Core 2 Duo + SSD or i5 + 7200rpm?

Im undecided which MacBookPro config to go with. THe heaviest programs I run is Photoshop, Indesign etc. No video editing or gaming.

Core 2 duo + Intel X25M SSD drive

or

i5 + Seagate Momentus XT 7200rpm with 32MB cache (Hybrid HDD/SDD...with 4GB SSD)

Cost wise is about the same.

 

For your purposes, both will perform pretty much the same. If you don't need the capacity though, the SSD will feel snappier overall.

 

I say go for the i5. You can always upgrade the HDD when SSDs become more affordable.

 

Easier to change out the hard drive once SSD costs fall down to a reasonable level. You'll not be able to upgrade a C2D to in i5 at a later date.

 

You will never be able to upgrade from C2D to Ci series, but if you don't use the CPU power, you honestly won't notice a difference in performance.

 

Purely in terms of resale value, the Core i5 + 7200RPM system would be a smarter investment. In terms of real usage, the C2D + SSD system may even feel faster, though.

 

Defiantly get the i5 & 7200rpm. Like others have said, if you need an SSD later its easy to install. If you want i5 its impossible to install. It also depends on the the i5 and Core 2 Duo. i5 430m 2.26GHz or the Intel core 2 Duo T9900 3.06GHz. The Core 2 Duo might win. You'd have to look up benchmarks to be sure.

 

Get the Core 2 Duo and SSD.

If you aren't doing anything CPU intensive, the i5's advantage in processing power is completely nullified. On top of that, with the Core 2 Duo you will have the performance of the SSD now. Waiting for some future time to spend more money to get that performance when you could have had it all along for a lower price seems kind of silly to me. I mean, are you going to buy a laptop now to use it now, or are you buying it now to use it or sell it later?

 

hmmm thats a good question mate, you bring up some good points.

Well im not sure if ill be sellin the MBP later, but i usually upgrade laptops every 3 yrs (4 tops). So even say during that time i buy a newer one and keep this one as a backup or spare, it wont be my main laptop so the CPU power becomes moot.

i5 is nice like you all say but youre not the only person who told me to just stick with C2D. I know a few friends who told me the same as well. Its not that i5 isnt good or worht the $ but for what ill be using it for (photoshop is the heaviest program ill be using), they say i wouldnt notice any improvement with an i5 over C2D aside from $500+ less in my pocket.

Yes the i5 will be more resellable down the line than a C2D but again im not sure if ill be selling it. But i do know that i wont be using it for any longer than 3-4yrs tops before moving onto the next one.

What im saying is, i want a good product but dont want to pay for technology that i wont benefit from.

I was leaning towards the i5 yesterday but now im leaning towards the C2D and saving the extra $.

 

I agree 100%.
I also have a C2D and a SSD, and Im absolutely loving it. Why wait for months, or years for prices of SSDs to fall so you can upgrade, when you can have it now. A year down the line there will probably be a new line of CPU's to consider!
Check my video (link in sig) for C2D and SSD performance!

EDIT: Ive also heard the Momentus XT is a little noisy and the vibrations have got on some people's nerves - so much so that one of two people I know have returned them and just gone for SSD's in the end.

 

Thanks for the headsup on the Momentus XT.

And what do you mean when you say "why wait when i can have it now?" What am i waiting for? If I get a i5 MBP i probably wouldnt get an SSD...not cause i dont want it but cause budget wise. I dont really want to spend more than $2000cdn for everything.

 

How heavy is your Photoshop/Indesign usage? Do you stress your CPU a lot?

If you are a light user, the Core i5 is not worth the premium imo. The resale value will be higher though.

 

I would get the i5 + 7200rpm HDD first then try to save money for a SSD (you can find slightly used SSD from trusted fellow NBR members for cheap)

What's the point getting an MBP with semi outdated CPU?

Just my 2 cents

 

I know it isn't anyone's main point, but I just don't think the resale value argument has much merit. Why would it be better for anyone to get an i5 only to recoup a tiny fraction of the price when they sell the laptop on Ebay in 4 years?

What makes it outdated? Is it any less useful?

 

I don't see it much on the resale value but more on the options to upgrade down the road. (CPU and SSD will be cheaper)

1) Not that the core 2 duo is less useful than the i5-xxx but the possibility to upgrade to i7 (mobo i-series)

2) Outdated when it comes to status symbol.

 

I agree it shouldn't be the main reason, but it's something to keep in mind. Macbook Pros keep their value quite well in my experience. The difference in resale value may be enough to purchase the 80GB 25-v in three months time.

 

Before calling a C2d outdated, go look at some benchmarks, some of the better C2d's are just as fast as some of the I5's. At least in terms of what you can notice. You need about a 10% increase in speed before you can tell a difference in every day use. The upper level C2d's aren't 10% slower than most I5's.

That being said, I agree, go with the I5 anyhow, as it has some enhancements the C2d doesn't have, particularly the ability to handle more ram later and using newer DDR3, which is falling in price while most DDR2 is going up or has flat lined (pretty much). Not to mention (probably) faster SATA speeds and likely a better video card. SSD will be an easy replacement, plus you will be able to afford a bigger/faster one by the time you are ready.

 

The ability to handle more memory and DDR3 isn't dependent on the CPU at all. There are several C2D notebooks that can utilize as much DDR3 memory as current Ci notebooks. Also, there is no difference in SATA as both use SATA/300. The OP needs to state his usage for his notebook since if he/she doesn't utilize CPU power, any enhancements will be useless.

 

Please re-read my previous post regarding the outdated.

 

photoshop will be the most intense program i run. I usually like to run photoshop with 5 or 6 small-med size files and indesign simultaneously. Maybe even dreamweaver or quark on top of that. And if i can have all this open with firefox and about 15 tabs, winamp, and stream video here and there with no hiccups ill be happy.

Another thing is what about the i3? Its better than C2D right? reason i ask is cause im not sure im going to get a MBP. I did quite a bit of research today and seriously have my eye on the Sony CW series (14'', i3, 5.2lbs) = $900cdn. Very competitively priced. Then i would throw an SSD in there. Apple cant touch that for value. I can get a i3 with SSD for the same price as MBP C2D.

 

Your usage pattern isn't very heavy. Most programs running in the background don't require much resources. Things that take up processing power would be say encoding a video in the background. As for the question about i3 vs. C2D, it depends on the model since there are a wide spectrum of CPU choices within each line.

 

Im looking at the i3 330M.

 

IMO, you should look up for an i5 and ssd system because it brings the best of storage and processing power together for what you do. being so, like others said, there's no way you can upgrade from a c2d to an i5 in the near future, and why wait for the ssd price to lower when you can have it ATM.

 

True, i think im gonna go i5 forsure at the min. The only thing is the only PC laptop ive found that has i5 and SSD bundled in is the Sony Z11. I would love it but damn $2000cdn

 

IIRC, the SSD on Sony Z11 is NOT replaceable which is a deal breaker for me.

 

what? where did you hear that?

 

Yep! Check this out. Link

 

get a sony vaio E series or CW...they're quite great but 14inchers... u can easily get an SSD in there and total system will be about 1-1.1K ... 13 inch is really not practical if u need more power.. but i would say get i5 and then replace hard drive with SSD urself in a macbook.

 

The SSD is going to make much more difference than the i5 vs c2d.

 

plus, some i5's perform worse than some c2d, so you need to specify which exact processors you are comparing.

 

i5 with 7200

The 7200 is a good step up from 5400 in any case.

Also, you cant compare i5 wit a c2d. Generational difference.

SSDs are bound to get cheaper. So you can always add them later. Go for the traditional 7200 rpm with a new proccy

 

For basic usages, the C2D and i3/5/7 perform identically since they both will downclock.