New Notebook Recommendation

[gerryBScot]

Hi my MBP has died and needs replacing. Any suggestions for a replacement? main use is in the classroom for video and audio; use the office suite extensively, some photo processing, would like to run Photoshop on it. any good offers out there? would like something that is robust/ rugged as it will get a lot of use and will move around a lot. any ideas?

[dave_boo]

I'm a Linux user...but still recommend sticking with a MBP if you like it. It's hard to find as nice of quality for a similar price in the Windows world. Add in having to relearn stuff and it doesn't make sense to migrate.

Note that I have a 13" Retina MBP running OpenSUSE.

[tominbkk]

I have a perfectly functioning 2011 MBP, but before a recent visit to the states wanted something smaller to travel with. Got the MP Air 11". Love it! Handles Office, Photoshop, Final Cut, Logic Pro, like a champ. My friend has the 13" which looks great too.

For myself, I was a windows guy for 20 years, but in 2009 got sucked into Apple's world. Have never looked back.

[gerryBScot]

yeah i am really comfortable with apple having used Windows up to about 2007. you are helping me stick with Apple.

[aarn]

I am a linux user but followed up on a previous TV posting... and this online vendor sometimes does next-day delivery! AA

http://www.lazada.co.th/shop-laptops/apple/

[burgdawg]

Better act fast...the MacAir and MacBook Pro Retina (rMBP) are all going solid state everything.

Nice machines, but reduced ports and NO DVD player. Be sure to look at your current machine and the new machines for sale.

For example NO ETHERNET PORT. No DVD players, etc.

Is this a concern of yours or not? Suss things out at your fave Mac store and decide. The MBP with a conventional screen

and spinning hard drive can be factory configured with up to 1TB storage. This machine is very rugged and is called the "Unibody design" within Mac circles as it is milled out of single chunk of high quality aluminum. Bomber proof, yet half pound heavier than their rMBP cousins.

For myself, I could not really tell the retina screen diff and liked all the ports on the sides and the DVD player.....this model is being DISCONTINUED by Apple. Suss out the Apple website. You can get it configured with an Intel 2.9 GHz i7 8 GB RAM 1600 MGHz DRR3 Intel Graphics 4000 chipset, 1TB spinning HD. Cost is about $1400USD with 12 month free financing via Barclay's. This is USA model. I just add Tai keyboard stickers.

This MBP will become a collector's item in the future. Do you travel much where the lighter weight is a concern? If you go with the MBA(MacBook Air) or rMBP, then you will need a stand alone DVD player...such as a Samsung which costs about $50 USD off Amazon.

Recall the old gumdrop looking iMac? When it came out, Jobs was excoriated for dropping the floppy disc player!

Many are moving to DVD-less players. Okay, that is fine, but when Cisco sells its routers, guess what? You need a DVD player to install the software to configure the router!

Your call, but the older style MBP is being phased out for good.....

[gerryBScot]

Better act fast...the MacAir and MacBook Pro Retina (rMBP) are all going solid state everything.

Nice machines, but reduced ports and NO DVD player. Be sure to look at your current machine and the new machines for sale.

For example NO ETHERNET PORT. No DVD players, etc.

Is this a concern of yours or not? Suss things out at your fave Mac store and decide. The MBP with a conventional screen

and spinning hard drive can be factory configured with up to 1TB storage. This machine is very rugged and is called the "Unibody design" within Mac circles as it is milled out of single chunk of high quality aluminum. Bomber proof, yet half pound heavier than their rMBP cousins.

For myself, I could not really tell the retina screen diff and liked all the ports on the sides and the DVD player.....this model is being DISCONTINUED by Apple. Suss out the Apple website. You can get it configured with an Intel 2.9 GHz i7 8 GB RAM 1600 MGHz DRR3 Intel Graphics 4000 chipset, 1TB spinning HD. Cost is about $1400USD with 12 month free financing via Barclay's. This is USA model. I just add Tai keyboard stickers.

This MBP will become a collector's item in the future. Do you travel much where the lighter weight is a concern? If you go with the MBA(MacBook Air) or rMBP, then you will need a stand alone DVD player...such as a Samsung which costs about $50 USD off Amazon.

Recall the old gumdrop looking iMac? When it came out, Jobs was excoriated for dropping the floppy disc player!

Many are moving to DVD-less players. Okay, that is fine, but when Cisco sells its routers, guess what? You need a DVD player to install the software to configure the router!

Your call, but the older style MBP is being phased out for good.....

thanks for the heads up on these changes to mbp. i presume it might take a few months to filter thru to Apple's Asian markets.

[tominbkk]

Recall the old gumdrop looking iMac? When it came out, Jobs was excoriated for dropping the floppy disc player!

Many are moving to DVD-less players. Okay, that is fine, but when Cisco sells its routers, guess what? You need a DVD player to install the software to configure the router!

Your call, but the older style MBP is being phased out for good.....

I haven't really missed the DVD player. Most install software you can just download nowadays. When I need to rip something I just use my older MBP to get it. DVDs are quite arcane now, considering a tiny usb drive can hold 8 times as much data....