Well, that 13 inch Macbook just got crossed off of my wish list. What was Apple thinking?
Apple's New MacBook
- Thread starter g4m3rof1337
- Start date
Well, that 13 inch Macbook just got crossed off of my wish list. What was Apple thinking?
Kill Bill
Active Member
Nice setup
footballstevo75
Active Member
Was planning on getting the 13 inch macbook for college. I have experimented with OSx and it's awesome.
So I will be taking my desktop to college in a cube like case, and a 13 inch macbook, which now may be the 15" pro because of firewire.
I play games on my ps3, little on PC, but if I want to I will use my desktop.
So I will be taking my desktop to college in a cube like case, and a 13 inch macbook, which now may be the 15" pro because of firewire.
I play games on my ps3, little on PC, but if I want to I will use my desktop.
tlarkin
VIP Member
Firewire is a deal breaker for me because I use it at work, and if you are say, into video editing then it would be a deal breaker as well.
If you don't need it then it shouldn't matter since USB 2.0 should be able to get you by. I need target disk mode though, and I do use a camera at times to make videos.
If you don't need it then it shouldn't matter since USB 2.0 should be able to get you by. I need target disk mode though, and I do use a camera at times to make videos.
Kill Bill
Active Member
Ouch. I vid edit by usb 2.0 is lighter. Anyway Gigbyte ethernet is faster so just buy a gb ethernet hub and bang
scooter
banned
gamerman4
Active Member
The new macbooks are $1299!!!! Why the hell would they take away firewire? To make it thinner? Apple is the only company I know that takes good features away to get something down to size (Macbook Air for example). C'mon Apple so you would have us pay $999 for the old White Macbook with firewire and just skip out on the new $1299 macbook without FW or pay $2000 and just get a new macbook pro....
I fail to see the logic unless you REALLY just want to get sell all the old Macbooks and add Firewire to the new one once the old macbooks are gone, which is really a douchebag move. I think the drop to $999 is already a good enough reason to buy a slightly older macbook.
tlarkin
VIP Member
Well, Apple, has already released software updates that can share optical drives and do almost everything over the network now. 1000mbit network is WAAAAAAY faster than firewire. They are migrating towards doing everything over a network now.
Things like Migration assistant and data transfer that once ran over FW now run over Ethernet or Wireless. With Apple's Bonjour protocol it makes sharing files among Macs on the same subnet super easy.
They are also trying to diversify their models. Notice how the Macbooks now have ditched their integrated Intel graphics chip? So, they also need to diversify their models. The Macbook is still lower end than the MBP, and so they took out FireWire. Otherwise they are almost the same laptops since the Macbooks don't have integrated graphics chips anymore.
For me personally, I still very much like FW for target disk mode booting, booting off external volumes, and digital video, however your average user is not going to use FireWire.
gamerman4
Active Member
I completely understand that the dedicated graphics chip is an expensive addition and that gigabit ethernet is faster.
1. What is the dedicated gfx chip for? I noticed it's a 9400M, not bad but it's still relatively low-end. If they are setting their computers for a future gaming market then it's probably a good start but I still wouldn't ditch FW for it.
2. Why does everything have to go through ethernet? Are they expecting that the laptop is an extension off the iMac rather than its own primary computer? If I wanted to edit video as a hobby from a cheap camera that uses firewire, I would have to use a separate computer to extract the video and edit it on the macbook... That is counter-productive.
The Macbook Air is more of a secondary and extension off of an iMac (or Mac Pro) but a Macbook should really be able to stand on its own.
The 2.4Ghz Macbook and the 2.4Ghz Macbook Pro, aside from an extra 2" of screen space, they are essentially the same machine so why no FW?
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PHATSPEED7x
New Member
If I had the money to just buy one I would. They look nice.
tlarkin
VIP Member
Well for better performance for sure, and it now has its own dedicated memory and GPU, over all performance increase will follow.
Ethernet is faster and more reliable, and higher end. I agree with you that editing video on a Macbook over DV is still possible, but it is just a bit more annoying now. Most cameras these days also support USB2.
The MBA is for a niche user, and I wouldn't want one and you probably wouldn't want one, but there is definitely a market for it.
It looks like the Pro version also has some weird dual video card configuration, better specs, bigger screen, etc.
I can't say that I am too pleased with the new MBP that much, but it is really freaking cool that the chasis is all one piece, did you watch the video on how they are made?
gamerman4
Active Member
The GPU will increase overall performance but I still think firewire is a relatively cheap addition and I think they could have added firewire without too much cost to them. My main argument is that they shouldn't have taken off firewire, regardless of what they added to the machine, firewire should have stayed.
The MBA niche is for people that have an iMac (or Mac Pro) and specifically want to use the Air as an extension off of it.
I was under the impression that both the MB and MBP were from one block of aluminum and it is a fascinating way to make a computer.
tlarkin
VIP Member
I agree they should have left FW on there, but I don't think it is needed for your average user. You and I are not average users.
gamerman4
Active Member
It may not be for the average user but I think a lot of the market for Macs are people that know that they could get a good all-in-one solution to video editing without buying external devices or anything. Even people I would consider "average" users that own macs, they are people with cameras and they like editing them in iMovie. If they want to cater to the simplistic average user that doesn't need anything then they should just make a competitor to the EEEpc. Sure some cameras can use USB2 but I've noticed, a lot of them will only work with an internal memory card on USB and to extract video from a DV tape you have to go through firewire.
tlarkin
VIP Member
EEEpcs kind of suck though. They have really crappy resolution. I played with one, and yeah they are nice, but I don't think I'd buy one personally. My friend has one, and I didn't even like the stripped down Linux distro that was on it, and I definitely didn't like the 800 x 600 resolution on it either.
I think netbooks will get better, but they aren't a replacement for a supplement for laptops just yet.
I agree on the FW and I think it was a dumb move on Apple's part. Their discussion boards are already blowing up with people complaining, and I wouldn't be surprised if in the next revision FW comes back.
gamerman4
Active Member
I can almost guarantee that FW comes back because its just not worth it to pay $2000 for a MBP just to get built-in FW.
Burgerbob
Active Member
Of course, the EEEPC and assorted notebooks aren't replacements for laptops. This is why they have their own category. I am writing this reply on my 4G, actually, which i carried to this class in a side pocked of my messenger bag. Personally, I think this little guy is much more useful than the average laptop- smaller, much more portable (it doesnt need it's own bag!), it starts up in 20secs max, etc. I'm still not sure why some people insist on having a laptop, when they just keep it in one place, and a desktop could do just the same. I would feel akward getting out a full size laptop in most places, even a 13in iteration, whereas i can get this out on one hand and surf or write notes.
End of EEEPC rant.
I think it uses the integrated 9400M on battery and the 9600GT on battery or something like that. Would be a useful power-saving feature.
tlarkin
VIP Member
That is cool, but they are what they are. I don't like the crappy resolution nor do I like the OS that Asus puts on there.
I think they are close to being a really great product, but in my mind I would much rather have a slim laptop over a netbook. That is just me though.
I don't know how many of you guys actually have tried out the new ones but the best part of my macbook pro is the new trackpad. the fact that the whole thing is the button is one of the best innovations on a laptop ever. I love it. I usually hate the stupid little trackpads on laptops but the new one is great. I love the size and the multitouch(i mostly use it to scroll up and down on webpages) are also great.