Is the new macbook worth it? does anyone have thoughts re the larger computer vs the smaller. i carry my computer w me all the time and also work on planes a great deal. the larger computer seems bulkier and is heavier. am i giving anything up by going...
176533
Don't get me wrong I think macbooks are a great computer and I own an early 2008 model. However, while these new aluminum look really nice and have new features such as trackpad, graphics card, etc....the price has gone up 20% over earlier 2008 macbooks with the same processor speed(checkout macworld's benchmarks). This is revision 1 of these new macbooks....thus you are going to pay top dollar for something that has a few known bugs already(screen, trackpad). Like anything else, you will get more bang for your buck if you wait until early next year when revision 2 comes out at cheaper price points. I love the macbooks but can't recommend this one to ppl based on value for your money. Not to mention apple's new improved snow leopard OS will be coming out mid next year too.
1812865
No, I may be wrong. But this is smaller and lighter than a 11inch MacBook air. MBA doesn't allow aftermarket modification ,so, ~ . well still a layman's opinion, but this is a really small laptop, everything in it is unchangeable I guess
798484
bought mine Saturday, came with old leopard (but i bought snow leopard) best macbook pro ever. snow leopard really makes it come alive (with speed) my adobe and pro apps load up with the greatest of ease (it's scary how fast they run now), heck, even firefox doesn't slow down the system anymore! (though it does take it's time) and now you can add more than 10 items to you dock (when dragging a folder down), soo awesome!
1540791
Robert-- I'm glad you found it useful, but I don't want to be the basis of your buying decision. I have the MBP because I sell software that has to run on a Mac, but I don't think I'd spend my own money on it for personal use. It's a beautiful piece of machinery, but it is very tied to the Apple view of the world; anyone who buys an iMac, for example, throws out the goofy Apple mouse and plugs in a Logitech, but you can't do that on a notebook where the keyboard and mouse are built into the case. On the notebooks you're stuck with control-click where everyone else has a right button on the mouse. That's an example, and you get used to it, but the entire world is providing multiple input channels that Apple just doesn't think are useful, and thus they make little accommodation for them on this computer. If I were spending my own money, I'd get another Dell Precision. If you're comfortable with Mac usage, this is a fantastic piece of hardware. Just make sure-- go to a store and try it out before you buy it. Luck, BillR
1342682
I would think that the amount of RAM is based on what the slots will handle. I just picked up my late-2011 Mac Book Pro 17-inch and is was loaded with 16 gigs of RAM, divided into 8-gigs in each of the two slots. I believe that was as much as this model will handle, but that keeps expanding with newer models; might be able to load 32 or 64 on the later models, but you cannot get the 17-inch screen and that was one of my major criteria on the purchase. The 8X my previous RAM and about 5X the hard drive have also been quite helpful in making this thing work significantly faster and with less hangups than my now-Vintage 17-inch Mac Book Pro. I never remember the model number, but if it is the same, I know it will handle 16 Gig of memory. Good luck with it. Tom West
1282607
I bought my Mac on july last year , being my first Mac i was exited and i can say i dont regret buying it. Sure its more expensive than regular laptops but i believe this is the best computer ive owned. And today it runs as new. I bet there is no other Laptop that feels as solid and well maid .
512980
I appreciate the posts regarding the use of 17" laptops on lapdesks. It's difficult to find lapdesks designed for larger laptops, so I appreciate reading reviews about how good/bad the various products work.
629108
Ivy Bridge processors are coming out in a few days. They will hit Macs in June/July.I was considering an all-in-one but I'll wait for the refresh. Who knows, I might go for a Macbook Pro instead.
398846
Yes!!! It is a good introduction into the Apple Laptop world. You will love it! Once you start using it you won't look at windows again. Explore your options though (options in terms of Macbook) if you can stretch your budget you can get the newer model since this one is a "older model." Regardless I LOVE mine. It was my first Mac and I have been using it for two years and not a single issue - still gives me 3-5 hrs of battery, amongst other things.
717152
You are giving up having a larger viewing area for your monitor. Also, probably Macbook Pro you have has a faster CPU and maybe a faster HD. You cannot replace those on a Macbook. If your Pro has a 7200 rpm HD then that is much better than the 5400 HD that's available on the Macbook.Combine that with a 2.8 GHz cpu and you have a much faster laptop.If you are talking about weight the Macbook weighs 4.5 lbs and the Pro probably a lb or more than that. Bottom line, unless you are doing a lot of graphics of photoshopping that require a lot of cpu time and HD space I would say that an aluminum Macbook would be just fine for you.
1442421
Personally, if I were going to be carrying it around every day, I would prefer a lighter laptop. If it is just an occasional time, that would be different. I just LOVE this laptop. I noticed the first two responses were male. I am a female, so perhaps that is why I would prefer a lighter laptop if carrying around every day since I tend to have other things to carry, such as purse, etc.
309010
B. Haynes, yes, your info. helped! Thank you so much. I'm not really interested in anything heavier or with faster battery run down or a smaller keyboard, so...good points! Oh, and I don't want to risk having to kick myself later. LOL Money-wise, the rewards points I currently have from my Amazon Visa card should pay for most of it. :-)
791971
I'd go with the old (early '08) Macbook Pro. You can get it for $1443 off Amazon, close to the price of a new Macbook. It has Firewire, and a considerably larger screen (which has made much more of a difference than I thought it would) . Also, a bigger hard drive, more powerful graphics chip, and faster cpu (though the cpu speed advantage might be offset by the Macbook's faster bus). That said, potential reliability problems are something to watch out for. Apparently nVidia has been making some faulty graphics chips, and both the old and the new Macbook Pros are potentially affected. The new Macbook might not be, I'd do some research. I'd go with the old (early '08) Macbook Pro. You can get it for $1443 off Amazon, close to the price of a new Macbook. It has Firewire, and a considerably larger screen (which has made much more of a difference than I thought it would) . Also, a bigger hard drive, more powerful graphics chip, and faster cpu (though the cpu speed advantage might be offset by the Macbook's faster bus). That said, potential reliability problems are something to watch out for. Apparently nVidia has been making some faulty graphics chips, and both the old and the new Macbook Pros are potentially... » Read More I'd go with the old (early '08) Macbook Pro. You can get it for $1443 off Amazon, close to the price of a new Macbook. It has Firewire, and a considerably larger screen (which has made much more of a difference than I thought it would) . Also, a bigger hard drive, more powerful graphics chip, and faster cpu (though the cpu speed advantage might be offset by the Macbook's faster bus). That said, potential reliability problems are something to watch out for. Apparently nVidia has been making some faulty graphics chips, and both the old and the new Macbook Pros are potentially affected. The new Macbook might not be, I'd do some research. « Show Less
999267
Im using a MBP and a 4X6 tablet right now...and am going to take back the 4X6 beacuse it is too small and feels "jerkey" to me. It is only about 1/4 the size of your laptop, so a small move becomes a pretty big one onscreen. You may have different needs, as I am using mine for CAD (yes, they are *wonderful* for CAD), so keep that in mind.
1446550
This was bought for my daughter. She got Mac from her college. I like smaller laptops (11-12 inches). I am actually selling one with Office 2013 loaded on it. You cannot go wrong with this one.
857600
As I said on your review (of a machine you never actually used), I am doubtful that your MacBook Air was really DOA. You seem really uninformed. (For example, the original MacBook Air has a 80 GB hard drive.) The penny-pinching is also indicative of someone who should probably not be in the market for an MBA. It is not a budget computer.
452200
I like the apple because over the years it has been my experience that the PC products just get slower and slower with age. We have an 5 year old Mac book pro that is as fast as it was when it was first purchased.