Keep Old MBP in lieu of 2011 Model?
Hi Everyone -- it's been awhile since I last posted, but I would like to know what you guys think about my predicament.
In 2009 I bought a 15" MacBook Pro with the following specs:
2.53GHz Core 2 Duo 3MB L2 Cache
4GB 1067MHz
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M
But this year, my school sent me (at no extra cost to me) a 13" MacBook Pro with the following specs:
2.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5
4GB 1333MHz
Intel HD Graphics 3000
This is my dilemma: So my old MBP still works great, seeing as it is only 2 years old, and I much prefer the 15" screen over the 13". But how much better really (performance-wise) is the 2011 model? Is it better by enough that my screen size preference should be overruled? Besides papers and internet browsing I work a lot in Logic Pro and for school I will often be editing video in Final Cut. Also, since I will be doing so much visually in my next few semesters, I plan on getting a 27" cinema display, so the laptop's screen real estate will really only matter when I am out of my apartment (which will be fairly often). That being said, I am assuming my 15" model will power the 27" display, correct me if I'm wrong...
Please let me know what you guys think!
Thanks.
In 2009 I bought a 15" MacBook Pro with the following specs:
2.53GHz Core 2 Duo 3MB L2 Cache
4GB 1067MHz
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M
But this year, my school sent me (at no extra cost to me) a 13" MacBook Pro with the following specs:
2.3GHz dual-core Intel Core i5
4GB 1333MHz
Intel HD Graphics 3000
This is my dilemma: So my old MBP still works great, seeing as it is only 2 years old, and I much prefer the 15" screen over the 13". But how much better really (performance-wise) is the 2011 model? Is it better by enough that my screen size preference should be overruled? Besides papers and internet browsing I work a lot in Logic Pro and for school I will often be editing video in Final Cut. Also, since I will be doing so much visually in my next few semesters, I plan on getting a 27" cinema display, so the laptop's screen real estate will really only matter when I am out of my apartment (which will be fairly often). That being said, I am assuming my 15" model will power the 27" display, correct me if I'm wrong...
Please let me know what you guys think!
Thanks.
Comments
how much better really (performance-wise) is the 2011 model? Is it better by enough that my screen size preference should be overruled? Besides papers and internet browsing I work a lot in Logic Pro and for school I will often be editing video in Final Cut. Also, since I will be doing so much visually in my next few semesters, I plan on getting a 27" cinema display, so the laptop's screen real estate will really only matter when I am out of my apartment (which will be fairly often). That being said, I am assuming my 15" model will power the 27" display, correct me if I'm wrong...
The 13" i5 is almost double the performance of the 15" Core 2 Duo. If you were encoding a Final Cut movie for example and the 15" took 30 minutes, the 13" would take about 18 minutes or so.
The graphics chip in the 13" is also close to double the 9400M - it's just slightly slower than the 320M.
I'd say overall that the extra screen size of the 15" isn't worth it, especially if you get a 27" screen. You don't have to get a 27" btw, there are other smaller screens at 23"/24" that will do a decent job at a fraction of the price, still IPS but $300-400.