[Freeflyer]

I seem to have killed my beloved Tibook rather dead. I guess half a glass of juice will do that. It's been cleaned and dried and just makes a sad crackling sound. So, looks like it's time to upgrade. I'm toying between a macbook and macbook pro. I don't think I'll really notice the extra graphics processor power in the MBP, but the screen size really might get to me, having had a 15" screen for the last 4 years. The Tibook has been my tv, hifi, etc for the last year or so, and the extra screen size is worth it I think.

So, should I go with the glossy or anti-glare. I had a look in the apple store but would appreciate some real world feedback from users on how they feel about the screens.

I looked at the black macbook, but to be honest it was covered in fingerprints which really put me off. Any other suggestions on whether to save money and go the macbook route rather than macbook pro? My Tibook was the best piece of geek kit I've ever owned, I'm not sure how best to replace it.

I use it for everything from webbrowsing and mail, to photoshop, itunes, idvd etc. I spend several hours a day in front of it, but don't think I'd really classify as a 'power' user.

Thanks for your help,

Justin.

[kapkorn]

If you want cheaper you can try a refurb Macbook Pro from Apple, I have a regular Macbook (white) and I am very happy with it and I find the 13 inch screen to be about perfect. If you go with the Pro though I would go for the Glossy screen, my Dell at work is a matte screen and I notice that under the floresent lights it is hard to see darker images sometimes but the Macbook it looks great.

[amazing]

Nobody can make the matte vs glossy choice except you: you'll notice there are a ton of entrenched preferences both ways with just a casual search of the MBP forum. There's even one quoting an Apple Manager as saying that, in his Store's experience, the main reason for returning an MBP was to switch from glossy to matte...You'll just have to go and compare both glossy and matte screens under the different lighting schemes of the Apple and CompUSA stores (somewhat hard to do in NW Borneo, granted, but perhaps you can find some way to compare the glossy and matte screens?) Then, you'll have to think about where your own main computing environment is, namely if you normally sit in a chair/recliner with your back to a window, you won't want the reflections from a glossy screen.

Back to your main computing location: do you use the laptop mainly on a table? If you do, you're a candidate for the MB with an external monitor of your choice (size, etc.) Even with a great monitor, total price will be less than the MBP. You can also get an external firewire DL burner, since it'll sit on the desk, and you'll have the advantage of 16X speeds, much faster than any superdrive (4X in the MB, 8X in the MBP.) If your main computing environment is at a table, the glossy screen of the MB won't be a problem, since it'll be the secondary screen. For the brief times you'll be untethered from the external monitor, glossy will be OK.

You don't mention playing games, which is one of the main compelling reasons to go with the MBP above the MB.

[Freeflyer]

Thanks for the replies. I'm going to be in Canada for a couple of weeks this month, so I'll find a store to check them out and probably buy one there, hopefully the merom update will be out before I leave.

Most of my work is done at a desk at home, but I take the powerbook all over the place with me, and the screen on it is the main one I use most of the time. The Tibook has been all over the world repeatedly, so the package itself is important, rather than adding extras outside of it. I'll have a good play at the store in Vancouver.

Cheers.

[amazing]

One of the main reasons I like the MB is the easily replaceable HD. So, for example, if the 2nd generation MB isn't out by the time you have to leave Canada, you could buy the MB and plan on selling it in Borneo before your next trip back (next year perhaps?) Lots of folks used to fly into NYC from Europe, buy techie things (blue jeans worked just as well, 'cause of the price differential) and sell them once they got back home. They paid for their trip that way.

The easily replaceable HD makes this feasible: you'd also buy an external SATA 2.5" firewire case and extra SATA HD. Once you have a buyer in Borneo for your barely-used MB (and plan on buying the extra Applecare!), you'd swtich the second HD into the MB (reformatted, new system install, etc.) Then, once you've got the rev B Intel laptop of your choice, you'd have the external HD with all your data on it to copy back over (or clone.)

Everybody's buying strategies differ, but it seems to me the price differential for Macs between Canada and Borneo might make this work? Just another strategy for affording the latest and greatest Mac laptops...

Personally, I couldn't live full-time with a glossy screen, but if you're mainly using it on a table then you'd get an external LCD in whatever flavor is best for your eyes. Glossy wouldn't be too objectionable in small doses.