MacFilter: Switch to MacBook or MacBook Pro

September 8, 2006 11:32 AM

I'm a PC user, but I'm itching to switch over to a Mac, esp. now that I can run Parallels. I need help deciding on the MacBook versus the MacBook Pro.

I'd be using the new system for web development work. On my current laptop (Sony Vaio 17'), the tools I most frequently use are a text editor (Zend Studio), a browser (FF), Photoshop and sometimes Illustrator. For local development work, I have Apache and MySQL running.

I really like the idea of an ultra-portable system, not because I travel for business, but because I work out of a home office and sometime I just need to get out. This usually means heading over to a coffee shop, library, beach, park bench, etc. I'd say that 70% of my computer time is at the desk of my home office and 30% of my computer time is as a gypsy. My 17" Vaio is great as a desktop replacement, but it is a monster to lug around.

At the home office, I plan on hooking the laptop up to dual monitors and a keyboard.

So what do you think? Should I go with the 13" MacBook or the 15" MacBook Pro? In either case, I'll likely crank up the RAM to a min. of 2GB. The MacBook is certainly cheaper.

I have never owned a Mac, so are there specifics that I should be considering? Anyone else out there using a MacBook for web dev work?

Thanks!

posted by jpep to computers & internet (28 comments total)

The Pro's larger screen is better for coding. Other than that, I would recommend the MacBook with as much RAM as possible.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:38 AM on September 8, 2006

How much time do you spend in Photoshop, and how complex is what you do there? The only real difference you'll see between the MacBook and the Pro is in video performance: the Pro has a faster, dedicated graphics card.

Since you'll be at your desk most of the time, the difference in screen real estate won't be much of a factor (and it's not even that much of a difference anyway).
posted by jjg at 11:42 AM on September 8, 2006

What do you need more, a bigger screen or a more portable computer?

Software. Mac versions of everything you mention. Apache comes standard; PHP is there but needs to be enabled (uncomment a few lines in httpd.conf); MySQL would have to be installed.

Lots of good text editors out there, many of which free (e.g. TextWrangler and SubEthaEdit); the standard is BBEdit.
posted by mcwetboy at 11:51 AM on September 8, 2006

Honestly - go type on both. I code for a living, and wifeHawk is in publishing and spends a lot of time on a keyboard.
Both of us agree the MacBook keyboard feels like garbage... the Pro seems a bit better. They seemed to have changed the keyboard from the ones that were on the iBook/Powerbooks - It might be that the MacBook keys didn't seem to have any concave on them (IIRC).
posted by niteHawk at 11:52 AM on September 8, 2006

Thanks for the quick responses...

@jjg: Most of my Photoshop work is with website comps and related graphics, typically nothing more than 2MB in size.

@ Bloacecock and @mcwetboy: I think most of my coding will be done in the office using the external monitors. Out of the office, it is generally responding to emails and administrative work. Screen real estate is mainly important when coding. As for software, I had my eye on TextMate for editing.

@niteHawk: I'm going to head of to the Apple store this weekend. I'll pay close attention to the keyboards. Thanks for the tip.
posted by jpep at 12:07 PM on September 8, 2006

I hate the MacBook keyboard, but I've never been a fan of any mac keyboard in the first place. I have friends with both the MacBook & MBP, & I'd probably get a MB just for the portability. MBs can run Photoshop without too much trouble, & with an external monitor you should be fine.
posted by devilsbrigade at 12:09 PM on September 8, 2006

The MacBook isn't what's generally called "ultra-portable":http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subnotebook -- you'd probably be somewhat hard-pressed to notice the weight advantage over the 15" MacBook Pro (6.4 oz.) The size difference would be more noticeable.

Having looked at the specs, I think the MacBook is generally a better value. You're much more likely to notice the longer battery life than the slower CPU, but the lack of dedicated video RAM might be a problem, depending on your applications. (Other differences are screen size, keyboard, case, external video resolution.) But I didn't like the feel of the keyboard when I tried it in a store.

Apple's put Core 2 Duos into all their desktop and server machines, but it remains mysterious when they might find their way into their laptops. The Inquirer says not until 2007, but I give that about as much weight as "I heard a guy say it on BART."
posted by Zed_Lopez at 12:12 PM on September 8, 2006

(Writes on blackboard 100 times: "This is not my blog, and I can't use Textile.")
posted by Zed_Lopez at 12:15 PM on September 8, 2006

The only real difference you'll see between the MacBook and the Pro is in video performance: the Pro has a faster, dedicated graphics card.

It's worth noting that this only really makes a difference for 3D games. For 2D work (Photoshop, programming, video), you'll barely be able to tell the difference.
posted by cillit bang at 12:23 PM on September 8, 2006

I don't think you can go wrong with either choice. If it were me I'd try to get the Pro if I could afford it, mainly because of the larger screen. But, if you are looking to save money it might be better spent on additional RAM.

I'd say just go to the Apple Store and test each model. You should be able to decide for yourself.

As for coding software, definitely try TextMate. I really like it.
posted by daser at 12:23 PM on September 8, 2006

TextMate is emacs for the Mac. It rules. I also am a big fan of the MacBook keyboard, but I've got big fingers.

Things I don't like: Battery life is short with WiFi on, the screen is pish -- bad colour ghosting on scrolling, and the graphics card isn't quite up to Core Image so Aperture doesn't run as well as it does on the MBP.

On the other hand, the MBP is hotter and heavier. I'd say wait till the Merom MBPs come out, which is likely to be this month.
posted by bonaldi at 12:44 PM on September 8, 2006

If you work outside a lot, be wary of the MacBook's reflective screen. It makes working in really really bright areas (i.e. the sun) very difficult. The MacBook Pro can be configured with a matte screen, which (IMHO) doesn't have as wide a color gamut, but is still very nice.

I have a MacBook and use it with a 20" Dell LCD at home and couldn't be happier with it.
posted by patr1ck at 12:46 PM on September 8, 2006

Hooking up to dual monitors? I'm not aware that any Apple laptop can do that. Or just to one external?

The MacBook is a better deal, and the Pro doesn't seem to offer any features you'd really be relying on. If the bigger screen is a big factor for the times you are away from your desk, and the money isn't a big obstacle, then go with the MBP. Otherwise, MB.
posted by adamrice at 12:56 PM on September 8, 2006

Yeah the funny thing about the Macbooks is that while they look only a little bigger than a 3lb ultraportable (like an inch wider, same thickness), if you pick one up they feel like they're made from solid lead. By volume it's like half the size of my friends Toshiba but 80 percent of the weight, so it's easy to misjudge the weight of a Macbook.
posted by bobo123 at 1:04 PM on September 8, 2006

I chose the MacBook over the Pro. Granted, the massive price difference was a factor, but looking at the specs, it was much more sensible to get the Black MacBook. Effectively, the same spec as the Pro, faster, even, with the 2gb RAM added. I upgraded my hard disk to a 7200rpm 100gb drive, because I *could*, and the keyboard is lovely. It really is a matter of taste.

My Dad bought the Pro, and I'm glad I didn't - it's a little too big to be as portable as I'd like to be. The MB is a great size, and the screen is just dandy for coding, if a slightly lower quality panel than the MBP. The runs Parallels like a dream, too.

Unless you're after a bigger screen, prefer the keyboard, want to use it less (the MBP has a shorter battery life per charge than the MB!), or enjoy wasting money, go for the MB. Spend the rest on something else entirely.
posted by armoured-ant at 1:24 PM on September 8, 2006

I really like the form factor of the macbook. At one point I was thinking that my next laptop would be the smallest ibook, even though the screen is tiny -- but the macbook is a very good compromise between this and my (now chunky) 14" ibook. The screen is not by any means small, especially if you're using it with an external monitor. Note that no mac laptop supports dual monitors, though both lines do allow screen spanning and can drive high resolutions on the external monitor.

Also, do you realize that no adobe product is intel native yet? There's some rumors this will happen in the next few months, but the original story was that it wouldn't happen until sometime next year. Reportedly they can run well if you max out the memory (most of the hit from rosetta is apparently in the startup time), but definitely not without maxing it out. It might actually run slower than your windows computer until there is a native version. Of course, you can just install windows on the mac.

Both of us agree the MacBook keyboard feels like garbage

This opinion is by no means universal -- I really ike the keyboard myself. It _is_ a new design and so not identical to the ibook's, wall street's, etc., and I think this is what a lot of people are complaining about.
posted by advil at 1:37 PM on September 8, 2006

I just bought a Macbook last night, and I think I'm in love.

There are people that love the MacBook's keyboard, and people that hate it. I tend to fall in the former camp (which is good, since I just bought one.) It's best experienced in person, though - head to an Apple store (or CompUSA or something) and try it out if you can.

In my opinion, the MacBook Pro is targeted toward media/video types with the better video card and FireWire 800. For anyone else, I don't think the $1000 or so is worth it for a bigger screen. However:

I'm not aware of a way to get either computer to support *two* external displays. A simple dongle is all that's necessary to add an external DVI or VGA monitor, that's just one. But if you want, you can use the MB/MBP's built-in display as a second display, so if dual displays is a big deal for you, you might check out the 17" MacBook Pro. Of course, that won't be as 'portable.'
posted by cebailey at 1:38 PM on September 8, 2006

get the mac book pro with the matte screen. unlike most pc monitors and the new glossy screens the mac books come with, the matte screen will not reflect sunlight, making work outside, near a window and in other adverse light conditions much easier.

yes, this alone is worth getting the pro to me.
also make sure to have at least 1GB of RAM and take one of these small cloth pieces they sell in the apple stores for ten or fifteen dollars. this will ensure that the keyboard does not imprint on the screen when transporting the laptop. they say that doesn't happen anymore but unfortunately it still does.
posted by krautland at 1:55 PM on September 8, 2006

the matte screen will not reflect sunlight, making work outside, near a window and in other adverse light conditions much easier.

Actually, it's the other way round. The matte screen picks up light in all directions (eg the whole sky), making it useless outdoors. The glossy screen only picks up light in one direction, making it pick up less light overall, and you can always tilt it so it's pointing at something dark.
posted by cillit bang at 2:29 PM on September 8, 2006

Recently bought a Black MacBook, maxed out to 2GB RAM, and am delighted with it. Something to bear in mind: what with all the extras (AppleCare, Pro Care, various cables, MS Office, bits of software (TextMate, Transmit, Missing Sync to name a few)), your MacBook will cost almost as much as a MacBook Pro. So just saying, factor in the odds and sods that generally aren't thought about.

The screen is fine, and whilst there is reflection, it's not unmanageable - there's always an angle that you can tilt to, sit at, whatever. The keyboard takes a bit of getting used to, but I can't really see why people *hate* it.

Just go in and play around with them.
posted by djgh at 4:35 PM on September 8, 2006

What size are your external monitors? If they're too big, it's possible that a MacBook won't drive them at their maximum resolution, though the MBP will.
posted by myeviltwin at 7:18 PM on September 8, 2006

As a rule with Macs (and I've owned a half-dozen), your best value is to buy the base model and max the RAM. Even then with all that extra performance power you're still saving more than $400, compared to a MacBook Pro with it woefully inadequate 512 meg module.

Should you decide later that you need a bigger hard drive, it's easy to install on your own, thereby saving you even more money from the gouge you'd otherwise get at the Apple Store.
posted by runningdogofcapitalism at 8:04 PM on September 8, 2006

TextMate is awesome. You'll never go code with any other editor once you use it. It's amazing.

Someone earlier talked about how they hate the Apple keyboards. I really like the keyboard on my Powerbook G4... better than any other laptop I've used. I have one of the Apple Bluetooth desktop keyboards... and can't quite get into it as much.

If I was buying a laptop today, I'd do whatever I could to get a Macbook Pro over the Macbook. But, that's just me. I like the metal finish more-so than the black or white plastic (although, the black Macbook is teh hawt).
posted by jeversol at 9:06 PM on September 8, 2006

Whoever said bbedit is the mac standard should have added 'old' in front. Textmate rocks, and is quickly becoming the new standard.

I would go with the macbook and max the ram. A much better value in my opinion, and a great form factor.

Both of us agree the MacBook keyboard feels like garbage.
posted by niteHawk

I'm not sure if saying "both of us" is suppose to give greater weight to that claim, but feel free to ignore it. Test it out for yourself. I have no problem with the macbook keyboard. Not quite as nice as the mbpro, but still nice.

get the mac book pro with the matte screen. unlike most pc monitors and the new glossy screens the mac books come with, the matte screen will not reflect sunlight, making work outside, near a window and in other adverse light conditions much easier.
posted by krautland

Jesus, please don't make a mistake and listen to krautland and spend an extra thousand because of a screen. I never have a problem with seeing my screen. The colors are deeper than the matte finish. If I worked outside a lot, it might bother me. I never notice reflections in a variety of settings. Go to an apple store and make your own decision.

although, the black Macbook is teh hawt).
posted by jeversol

Before you spend an extra 200 for the black please remember almost every non mac laptop in the world is black. Yet apple puts one out and people think it's the 'hawt'. Unless black looks better for business reasons, or you have more money than you know what to do with, get the white and put the 200 bucks towards applecare.
posted by justgary at 9:42 PM on September 8, 2006

I love my white Macbook with 1 GB of RAM and 80 GB Hard Drive, which I obtained for $1550 with a free iPod and 3 years Applecare.

I like the keyboard on the macbook, although I will always prefer an external keyboard. My partner hates the keyboard because of the 90 degree angle edges on the end, and how the dell laptops are rounded to contour. I find both my Dell laptop and my macbook fine, but he prefers the styling of his Dell laptop (but hates the keyboard on it, we both have D610) Right now I am in bed with the macbook, and it doesn't get as hot as people make it out to get when it isn't plugged in.

Typically, I leave it hooked up to a 19" Dell LCD and Logitech wireless KB/Mouse. But when I do undock it, it also works great for me.

I like the glossy screen. When I look at my 19" LCD, or any regular LCD, and then back to my Mac, I think the standard LCD screens look flat, dull, and washed out in comparison.

Mileage may vary, so check both out. But I went with the Macbook because its a great compromise notebook. You get the dual core power, but with the ability to turn it easily into a dual-screen pseudo desktop. Yes, the macbook, unlike previous apple consumer notebooks, supports spanning across screens. Previous iBook models only mirrored the screen, the Macbook will allow you to open windows on both your external monitor and your Macbook.
posted by benjh at 11:51 PM on September 8, 2006

I have a white, 1.83 Ghz MacBook; I added 2GB of aftermarket RAM to it, and in addition to all my Mac software, run Windows 2003 Server in a Parallels Desktop virtual machine (the software I consult on at work with runs best on that.)

It's great. Plenty fast, a perfect work machine. About the only thing I'd like is a bigger internal hard disk, but with tiny external USB/Fireware drives so inexpensive and affordable, that's not even a real issue.
posted by enrevanche at 1:58 PM on September 9, 2006

Bear in mind that Parallels won't take advantage of the MBPs fancier video hardware.
posted by ikkyu2 at 5:14 AM on September 10, 2006

Both of us agree the MacBook keyboard feels like garbage.
posted by niteHawk

I'm not sure if saying "both of us" is suppose to give greater weight to that claim, but feel free to ignore it. Test it out for yourself. I have no problem with the macbook keyboard. Not quite as nice as the mbpro, but still nice.
Posted by justgary

So - you prety much stopped reading my post there? I said the same thing - to go and try the keyboards out for themselves. You may not have a problem, but myself, my wife, and even a few of the posters here have mentioned that it doesn't feel the same as other keyboards out there, and to someone who codes, that is a major concern.

The rest of your post looks to push your own opinion on theoriginal poster - "Jesus, please don't make a mistake and listen to krautland..." is just out of line - you even admit that you don't really have experieince with working outside which is what krautland was discussing.

Heck - if Meta cared about post counts, I'd think you were doing the typical pre-teenager trying to up your post count by posting an answer that really gave no information.
posted by niteHawk at 6:23 AM on September 10, 2006