Is the 2.8 MBP worth it?

nicksellshondas

I have a 2.2 C2D MacBook Pro 15" with 4GB ram and a 200GB 7200rpm hard drive. I have the itch to upgrade.



Am I going to regret going for a 2.4/4GB/320@7200 combo? Is it worth the extra $445 for the 2.8? Is the 2.4 not going to feel like that big of a difference compared to my current computer? I mean, there's nothing really that my MBP can't do, it's just that I want the new one and I feel like I should go for the speed upgrade at the same time. But I don't want to spend the extra money if it's not a huge difference.

icd-evil

Don't bother with this update at all. If your computer is still relatively new and works perfectly for everything you need, I would keep it for now.



If all you are really upgrading for is the new form and faster processors then I would wait for Nehalem in the spring. That will give you the true performance upgrade that you are looking for; I think you will be mildly dissapointed with the performance increase even if you dish ou the extra for the 2.8Ghz.

nicksellshondas

The other factor I am thinking about is that my current MBP is a year old already, and if I am trying to get the most for it on ebay, I should sell it now rather than later. I usually prefer to buy the first of the new model, then the third or fourth revision of that one (1.5-2 years later).



I bought the '03 15" AlBook, then I bought a 17" AlBook, then a 17" RevA MBP, then a 15" RevD MBP. So I was thinking my next steps would be the new 15" and then whatever the newest revision is in about a year and a half or two years.

exiled

I just got the new 15.4" 2.8 MBP w/ 320@7200... It replaced my previous MBP which was the 2.4 160@7200. The new 2.8 is considerably faster and out performs any of the previous MBP chips.



FYI: Don't buy into the 'Nahalem' hype.... remember how much better 'penryn' was supposed to be than memron/santa rosa?.... we all know how that turned out.



You should upgrade asap and I agree with you.... you should sell your 2.2 MBP while it still has significant value. I posted my 2.4 MBP on CL and sold it the same day for $1875.00 cash. I would strongly recommend that you avoid ebay like the plague.



Hope this is helpful and good luck.



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pctomac

I've been putting my purchase off, because I didn't know if I should buy the 2.8ghz or keep with the 2.53ghz. What is your guys' recommendation? I'm going to upgrade to a 7200 rpm drive, but just wasn't sure about the processor. This will be my first Mac, but I've used them for years now through school. Will it get a lot hotter with they upgraded processor, or just hot when it's being extensively used? I'd like to use it with many applications open at once (Photoshop, Safari/Firefox, iTunes, Dreamweaver, etc.) and possibly use it to convert video files to an iPod format (which I could do on my desktop instead).



Any advice would help. Please let me know if the upgrade would be worth the money, thanks.

exiled

As I stated in a previous post, I have recently upgraded to a 2.8GHz 320@7200rpm MBP. Now I love my new machine and its powerful 2.8 chip, but.... I recently took it in to my local "Mac Store" and compared it side by side with the 2.53 chip and I gotta tell ya', there wasn't a huge difference.... the 2.8 slightly, and I do mean slightly, outperformed the 2.53. The consensus of the store techs was that you should only upgrade to the 2.8 if money is no object to the prospective buyer. Another consensus was that upgrading to the faster 320@7200rpm was highly recommended.



So in summary, the 2.53 chip is pretty awesome in its own right.... and... significantly outperformed the entry level 2.4 chip.... more so than the 2.8's performance compared to the 2.53.... go figure.



My personal opinion/advise: Save the $300 and stick with the 2.53 but definitely fork out the extra $50 for the faster HD(320@7200 vs. 320@5400rpm).



I hope this has been helpful pctomac, and which ever chip you end up with, you can't go wrong.



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hledgard

I know it is a little off topic, but is the 250 hard drive on the new 2.4 MacBook faster than the drive on the new 2.0 GHz?

drazztikka

It depends what U want to do with it, if U need a lot of programs at the same time, get more RAM.

If the processor is at 100% a lot, U can consider an upgrade, but as said, 2.5GHz vs 2.8 isn't a lot of difference, and 2.2 isn't too far away from 2.5...

Examine your workflow, render stuff when u don't need a snappy computer. (like when watching tv)

pctomac

Thanks exiled. I was about ready to fork out the extra $300 and buy the upgraded processor tonight, but I'm glad I saw your response. I'm going to go ahead and buy the 2.53 with the 7200 rpm drive. Thanks so much!!! Now I can maybe save up for a 32 gb iPod Touch! Thanks again.

exiled

Hey no prob pctomac, you'll love the new MBP no matter what configuration you go with. Glad to help.

nitewolfgtr

I have 2.4 and don't regret it at all. For the how much it cost to upgrade to 2.8, i dont think its worth it. Mine as well save that towards upgrades or next MBP in couple of years...