$1299 or $1599
Hi all,
I can't make the decision on which model macbook to get. I would be using it for photo editing pretty much, playing some games via Windows (boot camp or parallels),
Is the 2.4 ghz model a big difference from 2.0 ghz? That's the only deal breaker for me. Granted, my eyes light up at the illuminated keyboard but can't believe it's not on the $1299 model!!!! I plan to upgrade my RAM via crucial in the future.
Also another question! Once I purchase a macbook, how long do I have until I can purchase the apple care?
Thank you so much!!!
I can't make the decision on which model macbook to get. I would be using it for photo editing pretty much, playing some games via Windows (boot camp or parallels),
Is the 2.4 ghz model a big difference from 2.0 ghz? That's the only deal breaker for me. Granted, my eyes light up at the illuminated keyboard but can't believe it's not on the $1299 model!!!! I plan to upgrade my RAM via crucial in the future.
Also another question! Once I purchase a macbook, how long do I have until I can purchase the apple care?
Thank you so much!!!
Comments
If you money is coming in chunks, I would get the fastest computer you can afford, then as soon as possible max out the ram (if you are doing any real photoshop work at all), and then the apple care.
You can buy the applecare anytime within a year of your purchase date. But if you really want it don't forget. My last notebook was a lemon (first one in the 9 macs I have owned). I meant to buy the applecare warranty, but life caught up with me & I forgot. Anyhow My logic board died at 16 months. And now I can get a new cooler one (I like the new designs), but on the other hand I should have still had at least another year and a half life out of the other.
Personally if you have the extra cash I would recommend going for the most you can afford.
If you money is coming in chunks, I would get the fastest computer you can afford, then as soon as possible max out the ram (if you are doing any real photoshop work at all), and then the apple care.
You can buy the applecare anytime within a year of your purchase date. But if you really want it don't forget. My last notebook was a lemon (first one in the 9 macs I have owned). I meant to buy the applecare warranty, but life caught up with me & I forgot. Anyhow My logic board died at 16 months. And now I can get a new cooler one (I like the new designs), but on the other hand I should have still had at least another year and a half life out of the other.
Really?! You don't have to get applecare at the time you buy the computer? I'm so glad I read this thread, that really takes some of the cost burden down. So just to clarify, does applecare provide service for three years starting at the time you purchase it, or does it start up at the end of the first year of free applecare service that comes with the purchase?
But be warned if you forget and it's past a year from your purchase date you are out of luck (I know from experience
I wanted to ask about applecare, is it only provided by apple stores or would apple resellers also be obliged in carrying out the necessary work (if needed) based on your applecare plan? I mean if there is no nearby apple store.
I've never considered Apple's slightly upgraded models to be very good value. In this case, it's not all that bad because you do get 20% processing improvement and a good increase in drive space for the $300 but if you aren't going to need those, I say save the money.
http://www.macworld.com/article/1362...enchmarks.html
Also, what about the people around you... do you really want to strut around with an illuminated keyboard? showing off to everyone that you spent 300 dollars more on basically the same computer and flexing your spending superiority in front of your coworkers... consider this: how many black macbooks do you see floating around starbucks?
Bam!
I should have it in about a week; I bought it from our on campus store here at ohio state u. They had one model that I saw in person and it was incredible. All of the doubts that I have been getting from the forums were washed away as soon as I started messing around with the notebook in person; it was truly impressive.
This will be my first mac as well so I am super pumped. I was deciding between the new MB and the old MBP, the minor upgrades for the heavy price increase just didn't appeal to me with the new MBs.
All the feedback is wonderful! Still deciding though! Just the benchmark tests. Not much of a difference for the 2.4ghz. Any thoughts?
http://www.macworld.com/article/1362...enchmarks.html
A lot of the tests they do tend to not show a meaningful difference in speed. If you do long renders/encodes that take half an hour or more, you would probably see bigger differences. The Cinema 4D test is the most meaningful of the tests for processing and it shows the full 20% difference. Most are 10-15%.
Like I say though, this is why I generally consider the higher spec models not worth it. If you do longer encodes, you are waiting quite a long time anyway so 50 minutes vs 60 minutes isn't really that noticeable. For shorter encodes, 50 seconds vs 60 seconds definitely isn't noticeable.
When it comes down to that, you are basically paying $300 for a keyboard light and more drive space, which I don't think is worth it as you can spend the money on warranty or extras like a faster hard drive, more Ram, peripherals etc.
A lot of the tests they do tend to not show a meaningful difference in speed. If you do long renders/encodes that take half an hour or more, you would probably see bigger differences. The Cinema 4D test is the most meaningful of the tests for processing and it shows the full 20% difference. Most are 10-15%.
Like I say though, this is why I generally consider the higher spec models not worth it. If you do longer encodes, you are waiting quite a long time anyway so 50 minutes vs 60 minutes isn't really that noticeable. For shorter encodes, 50 seconds vs 60 seconds definitely isn't noticeable.
When it comes down to that, you are basically paying $300 for a keyboard light and more drive space, which I don't think is worth it as you can spend the money on warranty or extras like a faster hard drive, more Ram, peripherals etc.
A speed difference of 20% or less will not be noticed by a user (scientific evidence).
You'll easily get a 500Gb Western digital harddrive and 2Gb of RAM for the 300$ you'd save - which will give a much more evident boost in performance!
For your consideration...
A speed difference of 20% or less will not be noticed by a user (scientific evidence).
Is this a new way of citing references? Please post with your evidence.
$1,599 - I am.
I did.