Macbook or Macbook Pro?

Scrivener
21

The only reason, and that is seriously the only one, why I prefer the Pro over the Macbook, is because one has a Matte screen and the other a glossy one. Apart from the correct colour-representation, which frankly I don’t care about, I hear it’s much easier on the eyes for people that have to sit behind a screen for hours on end, e.g. writers.

Other than that, my matte-screened 12" iBook is more sturdy, still has a great battery life (4 hrs +) after 18 months, and prevents me from procrastinating with games and such. I love it and hope that Apple comes out with a portable (< 15" or 17"), matte-screened laptop again.

If not though, I would go for a 15" MBP, after this one dies. Which should be in a year or two :slight_smile:.

22

You hit the nail. Recently I bought a “normal” second monitor, and I am about to give it to a poor student or so. I am spoiled with my Cinema display. Apart from that, the iBook screen is low quality, but matte is still better. And the battery life is amazing. After nearly 3 years in my case, still over 4 hours. I almost never shut it down and transport it in sleep mode. Hope it works some more time – that lovely little thing.

Maria

23

I recently purchased the first generation 17 in macbook pro which replaced by old titanium g4 powerbook. At the time the situation which made the purchase possible also made it impossible to wait. Usually it is better to never buy a first generation mac laptop, but wait until the third generation is out. Overall this is not the best made laptop apple has come out with and it has problems, but mine is first generation. Now they are selling generation 2 I think.

I have always whenever possible used two monitors. I do a lot of graphics work and feel I work better with my image on one monitor and my tools on another. I have had this habit since my first mac, a powerbook 540c.

That said, for writing I love the roomy 17 inch screen and feel that making yourself comfortable is very important in the creative process. But also this big computer is impossible to use when flying, as other have pointed out but it is great to have so much space. I keep two projects going and have one on the computer screen and the other on the second monitor. For me this is happiness.

The layout of Scrivener seems compatabile with almost any screen size however. You could buy what makes you most happy. I believe in buying the best I can, even if it hurts, because over time apple’s best really stands up.

NOTE; if you buy the laptop, whichever one, get the extended warranty. I would never buy an apple laptop without this extra protection.

NOTE: MacBook Pro gets VERY HOT, sometimes to hot to touch in some places, and to hot for the lap, even the 2nd generation ones. The Macbook does not have this problem I think.

24

Congrats on your new laptop!

Regarding your hotness-issue, you can install apps that let you control the fan-speed and cool it down a little (e.g. this one). Lot’s of people seem to rave about it.

25

Actually my 2nd gen MBPro doesn’t run too hot at all (except when doing big builds on Xcode or intense PhotoShop work, but even then it’s not excessive and the fan kicks in) - I have it on my lap all the time (hence a visit to the chiropractor yesterday :frowning: ). By contrast, my first gen MacBook did run very hot, too hot for my lap on occasion. I recently bought my friend a 2nd-gen MacBook, though, and that doesn’t seem to run as hot as mine…

Best,
Keith

26

I use a 15" Macbook Pro. I agree that more real estate is almost always a good thing, but I decided the weight and portability issues trumped the extra few inches from a 17". After six months or so, I feel I made the right choice. Every time I lug my computer from the car to a cafe, or carry it down the street in my bag, I’m glad I don’t have even more weight and bulk to manage.

I have a 23" Cinema display at home, which is where my graphics tablet also lives. When I want to use my computer for kicking around in the world of graphics (e.g., running Photoshop or Painter, or iPhoto, or assembling a talk in KeyNote) I use the big display. When I’m just knocking out text, the MacBook Pro’s built-in screen is enough for Scrivener and a couple of smaller windows. I often have a copy of the Firefox web browser running (for checking email and searching for reference materials) and iTunes (for listening to while working in a cafe).

A couple of extra inches of screen would be nice to have in the portable, but to me, they’re not worth the weight and bulk. I’ve been 100% happy with my 15" MacBook Pro for writing, and the bigger display and tablet for bigger tasks at home.

In contrast to some other people’s experiences, my MacBook Pro gets warm on the bottom, but the top (where I rest my palms) is always cool. Even the bottom never gets beyond warm. At this moment I’ve been running for a couple of hours (plugged in), and I just put my palm flat against the bottom plate near the power connector (the hottest part of the chassis) and it wasn’t even uncomfortable. This is normal for me - my computer has never gotten much hotter than “rather warm”.

A few other random Mac observations:

I carry my MacBook Pro in a soft sleeve from InCase. It’s nice and keeps it from getting scratched up, but it’s rather floppy. I carry the Mac (in its case) along with all my other stuff (notebooks, pens, headphones, power charger, etc.) in a Teager shoulder bag. Everything fits perfectly, and I trust the shoulder strap and other connectors completely.

When my MacBook came, I installed a MarWare wrist pad (it’s a thin soft strip that fits below the keyboard, with a cutout for the mousepad). It makes for a very comfortable place to rest my wrists, and helps prevent my accidentally triggering the mousepad with the balls of my hands. It does make the lid slightly harder to close, though.

Finally, when I got my Mac I saved the thin white plastic sheet that the factory put in between the keyboard and the screen. I’ve had laptops in the past that over time picked up screen damage from the keys when the unit is closed (both from mechanical rubbing against the keys, and from the oils from my fingertips transferring from key to screen). I figured if the sheet’s good enough for Apple, it’s good enough for me, and now every time I shut my MacBook I put that thin white sheet back in place over the keyboard. I don’t know for sure that it’s helping, but it doesn’t hurt.

-Andrew

27

Well, I would say that Pantelleria is not the coldest place in the world. I guess this contributes to the heath somewhat.

Ciao, Paolo

28

As of 26 April,

buyersguide.macrumors.com/

The MacBook is Apple’s consumer laptop; it was formerly known as the iBook.

Product MacBook
Recommendation: Buy only if you need it - Approaching the end of a cycle
Last Release November 08, 2006
Days Since Update 169 (Avg = 204)

The MacBook Pro is Apple’s professional laptop, it was formerly known as the PowerBook.

Product MacBook Pro
Recommendation: Don’t Buy - Updates soon
Last Release October 24, 2006
Days Since Update 184 (Avg = 182)

The Mac mini is Apple’s low end desktop.

Product Mac mini
Recommendation: Don’t Buy - Updates soon
Last Release September 06, 2006
Days Since Update 232 (Avg = 151)

The iMac is Apple’s all-in-one form factor desktop.

Product iMac
Recommendation: Don’t Buy - Updates soon
Last Release September 06, 2006
Days Since Update 232 (Avg = 168)

29

LL, thanks for the notes on buying Mac models. There’s two ways to think about product cycles. If you buy a new model, it may not be ready for market and you’ll spend time and money correcting its flaws. But it feels awful to spend dollars and then a few weeks later, a new model is out with two processors, a bigger screen, and a new OS! Have you heard any rumors as to whether new models will appear in May or June? I’m in the market for a new iMac but must purchase it before July 1.

30

Howarth, in this case it is probably best to wait because I doubt they will be radically changing any designs. This is more of a revision cycle, which usually means it will be a safer purchase than the ones they are selling now. There are exceptions, of course, but this is what people refer to as generations. The next cycle will be the 3rd generation for the laptops, and that is a pretty safe purchase with Apple’s track record.

This of course excludes the 12" MB/P, if such a thing does appear.

31

Hi howarth,

There is a big deal Apple developers conference on the 11th June. That seems to be the date the rumour sites are suggesting is the strongest indication of new hardware and some new software announcements. Several sites also finished up sales of some lines on April 16th - indicating new lines coming soon.

PURE GUESSWORK, so just be vigilant.

32

While there are several other factors to consider, I would say that I find the keyboard of the MacBook Pro very good, while I really can’t appreciate the one in the MacBook. I can type fast with the former, not with the latter.

Paolo

33

Couldn’t agree more. I used to use a Rev 1 400Mhz Ti PowerBook, which I got to like in spite of the fact that the whole keyboard was bouncy. But the keyboard on this 17" MBP I really like. On the other hand, I don’t like the keyboard on my wife’s or a friend’s MacBooks, very much. But I guess I could get used to it if I was using one all the time.
Mark

34

I work as a computer consultant for education (and I’m the Mac guy at work) so I get one bought for me every year or two and have my choice of equiptment. Despite the fact that I could have any of the models I decided to switch my 15.2 inch for the “lowly” 13.2" MacBook.
I had found that the seemingly small difference in size added up to a notable difference in my backpack and thus in my likelyhood of actually having the machine with me when needed. This has (surprisingly) been a wonderful choice. Oh, you can bet that I went back and forth about the “downgrade” for a good long while, wondering what kind of fool would contemplate taking such a course. Glad I did.
The screen real estate is a letdown, I do agree that each inch makes a large difference in how nice it is to live with the laptop - but you always have to make tradeoffs, right? Mine turned out well for me. When I really do want more screen I simply live with the limitation of having it only at home hooked up to my 20" external monitor. I find for writing (not that I do that too much (yet)) srivener is not changed in the experience of it too much with the smaller size, but other programs can be. My photo editing software (photomechanic and Capture one) are a real pain - so one should really consider their total use and way of working before going for the portability of the Macbook - but at the same time I consider it important to mention that the size difference can be liberating as well.

The only other non-obvious factore that I would encourage people to consider is the screen itself. If find the new glossy screen, the only choice on the MacBook, to be its worst feature. It simply glares too much (and makes exact color work an experience somewhere between frustrating and imposible). So if one does go for the MacBook Pro - get the “old fashioned” screen - you won’t have to look at your face looking back at you as you type.

In the end, no matter which choice you make you can’t go wrong. These are all high quality (oh and btw there is evidence to suggest that the MacBooks survive bumps better) machines and well - they aren’t Dells - the best feature! :slight_smile:

35

Lol - for me it’s the opposite. :slight_smile: The “glossy screen” has been hotly discussed by lots of users, and when the MacBook was first announced - before anyone had actually seen one in person - MacRumors was alive with people berating Apple for this dreadful monstrosity of a screen. Curiously, once people had actually seen the screens, a lot of that berating ended. (Not all of it, though - a lot of people still dislike the glossy screens, as Pavel does, and I really do think that Apple should make it optional just as they do with the MBP.) I had a MacBook and loved the glossy screen - so much so that when I bought my MacBook Pro, I chose to have it customised to have a glossy screen, and wouldn’t have it any other way. I actually think that the glossy screen is a lot more viewable than the non-glossy one. If I sit outside or with sunlight directly behind me, I can still see everything onscreen perfectly, whereas with my old iBook the screen would be blanched out and unreadable. And right now I’m straining to see a reflection in the screen - oh yeah, if I move to the left, I can see the window reflected (it’s a sunny day), but on my iBook that would have meant I couldn’t see that side of the screen too well. So, I think this one is just down to personal choice. I would urge folk to take a look at both screens and see which one they prefer. Lots of people will tell you that the glossy screen is horrible, but don’t listen to them - you may end up agreeing with them, but it’s subjective - lots of folk (such as myself) really like that glossiness. :slight_smile:

As for the keyboard, I never had a problem with the MacBook keyboard myself. I admit that the look of it reminded me of my old rubber-keyed Spectrum 48K from 1985, but typing felt fine. I do prefer my MBPro keyboard, though.

All the best,
Keith

36

Thanks for the heads up on the glossy screen. I wondered about that. One of the things I love about a laptop is that is goes anywhere, and some of those “anywheres” have tough lighting situations.

When I found the used laptop I wanted, it was, price-wise, almost the same as the cheapest Macbook. But the plain vanilla Macbook doesn’t have the extra memory or a Superdrive. Adding those would make a considerable price difference. The 12.1 Powerbook has a matte screen and is smaller, (supposed to have a good keyboard, too) and those factors tipped the balance.

I wish Apple would think about getting into the notebook market, but word on the digital street is that they really aren’t that interested. Me, I don’t mind a small screen, it’s part of the portability thing. But then I have the option of working on a big screen with our other Mac. If your MacBook is going to be your only computer, it can be worth it to get more display space.

37

I can’t remember if I have mentioned it before, but before I got this MBP, I did think seriously about getting a MacBook and an external screen. In the end, I found that it would probably come to about the same thing price-wise by the time the MB was a version with a superdrive, upgraded equal amount of memory, bigger hard disk etc., and that it came down in the end to the benefit of having the screen real-estate (1680x1050) with me at all times and other apparently small benefits of the MBP – the lighting-up keyboard, I have found useful, for instance – against the portability factor. I opted for the former and don’t regret it.
As for glossy/non-glossy, here in China I wasn’t offered that option and wouldn’t have known how to insist on it, but am happy with the one I’ve got. (I think it’s glossy, but can’t check without switching off and comparing with my old one!)
Mark

38

What I had heard was that the new Mac glossy screens were good at NOT light reflecting, and thus showed promise at pleasing both the glossy & matte screen camps. All the MacBooks are glossy now, I understand.

The popularity of playing movies on one’s laptop is what led to the choice. The glossy screen gives a much better look, with darker blacks and better definition. I imagine the same goes for games with graphics, or even a slideshow for clients.

I decided the SuperDrive was worth going after because writing DVDs can be useful for backing up purposes. Writing files tend to be smaller, but a program like Scrivener, with its ability to archive Web pages and sound files, makes for a bigger file, and DVDs can hold much more than CDs. This can be a great convenience with a laptop, which doesn’t have constant access to external devices.

39

ThinkSecret claims that both MacBook and MacBook Pro updates are coming sooner than expected.

The rumor site had previously pegged MacBook Pro updates for WWDC, but now expects an announcement “as early as Tuesday,” echoing a previous page 2 rumor by Gizmodo. The new MacBook Pro is expected to utilize features from Intel’s recently introduced Santa Rosa chipset.

Appleinsider concurs with this report with their own claim that the MacBook Pro will see features such as “faster front-side bus speeds of 800MHz, and second-generation Core 2 Duo mobile processors that scale up to 2.4GHz.” They also believe the new MacBook Pro will house the new LED backlit displays. Appleinsider, however, gives no time frame for the revised Pro laptop.

Meanwhile, based on dwindling supplies of the consumer MacBook, ThinkSecret believes we will see a MacBook update in the near future, but they can only speculate that the MacBook may utilize the Santa Rosa chipset. However, they do not believe that the new MacBook will incorporate LED screens. Appleinsider is more confident that the next MacBook revision will not introduce any new features (such as Santa Rosa) and instead be a very modest update.

Finally, Appleinsider adds details of the rumored “ultra-portable” MacBook. They believe that this upcoming 13" laptop model (and not the MacBook revision) will ship with the rumored 13" LED Panels that Apple has been investigating. The rumor site summarizes the features they believe this “ultra-portable” will have:

Ultra-Portable MacBook

• 13-inch ultra-thin, LED-back lit display
• No optical disc drive
• On-board NAND flash for faster application launching and boot times
• Built-in iSight webcam
• Thinner and lighter than existing MacBook offerings
• AirPort Extreme 802.11n enabled
• MagSafe power adapter
• Target launch late '07, early '08

SOURCE macrumors.com/

40

I heard about problems with cracked MacBooks. Some pictures here:
flickr.com/groups/crackedmacbook

And comments here:
engadget.com/2007/05/01/reve … -crackbook