A couple questions...

[Macorwhat]

Hello
New to mac forums and to macs...in fact I don't even have mine yet (buying this week). I'm trying to decide which one I want, and I was hoping I could get some questions answered. I know that its either going to be the 2.16 config'd pro or the 15.4" 2.33 config'd pro.
My first question is whether or not the big jump in price to the 2.33 pro is worth it. The differences: 2.33 processor, I'm not worried about the ram because I'm upgrading it to 2 if I get the 2.16 config (which brings the price difference down to around $350), and finally the 256mb instead of 128mb for the x1600 gfx card. I'm also curious if anyone has had any problems with the laptop over heating? I've heard mixed things on this issue...some say that the problem has been fixed, some say its possibly even worse. I want to hear from the masses, not just 3 or 4 people! My last question is to find out, generally speaking from all of you, whether buying the Apple Care Plan (for one of the pro's, obviously) would be an investment or an expense?
Well, thanks for all of your help and hopefully I will have which one I want pounded down by the end of the day!

 

[snoslicer8]

Will you be worried about 3D gaming (either in Mac OSX or Windows using Bootcamp)? Will you be doing a lot of heavy video editing or photoshopping?

These two questions should answer whether you need to upgrade to the higher end 15" MBP. I have the entry level MBP upgraded to 2 GB RAM, and mine has handled everything thrown at it thus far.

As for the AppleCare, I highly recommend it, unless you're the type who will go out and buy another new computer in a year (though the AppleCare does up the resale value). You also have until the end of your first year of ownership to decide if you want to purchase AppleCare, you don't have to buy it right away.

 

[Macorwhat]

Will you be worried about 3D gaming (either in Mac OSX or Windows using Bootcamp)? Will you be doing a lot of heavy video editing or photoshopping?

These two questions should answer whether you need to upgrade to the higher end 15" MBP. I have the entry level MBP upgraded to 2 GB RAM, and mine has handled everything thrown at it thus far.

As for the AppleCare, I highly recommend it, unless you're the type who will go out and buy another new computer in a year (though the AppleCare does up the resale value). You also have until the end of your first year of ownership to decide if you want to purchase AppleCare, you don't have to buy it right away.

I will be gaming, but I don't know how HEAVY I will be gaming. So far the 3 Im planning on playing are CS:S. Supreme Commander, and Day of Defeat. Basically, I want something thats not going to choke AT ALL (In games AND in OS programs, whether XP or Tiger). Is the 2.16 sufficient? Thanks

 

[Brown Study]

This thread mentions the MacBook being upgraded to almost the MacBook Pro level.

But considering the macbooks just got bumped upto the Macbook pro performance (minus vid card) i don't see them getting updated in a month.

Speculation goes either way as to whether this means the MacBook Pros will be upgraded in June, specifically at the next Steve Jobs speech, to keep the performance gap between models intact. So if you're a gamer, maybe wait until then to find out about them.

FWIW because I have used only desktop machines, I wouldn't buy an Apple laptop of any kind without an extended warranty. But if you buy one, you'd have a year to decide whether to go for it.

 

[smurfy]

please dont refer to the MacBook Pro as 'pro' as we think youre talking about the Mac Pro.

 

[Macorwhat]

Way to be a nazi.