MBP: Core Duo vs. Core 2 Duo for photographer

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I've noticed that prices have been dropping on MBP's with CD as compared to C2D.

Is C2D worth the extra $600 to $1000 for someone whose main work app is Photoshop CS2 and soon to be CS3?

I'll max out the RAM and upgrade to a 7200prm HD as soon as possible regardless of which ship I wind up with.

Is it possible to drop a C2D into a CD machine in the next 12-18 months to future proof it?

This will be my first Mac in almost 10 years so please excuse me if these are dumb questions.

Thanks...
 
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Right now, you would be fine with either one. You probably won't get huge differences in performance because most things are still coded for 32 bit operation. Down the road(years, probably not months), you might wish you had a 64 bit processor. I haven't read if the new version of OSX will be 32 or 64 bit, but I'm sure it won't matter.

Basically what it comes down to is this- You could save money by getting a Core Duo, but somewhere down the road, you might be kicking yourself for not getting a Core 2 Duo.

Today, the diffference isn't going to matter. Tomorrow, the diffference isn't going to matter. Two months from now, the diffference probably isn't going to matter. Three years from now, you would probably be happy that you have a 64 bit processor.
 
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thanks, Jeff

in three years, I'll probably get a new lappy anyway (just slightly off of the bleeding edge of course). So you think a $1400 Core duo MBP is worth the savings for a 3 year commitment?
 
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jeffs right but make sure u got some ram for photoshop, i upgraded my macbooks ram to 2gb and ran photopshop , the difference in speed is very obvious. :dive:
 
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Well, you're guarenteed to be fine through the last OSX version. You might notice that OSX still supports G3's. That's what, like 4 generations back? I would say you would be fine. I jumped on the bandwagon right before the C2D was released, and I'm not missing it. All technology has to be replaced at some point. If I were you, I would probably take the savings, and wait until you are outdated/things get too slow to handle. That won't be any time soon though...
 
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Kepp in mind that only the core 2 duos have the 802.11n chips..
 

???


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But who needs n, I think g is fast enough and if you need faster use a cable. n isn't a reason to buy a C2D. Plus its an upgradable part.
 
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thanks for the feedback. i pulled the trigger: $1400 for a mint MBP 2.0 CD 15.4". I have ordered 2 gb RAM and Hitachi 100gb/7200 ($320). This will last me for the next three years I believe (at which point I'll get a C2D for cheap!)
 

???


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Nice that is the same machine as I have but you eill have more RAM, I can't afford the upgrade quite yet.
 
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also if your only gonna be using it for ps you mine aswell and just get a macbook with c2d instead of a macbook pro with cd. it will still probally be cheaper plus you get the better hardware besides the graphics card.
 
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I have no info on the MacBook with CD, but I am 7 days into my new C2D MBP, and have a beta copy of PSCS3 running on it, and it is AWESOME! Much nicer than PSCS2 is on my 3Ghz CD desktop under Windoze.

I am loving the MBP/C2D.
 
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I realize you already made the purchase of the CD MBP, but just to make your decision seem like an even better one: Adobe has announced that it will NOT make CS3 in 64 bit, it's only going to be a 32 bit application. So, if Photoshop is all you're going to be doing, I would say you'll be fine with the CD. Really the only thing worth-while on the 64 bit chips would be the OS itself (10.3 and on support 64 bit chips). The advantage for the C2D chips is they can address 3 GB of memory instead of just 2 GB, but I don't think you'll notice any difference. Good luck with your new toy!
 
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I've noticed that prices have been dropping on MBP's with CD as compared to C2D.

Is C2D worth the extra $600 to $1000 for someone whose main work app is Photoshop CS2 and soon to be CS3?

In a word, no. Real world performance differences between a CD and C2D is around 10 and 15%. Now CS3 may be coded to take advantage of the C2D, especially with 64-bit Tiger around the corner, but an extra $1000 for what might mean shaving 25% time of a render? That's your choice. If you are a photo journalist and uploading an adjusted image to your newspaper in record time is important, then maybe. For the hobbyist, I'd say spend the money on a lens or external storage, which you'll want a lot of.

Is it possible to drop a C2D into a CD machine in the next 12-18 months to future proof it?

Not in a MBP.
 

cwa107


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