Decision Time

Hello folks!

Long time lurker. my current HP appears to be dying on me. It is a 14.1. My decision involves going to either a MB or MBP. I'm curious as to whether downsizing to a 13.3 is going to be a big deal. I plan on doing music (keyboard and guitar) and editing video as well as some classes in the fall. I also wear cokebottles to see so thats another issue and I hate Windows vison accesibility options!!. The note book will spend 90% of its time on my desk except for vacations. Your suggestions oh wise notebook guru's, pls?

Thx

 

if you can pay at least 1500(the price of refrb. MBP)then get it!it is more powerful,has better screen,has cool features,almost weights the same as MB D),and looks nicer!

 

I have to agree. For video editing, I would choose a MBP over the MB.

I have the MB and I am happy with it for photo editing in gimp and limited video editing (short home movies taken with various digicams) in imovie. I really like the keyboard on my MB better than I like the MBP keyboard. I picked up a logitech bluetooth mouse on ebay and most of the time there's nothing plugged into my MB besides power.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't video editing more CPU + Ram intensive than it is GPU intensive? If so, then both the MacBook and MBP would do fine...
If you're worried about downsizing to a 13.3" screen, you always have the option of connecting it to an external monitor (which I would recommend anyway if you get the MB or MBP)

 

Since the MB was upgraded to 2.4Ghz penryn with a cheap aftermarket upgrade to 4Gb this must be a really tough decision.

For me the fact that the MB is not significantly lighter, combined with some of the 'frills' on the MBP (alu case, more screen real estate, pimped-up graphics card) would make me suggest the MBP... But those blackbooks are pretty cute too...

It is clear that the latest MBs would be more than adequate performance-wise, so I guess it would just come down to what you prefer and how you want to spend the money. Can you try both out in the store to see how the screen size fits with your coke bottles

 

If you're mainly using an external display, a MacBook would be fine. If you're going to be using the MacBook display as your main display, get the MacBook Pro. The screen is leagues better visually, and a slightly better res for real estate.

 

Yep that's correct, I'd go with the MB.

 

I think there's a difference in L2 cache between the MB and MBP. Every little bit helps if you're video editing. I found the MB took overnight to import my home movies into imovie. I thought this was excessive and that's why I would say to take a look at the MBP.

Video editing is very cpu and RAM intensive and I would venture to guess L2 cache intensive. I suspect this is why the studio guys are using final cut on MBP not MB. But on outward appearance, the two systems (midlevel or black MB and base MBP) seem tied in every aspect but L2 cache.

I would look around for a Penryn MB review and a Penryn MBP review that contained benchmarks related to video editing performance before making my final decision.

 

I just edited a video the other day on my 2.2 Penryn MB. It imported in real-time (ie, as it played on the camera) and during the editing, it was quite fast. Much better than ANY video editing experience I've had on a PC. My opinion is to go with the MB if you can deal with the screen or get an external monitor.

 

MBP all the way if you can afford it. Will definitely be worth it, whether it be an old version or new...

 

Like always, if you can afford it, no real reason not to get the MacBook Pro. But getting an external display is a good idea too. The main advantage of MBP is graphics!