The reality is Apple laptops are over priced. Don't get me wrong they are fantastic machines and super reliable but at the end of the day consumers are paying for custom parts and design. Just think what if Apple sold their high end laptops for $500 less. They would most likely sell heaps but I'm not sure if people would still see them as a premium products. (End of rant)
If your looking for good value. The old gen MacBook Pro with the dedicated vid cards are now heavily reduced - if you can find one. They will work just as well and you'll have the bonus of a larger internal hard drive. I'm lookin get to get another MacBook laptop but I'll wait till the next ones get announced.
I understand your argument but you contradicted yourself with this : I'm lookin get to get another MacBook laptop but I'll wait till the next ones get announced. I'm sure you'll have a great response but that's how I read it. One thing I hate more than Nikon vs Canon is the Windows /Mac debate. I love what I love, you love what you love, it's your life, your money.
I actually agree with gshocked and maybe you will if you look at it objectively.
I use Apple products pretty extensively. I have an MBP, my wife an MBA, we both have iPhones and I also have an iPad and iPod.
They are very well made, but most importantly, reliable. All true.
However, it is also true that
some MBPs are overpriced. The 15" ones, a case in point. You cannot get any 15" MBP (new, that is) at less than $ 2000, and actually $ 2500 considering less than 16GB memory and 500GB storage in a non-configurable system lacks foresight.
Do you think everyone can afford $ 2500 even if they love the reliability of Apple? It is easy to suggest going for a lesser model, but then you settle for a smaller screen and handicapped graphics (even though you might be paying as much as $ 1800).
I love Macs- I will never go back to Windows if I can because Macs suit me far better. And that is an objective statement. I am not going to say Macs are better in general because that is always relative.
However, that does not mean I have to agree with Apple's decisions, some of which are asinine. Look at creation of a new proprietary jack instead of using micro-USB. Look at using minidisplayport and then Thunderbolt ports, but never selling mDP-DP cables. Look at installing sensors under the MBP keyboard that will detect water damage and void our warranty, where IBM installs holes that will drain the water and save your computer. These are definitely not in the interest of the consumer, but of the stockholders.
gshocked- I am also looking to upgrade my early-2011 MBP but waiting for the next generation. Worry is, the refurbs with discrete cards will get all sold out. Hope is, they will introduce it back in the next gen. Let's see, it is worth a gamble.
Getting back to the OT- I have a 2GHz quad-core i7 with 8GB RAM, and it is perfectly sufficient for running LR/PS simultaneously (I am running PS 5.5/LR5). Now you are looking at a dual-i5 but it is the next generation, and the PCIe SSD channels much faster. I reckon you will be fine if you just assign more virtual memory to the HDD (SSD). Having said that, it is always a good idea to buy the best system you can afford. What will be enough today might be woefully limiting in a few months.
