Pro has more RAM and a faster processor, it is thinner and seems a little more sturdy. The touchpad is completely different- Pro has a buttonless pad. I have both a Macbook and Pro in this house, those are the immediate differences, although I am sure there are many more. Pro is a much nicer computer and well worth the extra money if you can afford it.
damn, multiple computers for multiple houses, Flickitty must be an AWESOME App or, your a drug dealer....hrmm...
Have your parents sign up for an Amazon Store Card www.amazon.com If paid in full in 6 months there will be no interest. I'm sure your parents will know what it means That way you don't have to pay for it all at once, give your parents a down payment and than you can pay the rest over 6 month time, depending on how much they love/care about you... lol
Advice from a college student. Get a MBP.Don't even hesitate. Just do it. Don't call me an iPad-Hater. I preordered a 64GB 3G ipad
Honestly, as a high school student I'd say get a REGULAR MacBook instead of the Pro, especially if you're saving up to pay for it yourself. It doesn't look as slick but will do everything you need it to for much, much cheaper. And, if it gets stolen or damaged (both of which aren't out of the question in a school environment) you're not out nearly as much money. Not that the Pro isn't nice, but you're paying hundreds extra for a pretty case and a few other non-essential features. If money ISN'T an object to you, of course, then go nuts. Don't bother with the iPad. It's a toy. Maybe it will be useful someday, but you aren't going to be typing essays on it, and who knows if you can easily handle all file types (many classes will require you to open and work with word files, pdfs, etc.) And, you'll probably want Photoshop or another image editing software which the iPad won't have, and you'll probably want to mess around with iMovie or Final Cut too, and who even knows what other "real" computer applications you may want, that the Macbook will have and the iPad won't. Also... Unless your parents are paying for it, financing it is an awful idea. You may end up paying double the price down the line when you take interest into account, on a computer thats no longer new or all that cool. Save up and take advantage of Apple's generous student discount instead. This is all boring advice, I know, but it's also the most sensible.
gotta agree with the other guy, you make no sense. Macs are hardly gaming computers unless you install bootcamp, and if that is all you would use it for then you may as well get a much cheaper PC laptop. Basically there isnt much point in buying a macbook for gaming, and I have 1 so dont call me a macbook hater or anything, just being realistic. While an ipad is just a bigger itouch, which probably most members would have (as it is cheaper than an iphone), so why would they hate the ipad? so basically, you make absolutely no sense at all
I'm a big iPad supporter, but I really think you should get a MacBook instead, if you want to use it for school. The iPad is going to be a great device, but I'm not expecting to do any actual "work" on it. For me, it will just be a big, expensive toy...
The regular MacBook seriously feels like a toy. My high school has a couple racks of them for in-class use, and compared to the Pro, it's like "My First Computer".
Well it is "My First Computer", but is it worth it to have to upgrade in a few years? I don't think so. Out of curiosity though, what exactly is the price difference? Also, I'm still looking for the best deal, any ideas? Thanks again for all the helpful replies!
If you're still a student...Macbook or Macbook Pro. Get it around the summer, right before the expected announcement of the next iPhone/touch update. Why? Because for the past few years, Apple has had a "buy a Macbook or Macbook Pro, get an iPod touch free" deal going on. That's actually how I got my 1st "gen" touch a couple of years back (when I bought my Macbook Pro with student discount). Now, I'm not sure if the discount applies to high school students or only college students, but if you have a member of your family or a friend in college, piggyback off of them to get the deal. iPad seems like it'll be a good product, but I'm still iffy on it and frankly the combo of Macbook or Macbook Pro AND iPod touch is just inherently better than just getting an iPad.
The Macbook pro is $1149 on Amazon and the Macbook is $949 I believe *$50 cheaper than Apple store*. Did I mention there is No Tax on Amazon(cheaper for you!) compared to buying it at an Apple store. You will have to pay 8-10% tax on top of whatever the price of the mac is at the store. Amazon you just pay $1149 for a 13" pro and $5.99 for overnight shipping... lol
