MacBook Pro Configuration - Need Your Input

[Charles Putnam]

OK...the wife has authorized me to go to the Dark Side. I'm going with a 15" MBP, most definitely. I'm looking at the MBP with the i5 2.53GHz processor with the 500gig HD. My main line of thinking is that there might not be that much advantage over an i7 processor with 4 cores (and no hyperthreading) verses an i5 with 2 cores and hyperthreading.

Am I off on this or???

Also, is there any real advantage to the antiglare screen (at an additional $138)?

[engstrom]

Charles, Intel's Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 are marketing terms. While the Core i7 in the iMac is indeed a quad-core cpu (and by the way it also has hyperthreading) the Core i7 in the MBP is an Arrandale mobile CPU and is only dual-core with hyperthreading. As you stated the Arrandale Core i5 is also dual-core with hyperthreading.

So what's the difference between the Arrandale i5 and i7? Clock speed and a bump in L3 cache. The i7 is slightly faster in its base clock and it is also faster in its turbo mode. Which should you get? It's up to you but if you don't do much in the way of straining the CPU (video encoding, compiling big projects, etc.) it probably won't be much of an advantage to get the i7.

As for the antiglare, that's also a personal preference and depends a lot on where you use your laptop. I have no direct light that shines on the screen when I use my laptop so I opted for the glossy screen but if you use your laptop outdoors or with the screen facing open windows or bright lights in your house then antiglare would probably be best.

[adrianisonfire]

Originally Posted by Charles Putnam

Also, is there any real advantage to the antiglare screen (at an additional $138)?

Remember, you're also getting higher resolution screen on the 15" for that price.

[mfischer579]

I think you should just go with the i5. Both are going to be ridiculously fast. I have the 15" MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo and it's fast so I can only imagine.

As for the glossy screen, I would never buy a laptop with a glossy screen after using my friends. I'm so glad that I don't have one. It's terribly hard to see unless you're staring directly at it. Also it depends on the light. But to me I wouldn't even hesitate to pay the extra money for antiglare.

[Charles Putnam]

Well...I took the plunge. Got the "base" 15" MBP with the i5 2.4GHz. As Michael noted, it's fast. MacWorld noted that it's about twice as fast as the previous "high end" Core 2 Duo mode. Plus, there were a couple of people in the store who were photographers that provided some good guidance also. Most of them said they got used to the glossy screen very quickly and it had become a non-issue for them.

Thanks all!