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    MBP: Unibody vs non-unibody -- what is the difference ?

    Discussion in 'Apple and Mac OS X' started by wearetheborg, Feb 22, 2009.

  1. wearetheborg

    wearetheborg Notebook Virtuoso

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    Is there a non-trivial difference in build quality ? How much is the difference ?
     
    wearetheborg, Feb 22, 2009
    #1
  2. aan310

    aan310 Notebook Virtuoso

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    well, it's faulty 8600GT vs nonfaulty 9600GT

    BUT, the old one has matte screens (i like) but the color is really bad...

    personally, i'd say get a unibody
     
    aan310, Feb 22, 2009
    #2
  3. wearetheborg

    wearetheborg Notebook Virtuoso

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    What was wrong with the 8600GT ?

    Also, say the hardware was the same. THEN how would a unibody compare to a non-unibody ?
     
    wearetheborg, Feb 22, 2009
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  4. aan310

    aan310 Notebook Virtuoso

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    the 8600GT was faulty.
    My friend has the MBP with the 8600GT and his broke after 2 months xD

    and if the hardware was the same, i'd still get the unibody, because it is smaller, and better constructed.
     
    aan310, Feb 22, 2009
    #4
  5. chyidean

    chyidean Notebook Evangelist

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    Build quality is supposedly sturdier.

    Though, I kind of prefer the aesthetics of the older MBP. Having a black bezel is akin to wearing a black shirt, and then white pants. Totally unbalanced, even with the black keyboard, but that's IMO.
     
    chyidean, Feb 22, 2009
    #5
  6. aan310

    aan310 Notebook Virtuoso

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    do you have a problem with people who would wear that? :p
     
    aan310, Feb 22, 2009
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  7. slash X

    slash X Notebook Geek

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    Well --- lets see here ---- Old models were great but here is a list of the new additions right off the top of my head

    New "Unibody" MBP

    1. Nvidia chipset 9400/9600 GPU
    2. Edge to Edge glass screen (much more sturdy)
    3. Unibody design --- much stronger than previous models
    4. Legally able to switch HDD
    5. Mini display port --- new standards
    6. No locking lid --- new magnate design rocks
    7. larger HDD's than previous model
    8. New Track pad (worth every penny)
    9. Able to capitalize on the new standards of Snow Leopard
    10. New screens now open further than previous model
    11. Runs much cooler than the previous models I have owned !!!!!!!
    12/ Better speakers !!!!!!!
    13. New keyboard ---- some like it / some like the old style

    etc etc etc --- you get the point
     
    slash X, Feb 22, 2009
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  8. wobble987

    wobble987 Notebook Virtuoso

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    unibody has

    1. stronger construction*
    2. glass trackpad
    3. glass screen (easier to clean, more durable, but too reflective)
    4. better location of light sensor (now on the lid instead on keyboard)
    5. easy to change hdd.
    6. screen open further.
    7. magnetic latch, instead of hard-to-open old one.
    8. improved speaker
    9. keyboard black colour make it easy to see when backlit.

    *the unibody is supposedly a lot more resistant to warping than the old one. though only time will tell.

    the old mbp 8600m gt has high failure rate. the new one is still uproven wheter nvidia has fix it or not, plus the new nvidia logic board has unproven track record since it is first gen. product.

    so, get the unibody one if you need it now. wait a bit more if you can.
     
    wobble987, Feb 22, 2009
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  9. ValkyrieLenneth

    ValkyrieLenneth Notebook Evangelist

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    Only a few MBP with 8600gt are faulty, I have 2 x MBP and none of them are broken yet (used for 2 years). Run great !
     
    ValkyrieLenneth, Feb 22, 2009
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  10. wahgnube

    wahgnube Notebook Enthusiast

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    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 2, 2015
    wahgnube, Feb 22, 2009
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  11. wearetheborg

    wearetheborg Notebook Virtuoso

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    Thanks, thats a detailed comparison :)
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 2, 2015
    wearetheborg, Feb 22, 2009
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  12. Colton

    Colton Also Proudly American

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    Nice, well detailed comparison between the two... ;)
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 2, 2015
    Colton, Feb 22, 2009
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  13. wahgnube

    wahgnube Notebook Enthusiast

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    Cool, if you have any additional questions you'd like answered, you can leave them on the journal.
     
    wahgnube, Feb 22, 2009
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  14. grahamnp

    grahamnp Notebook Enthusiast

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    I have the non-unibody and I think the weakest parts are the LCD backing and the palmrest. The new unibody I tried in the shop has a really sturdy backing but the palmrest still flexes.
     
    grahamnp, Feb 22, 2009
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  15. moko

    moko Notebook Consultant

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    The newer one seems a lot better build quality wise and it has much better resale price. You'll probably be more satisfied owning a newer model too. However, it really comes down to the price difference, how much cheaper is the older model and if that matters to you.

    On the side note, the graphical ability of the new 9600M seems only slightly better than the 8600 GT while reducing the battery life by quite a bit. The 9400M will give you about the same battery life as the older model, but less graphical processing power.
     
    moko, Feb 22, 2009
    #15