Macbook Pro worth it?

[ALL DAY]

So, I was looking at Macs on Apple.com yesterday because I'm thinkin about getting a Macbook Pro, but I don't know if it's worth it.

I want the 15-inch top-of-the-line one, but it only has 2GB of RAM and a 250GB HDD, I believe and costs $2500. For this price, with those specs, I cannot see this being a worthy investment, especially when there are many notebooks with much better specs for much cheaper.

So, basically, does anyone have any opinions they'd like to share or try and talk me back into it somehow?

[Reservdel]

Well, in my opinion the cheapest one from apple is the one that is the most worthy. change the harddrive to the 200gb 7200rpm and after you buy it go to the closest computer store and switch out the 2gb for 4gb. that 100mhz faster processor you wont notice so. It should be if you'd like those extra 256mb memory on the graphic card. either way dont upgrade anything from apples own webiste unless its the harddrive

But heck a good tip right now is: Wait a month there is rumors that apple will launch a new macbook pro model on october 14th.
Either way you do it. Don't buy the memories from apple they are overpriced at the moment.

[ALL DAY]

^Story of Apple's life...

Thanks, man!

[mtwiford]

It is absolutely worth it. I have a mbp 17" with 2.6ghz processor. I have many different laptops and this one is by far the best. Its like what Reservdel was saying, but I would buy the better processor, not the hard drive. The HD is really is to replace and you can order a larger drive for a lot cheaper than apple offers and replace it. It is not that difficult, I have done it on both of my macbooks that I previously owned. Also he is correct on the ram. Order it from apple with the least amount of ram possible and then just go to a computer store or buy some online for WAY cheaper. I highly recommend the MacBook Pro

[hartphoto]

I bought a 'practically new' (transferred the AppleCare) 2.16ghz 15" MBP in it's 'stock' form about a month after the 2.2ghz 15" MBP came out. I've added the full amount of memory, and a 7200 rpm hard drive, and still saved over 35% over buying new. Not lacking in speed at all.

Unless you just have to have the latest....it's been a reliable way to save some coin for me over the years on Apple products (except for the iPhone!).

[mobilexile]

In a nutshell: yes, the MBP is worth the money.

Over the years I've had several laptops. Learn from my experiences buying these machines:

1. Avoid retailers offering you free RAM upgrades -- they often use crap RAM that can cause issues down the road.

2. Never buy new. Always get a refurb direct from Apple. I've done this several times and, without exception, have landed a good bargain.

3. Crucial RAM, Crucial RAM, Crucial RAM. Hasn't failed me yet. Sure, it's a little more but you get what you pay for. No doubt others will disagree and cite retailers like OWC. I bought some RAM from them for a desktop and it caused several important work files to become corrupt. Fortunately I had backups but the inconvenience cost me more in billable hours than the better RAM would have cost up front.

4. Get insurance & Apple Care. State Farm has good policies to protect laptops. Apple Care pays for itself with one problem.

[SundayDuffer]

love mine.

[ALL DAY]

Alright, guys. I will definitely keep this in mind. I'll update when I decide. Right now a Vaio is my only other real option.

[redice]

vaios suck ***... and vista makes it worse

[ALL DAY]

I don't particularly mind Vista, but have you seen the most recent Vaios? They look sick... 4GB RAM, 320HDD I believe, HDMI inputs. I don't know. Right now it's between a new Macbook (same specs as pro, .1Ghz less processor), that used Pro is B/S/T from Knolly, or a Vaio.

I have no clue as to what I'm going to go with. I've disliked Macs for the longest time, but they're coming in with some decent specs now.

[DebbieFlincher]

Period.

[ALL DAY]

Wut?

[dale1v]

I don't particularly mind Vista, but have you seen the most recent Vaios? They look sick... 4GB RAM, 320HDD I believe, HDMI inputs. I don't know. Right now it's between a new Macbook (same specs as pro, .1Ghz less processor), that used Pro is B/S/T from Knolly, or a Vaio.

I have no clue as to what I'm going to go with. I've disliked Macs for the longest time, but they're coming in with some decent specs now.

320GB sounds good, make a partition for a hackintosh install and keep your cash

[ALL DAY]

Rawrrrr... The new MacBooks are so beastly, though; I've been doing some research.

The OSX isn't really the reason I'm looking at a Mac, though, rather the portability and battery life. It'd be cool to make a Hackintosh, though.

The Vaio's are $1300-1400 and the MacBook configured the way I want it is $1750, so I don't know.

[dale1v]

Well seeing that it's the portability you're after, you might as well take the mac.

[ALL DAY]

^Yeah, but I've been told other things can get me that same portability and battery life for $200-300 less, and everyone who knows about computers in-depth seems to despise Macs, which I can see until now, but I still really like this new 'Book.

[dale1v]

price first looks after

[sziklassy]

Wel, what do you want to do with it. What has you decided on the top of the line model? One thing to consider is ram speed. At the prices you are looking at they arent shipping 1066mhz ram in the vaios, which increases price/value. Also for an HDD... you can just not get an upgrade in size and buy one yourself. The MB comes with 7200rpm while vaois generally ship with a slower 5400rpm. I am not saying it is necessarily WORTH the difference (because IDK what you personally do with it) but you can;t compare prices just by shear HDD space and gigs of ram only

EDIT: I was correct about the RAM speeds but NOT about the HDD. MBs have 5400rpm drive while the vaios have a 500gb 4200 rpm drive... still slower but not by as much as I stated before. (I was looking at the $1800 model of vaio and the $1600 model of MB)

So the vaio has a Larger screen (I personally like the NEW MB screen better, just because it is PRETTY)
Larger HDD (But slower)
3gigs of ram (but slower than in the MB)
BluRay drive... (which is probably the BIGGEST difference in terms of being BETTER than the MB)
MB also has the backlit keyboard (which is not expensive to implement but diffinately a feature I have been wanting)

^Yeah, but I've been told other things can get me that same portability and battery life for $200-300 less, and everyone who knows about computers in-depth seems to despise Macs, which I can see until now, but I still really like this new 'Book.

I will stress again that it depends on what you want it for. Since you want the top of the line one I am guessing you do photoshop, video editing, etc? If ALL you need is battery and portability for some music, videos, internet, and word processing (definitely not PS or gaming) get an MSI wind... best buy has them for 350 bucks and you can load OSX to run flawlessly on the thing (currently no camera support but they are working on it)

[ALL DAY]

Good call on the photoshop and video editing; basically those two things, along with maybe a little gaming (I've never gamed on a computer before, and NFS: Carbon looks sweet on the new MB, plus it's card can actually handle stuff now), and just other menial things. I'd be running Vista via bootcamp as well.

And I was about to say that the standard MB HDD is 5400, but you got it there, too.

The RAM/processor speed isn't truly necessary for the things I'm doing, I guess, but I want this notebook to last at least a couple years. HDD size isn't an issue; my 100GB on this Qosmio is almost filled, but I have a 750GB external drive that I use.

The Blu-Ray is not an issue for me at all, which Vaio are you looking at, though?

$1750 running two OSes with great battery life and size as well as 2.4GHz and 4GB RAM is starting to seem alright to me... Thanks for the in-depth reply and help.