MacBook Pro options

[tacvbo83]

I just ordered my MacBook Pro:

1.83 GHz
2GB RAM
100 GB 7200 RMP


is it worth to upgrade to

2.00 GHZ and 256 MB video card? for an additional $250?(education numbers)




I will be needing if for school which I know the first option is more than enough, but I also intend to record music in logic as well as other programs. Will it make a big or noticable difference or will it be to close to be able to see it. I don't think I will even need the 256 MB video unless I was into video editing. (128 should do for anything unproffesional editing I might eventually do?)

also....an additinal $300 bumps it up to 2.16 which I definately think is a bad choice because it comes out to an aditinal $550 that can go towards logic pro (educaction)...am I being correct on this?

[m4hl3r]

Go for it. Otherwise you will regret it a few years. Go for the 2.0 GHz, 256 VRAM, 7200 RPM HD and 1 GB RAM from Apple and order another stick of 1 GB RAM from a 3. party. Apple charges $300 for 1 GB RAM - you can get that for around $110.

(Almost) All RAM comes with a lifetime warranty.

If really want to feel smart, you just order some VRAM from a 3. party, it's like $30-50. But it's rather complicated to install - unless you know what you're doing, geekystyle :D

But I still think you should go for the 2.0 GHz, but that's your call. If the 1.83 GHz 128 VRAM fills in your needs, just go for that. No matter what the MacBook Pro will be a really great machine.

[Franz Josef]

Given the education discount I would simply stay with what you've got. Because it's a brand new machine the add-on options are a bit pricey. A 2GB RAM, 100GB 7200rpm MBP will be a very fast machine. 128MB VRAM is easily enough for all but the heaviest videoediting.

m4hl3r's suggestion isn't a bad one but there is the hassle factor and you are unlikley to notice the incremental speed bump 1.83 > 2.0 GHz.

[m4hl3r]

Agreed. Just go with your guts. I went for the 2.0 GHz - 7200 RPM HD - 1 GB RAM + 1 GB from a 3. party (you can save around $180) and got the extra 128 MB VRAM. It's only when doing big tasks, as Franz Josef said, you need 256 MB VRAM. However, in 2-3 years, what then? (Yes, I could just intstall some extra VRAM, but I've heard it's quite difficult, so never done it.) The Ghz's, well, I guess it's just a mental thing. If that's not it, I really don't know why I did it .. :)

If you want cheap RAM go for this:

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other%20World%20Computing/5300DDR2S1GB/

They charge $114.99, whereas Apple charge $300.

Yes, you can find others that site where 1 GB RAM for the MacBook Pro costs less, if you are lucky, around $100. But I recommend just go for MacSales.com, they got a good and quick customerservice.

(Almost) All RAM come with a lifetime warranty, so don't really know why anyone want to go buy the much more expensive Crucial RAM. They charge $115.99 for 512 MB RAM, and $187.99 for 1 GB RAM ..

Link to Crucial's much too expensive RAM:

http://www.crucial.com/store/ListParts.asp?mfr=Apple&model=MacBook+Pro+1%2E67GHz+Intel+Core+Duo+%2815%2 E4%2Dinch%29

No matter what spec. you go with, you will end up with the best looking laptop on the market, and preformancewise, in the high end.

Hope it will make your decision just a bit easier ;)

- M4hl3r

[tacvbo83]

I also ordered AppleCare with it. Will I be getting a little box with explanation of AppleCare and all that stuff. I ask becasue they sell those little boxes to the people who buy AppleCare at my local CompUSA. It has already been charged since 2 days ago.

[tacvbo83]

Also..now that I think about it, it would only be worth the extra $250 for an additinal .17 GHz and the 256 MB video card if I was a video guy. (but I am a music guy) The additinal $550 (from my base config) would be worth because it should be alittle more noticable with the extra .33 GHz, unfortunately that is too much for what I got. (money wise)