MacBook Pro Advice

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Hello, this week i am going to get a MacBook Pro, i am stuck on what version to purchase, i was looking at getting the 15 inch 2.53 ghz but i dont wether to pay extra for the 2.66ghz. I mainly will be using it for music mixing, editing and the general day to day email/internet use.

Here is the Choice of configs i was looking at:

Config 1:
# 2.53GHz Intel Core i5
# 4GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x2GB
# 500GB Serial ATA Drive @ 7200 rpm
# SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
# MacBook Pro 15-inch Hi-Res Antiglare Widescreen Display
# None
# Backlit Keyboard (British) & User's Guide (English)

Config 2:
# 2.53GHz Intel Core i5
# 4GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x2GB
# 500GB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm
# SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
# MacBook Pro 15-inch Hi-Res Antiglare Widescreen Display
# None
# Backlit Keyboard (British) & User's Guide (English)

Config 3:
# 2.66GHz Intel Core i7
# 4GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x2GB
# 500GB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm
# SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
# MacBook Pro 15-inch Glossy Widescreen Display
# None
# Backlit Keyboard (British) & User's Guide (English)

Config 4:
# 2.66GHz Intel Core i7
# 4GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x2GB
# 500GB Serial ATA Drive @ 7200 rpm
# SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
# MacBook Pro 15-inch Glossy Widescreen Display
# None
# Backlit Keyboard (British) & User's Guide (English)

Config 5:
# 2.66GHz Intel Core i7
# 4GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x2GB
# 500GB Serial ATA Drive @ 7200 rpm
# SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
# MacBook Pro 15-inch Hi-Res Antiglare Widescreen Display
# None
# Backlit Keyboard (British) & User's Guide (English)

I know there are alot there but i need to make sure i get value for my money.

Is the anti glare screen really worth adding....? I only use it outside occasionely but my room does get alot of sunlight.

Also is the added RPM improve the perfomance.

Would be very gratefull to all your views and advice.

Thanks in advance. :)
 
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Welcome to the forums.

All the config's above are very capable of what you intend to use them for.
The difference between the 5400 rpm and 7200 rpm disk is noticeable in almost everything you do.
I would go with config 1, but I assume you will get as many answers as you will have viewers on this thread -_-

In the end, the choice will be yours.

Cheers ... McBie
 

CrimsonRequiem


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Get whatever you can afford.
 
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The i7 over the i5 isn't worth it. They are still both dual cores. What is the price difference between 1 and 2? The high res screen is very nice, and to upgrade the HD from 500gb 5400 rpm to 500gb 7200 is like $80, so not much.

If you can get #2 a little cheaper than upgrade the HD yourself, do that. If not, just get #1, but you will have a little lower resolution.
 
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Cryki
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so the i5 and i7 wouldnt make a difference? i was told that the i7 is a more powerful processer therefore would be better in the near future...

i am definately getting the screen matte upgrade, and the 7200rpm its just weather to get the 2.53ghz or the 2.66ghz.

what is better, and best for money?
 
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so the i5 and i7 wouldnt make a difference? i was told that the i7 is a more powerful processer therefore would be better in the near future...

i am definately getting the screen matte upgrade, and the 7200rpm its just weather to get the 2.53ghz or the 2.66ghz.

what is better, and best for money?

The i7 is only better if you do lots of cpu intensive tasks. 130 mhz is not a lot, and yes it is faster in all synthetic benchmarks, real world performance is the same, until you need all the cpu available.

Obviously, 5 is the best. It has the faster processor, better screen, and the 7200 rpm hard drive. If you don't need the fastest processor available, get # 2 and upgrade the hard drive yourself. If you need the faster processor for whatever you will be doing, get #5.

My Core 2 Duo 2.26ghz is fine for what I do with my computer. Word, PS, Dreamweaver, internet, etc. The i7 used in Macs is still only a dual core, but has 4 threads so it can designate one thread to one task (up to 4 separate tasks), whereas the core 2 duo can only do half of that.

So: Best = #5
Budget = #2 with aftermarket HD upgrade.
 
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Cryki
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The i7 is only better if you do lots of cpu intensive tasks. 130 mhz is not a lot, and yes it is faster in all synthetic benchmarks, real world performance is the same, until you need all the cpu available.

Obviously, 5 is the best. It has the faster processor, better screen, and the 7200 rpm hard drive. If you don't need the fastest processor available, get # 2 and upgrade the hard drive yourself. If you need the faster processor for whatever you will be doing, get #5.

My Core 2 Duo 2.26ghz is fine for what I do with my computer. Word, PS, Dreamweaver, internet, etc. The i7 used in Macs is still only a dual core, but has 4 threads so it can designate one thread to one task (up to 4 separate tasks), whereas the core 2 duo can only do half of that.

So: Best = #5
Budget = #2 with aftermarket HD upgrade.

yea cheers im going for 2 with a 7200rpm

looking forward to using it!

thanks for your advice.
 
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yea cheers im going for 2 with a 7200rpm

looking forward to using it!

thanks for your advice.

Yep, no problem. Enjoy it.
 
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Baticarny CLARK,

I think the i5 will be more of a power saver than the i7, for music mixing the i5 should be sufficient and you might profit from longer battery life. But for CPU intensive stuff I would go with the i7 as said in this thread already.
 
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Cryki
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I think the i5 will be more of a power saver than the i7, for music mixing the i5 should be sufficient and you might profit from longer battery life. But for CPU intensive stuff I would go with the i7 as said in this thread already.

yea cheers mate, im not gonna be doing alot of intense graphic work im mainly using it for traktor and general internet/email use. So i5 should be spot on.
 

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