Macbook aluminium or Macbook pro 13"?

Hades

Hades

Hades

Man of Honour
Joined
19 Oct 2002
Posts
29,879
Location
Surrey
For a similar price (used), which would be better?

Macbook 13" aluminium 2.4ghz, 2gb RAM, 250gb HDD

Macbook pro 13" 2.26ghz, 2gb RAM, 160gb HDD

Both have illuminated keyboards. Is there any reason to go for the lower spec pro?
 
Not bothered about the card reader. FW might be nice but no biggie. But a good point about the battery. Thanks.
 
IIRC the Alu MacBook was said to have a poor quality panel (screen).

The MBP13 probably uses a different one.
 
wush said:
IIRC the Alu MacBook was said to have a poor quality panel (screen).

The MBP13 probably uses a different one.
Click to expand...

Yup yup - when I was researching my MacBook Pro 13" I read that they've updated the screen so that it matches the higher quality versions found in the 15" and 17" versions :)
 
aleco said:
Yup yup - when I was researching my MacBook Pro 13" I read that they've updated the screen so that it matches the higher quality versions found in the 15" and 17" versions :)
Click to expand...

How do you find the 13" screen for everyday use? Is it large enough (I'd prefer the 15" but funds won't stretch that far).
 
I think it's just fine for everything I do (although I do have a 24" monitor I hook it up to from time to time should I feel the urge for more screen estate). I actually wanted something smaller than 13" though for portability as I'd been using a 12" laptop beforehand, so was prepared for a smaller screen.

Fits in a decent amount of webpages though, fine for working on powerpoint/word docs and reading pdfs, don't do much gaming so can't comment on that, and videos/films i hook it up to my tv so again can't really comment on that. Definitely no complaints here anyway :)
 
Yeah :( Only seem to have the option for non-glossy on 15" and above. Although I must say I was extremely anti-glossy screens, but having used it on my MacBook for a while, it's not quite as bad as others I've seen/used and doesn't really bother me at all now.
 
aleco said:
I think it's just fine for everything I do (although I do have a 24" monitor I hook it up to from time to time should I feel the urge for more screen estate). I actually wanted something smaller than 13" though for portability as I'd been using a 12" laptop beforehand, so was prepared for a smaller screen.
Click to expand...

I do the same thing. Although I don't use my macbook as my main machine, I do sometimes connect it to my 24" monitor and use it in "clamshell mode".

For me the 13" macbook is just the right size. ;)
 
aleco said:
Yup yup - when I was researching my MacBook Pro 13" I read that they've updated the screen so that it matches the higher quality versions found in the 15" and 17" versions :)
Click to expand...

Pretty sure the 13" still only has the naff 6bit panel, albeit a slightly wider colour gamut than the last. The 15 and 17 models use 8 bit panels. I just calibrated mine then and can say it's most certainly not a good screen, but I don't think you can get anything better in 13" guise yet either unfortunately :(
 
Any further details on that? Need concrete evidence to push me to the 15" MBP price change - just need that PUSH

Glossy screen was a minor negative but if the 15" has a better panel then Im heading that way - shame as a matt 13" MBP with all the same features would be perfect for me...

ps3ud0 :cool:
 
ps3ud0 said:
shame as a matt 13" MBP with all the same features would be perfect for me...
Click to expand...

You aint kiddin' :(

Re: Further details, there was a blog from a designer trying to get concrete information from Apple about it, which they apparently wouldn't disclose. There was also the whole class action lawsuit about Apples advertising of 'millions of colours' using 6bit panels in the 20" iMac (After they dropped the ok-ish IPS panel that was in the all white one), which was settled out of court. Type in "Macbook pro 6bit" into Google or similar for a fair bit of information on it.
 
Last edited:
I believe technically ALL pros are acutally 6bit dithered, from that standpoint I dont think they have ever used 8bit screen in any laptop.

I got my 13"Pro today and threw a lot at it, screen wise im very very happy, brightness is shockingly high, cant spot any banding in tests, no sheer or negative look on colours from reasonable angles.
 
As has already been said, the screen on the Alu Macbook was a pretty poor quality panel. I remember looking at it next to a 15" MBP and it looked so washed out, I couldn't believe it. The screens are so much better on the 13" MBP that I ended up buying one instead of a 15" :)
 
cu3ed said:
I believe technically ALL pros are acutally 6bit dithered, from that standpoint I dont think they have ever used 8bit screen in any laptop.

I got my 13"Pro today and threw a lot at it, screen wise im very very happy, brightness is shockingly high, cant spot any banding in tests, no sheer or negative look on colours from reasonable angles.
Click to expand...

Well in that case that's pretty damn pathetic. This seems to be of some interest and backs up your beleif,

http://www.yannicklord.com/blog/item/root/6-or-8-bit-screen.html
 
I don't really see it as pathetic. As that article shows the only laptop that has an 8-bit screen has a battery life of 30 minutes. The majority of customers would prefer a longer battery life than more accurate colours.

Apple probably think that anyone who needs that sort of quality will buy a monitor to match their needs.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom