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Macbook v.s. Macbook pro

post #1 of 14
6/19/07 at 1:23pm
Thread Starter 
I'm a HUGE pc user, love pc's most of the time. I play CS, use some windows-only programs, etc. But my sister's comp just crashed for NO REASON, so it pushed me a little more to get a mac. plus they look really sexy!

Going to college next year, I also own my own business of web design and car audio. I need this comp to not only be
1. word processing for college
2. media: music, movies, my ipod
3. web design: dreamweaver, photoshop cs2, fireworks, freehand, etc.
4. put windows on it to run counter-strike 1.6 (steam).

so i would also qualify for the free ipod + printer (after rebate). would it be smart to spend a lot more for the PRO or should i just get the regular macbook? I'm not looking to spend that much.

also how's running windows on it? there's 2 choices i believe.. one's parallel and im not sure what the other one is.


thanks for any help!
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post #2 of 14
6/19/07 at 2:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lippstuh View Post
I'm a HUGE pc user, love pc's most of the time. I play CS, use some windows-only programs, etc. But my sister's comp just crashed for NO REASON, so it pushed me a little more to get a mac. plus they look really sexy! Going to college next year, I also own my own business of web design and car audio. I need this comp to not only be 1. word processing for college No problem on either system, you can get either Office 2k4 for the Mac, or NeoOffice. I would recommend NeoOffice since it is free, can read and write to Office formats, and Office 2k8 will be released within the next year, so why shell out for the old version? 2. media: music, movies, my ipod If there is anything that the mac does well, it is that, you will be fine with either the MacBook or the MacBook Pro 3. web design: dreamweaver, photoshop cs2, fireworks, freehand, etc. I would recommend getting Coda if you get the mac, it is a nice all in one web development utility that is really great. I don't do much serious web development (just stuff for class) but it makes life much easier. Has support for about everything. As far as CS2 goes... don't get it for the Mac. CS2 is a PowerPC App (PPC) and therefore runs like sludge on the new IntelMacs. CS3 though is a Universal Binary (can work on both PPC and Intel) and runs like butter. If you have an existing CS2 license, you can get a discount on CS2 IIRC. 4. put windows on it to run counter-strike 1.6 (steam). You said CS 1.6? Not CS:S? Well then pretty much either system will take care of it. Of that I am almost positive. It has been a while since I played CS1.6, but if my MacBook can run CS:S (I didn't say well) then it can certainly run CS1.6 so i would also qualify for the free ipod + printer (after rebate). would it be smart to spend a lot more for the PRO or should i just get the regular macbook? I'm not looking to spend that much. Unless you are doing some really really heavy Photoshop work, or 3D work, or heavy gaming, then get the MacBook, and then buy 2GB of RAM for it (get it from somewhere other than Apple, I would suggest Newegg. Just pick up a 2GB(2*1GB) kit of DDR2-667 SO-DIMM from corsair or g.skill and you will be solid also how's running windows on it? there's 2 choices i believe.. one's parallel and im not sure what the other one is. With BootCamp, Windows runs native, so just as well as a comparably specced Acer, or Dell, or or or (you get the idea). Parallels and VMWare Fusion are the two alternatives to a native Windows install, or they can supplement it. I would recommend VMWare Fusion which is, although in beta, better right now than Parallels. I think that Parallels has better 3D graphics support, but I am not sure why you would want to do that. But VMWare is free right now, and by downloading the beta, you get a $40 off coupon for when the software goes gold. thanks for any help!
See bold text
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post #3 of 14
6/19/07 at 3:10pm
Stu: as Photoshop doesn't rely on the video card so a MacBook would be just as capable at heavy Photoshopping as a MacBook Pro.
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post #4 of 14
6/19/07 at 3:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kakaze View Post
Stu: as Photoshop doesn't rely on the video card so a MacBook would be just as capable at heavy Photoshopping as a MacBook Pro.
Huh, well ok then. I don't use photoshop that much so I really had no basis for my claims beyond what systems I have observed people using photoshop have used. Though their graphics capabilities may have been a by-product of them getting a faster processor and more RAM than your average bear. I sit corrected then.
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post #5 of 14
6/19/07 at 6:19pm
I say macbook. You mentioned only CS for gaming.. and the macbook is powerful enough for that. Its a lot cheaper too.

I use windows in boot camp and in parallels (I only reboot to play games, anything else I run through parallels, and they're also the SAME partition.. not 2 windows xp, just one). With 2 GB of ram, it runs fast as hell. Booting up sometimes is faster then running native (for some reason) and with parallels' Cohearance, it feels like I'm running Office 2007 in mac.
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post #6 of 14
6/20/07 at 4:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheStu View Post
Huh, well ok then. I don't use photoshop that much so I really had no basis for my claims beyond what systems I have observed people using photoshop have used. Though their graphics capabilities may have been a by-product of them getting a faster processor and more RAM than your average bear.

I sit corrected then.

Yes, RAM and Processor make all the difference with PS.

Now, CS3 can use OGL for it's display but I honestly can't understand why they implemented a 3D feature like that in a 2D programme unless it's a byproduct of the new features they've added for texturing 3D models.
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post #7 of 14
6/21/07 at 1:48pm
Thread Starter 
thanks for all the awesome replies. the only thing that bothers me with the regular macbook is that it does not have a video card... is that upgradable? looks like i'm getting a mac =P
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post #8 of 14
6/21/07 at 2:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lippstuh View Post
thanks for all the awesome replies. the only thing that bothers me with the regular macbook is that it does not have a video card... is that upgradable? looks like i'm getting a mac =P
Lord no it is not upgradeable. Neither is the MacBook Pro. There are very few laptops that can be upgraded, but the macbooks definitely are not. The integrated graphics on the macbook are not terrible, but definitely not great. Once Apple upgrades the macbook to Santa Rosa it will get intel X3100 graphics which are a significant step up, still not great, but better.
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post #9 of 14
6/22/07 at 12:56am
Thread Starter 
so there will be a macbook update? when?
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post #10 of 14
6/22/07 at 1:40am
Of course there will be an update, but I do not know when. Perhaps nearer to when Leopard drops, but honestly no one really knows. There are sites that have charts and graphs of when previous models were updated and released, and based on that they try to predict when an update will occur... but it is hit or miss.
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post #11 of 14
6/22/07 at 7:18am
i would say for Leopard, just because i think the gma950 is getting dated.

if not in OCT, then by xmas
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post #12 of 14
6/23/07 at 1:27pm
Thread Starter 
i thought they would release an update because of santa rose like the macbook pro. i guess imma just pick one up now =]
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post #13 of 14
6/23/07 at 1:35pm
The MacBook was too close in specification to the MacBook Pro, they need to keep the gap present so that people will have a greater desire to buy the Pro.
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post #14 of 14
8/2/07 at 2:15pm
mbp is the way to go even for more moneyyy
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