macbook or pro?

April 9, 2007 11:18 AM

macbook or pro?

A client recently asked my opinion on what she should buy to replace her ancient and now dead mac notebook. She's heard that the pro features aren't really worth the extra cost. As a PC user for 20+ years, I cannot begin to advise her properly.

Tell me what to tell her.

posted by Dave Faris to computers & internet (35 comments total)

What kind of applications is she going to run on it? If she's a Photoshop queen, or into pro vid apps (unlikely, because then she'd already know what she want), the Pro is the way to go.

A Macbook handles the rest just fine.
posted by jamaro at 11:24 AM on April 9, 2007

What does she want to do with the laptop? I think the main difference will be screen size. I've got a MacBook that I've maxed out on RAM, and to be honest it works fine for what I need.

This comparison chart may be useful.
posted by djgh at 11:25 AM on April 9, 2007

there's really no question. black macbook. sweet mercy. it has the most legroom in its class.
posted by phaedon at 11:27 AM on April 9, 2007

I agree with djgh. The main difference is the screen size. Of course, the Macbook Pro is pretty much an all out, no holds barred machine for things like (as jamaro said) video apps and other pro applications. If she is not making movies, animation or quasi/professional music, a MacBook should be fine.

On my MacBook (2 GB RAM) all the Adobe apps run swimmingly. I think unless someone is a professor designer, moviemaker, etc, a Macbook should be fine.
posted by sneakin at 11:29 AM on April 9, 2007

Depends on what she does. For the most part, Macbooks are more than sufficient for web/email/word etc. Macbook Pros are really only used by people with heavier requirements like photo/video editing, and need every bit of performance, RAM, and hard drive space they can get.

The main Pro feature that anyone/everyone can take advantage of is the larger, matte screen (no headache-inducing glare). Also, the aluminum casing on the MacBook Pro is much nicer and more durable in the long run than the cheap plastic-y feel of the Macbook. Keep in mind Mac OS X loves RAM, and the (albeit upgradable) 512 MB offered on the base Macbook is insufficient IMHO.

Unless she does graphics or games, a Macbook is probably fine.
posted by patr1ck at 11:30 AM on April 9, 2007

Ok. Thanks. I'm fairly certain that she doesn't do any of the intensive stuff you guys mentioned. I'll tell her to go with a macbook with 2 gigs of memory.
posted by Dave Faris at 11:33 AM on April 9, 2007

Previously.

Macbooks: Cheaper, Better Wifi Reception
MacBook Pro: More Expensive, nicer keyboard and casing, bigger screen

Those are the things that come out when I've gone through this process with others. The specs are not worth discussing unless you're a high-end 3-D modeler.
posted by vacapinta at 11:33 AM on April 9, 2007

If you need or want any of (1) bigger screen; (2) light-up keyboard; (3) ExpressCard/34 slot (i.e., for a wireless card that works on a cell phone company's network); or (4) a better video card (i.e., you do a lot of photoshop or video work), then you need the pro. Otherwise the non-pro is fine.
posted by raf at 11:52 AM on April 9, 2007

Yeah, I'd say the black macbook is probably all she needs (1Gb of RAM, but 2Gb is nicer).
posted by mathowie at 12:01 PM on April 9, 2007

How old is she? The larger screen in the MacBook Pro will be easier to use with the resolutionless feature in Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5), if she's farsighted.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 12:07 PM on April 9, 2007

My biggest issue with the MBP is that you can't increase the system fonts properly without lowering the resolution the same way you can with windows. This is actually really annoying because the fonts are so small and I don't even have vision issues although I will soon...
posted by baking soda at 12:24 PM on April 9, 2007

Can somebody please explain why they recommend the Black MacBook? There is NO DIFFERENCE between black and white except 20gb of disk space, which is cheaper to upgrade a white to.

It's all looks! Phaedon and Mathowie: when you're recommending cars would you say "Get the blue 3-series BMW, it's much better" or "get the 2.0-litre over the 1.8"?
posted by bonaldi at 12:50 PM on April 9, 2007 [1 favorite]

Because black is slimming. You don't want your Macbook to feel fat, because that just leads to purging data to slim down...not to mention long hours with the disk doctor talking about how its mother never really loved it. its just a hassle, let me tell you! Now pardon me, I have to go comfort my poor white macbook. "There there...."
posted by Wink Ricketts at 1:27 PM on April 9, 2007 [1 favorite]

low end MacBook: great choice if you're on a tight budget
high end MacBook: great choice if you're on any kind of budget
low end MacBook Pro: terrible choice regardless of budget
high end MacBook Pro: great choice if you're not on a budget
posted by Armitage Shanks at 1:31 PM on April 9, 2007 [1 favorite]

(where "high end MacBook" means 80GB disk and 2GB memory.)
posted by Armitage Shanks at 1:34 PM on April 9, 2007

bonaldi is exactly right.

However, I wouldn't be caught dead with a white laptop. I'm shallow that way.
posted by oneirodynia at 1:42 PM on April 9, 2007

Regardless of which model she decides upon, tell her to look in the “Special Deals” section of the Apple Store online for a refurbished book. [Go to http://store.apple.com/ and look for the red tag near the bottom of the right column.] I’ve bought my last 4 or 5 products from Apple this way, including computers and iPods. The listings there change frequently, so it pays to check at least daily. The price for a refurb generally runs from 25-40% off the retail price, and you still get a 1 year warranty

As for the particular model, I’ve always shopped for portable computers with an emphasis on portability. I recently upgraded from a 12" (aluminum) PowerBook G4 to a 13" (white) MacBook. I've always loved having a smaller machine, and never felt very limited by the relatively smaller screen. On the other hand, I’ve heard from many people who’ve had 17" models who wish they had a smaller machine.

Before she decides on a particular model, I'd tell her to go into the Apple retail store and play with their demo models. Then start watching the online store for a good deal on that model.
posted by ijoshua at 2:16 PM on April 9, 2007 [1 favorite]

This is what I tell customers who come in to ask about the MacBook and MacBook Pro at the bookstore I work at:

-I like the keyboard better on the MacBook, because the keys are actually separated. It feels more like a real keyboard, and I make fewer mistakes typing on it.

-The MacBook is a lot lighter.

-The screen on the MacBook Pro is bigger.

-The MacBook is cheaper.

If it were up to me, I'd get the MacBook. And I'd probably get a black one, because it wouldn't get smudged up the way the white ones inevitably do.
posted by limeonaire at 2:20 PM on April 9, 2007

There is one additional issue for everyday users and that is processor speed. That shouldn't matter, but it does for one reason and one reason only: Word. Word is not an Intel native binary at this point (nor will this version ever be, IIRC). I found that the difference between Word running in emulation on a MacBook and Word running in emulation on a MacBook Pro was quite significant. Assuming she writes a lot, she should make sure she's comfortable with the speed of Word on the slower machine. I, for one, was not.
posted by The Bellman at 2:27 PM on April 9, 2007

Can somebody please explain why they recommend the Black MacBook? There is NO DIFFERENCE between black and white except 20gb of disk space, which is cheaper to upgrade a white to.

Because black computers are faster.
posted by juv3nal at 2:30 PM on April 9, 2007

the black macbook is so unquestionably cooler than any other apple laptop out there it practically defies explanation. i dropped a coca cola on my white macbook, looked at it, and said, "oh well, fuck you, computer." the black macbook, on the other hand, we have a more serious relationship.

as for heavy editing on a nice 15" or 17" powerbook, yeah ok, you can pretend like you're having the best of both worlds, but really you're paying extra to ask a laptop to do something it basically will never be able to do as good as a desktop. 8 core or bust, baby. and i'm so over the titanium casing.
posted by phaedon at 2:57 PM on April 9, 2007

I found that the difference between Word running in emulation on a MacBook and Word running in emulation on a MacBook Pro was quite significant.

The current MacBooks have a Core 2 Duo running at 2Ghz with 4MB L2 cache and a 667Mhz front-side bus. If you buy the most expensive MacBook Pro, all it does is bump the processor to 2.33Ghz. I'd be really surprised if that made a significant difference in anything. Are you sure the Pro you used didn't have more memory?
posted by Armitage Shanks at 3:01 PM on April 9, 2007

whatever you do make damn sure you invest in protection for your apple laptop - specifically a set of thin pads to keep wearing out the paint below the keyboard (where the base of your thumbs may rest) and a thin film to keep from dirt and grease from collecting on the mousepad.
posted by phaedon at 3:02 PM on April 9, 2007

Armitage: I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case. I was trying them out in the Apple Store and didn't check memory. We bought based on screen size, mostly, but Word seemed incredibly pokey on the non-pros.
posted by The Bellman at 3:04 PM on April 9, 2007

sucky link above. i highly recommend marware.com for protective accessories.
posted by phaedon at 3:05 PM on April 9, 2007

I don't get the "Black MacBook" recommendations either, though I see that the "black surcharge" has shrunk to $50 from the $150 it was when I bought white 'book.

Do they have black mice and power supplies yet?
posted by timeistight at 3:09 PM on April 9, 2007

To me, the crucial qualitative difference between past low-end and high-end Mac laptops was that the iBook could only use an external monitor as a mirror of the laptop's display (with the same resolution), whereas the PowerBook could drive an external monitor as a second/larger/higher-res screen. The MacBook does not have this deficiency, so I'd say go for it.

I have a MacBook Pro and love it, but it's overkill if you're not, well, a pro (at something computer-related).

Definitely tell her to spring for the AppleCare protection plan, too.
posted by staggernation at 3:48 PM on April 9, 2007

limeonaire: The Macbook is NOT much lighter than the Pro. All of .4 lbs.

In fact, the Macbook is probably the heaviest 13" notebook out there at 5.2 lbs. To me, it feels like a brick, which is the main reason why I bought the Pro. (That and the screen bezel is huge on the Macbook).

Don't be swayed by the impressions that the Pro is only for video/sound/graphics editing. They are essentially the same machine save for the video card and screen size.

Plus, you can get great deals on refurb C2D Macbook Pros.

Bottom line is, if your client can afford both, have them look at the machines and see what they like better.
posted by mphuie at 4:19 PM on April 9, 2007

I just went through this about 45 days ago. Bought a white 'Book with the faster chip (4MB L2 cache, yummy!) and used it for about 12 days before I decided to upgrade, for one silly, stupid reason: the bottom edge of the case (sharp!) cut into my palms when I type. That's it. I don't need the fancy graphics or larger screen or better speakers, etc. etc., I just need a comfortable place to rest my hands while I type. I paid a freaking 10% restock fee plus a $700.00 difference for my MacBook Pro and I LOVES IT!!!!11!!1

<3 3 3br>
Plus, the backlit keyboard is slicker than owl poop, and almost worth the extra money right there. I buy a new computer about once every 4 or 5 years, so I can soothe my aching bank account by saying "it's amortized, it's amortized," and then look at my pretty keyboard again.

Oh, and I think (purely subjective) that the build quality is higher.
posted by ZakDaddy at 5:02 PM on April 9, 2007

Ack! What the #$@%#@$% is that crazy 3 3br> garbage? Shoulda been 3 hearts. Curses!
posted by ZakDaddy at 5:03 PM on April 9, 2007

I love my BlacBook, and use it for CS apps every day and pro music stuff on a regular basis. Once you go black, you'll never go back.
posted by bink at 5:23 PM on April 9, 2007

Note that the comparison chart that djgh linked to is nice, but out of date. No idea how to get a direct link, but an updated version is available by going to the Apple Store, clicking "MacBook", then "Compare Specs" in the middle of the page.

It may sound silly, but the backlit keyboard on the MacBook Pro is more than just a gimmick; it's actually very useful. $0.02.
posted by jmcmurry at 7:15 PM on April 9, 2007

black macbook all the way... sweet price/feature point

bought one for my wife.

I'm thinking about the macbook pro when I upgrade my desktop machine but unless you are a real power user I can't see the advantage.
posted by unSane at 8:16 PM on April 9, 2007

While I do wish I had the backlit keyboard (i just got a macbook at the new year) as someone who has been accused of being a "spec-whore" by my contemporaries, I have the 13" macbook and couldn't be happier. I am a photoshop junkie and use a lot of 'media' and I maxed out the RAM and the processor on the macbook and I've never had any issues. Granted, if a "gamer" is going to use it, by all means get the pro, but I found that for my purposes the macbook is more than sufficient.

(And I didn't get the black macbook because I had a Mac G3 laptop and kind of hated it, ergo bad memories. Love the new one though!)
posted by indiebass at 8:24 PM on April 9, 2007

I used a 15" MacBook Pro for a gig until a few months ago, then bought a Darth MacBook for myself.

MacBook is good for planes: The 15" MacBook Pro is just barely small enough to use on a plane. It was actually kind of uncomfortable trying to use it. The regular MacBook is fine.

* The MacBook Pro has the same keyboard layout as the G4 Powerbooks, which is the best notebook keyboard ever, IMHO. The MacBook keyboard is pretty good, but not the best.
posted by ktheory at 9:39 PM on April 9, 2007