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zign · Mar 24, 2006, 07:50 AM

I am thinking of getting a new mac, but can't decide which one would be better. I have a choice:
MacBook Pro 1.83ghz
20" iMac cd 2.0ghz

If I get the iMac I would also need to buy a MacBook (intel iBook) when they come out since I do travel a lot and need a laptop.

My question is how fast is iMac cd 2.0ghz compared to MacBook Pro 1.83ghz? And how much faster is MacBook Pro 2.0ghz than 1.83ghz? The reason I am looking at the 1.83 model is that I don't really need extra vram and I'd rather get the extra ram from crucial.

dec · Mar 24, 2006, 09:39 AM

id get the macbook pro and save yourself the extra purchase, if your gonna travel you could take it with you then use it when you get home too.

vamp07 · Mar 24, 2006, 09:56 AM

Portable all the way. If you really want a bigger monitor get an external 30" with a keyboard an mouse.

YY911DC · Mar 26, 2006, 05:08 PM

I purchased my Powerbook G4 (1.67) April of last year and love it. My G5 does all my video editing but that is it. My powerbook is great. The new MBP is even niceer then the old but faithful powerbook line, just be careful of the software running in rosetta, one user @ my job just got his new MBP. Adobe photoshop and office run alot slower then what I see on my G4. Hope they will release an update.

Dave Hagan · Mar 26, 2006, 06:01 PM

I wouldn't get a 15.4-inch MacBook Pro. They are plagued with problems from heat to noise. I had one that was defective three times over, and Apple gave me a refund. Your best bet at this moment is to get the iMac Core Duo. Otherwise wait until Apple fills out the notebook line with Core Duo models. I suspect that the announcement of new models is coming within in the next two weeks, if you want to hold off.

Mr. Blur · Mar 26, 2006, 06:53 PM

I would get the MacBook Pro.

I have one and do not have any noise or heat problems.

zign · Mar 26, 2006, 07:06 PM

Thanks!

But what about the difference between the 2 MBP models?

cambie · Mar 26, 2006, 08:34 PM

I got the 2.0Ghz MBP. I wouldn't go with the 2.16, just means getting support for an apple store will be more of a pain in the a$$ in the future. And I doubt that .16Ghz will impress you much.

As to the other problems mentioned. yeah, it gets hot. It's got a dual core monstor of a processor in it. Imagine if they had tried to cram in a G5. Talk about hot. But honestly, my MBP is not that bad. I use an iLap, and never have any problems. The processor whine seems to be there for me, but it's not been a big bother so far. I really can't seem to get it to happen all that often. I'm not sure what to suggest really in relation to this, but overall I don't think it's that huge of a deal. I would like to hear of a fix in the near future though.

The wifi connection dropping has been a bother for me, but I'm not certain that's a MBP problem. In all, go for it. And I personally learned from my previous powerbook purchase that I may as well go for the machine I really want instead of settling for it's 12" cousin. So I went for the full lineup when I went to purchase my MBP.

Star-Fire · Mar 26, 2006, 09:50 PM

I'd get the MBP, you can use an external monitor for desktop use. I also have to say, I don't see where it's that hot, I have no problem with mine, I also have no whines either, must have got a good one.

PeterKG · Mar 26, 2006, 11:01 PM

Originally Posted by Dave Hagan

I wouldn't get a 15.4-inch MacBook Pro. They are plagued with problems from heat to noise. I had one that was defective three times over, and Apple gave me a refund. Your best bet at this moment is to get the iMac Core Duo. Otherwise wait until Apple fills out the notebook line with Core Duo models. I suspect that the announcement of new models is coming within in the next two weeks, if you want to hold off.

This is such a crap post. They are only "plagued" if you read forums. Most run perfect. What heat? What noise? Maybe yours was palgued, but not mine.

'

zign · Mar 27, 2006, 02:57 PM

Thanks for all your replies. I ordered a 2.0ghz MacBook Pro.

Star-Fire · Mar 27, 2006, 10:55 PM

Great decsion, either are great machines, but the MBP is really awesome, it'd very powerful, I find mine to be equal in tasks I have done on a quad G5, also I know some people don't agree with installing XP on it, but I need some XP only apps and it is very fast, Photoshop blazes in XP.

YY911DC · Mar 28, 2006, 02:57 AM

Congrats on your purchase, I think you will find it a real pleasure. You will find photobooth VERY ADDICTING. It's such a fun app. Just remember that the Adobe and Microsoft Suites are not universal yet, but by the beginning of next year, WATCH OUT. I am curious how games run the MBP....

Keep us updated, Anthony

iREZ · Mar 28, 2006, 03:39 AM

had i not had a 12" powerbook already, id get the macbook pro as well. but alas i did, and figured id keep the ppc notebook and get the intel imac.

zign · Mar 28, 2006, 06:25 AM

Originally Posted by PeterKG

This is such a crap post. They are only "plagued" if you read forums. Most run perfect. What heat? What noise? Maybe yours was palgued, but not mine.
'

I agree! It's the same thing as with iMac G5. People trying to find the noise and heat sources just because they read about these issues in forums. At some point you start to believe you have all these problems too. MBP has a lot of power in a slick design, so I would expect it to be warm. Anyway, I played around with one at the store and no way it was hot. My pc laptop is hot and nothing can beat that. Plus, I don't believe that MBPs were designed for use on your lap. They are powerful machines with an advantage of mobility.

zign · Mar 28, 2006, 06:32 AM

Originally Posted by Star-Fire

Great decsion, either are great machines, but the MBP is really awesome, it'd very powerful, I find mine to be equal in tasks I have done on a quad G5, also I know some people don't agree with installing XP on it, but I need some XP only apps and it is very fast, Photoshop blazes in XP.

I don't really need XP. I have my 3 year old pc laptop (P4 2.66ghz, 1gb ram etc) and it can handle photoshop until we get univeral versions. I think I'll use photoshop on my MBP mostly anyway. I am not in a hurry

zign · Mar 28, 2006, 06:36 AM

Originally Posted by YY911DC

Congrats on your purchase, I think you will find it a real pleasure. You will find photobooth VERY ADDICTING. It's such a fun app. Just remember that the Adobe and Microsoft Suites are not universal yet, but by the beginning of next year, WATCH OUT. I am curious how games run the MBP....

Keep us updated, Anthony

Thanks! I am looking forward to recieving it. I am not worried about Adobe since I have a pc laptop (unused for almost 1.5years

) which will come out of my closet if I need some speed in photoshop, but it's very unlikely

I thought Office worked well on MBPs.

JCT · Mar 28, 2006, 08:58 AM

I thought Office worked well on MBPs.

Office 2004 works great on my MBP.

JT

zign · Mar 28, 2006, 09:34 AM

Originally Posted by JCT

Office 2004 works great on my MBP.

Great! I thought I read somewhere that it worked fine on intel macs.

MacFairy · Mar 28, 2006, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by zign

Thanks for all your replies. I ordered a 2.0ghz MacBook Pro.

Congrats on your new purchase! As a new mac user I have had my Macbook Pro for nearly 2 weeks now and has been the best purchase I've ever made! hope you enjoy your!

NightEyes · Mar 29, 2006, 05:58 PM

Congrats on the MBP! It's a fine machine.

SEkker · Mar 30, 2006, 12:53 AM

I have a MBP for work, and an mactel iMac for home. Both are great machines.

The iMac's screen (20") is awesome, and the sound is great. I ordered it with a 500 GB internal HD so I would be able to store many family photos and digital camcorder clips.

The 5400 rpm HD on the MBP does slow down the machine compared to the iMac with its 7200 rpm HD (both machines are 2 GHz CPU models). This does not bother me -- when I need to do something where this is really important, like video editing, I'm going to use the iMac. At the same time, this MBP would be more than enough horsepower on the road to make a few movies if I needed to.