[MW Forums]

Bumping processor speeds from 2.16GHz to 2.2GHz wouldn't figure to add that much to a MacBook's performance. But the laptops updated by Apple last week also feature improved graphics, a faster frontside bus, and greater RAM capacity. The result is a larger-than-expected gain for the new MacBooks in our Macworld Lab benchmarks. more

[daneb]

So is this actually telling me that I paid $500+ for a better graphics card and bigger screen in my MacBook Pro? Granted, I need the card for faster video editing with Final Cut Studio... but $500?? Please tell me I'm missing something.

[fds]

You also got an ExpressCard expansion slot, a FireWire 800 port, a more convenient full-size DVI port and a backlit keyboard with your MacBook Pro, all in an aluminum enclosure.
But yes, the larger display and the video card are the most significant differences.

[nyip11]

I wonder how these laptops compare to the new iMacs. Any data on that? /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[mochant]

I bought a Black Macbook on Leopard Day. For once, I actually was able to return an Apple purchase in the 14-day window when these new MacBooks were released one week later. The manager at the Apple Store was very kind - he waived the restocking fee (probably because I also bought a 24" iMac and Leopard Family Pack on the same invoice and have done a lot of shopping at the store). I ordered a 4GB RAM upgrade from OWC which arrived yesterday. This is one smoking fast MacBook.
I no longer do the heavy graphics work I once did but I can keep a full complement of applications open and running all day long with free memory to spare. I haven;t yet installed VMWare Fusion to see how the performance improves over my first-gen white MacBook but I expect it will be noticeable.
The iMac with 4GB of RAM gets a 4.8 rating in Vista in Boot Camp mode BTW. I no longer need a dedicated PC (which makes me very happy).

[Jim Galbraith]

Quote:

---

I wonder how these laptops compare to the new iMacs. Any data on that? /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

---

You'll have the answer to that question shortly. We'll be posting lots of Speedmark 5 system results in the next few days.

[TommyGun]

With a new 800 MHz front side bus the MacBook presumably could use faster 800 MHz memory. Anyone making said memory and are there any plans to benchmark with faster memory?

[alansky]

"So is this actually telling me that I paid $500+ for a better graphics card and bigger screen in my MacBook Pro? Granted, I need the card for faster video editing with Final Cut Studio... but $500?? Please tell me I'm missing something." daneb
You are missing something: You're also paying for the sleek aluminum enclosure, the backlit keyboard... In other words, you're paying for style. The two-door coupe always costs more than the four-door sedan. What else is new? Not that the MacBook Pro doesn't have other practical advantages over the more affordable MacBook. It does. The choice of matte or glossy display, for example, is a very nice touch. Instead of belly-aching because you didn't win the drag race, you might try thanking your lucky stars that you can afford such a classy machine.

[BearsFan34]

I finally got my middle-of-the-pack white MacBook in the mail this week. Took me 2 1/2 years to save the money here/there to afford one! It's quite the upgrade from my iBook G4.
Crucial.com had a set of RAM, the 2GB variety, for $60 bucks. $60 bucks! Can't beat that deal.
And, no "drop in" DVDs/CDs. Leopard came pre-installed, a nice touch (a friend had bought a MBP @ an Apple Store last week, had to install Leopard himself).
Great machine so far.

[estumpges]

I wish all Apple computers were updated to include 800MHz memory. Even the Mac Pro doesn't use this memory yet.
Mid and even low end PC manufacturers have been using 800MHz memory for a while now. It's time for Apple to play catchup here!

[robco]

I'm curious as to how the new MacBook will handle games like Sims 2 or Civ IV. At least it does better than the old iBook G4 with discrete graphics. It would also be interesting to see how well the new chip handles apps like Aperture or Color. I still wish Apple could find a way to offer a low-end dedicated GPU as an option.
Intel's desktop (non-workstation) chipsets (not currently in use by Apple) support 800MHz RAM. The Santa Rosa chipset does not - even on the PC. In tests, it's not much of a speed boost.

[moose_n_squirrel]

Quote:

---

So is this actually telling me that I paid $500+ for a better graphics card and bigger screen in my MacBook Pro? Granted, I need the card for faster video editing with Final Cut Studio... but $500?? Please tell me I'm missing something.

---

Apple is pushing the MacBooks so far up the feature ladder that it seems like evidence that Apple plans to give the MacBook Pro a major boost sometime soon, giving them a whole new set of differentiating features than the ones we are used to. Or will push the current MacBook Pro limits out significantly farther to restore the separation between the two lines.
At the end of the day, you're not going to be disappointed that the MacBook is close to your MacBook Pro, but that your MacBook Pro is so far behind the new MacBook Pro that we haven't seen yet.

[zeejay]

FTA: "From a benchmark perspective, these new MacBooks are giving their Pro counterparts a run for their moneyunless, of course, youre a gamer."
Or unless you use one of the growing list of Apple apps that turn into molasses without a "real" GPU, e.g. Motion, Aperture, iPhoto. Remember, GPUs are used by real tools, nowadays, too. /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Terrin]

You are not really telling us much, like when you bought your MacBook Pro. Also, that graphic performance on the Macbook Pro is signifcantly better then the Macbook.
Check out:
http://www.barefeats.com/mbook.html
Besides the extra features others have mentioned, typing is more pleasant on a Macbook Pro. I certainly do not mind the new style keyboard on the Macbooks, but the old style on the Macbook Pro is much better.

Quote:

---

So is this actually telling me that I paid $500+ for a better graphics card and bigger screen in my MacBook Pro? Granted, I need the card for faster video editing with Final Cut Studio... but $500?? Please tell me I'm missing something.

---