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brigadeer · Jul 28, 2006, 10:36 PM

As you can see, I have another thread out about the MacBook as I am looking to buy.

Looking at the Apple website, I am looking at either the $1099 MacBook with the 1.83 Ghz processor, or the $1299 MacBook with the 2.0 Ghz processor and the "superdrive".

The way I see it, I am spending $200 extra to get .17 Ghz extra speed, a DVD burner, and a super drive? By the way, what exactly is a superdrive?

I guess what I'm asking is, what is the appeal of the 2.0 Ghz model over the 1.83 Ghz? The reason I say that is, when I look at everyone's signature, 90% of them show the 2.0 Ghz model. What is making you go with that model, the extra .17 Ghz, the DVD burner, the "super drive"?

The way I see it, I would rather spend that money on a major RAM upgrade. That being said, most people seem to have the 2.0 Ghz model, so I would like to know why. Thanks!

Apple IIgs · Jul 28, 2006, 10:45 PM

Superdrive = DVD Burner/CDRW drive one in the same thing.
The average joe user will not see the speed difference between the 1.83 and the 2.0 as most of the time BOTH systems downclock to 1.5 for battery/heat conservation. Only if you will be doing things like video editing (which bumps both processors up to their max) would you see a little difference.
I was in the same boat you are and I ended up getting the 1.83...saved the $200 which I ended up using for the Applecare extended warranty. For as much as I plan on using a DVD burner I will most likely end up buying a USB/Firewire external one (~$90) in the future. I also plan on upping my memory to 1 or 2GB.
Hope that helps

brigadeer · Jul 28, 2006, 10:49 PM

Thanks, that helps greatly.

Yeah, I see no value whatsoever in getting the 2.0 Ghz model for $200 more.

I only plan on watching DVD's on my MacBook, not burning them. Thats what I have my desktop computer for.

Besides, I plan on running Bootcamp and Windows XP as well, so my guess would be that I will need all the RAM I can get. I will most likely put that $200 into 2 Gb of RAM.

Thanks!

HouseSold · Jul 28, 2006, 11:28 PM

Originally Posted by brigadeer

Thanks, that helps greatly.

Yeah, I see no value whatsoever in getting the 2.0 Ghz model for $200 more.

I only plan on watching DVD's on my MacBook, not burning them. Thats what I have my desktop computer for.

Besides, I plan on running Bootcamp and Windows XP as well, so my guess would be that I will need all the RAM I can get. I will most likely put that $200 into 2 Gb of RAM.

Thanks!

Unless, of course, you like the Black MacBook finish over the white.

Also the keys are more readable on the Black MacBook for look at the keys typists like me.

The one time I needed the Superdrive (also have a Plextor external) it was well worth being built-in. (one less item to carry)

Musicians like the burnability (portability) of the Superdrive, I was told.

Just a MOO. (Matter Of Opinion - not to be confused with another often referenced MacBook term

)

Helmling · Jul 29, 2006, 01:17 AM

I can't imagine not having a DVD burner on a Mac...I went Mac for iMovie and iDVD four years ago. I got my MacBook because I needed more HD space to keep doing it.

amazing · Jul 29, 2006, 09:24 AM

You'll need RAM and the Applecare (not a good idea to buy a first generation laptop without it) but you'll use the RAM immediately and you do have one year within which to buy the Applecare.

People buy the superdrive so as to burn DVDs on the road or whatever--it's the versatility of the internal burner in a laptop that may wander the coffeeshops of the world. But any firewire burner will be WAY faster (16X vs the measly superdrive speeds) and will burn dual-layer, whereas only the superdrive in the 17" will do that.

Personally, I'd also want a much larger HD (especially is you're doing Windows), so that also has to be figured into the finances. At the HD in the MB is user-serviceable (and bad on Apple for not incorporating this lovely feature in the MBP.)

brigadeer · Jul 29, 2006, 10:41 AM

I agree with alot of what you said. To me, the DVD burner really isn't an issue. However, with knowing that I will be running windows as well, the HD and RAM become more of an issue.

My plan at this point is to get in on the cheap ($1099), and upgrade to 2 GB of RAM immediately from NewEgg or somewhere else, and then hold off until I need a bigger HD, and then upgrading to a much faster 100 GB hard drive.

My only question at this point is whether or not I believe, and hence wait, that Apple will in the near future start to offer Core Duo 2 (64-bit) processors in upcoming MacBooks.

amazing · Jul 29, 2006, 11:01 AM

When the new chips will surface in the MB and MBP line is anybody's guess. Might be in time for the Xmas buying season, might be for MacWorld SanFran in January. How long can you wait? They're supposed to run cooler--which would be a huge improvement, if borne out in actual stats. Might even be fit to be called a laptop once more, rather than a non-laptop notebook.

I'm very cynical about introducing hot-running laptops in January. The cooler ambient air temps cool down the display models, but when summer temps roll around the heat complaints start rolling in.

brigadeer · Jul 29, 2006, 12:20 PM

The heat issues on the current MacBooks kind of scare me, so waiting for the Core Duo Pro even gives me a little more incentive to wait as you confirmed that they are "supposed" to run cooler. Who knows though right?

I am for sure waiting on the big conference in San Francisco next month to see if they divulge any information then. Past that, I will have to make the desicion to buy now, or maybe wait 6 months.

bradoz71 · Jul 29, 2006, 03:08 PM

Personally I think all of the issues w/ the Macbook have been blown way out of proportion on the forums. Sure there are people who had actual problems but that's going to happen in a first gen product line. The heat issue? My Macbook hasn't been noticeably warmer than anything else I've ever used. Don't be so afraid to buy. If you have an ACTUAL problem they will take care of you.

amazing · Jul 29, 2006, 10:55 PM

Check macintouch.com for stats on how big the problems with the MB and MBP are:

"Nearly 11% report sudden shutdowns, 19% "the buzz", 12% "the moo", 7% warped lid, 10% AirPort dropouts, and 11% a refusal to wake from sleep. 14% report "other" problems, with excessive heat being the leading write-in candidate."

There's a reason why refurbs are plentiful in the Apple Store...paying good money to be a beta-tester is not my cup of java.

I bought a Ti-400, and yes, it needed the battery replacement/repair and eventually (after 2.5 years) the hinge repair. The stats on the Ti-400 at macintouch.com aren't particularly rosy, either, but they don't seem as endemic as the above list of problems.

bradoz71 · Jul 30, 2006, 12:06 AM

Excessive heat is an extremely subjective issue.

dimmer · Jul 31, 2006, 03:55 PM

Hmm, the sample size at macintouch is really, really small - and that's before you take into account the base is the people-who-post-on-Mac-sites. If your base data is invalid you can't pull statistics from it.

Besides, I refuse to wake from sleep now and then, it's not a 'issue'.