Hey guys... so I "WANT" to get a Macbook Pro. The question is whether I can really afford one or not.
My maximum budget is $1000 and I'd really like the 15" model. Main uses for this computer would be graphics design using Adobe CS4. (InDesign, Illustrator, Fireworks, Photoshop, but I will be also using Dreamweaver and Flash heavily). Now, I could easily get a Dell Latitude E6510 that has a quad core i7, 1920x1080 LED backlit screen and what not, but it doesn't have the form factor, battery life (I assume), OS of a Macbook Pro...
So I'm narrowed down to whatever generation Unibody 15" Macbook Pro I can find at or under $1000 (which seems impossible for me at the moment). I would get a 13" but the 1280x800 resolution is extremely limited for me (I Just sold a Latitude E6410 which had the 12x8 screen)...
Am I making the right choice, or should I just go with the Latitude E6510? and is there even a way to score one of the 15" models for under or at $1000?
As last resort, I might just get the 13 MBP 320M or 9400M GT, or 13 MBA 9400M GT. I come from a i5 540m CPU, will I see a significant drop in performance from the C2D 15", 13" MBP, and the ULV 13" MBA? (Oh my dell had integrated intel hd gfx yuck)
Thanks so much
** Another option is to get a Penryn Early 2008 (T9300) Based Macbook Pro. Which has the plagued 8600M GT... Is that a ticking time bomb even if the seller said Apple has replaced it?
My maximum budget is $1000 and I'd really like the 15" model. Main uses for this computer would be graphics design using Adobe CS4. (InDesign, Illustrator, Fireworks, Photoshop, but I will be also using Dreamweaver and Flash heavily). Now, I could easily get a Dell Latitude E6510 that has a quad core i7, 1920x1080 LED backlit screen and what not, but it doesn't have the form factor, battery life (I assume), OS of a Macbook Pro...
So I'm narrowed down to whatever generation Unibody 15" Macbook Pro I can find at or under $1000 (which seems impossible for me at the moment). I would get a 13" but the 1280x800 resolution is extremely limited for me (I Just sold a Latitude E6410 which had the 12x8 screen)...
Am I making the right choice, or should I just go with the Latitude E6510? and is there even a way to score one of the 15" models for under or at $1000?
As last resort, I might just get the 13 MBP 320M or 9400M GT, or 13 MBA 9400M GT. I come from a i5 540m CPU, will I see a significant drop in performance from the C2D 15", 13" MBP, and the ULV 13" MBA? (Oh my dell had integrated intel hd gfx yuck)
Thanks so much
** Another option is to get a Penryn Early 2008 (T9300) Based Macbook Pro. Which has the plagued 8600M GT... Is that a ticking time bomb even if the seller said Apple has replaced it?