MacBook Or MacBook Pro

Barnaby1 · Post by **Barnaby1** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 3:50 am

I have to get a Mac for school and i was just wondering if a normal Macbook would be suitable for Ableton 7...or would i have to spend and extra grand to get the Macbook Pro.

Pitch Black · Post by **Pitch Black** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 4:01 am

You don't have to spend the grand spec-wise, the MacBook is plenty powerfull enough for Live, but check out this thread (Hambone1 eventually sprang for the MBP, and he's very happy)

http://www.ableton.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=87278

(Happy MBP owner here)

Tarekith · Post by **Tarekith** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 4:01 am

Happy MBP owner here.

rbmonosylabik · Post by **rbmonosylabik** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 5:07 am

New very happy MBP owner here. I chose it over the Macbook because I want to do some VJ stuff and the shared RAM video card in the Macbook would be limiting, but other than that, I think the MacBook would do great.

dcease · Post by **dcease** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 5:10 am

raapie · Post by **raapie** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 5:21 am

not sure if it's fixed, but the old MacBook fans were running almost all the time. I have bought a new MB Pro a week ago and the fans didn't kick yet, super quiet. Performance on MacBook is a little better though for Ableton (yes, you wouldn't believe it but tests have proven this).

Like the bigger screen on MB Pro a lot. So for me the choice is easy: MB Pro.

tricil · Post by **tricil** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 5:29 am

see sig.

heavensdaw · Post by **heavensdaw** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 8:56 am

Went through this decision last year... For me the pro won out for all the reasons stated.

Happy mbp owner here

Hd

pepezabala · Post by **pepezabala** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 9:23 am

as the performance differences are not so big, I would say it depends highly on what you spend the saved money for if you take the macbook.

1. macbook + 1 barrel of bear

vs.

2. macbookpro alone

= take the second option

or

1. macbook + external harddisk + wii-controller + all covops bundles + 2 giga extra ram + 1 cheap flightticket for a weekend in berlin

vs.

2. macbookpro

= take the first option

dazzer · Post by **dazzer** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 9:39 am

Bought a MBP to replace my dead Powerbook.

HD made a table tennis noise, headphone out was full of interference. Got a refund.

Bought a MB yesterday, half the price, missing all the bells and whistles of the pro but then again, so am I.

Too early to form an opinion on my new MB but it works with my Ultralite and looks cool.

And again, it was half the price.

Pitch Black · Post by **Pitch Black** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 9:53 am

Barnaby1 wrote:I have to get a Mac for school

What sort of school, and what will you be using it for, apart from Live?

Give us some more info, and you'll get some more nuanced answers.

Pepezabala's answer is best for style, tho

furrybum · Post by **furrybum** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 10:34 am

I got a macbook and it runs Live fine. Just put in as much RAM as you can.

As for the comments about the bigger screen size of the pro, my attitude is this......Laptops are meant to be portable. My 13" macbook is just that. In the studio I have it hooked up to a cinema display and split my work across 2 monitors. Don't let screen size be the deciding factor.

Just my 2 cents

misteron · Post by **misteron** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 12:10 pm

MacBook Pro has the TI firewire chip recommended for FW audio interfaces
MacBook doesn't.

For me the MB spec is fine but I'm buying MBP coz UI'm going mac (in part) to avoid hardware compatibility issues.

If u use FW or if theres any chance u may in the future, then go woth MacBoo Pro

Arnold-Rimmer · Post by **Arnold-Rimmer** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 1:03 pm

I was also considering macbook or macbook pro.

I won't use a firewire audio interface (just my usb one ,which is good enough for me), maybe a firewire external drive (dunno yet), so is a standard macbook fine?

To me paying a significant amount more for a pro just for a better graphic card doesn't seem worth it.

Plus the macbook I think is lighter to carry around. I don't like the white colour though. Seems it will get grubby quickly and paying 200 more for a black one is ridiculous.

Any opinions?

furrybum · Post by **furrybum** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 1:26 pm

mine hasn't got grubby. Just look after it and you'll be fine. I've got a neoprene cover for mine so it keeps it protected when it's in its bag

MacBook Or MacBook Pro

MacBook Or MacBook Pro

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