Apple and Macs: New products, iMacs, iWork, iLife

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 5:44 pm

dbdynsty25 wrote:Picked up a new MacBook...wow.

Is this your first experience with a MacBook? How easy was the installation of Boot Camp?

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 6:13 pm

sportdan30 wrote:
dbdynsty25 wrote:Picked up a new MacBook...wow.
Is this your first experience with a MacBook? How easy was the installation of Boot Camp?

Yes, and about as easy as it gets. As long as you have built your own "PC" previously and are used to dealing with partitions and the fresh install of XP/Vista, it's a piece of cake.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 6:23 pm

What kind of graphics card is in your macbook pro db? Do you have an nvidia 8400GS or 8600GT.

The 8400 GS is just a step above Intel intregrated graphics. The 8600 GT is just nasty and it quickly turns a laptop into a portable gaming rig.

Btw, I got PES 2009 on my hacked PSP and it runs freaking sweet. Man I love that little system.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 6:38 pm

I didn't get the pro. I bought the new Aluminum MacBook that came out a few weeks ago. 2.4ghz, 4gb ram, 250gb HD and a 9400M graphics chip.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 6:46 pm

Ah ok the 9400M I believe is a re badged 8400GS. Nvidia was having problems with certain graphics chips failing and so they changed a couple of things and gave them a new series number.

To give you and example the difference between an 8400GS and a 8600GT. My 8600GT can run rFactor maxed out with 32 cars on the track with around 60FPS. My 8400GS coughs and sputters with rfactor if I go over low-medium settings.

If you have the 3 year Applecare warranty you might look into a GPU overclocker if game performance is still lacking.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 6:50 pm

Rodster wrote:Ah ok the 9400M I believe is a re badged 8400GS. Nvidia was having problems with certain graphics chips failing and so they changed a couple of things and gave them a new series number.

To give you and example the difference between an 8400GS and a 8600GT. My 8600GT can run rFactor maxed out with 32 cars on the track with around 60FPS. My 8400GS coughs and sputters with rfactor if I go over low-medium settings.

If you have the 3 year Applecare warranty you might look into a GPU overclocker if game performance is still lacking.

The 9400M is the new one that Nvidia just came out with. Supposedly 5x faster than the previous generation 8400GS.

Check that...5 times faster than the intel card that was with previous MacBooks. It's still faster than the 8400GS. Memory and clock speeds are bumped up like 10-20% according to the numbers. Especially in the shader and memory department.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 6:59 pm

dbdynsty25 wrote: The 9400M is the new one that Nvidia just came out with. Supposedly 5x faster than the previous generation 8400GS.

Check that...5 times faster than the intel card that was with previous MacBooks. It's still faster than the 8400GS. Memory and clock speeds are bumped up like 10-20% according to the numbers. Especially in the shader and memory department.

It's probably more marketing hype than real world speed.

If it were truly 5X faster than the 8400GS you should be achieving performance levels close to the 8600GT.

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 10:30 pm

sportdan30 wrote:
dbdynsty25 wrote:Picked up a new MacBook...wow.
Is this your first experience with a MacBook? How easy was the installation of Boot Camp?

Very easy but you need a 10.5 (Leopard) DVD.

You of course need hard disk space to dedicate to Windows.

If you have at least 2 GB of RAM you could try using Parallels or Fusion to run Windows in a Mac OS X window. That way you don't have to reboot between Mac and Windows. But you're not going to get the same graphics performance that you would booted natively to Windows.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 12:09 pm

Anyone have the IPod Touch? Would this be a good way for me to get the internet wherever I am? Would I have to pay additional amount for internet access or will it use my existing service that I have with att?

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 1:05 pm

You could use it at Wifi hotspots.

So if you have AT&T at home, you have to have a wireless router. You can't connect it directly like with ethernet.

And at public hotspots, like Starbucks, you would need an account to use those.

But I think some AT&T customers get to use those hotspots for free.

Well I know AT&T wireless customers get to use them, with their iPhones for instance.

Not sure if AT&T customers of their DSL service at home get to use those hotspots.

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 1:44 pm

Db, turns out you understood perfectly what I was asking and have a similar mindset as far as the 13" compromise. Thanks for the informative reply. And thanks too wco for the further info.

I think I will try to hold off until January and hope the newer revisions arrive then. I'd love a 13" Pro, but i'm sure I don't really need all it has to offer, and the savings for the regular MacBook would be pretty big. Seriuosly, I don't really need any kind of PC gaming but part of me would love to bust out my old PS2 drive force wheel and try out some of those older race sims once I get a new laptop.

If my old laptop falls apart, though, I'll have to jump in rather than waiting.

Also, anyone get the flash drive rather than the HDD? It seems so small, but surely in a few short years HDDs will seem antiquated. power consumption, weight, and even heat should all be pretty heavily reduced with flash drives, yes?

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 1:55 pm

I'm sure someone will benchmark the SSDs vs. the HDDs, like their battery life and speed.

There would have to be substantial advantages though, because there's too much of a premium over HDDs.

For iPods, the tradeoff in capacity is okay. But in a laptop, if you do anything with videos and photos and build up an audio library, you may miss that capacity.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 1:55 pm

Zeppo wrote:Also, anyone get the flash drive rather than the HDD? It seems so small, but surely in a few short years HDDs will seem antiquated. power consumption, weight, and even heat should all be pretty heavily reduced with flash drives, yes?

The good news is that the drives are EASY as hell to replace. Just pop the battery cover off, unscrew a couple screws and there ya go. I went HD just because the SSDs are so expensive. I figured in a year or two when they come down in price, I'll pick one up and swap it out. I don't need a ton of storage on my laptop since I use network storage at home, it's just the cost that prohibited it for me.

Glad I could help. The thing about the older games...they will run pretty well on the system. It's the latest and greatest that make it stumble a bit. I usually only play text sims (OOTP mostly), and it runs that about 50x better than my previously laptop, so really...mission accomplished.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 2:16 pm

Zeppo wrote:Seriuosly, I don't really need any kind of PC gaming but part of me would love to bust out my old PS2 drive force wheel and try out some of those older race sims once I get a new laptop.

rFactor and GTR 2, baby! The old DSP Poker Nights will revive!

And remember, YOU F*CKED ME, MAN!

Take care,
PK

Sport73 · Post by **Sport73** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 9:31 pm

I think I'm going to pick up a new MacBook PRO tomorrow. I've waffled between the desirable small form-factor of the MacBook vs. the Firewire, larger (and better) screen, and enhanced graphics of the MBP. I think I've decided on the MBP since the graphics update will prove substantial when using Photoshop renders.

Interestingly, the new MBP includes BOTH an integrated chip and a separate graphics GPU, with the option to run in either mode for better performance or battery life. However, I've heard that Boot Camp (Windows) installs use the separate GPU only. So, it will be interesting to see if VMWare or Parallels release an update that allows their programs virtual sessions to access the GPU while leaving the integrated unit on for OSX. This would likely allow for pretty good gaming performance even in the virtual environment.

Either way, these are Apple's sexiest machines in a long time, my current 17" Macbook Pro looks absolutely archaic next to the new unibody systems.

Can't wait to get it tomorrow.

PS> I'm buying it because I took a new job. Thanks to all of you for your support and interest over the last two years as I worked for a smaller start up (www.safecentral.com). The company survives, but I I'm departing for a more stable company. Going to continue to do contract work for my current employer for a while, so I'm going to use the new computer for that. Tax write off.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 9:45 pm

Nice Sport...they really are fantastic machines. I just can't see hauling around a 15"...hence the reason I went with the regular MacBook. Had they made a 13" w/ the dual GPUs I would have went with that...but alas, they don't.

BTW...all the talk about the screen differences...I don't see it. At least to my untrained eye, the viewing angle may be slightly better on the Pro, but everything else...looks the same to me. In fact, the MacBook's screen is probably one of the best I've ever seen on a laptop, so I don't have a problem.

Sport73 · Post by **Sport73** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 12:20 am

Really?

If the 13" looks good, I might be swayed. I really like the smaller form factor because I know this is a laptop that will spend a lot of time next to the couch.

hmmm. tough call.

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 12:26 am

One of the most common complaints about the Apple laptops is the low resolution.

Too bad they don't offer a higher-res 13 and 15-inch screens like they do on the 17-inch.

Oh and I use the 17-inch on the coffee table next to the couch.

If you take it on the go all the time, then the smaller size matters but if it's a "desktop replacement" you want real estate.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 1:07 am

To me...1280x800 on a 13.3" widescreen is plenty of res.

Sport73 · Post by **Sport73** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 9:38 pm

Decided to go with the 15" MacBook Pro; after all, I only get one shot at this for the next year or two. Typing this on it now.

Damn, I'm in love all over again. There is no company in the world that builds hardware like Apple. It's a work of art.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 11:29 pm

Congrats Sport...they definitely know how to make hardware. The build quality is exceptional. And yes, I'm posting on mine too!

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 12:59 am

You Mac whores

. I still have a Macbook Pro, original Intel Core 2.16 not duo , 15 inch monitor with a HD partitioned so that I can used windows separately on bootcamp if I need to and the odd game installed. Sport73, since you also owned a MBP before, do you find ther new ones worth updating to, not to mention the steep price that comes with the territory or just hang on for another year? Of course, anything that I need to do is there, love iwork, ilife and the ability to edit and play with my photos. But other than the new keyboards and the subtle updates here and there, what else do you find in the new notebook that made you go: 'Got to get one'? How's the battery life? Thanks.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 1:37 am

Having used my last laptop for almost 3 years, the battery life was basically nil. I was getting like 20 min. on a charge. Now I'm at 2 hours already and I've still got 2 hours left. Sure, I'm just using the 13 inch MacBook...but it still is phenomenal for me. I know the 15" Pros are a little worse, but I'm sure it's still pretty impressive.

Sport73 · Post by **Sport73** » Sat Nov 08, 2008 1:58 am

10spro wrote:You Mac whores . I still have a Macbook Pro, original Intel Core 2.16 not duo , 15 inch monitor with a HD partitioned so that I can used windows separately on bootcamp if I need to and the odd game installed. Sport73, since you also owned a MBP before, do you find ther new ones worth updating to, not to mention the steep price that comes with the territory or just hang on for another year? Of course, anything that I need to do is there, love iwork, ilife and the ability to edit and play with my photos. But other than the new keyboards and the subtle updates here and there, what else do you find in the new notebook that made you go: 'Got to get one'? How's the battery life? Thanks.

It's hard to recommend running out to get one if you've already got a recent MBP. There is a noticeable speed boost even in simple applications as compared to my 2.16Ghz 17" MBP Core 2, but the biggest upgrade is the quality of the display and the overall 'fit and finish' of the computer. I always thought the aluminum MacBook Pros were the best computers made, but they look almost 'cheap' next to the new units. The uni-body design is a revolution in industrial design for laptops, and yields a machine that is definitely much lighter and sturdier than my 17".

But in all honesty, there isn't a reason beyond Apple lust to rush out and buy one if your current machine is serving you well.

I only got it because I'm turning in one of my work laptops when I leave, and so I wanted to upgrade my personal machine.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Mon Nov 10, 2008 7:03 pm

My original nano's screen just went blank for whatever reason. It still plays my songs but what use is it if I can't choose it from the screen? The new nanos with the added videos and larger screens are sweet but I am not sure if I want to fork another couple of hundred bucks.

Did anyone get the new nanos? Any ideas as to why I lost the screen information on my original nano?