Which configuration 13" Macbook Pro should I get?

I'm a college student and I'm in the process of configuring a Macbook Pro, but I'm unsure of the specifications I want. I've been a PC user all my life and I'm making the switch to a Mac. I want to stick with a 13" since I'm on a budget. I feel like getting the base model, but I feel that 2GB of ram will not be enough and the 160GB hard drive will be too small.

13-inch : 2.26GHz
Intel Core 2 Duo
2GB memory
160GB hard drive

Price: $1,099.00 Student Price

or

13-inch : 2.26GHz
Intel Core 2 Duo
4GB memory
250GB hard drive

Price: $1,234.00 Student Price

Or should I just spend 165 dollars ($1,399.00) and get:

13-inch : 2.53GHz
Intel Core 2 Duo
4GB memory
250GB hard drive

Price: $1,399.00 Student Price

Is paying 165 extra for the processor worth it? I will be doing basic photo shop, word, excel, itunes, and browse the net. I read that a lot of people say that I should just buy extra ram and a bigger hard drive separately, but upon my research I found that it's the same price. What do you guys think? For sure I will get a larger hard drive as I listen to music and have a lot of pictures. As for the ram, do you think paying 90 extra for it is worth it and necessary?

Macs use RAM more efficiently than PCs do, so 2GBs on a mac will behave a lot better than 2GBs on a PC.

Based on what your specific needs are, I would go with the $1,099.00 and just get an external hard drive for extra space.

Well, the extra processing power might come in handy with things like Photo Shop or Lightroom, and the extra RAM will certainly make a difference too. Heck, the HD does matter too, when using Ps or Lightroom because you should have a large scratch disk.

I'd say the processor is the least thing to worry about in the equation. I'd be more concerned with RAM and HD. That said, I'd advise to go with the 2.26 processor and 4 gigs of RAM. However, I'd not upgrade the hard drive with Apple. For that extra hundred dollars they charge, you can get either a 500 gig Seagate or Western Digital (7200 RPM to boot) OR you can get the new Western Digital 640 gig Hard drive for $129.

Definitely more bang for your buck in that area.

Doug

Hmmm I'd say the processor is important. when you're making the initial purchase, that extra couple hundred will make a difference in your pockets but in the long run, your processor is higher. YOu can always upgrade RAM and HD, but processors you cannot.

plus when either the 2.26 or 2.53 can both be upgraded to max 8 gigs RAM, the full 8 gigs will be much more efficient at 2.53 ghz. whereas the 2.26 ghz may not utilize the full 8 gigs thus not being efficient.

I went with the 2.53. however, I do not know if it is all that much different, but I assume the difference is though unnoticeable now, but will be apparent later... like 2 years down the road. I've realized this with my powerbook. I went with the better one, and my friend who bought it at the same time didnt... noticed a significant difference between the two after having it for a couple of years. I've always heard to never go with the absolute baseline.

best of luck!

Might as well get the 2.53 just in case you change your mind and start kicking yourself saying you should have gotten the 2.53 ya its more money but i feel good about it and might as well get the top of the line 13" instead of just stopping in the middle. I love my macbook pro and it was a hard decision. i was in the same boat as you and i just got the 2.53 ghz with 4 gb of RAM and 250 gb hard drive and later on ill be upgrading the RAM to 8 gb.

Good luck!

Thank you for all the suggestions. I decided to just get the base Macbook Pro for $1,099.00. I will perform the upgrades at a later time as I need them. I will probably get one next January when my student loans come and I want to see what Apple has to offer. I never had a laptop before so I can wait.