I'm here after all

[scarlettina]

Thanks to oldmangrumpus, I'm online and able to work while the computer situation gets resolved. He's loaned me a PowerBook that will do nicely, bless him. And yes, the decision is to get a new machine. Made the decision after I made my last post but before I got all the horrified responses urging me to run screaming for the cash register. :-)

This evening after dinner, I received a call from the Apple Store saying that my old machine is now backed up and ready to be picked up tomorrow morning. I need to do a little financial juggling and a little research, but I hope to have a new machine by Wednesday latest.

And now that I'm over the irritation and anger about this unexpected development, I'm looking forward to making the new investment. I'm inclined to go with the low-end MacBook Pro 15" because a) I want the new functionality that's available, b) I don't want a smaller screen than I already have, and c) I don't want to spend more than I absolutely have to. oldmangrumpus made an argument for the 13" MacBook based on image quality on the smaller screen and financial considerations, and though I see his point, I'm still edging toward the larger screen and the functionality issues. Anyone who has informed opinions on these issues, opinions would be appreciated.

Comments

[oldmangrumpus.livejournal.com]

Well, the other argument is that the 13" is lighter and more portable, though I understand the desire for the bigger screen.

Another drawback to consider with the Pros is that they run pretty hot - still - and being thinner than the standard MacBook, you'll know it. Also, the disk slot is in front, not on the side, which sometimes makes putting in and taking out disks a little harder than one the side.

[botgrrrl.livejournal.com]

I've never had a problem with the disc slot in the front, but I can attest to the fact that my Pro runs hot. I've got a little Antec Notebook cooler, that helps quite a bit. It's got two fans that are powered off the USB port, and the Pro sits right on top of it.

It's not a perfect solution, because it is an extra bit of kit to carry around, so I don't. I use it when I'm at my desk top position or when I'm on the couch with my lap desk, but never outside the home.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

Given your peerspective on the heat issue and the idea of getting a cooling system, I wonder how many USB ports does the machine come with? If it's only two, I may have to bite the bullet and (kill me now) purchase a TARDIS USB 4-Port Hub Station (http://www.impulsecreations.net/catalog/tardis-usb-4port-hub-station-p-47015.html?language=en). Life is hard.

[chantry.livejournal.com]

I'm going off memory, but there may be as many as three, plus a firewire port. I could be wrong, as I don't use my laptop much since all my IIA study materials are Windows-only and I don't feel like going to the trouble of dual-booting.

Though I may change my mind if I can scare up another copy of XP . . .

[botgrrrl.livejournal.com]

Sorry. No really informed opinion. Just drooling lust for my own 17" Mac Book Pro. chantry has the 15" model and likes it quite well.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

The data point is appreciated.

Cool to see you both, if only briefly, this weekend. Wish there couold have been a little more time. Hope to change that soon if we can arrange it.

[willowgreen.livejournal.com]

I was talking last week to a mom friend who is a big honcho in Apple's laptop division, and she told me that while the MacBook is a good, stable machine, the MacBook Pro isn't. So I'd be wary.

I'm currently using the MacBook I bought last September with an external keyboard and a big LCD screen plugged into it--so it's exactly like using a desktop machine, but portable when I want it to be. My only regret is that I only upgraded to the 80G hard drive when I bought it, instead of going all the way and getting 120G.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

I was talking last week to a mom friend who is a big honcho in Apple's laptop division, and she told me that while the MacBook is a good, stable machine, the MacBook Pro isn't. So I'd be wary.

Interesting. I'll do a little research and look at some reviews to learn more about this. I guess it's what happens with the first generation of any new product.

I'm currently using the MacBook I bought last September with an external keyboard and a big LCD screen plugged into it....

That thought has occurred to me since, after my last job, I've developed a new appreciation for a larger workspace. The versatility would be nice, and given that I'm looking at getting more serious with my photography, a larger screen could be an asset. Hmm...

Thanks for the food for thought.

[willowgreen.livejournal.com]

FWIW, my friend told me that the MacBook Pro got rushed to market, whereas the 13" MacBook didn't. She also agreed with my that the 2004 dual-processor G5 tower is a piece of crap (I have one currently serving as a very large paperweight), for the same reason--rushed development.

[willowgreen.livejournal.com]

P.S. Further down I see a reference to a 15-inch MacBook, a model I don't think I knew existed. I'd assume that would be fine too--it was a brief conversation and we didn't get into details about specific models.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

I don't think that reference is accurate, FWIW. When I was in the Apple Store yesterday, I specifically asked if there was a 15" version of a non-pro MacBook and I was told such a thing didn't exist.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

In a related thread, erdnase2000 tells me that a number of the initial MacBook Pro stability issues were addressed with a hardware upgrade shortly after the first machines were released. Obviously, I need to find out more. But thank you for the tip; it's definitely worth looking into.

And I wasn't even considering a tower, but the info is good to have. I need portability, and I've grown impatient with anything that ties me down.

[peartreealley.livejournal.com]

I use both a 13 inch (Sony Vaio; home use; writing) and a 15 inch (IBM ThinkPad; day job). If you are going to use it as your workhorse, I'd go with the 15 inch AS LONG as you find it comfortable to carry around when you want to travel. You may want to bring your laptop carrier (I just use my backpack) and see if they'll let you try it out.

I'm relatively little, and I found carrying around my old Dell 8 pound workhorse *incredibly* cumbersome, driving me to buy additional portable writing electronics and keeping the workhorse at home on my desk. M being a full sized average male even found it a bit bulky. My ThinkPad is about 6 pounds, and I have to carry it to and from work, and it's not too bad. Still, it seems like a monster sometimes compared to the 4 pound Vaio and the 2 pound AlphaSmart :D

You may also want to see if there are differences in battery life. My Vaio can last 5 hours (in practice, not marketing) and my ThinkPad about an hour and a half.

So, ultimately, think about how you will be most using it and what is comfortable. If the 15 inch is comfortable for travel and battery life considerations aren't an issue then go for the bigger screen! I LOVE my Vaio, but I often consider an external monitor, which tells you the small screen sometimes bothers me. But not too often. Mostly when editing on-screen or gaming :D

Whichever way you go, enjoy the new computer! Five years boggles me. I start getting the itch for a new machine after a year (but usually wait 2-3 before actually upgrading).

(Note I'm mentioning brands so you know my feedback is not speaking specifically of Apples, not because I'm pushing PC :D)

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

If you are going to use it as your workhorse, I'd go with the 15 inch AS LONG as you find it comfortable to carry around when you want to travel.

Well, I've carried around a 15-incher for the last five years, so the size and weight aren't issues for me.You may also want to see if there are differences in battery life.

You may also want to see if there are differences in battery life.

This is a huge consideration, as the battery on my old machine was great at the beginning (four hours plus), but somewhere around year three took a nosedive to about 38 minutes.

Five years boggles me. Five years boggles me.

Well, I honestly think it's criminal that computer companies expect consumers to shell out between $1000-$2000 every two years. What other product requires such a major reinvestment on such a regular basis? Products should be built to last, and given the cost, I don't think that's an unreasonable expectation. I did feel the itch for a new machine at year three; I did feel an itch for the new features that updated systems offered, but the money involved continues to boggle me. When I think about it, it makes me appreciate how the rest of the world might see America as a nation of profligates, given the poverty prevalent in other parts of the world.

At the same time, there are justifications for the investment given how I use my machine. I suspect I'll never get used to the cost, however.

[peartreealley.livejournal.com]

I hear you on the cost of machines, but considered the use I get out of them (work and play), I generally consider it a worthy investment.

That said, I'm hard on my machines, and I don't usually upgrade until I'm having headache issues with my previous machines and they are out of warranty, even if I get the itch beforehand. (My Dell overheated all the time and sometimes "forgot" where the hard drive was, in addition to not liking the machine at all since the day I opened the box. I'll never buy a laptop without seeing it in person first again.) My rule of thumb is "out of warranty, out the door." So I guess I should clarify that I upgrade every 2-3 years, because I break a computer about every 2-3 years and they go out of warranty :D It'd be nice if I could keep one for 5 years, but I just don't seem capable of it, although I have high hopes for my Vaio. I did upgrade from the Dell slightly before the warranty was up, because I was in a place to afford something more suitable (the Dell was my "oh crap, my other laptop is DEAD and I'm in college" laptop).

(Also there's the consideration that I'm into gaming and media and the problems with upgrading laptop hardware to keep up with new games that progressively require more... I try to balance this by buying slightly more laptop than I need at the time on the initial investment.)

My Vaio was really pricey (but completely worth it) and I splurged on a 4 year warranty because of that. Thus, I will not be doing a hardcore upgrade until that is over with. But I'm not above getting a docking station and external monitor as time goes by. :D

... Geez, I love to talk about laptops :P

PS

[oldmangrumpus.livejournal.com]

What funtionality issues do you have?

[blakesrealm.livejournal.com]

To me, being only as informed as I can be by your posts, I'd say that the 15" standard (non-Pro) will suit you just fine. Given the heat issues of the higher model, and the higher cost, you'd be better served - in my mind - going with the lower end machine.

That said, however, do invest in a larger hard drive and the most RAM you can afford. It does sound like you have some local friends who are apple geeks themselves, and if one of them is comfortable with the innards of a machine perhaps purchase the RAM after you get the laptop from the secondary market. You can get RAM MUCH, MUCH cheaper than what Apple charges, and it's just as good.

Best of luck with the new machine.

[willowgreen.livejournal.com]

My husband the geek swears by Crucial Memory as a RAM source. I've purchased lots of Apple RAM from them and have been perfectly happy with it. But double-check the price before you order: Getting my MacBook with an Apple RAM upgrade actually didn't cost any more than ordering it separately from Crucial.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

FWIW, when I was in the Apple Store yesterday, I specifically asked if there was a 15" version of a non-pro MacBook and I was told such a thing didn't exist. I was told they only come at 13.5". Have you seen otherwise?

And yes, I need to figure out how much hard drive and RAM I can afford, given that I want to get more serious with my photography. I'll need storage and processing power for Photoshop and the work that will go with it.

[ironymaiden]

i repeat that you should come over and do some work on C's MacBook to see how it feels. don't forget to budget the $650 for Photoshop, unless you have other ways of getting it.

[blakesrealm.livejournal.com]

Erm ... yea ... err ... I knew that. :) I forgot that it wasn't 15" to be honest. But yes, if you're going to do photo work you might want to go with the 15" Pro. The extra horsepower will never go to waste in that case, and another way to look at it is that you're that much longer future-proofed.

Another thought is that you can always use an external hard drive if you need the extra space later on, for storing old photos, backups, etc.

[herself_nyc]

I've used a 12" iBook and a 15" Powerbook and MacBook Pro, and I'd go for the 15" unless you're routinely going to be hooking the thing up to a bigger monitor. (Which I doubt.) The teeny screen is … teeny.

[baron-elric.livejournal.com]

Sorry to read of your woes.

FWIW, I got a MacBook Pro at the start of February. I got the higher end 15-inch model (dual-core 2.33 GHz processors and 2 Gigs of RAM) and thus far I love it. The screen is great, processing has been fast, and I find the weight perfectly reasonable for carrying. It has made it through a round-trip by air between NH and DC without trouble, and I will probably be doing so again in ten days.

It does get warm under protracted use (as when Editrx used it to watch a DVD in bed), but I have it on a nice, minimalist stand that lets air surround it and have had no trouble at all.

It has two USB ports (one on each side), and the external keyboard I got at the Apple store turns one USB port into two all by itself. :-) I believe there is also a Firewire port, as well as a port for a 1010 cable if you should need that.

Good luck and I hope you enjoy many years of happy use from whatever you get!

[thegreymouser.livejournal.com]

There's always Apple Refurbs (http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/6644005/wo/Av6bZfFJs5tc2LIQ3sY1n4dxHp6/3.0.0.21.1.0.8.7.1.0.1.1).

[ckd]

My work machine is a 15" MacBook Pro, with the original Core Duo processor (as opposed to the current Core 2 Duo).

If you want screen space, and I sure do, it will drive the Apple 30" display[1]; the MacBook won't. (Even if you don't buy the 30" now, the price just came down and may well come down again in a year or so....)

[1] The MBP and 30" display were my bribe for moving from an office with an exterior window to one without.