Processor or Memory more important!!

Hello everyone. I am what my friends call a computer moron. I am going to buy a new MacBook Pro 15". My biggest dilemma is whether I should stretch my budget and get the 2.4 GHz processor or the 2.2GHZ and whether I should get the 2MB RAM or the 4MB RAM. I am going to have quite a bit of music and pictures. I am going to be using it mostly in chiropractic school to keep all of my papers and files on.
If someone could tell me whether I should spend teh money and go for the bigger processor and more RAM or whether I ned just one and not the other or i the smaller processor and less RAM would be fine. Thanks so much!!!

 

I would go with the processor for now as osx doesn'g need more than 2gb ram. Also, it is much easier to upgrade your ram later than it is to upgrade a processor.

 

For what you said you will use this for the slower CPU and less RAM will be fine. The music and pictures you mention having a lot of is not related to CPU or RAM it is the hard drive that stores those so get one with enough space.

 

you should get neither and save your money. you are not doing anything with the computer that taxes a CPU or RAM in any way/shape/form. faster CPU is total overkill and 4 GB is absolutely unecessary

 

CPU would be a better investment as RAM is dirt cheap nowadays.

 

cpu definately if you want an upgrade

 

Come on fellas. The question is should I stretch my budget not which is better. I don't think anybody thinks either needs to be upgraded, and OP admits to not having much knowledge so be carefull to not confuse the issue.

 

Powerpack, that is what I was getting at. Although all the responses have helped. I just need this notebook to last at least 4 years and not be outdated in 6 months. So back to the issue... is it worth the money?

 

all you're doing is taking notes in a word processing program and storing/looking at pictures. you could buy a $500 bottom of the line notebook and it will last you forever in terms of hardware meeting your needs. now, the separate question of will the notebook physically hold up for 4 years has everything to do with how well you care for it.

honestly, for what you're doing, i wouldn't spend more than 700-800 on a notebook because your needs are very basic.

however, your notebook will not be outdated in 4 years according to your stated needs. you could be using a 5-6 year old notebook right now for your needs and it would not be outdated.

EDIT: and to answer your question... no, it is not worth the money; neither the cpu upgrade or the ram upgrade.

 

NO definatly get a mbp. it will last you the four years and be the best investment. Any$500 notebook you buy will do what you want, but will be extrememly slow at it.

 

considering the fact that mobile cpus clock down under normal usage and only ramp up when necessary and since looking at 2D photos and writing in Word is not cpu intensive... a faster CPU is absolutely unecesssary. ditto for the RAM.

i submit that the difference between a MBP and a 500 dollar notebook will be negligible when using Word or looking at pics.

 

You are buying a very high end notebook that will be fast all thru school as is. If you want to save money you can get a dual core notebook pc for $700 to $900 that will also last all through school but if your a Mac person I guess not an option.

 

I am not a Mac person. I have only used PC so far, but I have heard great things about the MBP and am very willing to switch. I know that the things I have mentioned so far are not very demanding, but I am not sure what programs or applications I will need later on in grad school or when I open my practice. My other option was a Lenovo Thinkpad T61.

 

get a mac. there basically made for what you say youre going to use a computer for. you can even get a regular macbook if you want.

 

For your purposes you really don't need more than the original specs. I know it gets pricey with with the MBPs. You should max out the harddrive though that where your money should go.

 

If you're planning to use the computer for more than 4 years, then getting a faster CPU would be even more important, as it will give you some room to upgrade into when you find your machine to be performing too slow (buy more RAM - changing a CPU is almost impossible in MBP if you've never done it before), and the upgrade will be dirt cheap (RAM prices drop very quickly).

I would personally recommend to invest in a faster HD. Otherwise, get the CPU upgrade.

 

Budding's answer to the headline is correct as far as upgrading your CPU later is impracticable. But as far as the content of your question that followed it, is way off base. The suggestion or belief that the CPU might be “sluggish” in four years is just wrong. And if that was in fact correct which I disagree with, to suggest an upgrade to a CPU that will deliver less than 10% max performance increase is seriously flawed. If in four years your CPU would be slow and sluggish then what Bud suggests would be virtually the same. Most companies do not try and design software to limit the number of people who can use it as the more they can sell the more profit. I doubt businesses replacement cycle is better than 4 years and they don't even start at top of the line. Gaming is different but OP is not concerned about that. So the correct answer to the question is you will be fine as is.

 

What? Be extremely slow at using a word processor and opening .jpg files and music? My 7 year old, 700 mhz pentium 3 desktop can do any of that instantly. He doesn't need a t7700 or 4 gigs of ram or whatever. And I promise you, he could spend 10,000 dollars on the best notebook made today... find a way to get someone to build a t7800 and 8800gtx and 4 gigs of ram into the most powerful notebook today, and it'll just be blown away by a $500 notebook at the end of the four years.

A macbook pro will definately be a joke compared to any 500 dollar notebook after the 4 years. It'll be outperformed by a 700 dollar notebook in two years. All notebooks are horrible, horrible investments. Don't upgrade either, especially for such simple needs! If you want to invest in your notebook to make it last the 4 years, don't invest in the tech inside of it. Invest in the build quality.