Macbook pro 1 or 2?

[harryt223]

Hey everyone.. I just need some advice.

I am interested in the macbook pro and noticed 3 models. I am interested in one of the 1st two here: http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/canadastore.woa/wa/RSLID?nnmm=browse&mco=7B72367E&node=home/shop_mac/family/macbook_pro
So I'm wondering.. is the 2nd model WORTH the extra $600 bucks for 40GB HD, 0.2GHZ processor, and another 128MB added on the gfx card??

I was thinking it might be a better idea to buy the 1st model.. and buy some more ram eg. 4GB and an external HD.. from a local PC store and that would save me more money.. less than $600 for sure...?

anyone else got any input.

PS: I need this laptop for FinalCut Pro usage..

[scratt]

Depends what you are getting it for....
The 128MB on the graphics card alone is worth that to me personally.. But then I work with high end 3D all day long...

For Final Cut Pro I don't see that being any extra use to you... But any extra processor speed, and extra HD space is of course a good thing. But then if you are working with FCP you'll probably need a lot more than just the internal drive anyway... so you could just get a big external for a fraction of that extra money.

The 0.2 Ghz is neither here nor there...IMO.

[PB PM]

The extra VRAM and 200Mhz is not worth $600 by any means of the imagination. The additional power is almost unnoticeable, and a more powerful GPU wont really help Final Cut anyway.

[harryt223]

Depends what you are getting it for....
The 128MB on the graphics card alone is worth that to me personally.. But then I work with high end 3D all day long...

For Final Cut Pro I don't see that being any extra use to you... But any extra processor speed, and extra HD space is of course a good thing. But then if you are working with FCP you'll probably need a lot more than just the internal drive anyway... so you could just get a big external for a fraction of that extra money.

The 0.2 Ghz is neither here nor there...IMO.
yeah.. but 40GB of extra HD and 200MHZ isn't really a upgrade worth $600...

I mean I could upgrade the thing to 4GB ram and buy a 500GB external HD for less than $600...

The only GOOD thing is the extra 128MB gfx card.. so I'd have a total of 256MB.. but it's a matter of is it worth the extra $600... I suppose if I upgrade to 4GB ram.. it wouldn't matter what gfx card I have...

[scratt]

I think you just repeated what I said! :confused:

The extra ram on the graphics card is dedicated to graphics only. So although 4GB of RAM would give you a snappier machine, it has no bearing on the graphics performance directly. What the extra 128MB does give you is more space for textures and display lists and so on on the graphics hardware. Not something you'll necessarily notice unless you are doing high end graphics development, or perhaps using an App. which benefits from that extra graphics card memory.

X3 should run quite nicely on it though!!!!