Guide to Buying Your new MacBook or MacBook Pro

You might be in the same boat I was in a couple of weeks ago. Standing around in your local electronics store, knowing you want a Macbook but not knowing if you should get a Macbook, Macbook pro, and specifically which version of either model you should aim for.

Here I'll aim to explain the differences between each, so that a regular user will be able to understand what they need out of their Macbook, and which one they should purchase.

The Differences:

Display Size
Macbook - 13"
Macbook Pro - 15" or 17"

This is important. A 13" display makes for a much more portable laptop, whereas a 15 to 17" display definitely lowers the ease of use. This is especially noticeable in large lecture halls where you sit behind someone else, needing to be wary of tickling their head with your shiny new Macbook. It's also worth mentioning that a larger screen is going to use more battery. If portability and battery life are major to you, I would take a good long look at this difference.

Processor Speed
Macbook @ 2.0 GHz, 2.16 GHz
Macbook Pro @ 2.2 GHz, 2.4 GHz

Marginal differences at best. The highest level Macbook pro is only a 20% increase to the clock speed of the CPU. All of the processors listed are essentially the same. They simply range from 2.0 GHz to 2.4 GHz. Both of these processors are intel Core 2 Duo's with 4Mb L2 Cache. Like I said before, the difference here is marginal. I doubt you would notice a giant speed increase or decrease comparing Macbook pro 2.4 GHz vs the Macbook 2.0 GHz, assuming equal ram and hd speed, in a CPU intensive task. This system spec is best left for those who need the absolute most powerful laptop they can manage, for everyone else, it's whatever you can afford at the display size you want.

CD/DVD Writer
Macbook DVD-ROM/CD-RW, Superdrive 8x
Macbook Pro Superdrive 8x

This is possibly an important option. The absolute cheapest Macbook does not have a DVD writer. It can burn regular CD's and can also read regular DVD's, but cannot burn to DVD. Every other model in the line has a DVD/CD burner called a Superdrive. This again comes down to what you can afford and what you need. Do you need to burn DVD's? If so, the cheapest Macbook is not for you. If not, the cheaper Macbook remains an option.

Storage
Macbook 80 GB, 120 GB, 160 GB
Macbook Pro 120 GB, 160 GB, 160 GB

This depends on several things. Do you have an external drive? A second computer with more space? Is the Macbook going to be your primary computer? Are you going to dual boot(Have more than one operating system on your Macbook)? How much space do your music/data/pictures/movies take up currently? These are the types of questions you should have the answer to when looking at the storage space available. Personally, I made the switch from a PC with 160 GB internal drive and a 320 GB external drive equalling a total of 480 GB of storage before the Macbook purchase. I see no reason (at the current moment) to have any more space than necessary. Of course, if you are doing a dual boot or have a ton of music and video I would suggest a 120 or 160 GB hard drive, as it would probably suit your needs better. Although, you could manage with an 80 GB by buying a less expensive external hard drive to boost storage capacity (when not on the go).

RAM
Macbook - 1GB (expandable to 2 GB)
Macbook Pro - 2 GB (expandable to 4 GB)

In all seriousness, with today's computing requirements, I would suggest 2 GB as almost a minimum when it comes to RAM. The easiest way to boost performance when it comes to a computer is to stick more RAM into it. RAM allows the operating system to keep all those bulky apps running in the background. Having said that, I can't see 2 GB being too little an amount of RAM for at least 2 - 4 years. Personally, throwing an extra 1 GB stick in my Macbook is better than spending another $1000 so I can keep my laptop longer. If you're anything like me, and you have had a computer for more than 3 years, you're pretty damned sure you want a new one. I could be alone on this, but a dirty old machine when there are brand new shiny clean ones out is just unbearable.

Display (resolution):
Macbook (1280X800)
Macbook Pro (1440X900) & (1680X1150)

This is only important if you do graphic editing on your Macbook. HD movies (unless you have an external USB Blu-ray / HDDVD player) are only going to run at 720p resolution. This means 1280X800 and 1440X900 will both play them perfectly. I would only pay attention to this aspect if you do graphic design, like I previously mentioned. (Web designers might also like to look and see how their site looks in different resolutions)

Video Card
Macbook (Intel GMA 950)
Macbook Pro NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics with 128MB SDRAM or NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics with 256MB SDRAM

Again, this is only important for 2 things, graphic intensive design such as 3D studio max, or computer games. If gaming and 3D accelerated design is not your thing, there is absolutely no need for a card this powerful in your laptop. The Macbook's intel gma 950 shares ram with your computer, whereas the nvidia chip has 128 Mb or 256 Mb of its own dedicated memory. Wanna play games? Get a Macbook Pro. Want to do 3D accelerated graphic design? Get a Macbook Pro. If neither of these interest you, the graphics card won't be helping you much with your Macbook.

(It's important to note that when I say the Macbook can't play games, I am referring to relatively new 3D games that require powerful cards. Older games and games that don't require hardware acceleration, or even some newer games. I am told World of Warcraft runs relatively decent on the Macbook 2.0 GHz model)

I believe that's it. If I made any mistakes please let me know in the comments.