.
The price difference clinched it for me two years ago and it would now. Go 13inch!
For not much more than the price of the 15", you could get an entry level iMac and an iPad — that covers many more bases and would be my choice, on reflection.
One of these is ideal for doing that and a neat solution to boot http://www.hengedocks.com/index.html#
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOKu9uwd ... r_embedded
The 15" is a lump, if you're gonna be carting it around much then have a good think first. I'd also say that I found my i7-equipped MBP 15" to be limited by the HD more than anything else. The CPU's and 8gb ram were rarely utilised unless I was running multiple VM's or illustrator/photoshop. Just moved to an i7 MacBook Air and I have not looked back. It's much more responsive due to the SSD and as for size/weight... No contest.
Why not go 13" and spend £100 on a large monitor?
That is so true. Bought a 15" MBP first and it was a PITA to cart around when travelling... So picked up a 13" MBP instead, and have not looked back :)
Exactly. Add the weight and bulk of a MBP to whatever else you have to lug around in your rucksack/manbag/Louis Vuitton clutch ;) and it all soon adds up.
Comparison on my 15" MacBook pro against my 13" MacBook air. The real world effect is even more than the pictures suggest. And the MBA is faster despite the spec. :)
That's a great advice. Do not choose the specifications, choose for your needs. You need a large screen, if you have to lug the thing along a lot a smaller screen is a good compromise to make - but it's still a compromise.
I would go for 13" plus a big monitor at home - big laptops are a PITA. Otherwise go mac mini for home and iPad on the move...
Got the 13" version purely because of the price :D
Having migrated from a 15" laptop I don't find it small at all,if anything it's even better for being more portable.
I might have got the 15" if I could have afforded it but I feel guilty enough as it is for spending £899 on a small laptop :twisted:
Could be worth having alook at the Apple Refurbished Online Store to see if there is model that meets your requirements both for ££price and specification ... they are mainly new machines with full warranties ... but check every day ... the website used to be updated daily .
http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/s ... _Refurb-UK
dunk
"Well they would say that ... wouldn't they!"
Apple today refreshed the processors and graphics cards in the MacBook Pro line.
Thanks. Saw this on Monday night. Managed to take a look at the Trafford store last weekend and I'm ordering the base model 15" next week :)
I have a 2 year old core 2 duo 15 inch MBP. It's still a good machine and seemed to improve with Lion installed. It's heavy and I wouldn't want to lug it around so how mobile you want to be with it should help steer you as others have said. I'd actually not get too hung up on the performance specs between the 13 and 15. How much different are they really for day to day stuff? If cost difference is holding you back then i'd recommend the refurbished store on the apple web site. I've bought both my macs from there, both have been fine and the saving on each allowed me to go up a level in spec for the same price. I'd buy my next from there too.
Another vote for the refurbs on the apple store. Well chuffed with mine. I would advise adding the extra warranty.
The 15" I have is great and from the refurb store
Go for the 13", save the extra money. If its too small later on, the £300 that you saved will get you a 22" external monitor that you will prob cost only £150. You still get the best of both worlds, have portability on demand and save £120.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote