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i'm sorry if this has been asked for a thousand times but i can't find a proper answer.
i'm going to buy a new lappie and switch to apple. but its a big dilemma wich one to choose.
i have the money to buy a pro but i'm a really poor guy so that money will quite be all the money i have, wich i don't care about too much for this purpose if it's nescesary offcourse(just informing you that's a big thing for me financially so i can't make mistakes).
my actuall question is offcourse if i should buy a pro(can't afford expansions on the thing, i have like 1800 euro's) or if the mackbook is good enough for me. i want to be prepared for suprises the next 3-5 years and i pretty much will boost the machine to the max(i like to fit 10 songs in one set for gigs, remote them with 3 midicontrollers and process or record audio all at once and stuff like that).
first i was planning on buying a pro but then i heard that if you used it for music(production, preforming or whatever) it wouldn't matter.
so i wan't to ask you guys for an opinion/advice. it would come handy to save some money, but if it's nescecary i would gladly spend all of it on a good new system.
 
Replies

I have been using a macbook running Live for performances. It has 2GB of ram and runs like a champ. If I had to buy a new laptop, I would still buy a macbook over pro.

yeah I got a macbook too (2ghz), and have no need for anything faster - definitely kit it out with more ram (crucial, not apple ram).
it's been great - the extra boost in the pro doesn't seem to justify the price.

maybe spend your money on a black one with a bigger harddrive.
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Another happy macbooker here.

pro. can't stand those glossy screens.

I've got plenty of power in my Macbook, but I could really use the bigger screen for text-editing and Max patching. And it's a better screen. Want that for photo editing. =/

i have a friend who worked in a music store for years and also makes em- he said unless you want the screen real estate - the macbook is just fine for music making.

my mac book is fine great size for gigs

GET THE PRO IF YOU HAVE THE $$$

look for REFURBISHED MAC in the apple store link and save some money
i think you can get the macbook with glossy or matte screen option these days.

another vote for the macbook, unless there's any chance you'll be doing video work of any sort in the near future, or you really really need the larger screen. and yes, get more ram. you can max out a macbook (4gb) for about $100 at crucial.com or otherworldcomputing.com.

macbook only has glassy.
macbook pro u can get either glassy or non

i don't think there is an easy answer. do you need a MBP to run audio apps? no. will you benefit from the extra junk on the MBP? yes. is it worth the difference? that's all you, it's your pocketbook.

some thoughts..

- refurb from apple is a good way to go, they test the refurbs more than they test new machines..

- make sure you read up on the problems that have been occurring with some of the santa rosa (SR) based ( since november 07) MB/MBP's with lucent/agere firewire chipsets, and some audio interfaces. basically, apple used cheaper chipsets in some computers, and they are not quite up to the texas instruments (TI) specifications that most manufacturers go by. this is not a cut and dry issue, but it _is_ an issue, and i would hate to see it impact you. best way to avoid this is to buy brand a current model MBP (very likely a TI chipset), or an older, pre SR MB or MBP.

- intel is in a 'tick' year, meaning the latest developments in their chips (penryn for apple) is more of a shrink upgrade, as opposed to a speed upgrade. this comes next year ('tock'), with the nehalem processor and related architecture, and should provide for significant speed and bus speed advantages over the existing setup.

The Macbook + large external monitor has been great to me. It's the best compromise when it comes to portability/function (though I wish I could run Final Cut Pro at times).

+1 on buying refurbed from Apple.

jdg said: "pro. can't stand those glossy screens."


Can't stand watching yourself masturbate?

Unless you're working with video, you don't need the pro. That's a fact.

Having said that, the pro is made of metal, while the regular has a plastic body. If you want to gig with this for near 4 years then that may be a consideration.

If I were you, I'd get the middle one that comes with more hd space and 2 gigs ram and dvd burner. I bought the lowest model less than a year ago and while it's all that, I kinda regret not having had more hd space in it because I am running out already. And I'll have to add the 2nd gig of ram myself soon. There are lots of small external hds now though, and I use an external DVD burner to back up so I guess I shouldn't cry too much. But still, the convenience is worth the couple extra hundred dollars.

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