MacBook Pro 2.5 or 2.6 GHz ?????

[E. John Thawley III]

Anyone here that can 'splain to me in understandable terms the perceptible difference in processor speed between the two different processors Apple has for the MacBook Pro?

2.5GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
vs
2.6GHz Intel Core 2 Duo [Add $250.00]

Who would notice the difference? Is it obvious? Would it make a difference with Lightroom or Photo Mechanic?

Anyone know of links for sites where any of this is discussed?

[Chuck Fry]

If the only difference is the 100 MHz CPU speed, I'd say skip it. That's 4% and you're unlikely to notice the difference.

[Todd Corzett]

If you follow the rumors... there is a rumored MacBook event (http://www.macrumors.com/2008/09/10/apple-notebook-updates-on-october-14th-120gb-macbook-air-hdd/) scheduled for October 14th. Personally, I'm waiting until after that (or whenever the next upgrade is) to get a MBP. If nothing were to chance I'd get the 2.5GHz version (I want the 512MB graphics card, so wouldn't get the 2.4GHz version).

-Todd...

[Doug DeVetter]

So there's about a 4% processor speed difference that is measurable at 100% CPU. If you're an average user, that will be just about never. There is no way that you'll notice a difference unless you are doing a big batch of photo processing. It kills me to say this because I work for "a major manufacturer of computing components." I also must say that the OPINION expressed above is my own personal OPINION (but I'm right). With that said, Todd's recommendation to wait ain't bad. I'll tell you another thing that I'm right on...if you want a serious laptop performance boost that is user perceptible in everyday use, and incredible in I/O-intensive tasks, get a high performance solid-state drive. I'll be at Laguna Seca if anyone wants to know more. Again, my opinion, and not the opinion of my employer. :)

[John Thawley]

I run a 2.4 with 4GB of ram. It runs Aperture extremely well, even when running in dual monitor mode with my 23 inch cinema display at home. I've wanted to get a 30" but I'm told that WILL slow things down.

JT

[E. John Thawley III]

So John, is the laptop your primary or only image processing machine?

I've always had a big tower (for heavy processing) and a laptop for everything else. But now I'm being told the new laptops will well and truly smoke my 2.7 Duo PowerPC G5... I'm considering slimming down to one, FAST laptop. That what you're doing?

[Bill Jurasz]

The G5 really is a good microprocessor architecture, but its also several years old. Clock-for-clock a new Intel chip might be faster indeed, but hard to tell until benchmarks come out. You'll also need to know if the software you'll be running is native PowerPC or not. The G5 is pretty bad about running any little-Endian code (i.e. x86 software emulation).

[John Thawley]

So John, is the laptop your primary or only image processing machine?

I've always had a big tower (for heavy processing) and a laptop for everything else. But now I'm being told the new laptops will well and truly smoke my 2.7 Duo PowerPC G5... I'm considering slimming down to one, FAST laptop. That what you're doing?

Correct. And, I'm hearing the next wave of MacBook Pros are going to be better yet. (Obviously.) My concern is the push to make them thin though... heat is becoming pretty scary.

Just to give you a better feel for my logic... I keep a fairly current laptop at all times... and tether it to a 23" monitor, (dual screen mode), a keyboard and mouse. I use a bank of external Lacie drives... 2 500gb and 4 1tb and a 1tb portable Lacie drive. I only keep a few current work files and a document folder on the laptop's internal drive using it primarily for applications. This way, when it's time for a new one, the transition is fairly simple.. install the apps, copy over a few work folders and plug in the externals (daisy chained Firewire 800) along with the monitor, key board and mouse.

On the portable drive I maintain an Aperture Library of 2008 motorsports work... and client folders containing current graphics work. This allows me to have my "work" with me at all times. If someone calls for a high res copy, I have it. If, like this week, I have to create a poster or hero card on the fly, I can do it. The Aperture Library is mirrored on another drive here at home. So, I will export a copy of the weeks work onto that library when I get home.

The little Lacie 1tb portable is very cool. It's Firewire 800 and bus powered.. so no power supply required and I can daisy chain my card reader into it.

You'll have no problem with horsepower though.

JT

[Todd Corzett]

As I mentioned the other day... October 14th:
http://gizmodo.com/5061113/apple-announces-macbook-event-for-october-14

-Todd...

[E. John Thawley III]

As I mentioned the other day... October 14th:
http://gizmodo.com/5061113/apple-announces-macbook-event-for-october-14

-Todd...
I'm all tingly and stuff.

[Todd Corzett]

If you hadn't heard already...
New MacBook (http://www.apple.com/macbook/) and MacBook Pro (http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/)

My shiny new MBP will be headed towards my home shortly!

-Todd...

[John Thawley]

I think the bigger news is the 24" Cinema display that acts as a complete docking solution for MBP... including the power supply. I run mine in tandem now... so this means basically one cable and "honey I'm home!!!!"

Great idea.

JT

[E. John Thawley III]

My shiny new MBP will be headed towards my home shortly!

-Todd...
I've been foaming at the mouth all day.

A little disappointed they didn't call it the MacBook Billet though...

[Cyril Ma]

The switch is inevitable.

going to be ordering mine shortly. Now the question remains whether I should get a used MBP or a newer sleeker MBP