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Steve Bosell · Jul 10, 2009, 01:52 PM

I am torn between the base MBP with integrated graphics and a solid-state drive, and the next one up with the fast graphics card and a 7200 rpm drive.
I really do not need the extra storage, I use Parellels, the terminal, and Safari. I need to keep the price around $2000.

CharlesS · Jul 10, 2009, 02:17 PM

If you want a SSD, just get one separately and install it yourself. Apple wants $350 for a SSD upgrade, but on Newegg you can get Kingston for $250. Yes, some of the cheaper SSDs have been known to be problematic, but Kingston is a brand that has a high reputation for memory, so I would expect their SSDs to be reliable.

Big Mac · Jul 10, 2009, 08:30 PM

You can always upgrade the HD at any time, but you'll never be able to upgrade the GPU.

Simon · Jul 11, 2009, 04:44 AM

Both previous posters make excellent points.

If capacity is not an issue, you should probably always go with the SSD. Even the 'slower' MLC SSDs easily beat the fastest notebook HDDs. And Charles is absolutely right. Head over to Newegg. Buy a cheap SSD there and install it yourself. Installation is a piece of cake.

Big Mac is right as well. You can always swap disks later, but the GPU is soldered and you'll be stuck with that forever. If you get the 9400M now and it turns out to be a bottleneck for your work you'll have to get rid of the entire MBP and buy a new one. OTOH I think GPUs are also overrated to a certain extent. The GPU helps with certain pro apps and with games. It does almost nothing for Finder, Exposé, video playback, Office, web browsing, Flash playback, etc. If you think you need a beefy GPU make sure you know exactly which apps that you use will actually benefit from it. If you're a gamer or you make a living with Aperture it's a no brainer. If you use Office it does nothing (other than increase the price). That said, with SL/GC/OpenCL around the corner, expect dedicated GPUs to do more for you middle-term than they do today.

Here's my suggestion. Go refurb. Buy a 15" MBP with dedicated GPU and VRAM. You can save a lot by going refurb and the device will most likely be (and in my experience always has been) as good as new. Then get the SSD from Newegg and put it in there yourself. You'll end up just below $2000 and you'll have all you wanted.

Refurb 15" MBP, 2.66 GHz, 4GB RAM, 320 GB HDD, 9600M/512MB+9400M, $1699

There are more refurb MBPs here.

shifuimam · Jul 11, 2009, 02:50 PM

I would definitely go for the one with the discrete GPU - you can't upgrade the processor or video adapter in a laptop, so you should max those out first before upgrading other components.

olePigeon · Jul 11, 2009, 03:54 PM

Originally Posted by Big Mac

You can always upgrade the HD at any time, but you'll never be able to upgrade the GPU.

Quoted for emphasis. Plus, HDDs get cheaper by the month. You're better off getting the better GPU that you can't upgrade and get a HDD upgrade later on.

CharlesS · Jul 11, 2009, 04:07 PM

Originally Posted by Simon

BOTOH I think GPUs are also overrated to a certain extent. The GPU helps with certain pro apps and with games. It does almost nothing for Finder, Exposé, video playback, Office, web browsing, Flash playback, etc.

Until Snow Leopard comes out in a few months with OpenCL...

Simon · Jul 11, 2009, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by CharlesS

Until Snow Leopard comes out in a few months with OpenCL...

Hehe.

Which is why I wrote a tiny itsy bitsy weeny bit further down

Originally Posted by Simon

That said, with SL/GC/OpenCL around the corner, expect dedicated GPUs to do more for you middle-term than they do today.

CharlesS · Jul 11, 2009, 05:15 PM

Ah sorry, I must have skimmed over that.

64stang06 · Jul 11, 2009, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by Simon

Both previous posters make excellent points.

If capacity is not an issue, you should probably always go with the SSD. Even the 'slower' MLC SSDs easily beat the fastest notebook HDDs. And Charles is absolutely right. Head over to Newegg. Buy a cheap SSD there and install it yourself. Installation is a piece of cake.

Big Mac is right as well. You can always swap disks later, but the GPU is soldered and you'll be stuck with that forever. If you get the 9400M now and it turns out to be a bottleneck for your work you'll have to get rid of the entire MBP and buy a new one. OTOH I think GPUs are also overrated to a certain extent. The GPU helps with certain pro apps and with games. It does almost nothing for Finder, Exposé, video playback, Office, web browsing, Flash playback, etc. If you think you need a beefy GPU make sure you know exactly which apps that you use will actually benefit from it. If you're a gamer or you make a living with Aperture it's a no brainer. If you use Office it does nothing (other than increase the price). That said, with SL/GC/OpenCL around the corner, expect dedicated GPUs to do more for you middle-term than they do today.

Here's my suggestion. Go refurb. Buy a 15" MBP with dedicated GPU and VRAM. You can save a lot by going refurb and the device will most likely be (and in my experience always has been) as good as new. Then get the SSD from Newegg and put it in there yourself. You'll end up just below $2000 and you'll have all you wanted.

Refurb 15" MBP, 2.66 GHz, 4GB RAM, 320 GB HDD, 9600M/512MB+9400M, $1699

There are more refurb MBPs here.

I second the refurb statement. Sure, RAM capacity is only 4GB (6GB unofficially), but you get a nice machine with a dedicated video card for a lower price than a brand new one. Plus, they still carry the same 1 year warranty and option to add AppleCare.

Simon · Jul 11, 2009, 05:45 PM

Originally Posted by CharlesS

Ah sorry, I must have skimmed over that.

No problem

I think the OP can have it all. For $2000 he can get a 15" MBP with a good GPU and an SSD extra. Sounds like a very decent computer to me. That machine should last well up to 10.7.

CharlesS · Jul 11, 2009, 05:51 PM

Originally Posted by 64stang06

I second the refurb statement. Sure, RAM capacity is only 4GB (6GB unofficially), but you get a nice machine with a dedicated video card for a lower price than a brand new one. Plus, they still carry the same 1 year warranty and option to add AppleCare.

If that's the older model, then you'll get an ExpressCard slot too, so it's actually more flexible than the new ones. Plus, you might even be able to upgrade to 8 GB of RAM if that's the 2.66 GHz model - didn't the 2.66 one fix the issue that caused the earlier ones to crash if you put 8 GB in?

ApertureValue · Jul 11, 2009, 07:32 PM

I wholeheartedly agree with getting the model with discrete graphics, because a SSD upgrade will be cake later on. If you're going to be doing anything graphics intensive, or ever find yourself doing anything graphics intensive even if you didn't initially plan on it, then making that choice ahead of time will pay off in the long run.

Also, I

Newegg as well.

Simon · Jul 12, 2009, 02:21 AM

Originally Posted by CharlesS

If that's the older model, then you'll get an ExpressCard slot too, so it's actually more flexible than the new ones. Plus, you might even be able to upgrade to 8 GB of RAM if that's the 2.66 GHz model - didn't the 2.66 one fix the issue that caused the earlier ones to crash if you put 8 GB in?

That's correct. The 2.66 GHz refurb model I linked to above is the previous generation high-end 15" model. Apple officially says they support up to 4GB RAM. We know they actually support 6GB. However, Apple also offered an 8GB RAM upgrade kit for that model (haven't tried it myself though), so I'd say that answers the RAM limit question.

And with its EC/34 is definitely the more versatile MBP. However, the one downside I'd recognize is that it doesn't have the awesome new integrated battery. You'll be getting at best 4h with this model. The new model will get at least 2h more. In the end it boils down to personal preference and budget: EC/34 and $300 savings or longer battery life for an extra $300?

CharlesS · Jul 12, 2009, 02:59 AM

Well, you can do a lot with that $300 savings. The battery on the older MBP is removable, so you can get a second battery and swap them if you need your battery to go a little longer. Or, you can get an SSD with the savings, which might help extend the battery life a bit as well.

Steve Bosell · Jul 13, 2009, 12:03 PM

Thanks for the input! I have a 2.16 MBP now, and have only used the express card slot a couple times for a verizon card, I can use my phone over bluetooth now, so I am not worried about that. Don't you have to log out once connected to power to even use the second graphics card? I rarely log out, I am thinking that the discrete graphics would be a waste unless it is fixed in Snow Leopard.

Simon · Jul 13, 2009, 04:45 PM

Unfortunately you have to log out to switch the GPU now.

I haven't read any reports that SL changes this. I sure hope so though.