Advice needed

I am currently looking to buy a new notebook but my situation goes as follows.

I want the portability of the macbook because I travel a lot. But the macbook pro performs games to some degree. So here is my proposal:


Macbook + Home built Desktop
- Use the Macbook for school work and traveling and talking (I was thinking of the 2.0ghz version)
-And then spend the rest of my budget (Around 600-700 pounds on building myown gaming machine that i can play at home andplay the latest games at pretty maxed settings
MBP
-Buy the 15 inch macbook pro with the 2.66ghz processor.
-This would perform games to some degree but it's no big huge performer that i can get on a desktop
-Portability isn't amazing but seems pretty nifty.. So please voteon the poll and share your opinions..

Am I thinking of doing the right thing here?

Thanks

 

I've got a Macbook and a £680 desktop (excl. monitor - built in late 2008). Great combination.

 

Have a desktop and a macbook is good, so you have both Windows for all games and macbook for school with portability. Also building your own computer is extra fun lol

 

better yet, get a sony(SR) or toshiba R500 or discounted toughbook(W7, etc) for longer battery life and a desktop

screen wise: toughbook >= SR > R500~macbook(mac being more contrast, R500 more suited for docs work)

lightness: R500 > toughbook > SR > macbook (R500 being lightest)

size R500 > toughbook ~ SR ~> macbook

screen size: macbook 13.3, SR 13.3, toughbook 12 or 14, R500 12, SR and macbook being wide aspect and toughbook and R500 being standard 4:3

battery: toughbook~R500~SR > macbook (since they are either ~7hrs or capable of >6hrs with bigger battery, macbook is stuck with 5hrs max)

performance: macbook >= sony > toughbook > R500
with p8600, it performs the best or similar to sony's SR, toughbook with recent CPU will be 2k, but getting the 7xxx series is nice enough, R500 uses the U7700 being slowest

3D: macbook > sony >> toughbook ~ R500
with 9400m macbook is uncontested, sony SR being 2nd with 4500mhd and/or 3450(or 3650?) video card, SR will match close enough against macbook if 3650 equip( SR will have better spec and more ram than macbook at similar price).
toughbook and R500 are more ultimate mobile and x3100 due to being last year's model

design: preference, i find toughbook to be more attractive myself but i am not rating them and it is up to you.

OS: i use windows/osx just the same.

multimedia: all of them have DVDs

typing: preference

durability: if you measure by the sturdiness of breaking it in pieces, macbook will win with unibody alu. construction, but i don[t think this is how people measure durability. with sony using carbon fiber, toshiba uses magnesium alloy(stronger than alum in terms of material), and toughbook meeting some sort of rating(the only one that does) + spill resistance.
i would say toughbook wins here, a drop mght not kill your notebook, but a spill will have a lasting effect.

price: toughbook ~> macbook~R500 >= SR

my pick? if i have a desktop, i would take toughbook for its lightness and travel-ready spec

ps. i don't own any of the notebook mentioned above, but i have enough time spent with them at work.

 

I think you would have less regrets getting the MB and also building the desktop. I hardly ever use the dedicated graphics on my MBP but wanted the larger screen for editing and media. As long as you are fine with the 13" screen you will be fine. I do recommend the unibody MB over the white due to the trackpad and better screen. Then there is the backlit keyboard on the higher model to think about as well.

 

That's why I do
But I always wish I have enough money for a MBP.

 

The MBP, while a great machine to begin with, isn't ideal for gaming even though it does have mid-grade graphics. I voted for the MB + custom-built desktop, since you get the best of both worlds for the price of an MBP by itself.

 

i can imagine the P-envy since you have the X3100 video card.

with 9400m the P-envy should subside, don't worry.

remember some elder would say: don't envy about others' P, as you can have as many as you want when you grow up?

 

I would vote a macbook 2.0 (or 2.4 cool backlit keyboard) and building your own desktop.

From your original post, it seems that u would like to be able to play latest games with high settings. So the best option is to get a macbook (for portability) and a customized gaming machine.

Hope this helps.

 

Interesting results guys thanks.

I really like the idea of the Mac OS so that's why I am going for a macbook over other brands... I will also definitely get the unibody design as it looks cooler and more durable

Building my own gaming rig will also be great fun as it'll be my first one yet i've done a lot of research and it really doesn't look that hard to do.. Just finding the right compatible components that's the hard ish part.


Thanks for you help guys, really appreciate it.

 

Any more voters?

 

I basically went with the second option. I would still recommend getting the macbook and macbook pro.

Of course, I did this like 2 years ago and already had a pretty modern desktop. And 2 years ago the macbooks were not aluminum... so it was pretty different.

But yeah I vote macbook and desktop instead of macbook pro

 

go for macbook + desktop

 

For what you need, the first option would seem the best.

 

Macbook and Desktop is a great choice, and seems to fit your criteria well.