What would you pick?

With the advent of the new 17" mbp I find myself mysteriously drawn to it's awesome screen real state and battery, however, with $2800 not exactly being considered el-cheapo category, it's gotten me wondering what else I could do with that amount of money, like for example a low-end mbp with apple cinema display, or the same mbp with a vaio p, etc etc.

At the moment I have a desktop with vista in which I can play any game maxed out (except gta4), so I don't need that much power and don't need a gaming laptop.

If you had $2800 and currently no mac (and wanted one), what would you do? I've never been so confused in my life

 

Well,I have 2.8 but I decided to save it and get Dell m4400 from outlet for ~1100 shipped,cos now I don't need a mac...I want one,but I need it!so ask yourself-do you REALLY need it?

 

I know what you mean, but after using osx, it's in my honest and unimportant opinion that windows seems like a chore. I have Vista at home just for gaming, so even though I hate it, I just need it as a games launcher, so I only see it for 5 seconds. No big deal.

And saving isn't an option, I already have savings, I set aside $5,000 this year to spend, and from that $2800 will go towards a laptop, or any combination of computer related crap. I also need a new camera (my brother lost my older canon -_- ) and I want to upgrade my oldass camcorder so I can put iMovie '09 to good use. In the end if I have money leftover that's cool, but I will travel only once this year and that's the only shot I will have to get everything I need.

In a way, my iPhone is like a portable computer, I check all my email from there, read websites, etc. So I don't really doesn't need to be portable, which is why I thought about the 17" in the first place, but it's quite a bit of money. I mean, I'd be happy with the $1300 macbook, but the crappo screen worries me. It would leave me with macbook air (underpowered), and mbp models. I haven't seen a macbook screen in person yet to see how crappy they really are.

 

So you have a kick-arse desktop. Time for a 17" Macbook Pro.

You know as well as I do, that once you've set your eyes on one of these babies, you just can't let go

 

How often will you be around town or on-the-go with the laptop? I had a 17" MacBook Pro when the original Intel Core Duos came out. I liked it a ton, but it was just too heavy to tote around campus and take with me everywhere. When the new model was announced, I floated the idea of switching from my 15" Unibody but the weight was still just an issue.

So, I would say definitely go for the 17" if you don't need to take it everywhere. It's still a very portable machine though.

 

If you want it, get it. Never settle for anything less than what you know will make you happy

 

Id take a 15" MBP and a 24" LED ACD.

 

But that's more expensive than the 17" unit though..

 

ACD $900
MBP 15 $2000

That is without hunting for deals.

 

I'm with you. Than you have a nice portable machine instead of a desktop replacement with another desktop.

 

But then again, the whole point of the laptop is to be portable. If you buy an ACD you can't take it with you, you'll be stuck with the "crappy" 1440x900 display when on the road. You can't enjoy the great ACD screen.

With the 17" you can have a great display and still be on the road, that was my original point

 

By your logic then I should be dragging my 20" laptop around with me as that offers the best screen

 

I don't consider a 17" laptop as portable. Try and use it on a crowded train, plane, bus, etc... you'll see what I mean very quickly. Not too mention if you are on the go a lot hauling around a a monster gets very old very quickly. Especially if you have other stuff with you. That part is my personal opinion. But there is no way a 17" laptop is going to fit on the tray in economy without a) invading other people's space and b) be very uncomfortable to use. Even 15.4" is cutting it a bit too close.

 

I used to take my 17" with me everywhere, and I never had a problem with it. Long rides on my sportbike with it in a bookbag on my back, used it on planes and trains. No one ever complained about anything, so I saw it as a non-issue.

 

a 17' just isnt practical when it comes to moving around.but woteve

 

Fez... I am in the same position as you... I am looking at buying a Macbook Pro and really like the resolution and the matte screen option of the 17", but I am deciding to go with the 15" because it is just about as powerful, but has a smaller footprint. I generally don't take my notebook with me very often so it really doesn't need to be all that portable... but it is always nice to have something small to cart around when the time comes. Plus the 15" will take up less space on your desk at home

 

As much as people want to say a 17" is difficult to move around, most of them have never owned a 17" notebook.

The 17" MBP is also the lightest and thinest, and most have definitely never owned a the 17" MBP.

I am a little biased, but I say go for the 17".

 

MBP with 24" LCD, go to a store if you can and check out the new alu MB/MBP screens, I think they are excellent.

 

I guess, from my point of view, even carrying around my 15" can bit a bit too much/heavy. I'm not saying I dont like it, but sometimes it would be nice just to have a 13" just for the lighter wight & size.

Though I guess I'm getting a bit picky, because macs are usually lighter and smaller then other laptops. So maybe ive been spoiled at how light it is compared to others.

In any case, I personally, couldnt see myself carrying around a larger laptop then I already have, so i think thats where other people are coming from as well.