MacBook Vs. MacBook Pro

Every shopping expedition ultimately boils down to one thing in the end, which is, making a choice. One has to choose one in the end or buy all. I am sure that the second option is not affordable or practical, so it's wiser to choose one. Most Mac loyalists who have used a Mac desktop will want to go for a MacBook or Macintosh Notebook. There are two separate ranges of MacBooks currently and the choice boils down to choosing between a MacBook and MacBook Pro. In this Buzzle article, I make a brief MacBook and MacBook Pro comparison, that will highlight the difference between the two ranges and help you decide.

MacBook Vs. MacBook Pro Comparison

Macintosh has realized the varied requirements of their product users and has created separate lines of MacBook, for the general user and the MacBook Pro for high-end users. MacBook Pro comes in five models which include:

• MacBook Pro 2.26 GHz 13 inch
• MacBook Pro 2.53 GHz 13 inch
• MacBook Pro 2.66 GHz 15 inch
• MacBook Pro 2.8 GHz 15 inch
• MacBook Pro 2.8 GHz 17 inch

Here I list the differences between MacBook and MacBook Pro models, one by one.

Processor
While MacBook is a single model, MacBook Pro comes in a range of models. The MacBook has a built-in 2.26 GHz Core 2 duo processor, while the MacBook Pro line of laptops, has a processor range varying in clock speed from 2.26 GHz to 2.53 GHz, 2.66 GHz and 2.8Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo. Combined with higher RAM, the MacBook Pro is certainly superior in terms of performance and processing speed. Unless you are a high-end, multitasking user, you will not notice the difference in performance.

Display & Video Card
The maximum display resolution of a MacBook are 1280 × 800 while those for the MacBook Pro models are 1440 × 900 and 1280 × 800. MacBook has a nVidia GeForce 9400M video card while the MacBook Pro has nVidia GeForce 9400M video card with 9600M GT DirectX 10 graphics card (in the MacBook Pro 2.8 GHz and above range). MacBook Pro is recommended for users with high-end gaming interests, while the MacBook graphics capability is sufficient for the average user.

RAM & Hard Disk
MacBook Pro models, except for the one with 2.26 GHz processor, have a 4GB RAM, which is ideal for multitasking users. The basic MacBook has a RAM of 2GB which is also quite adequate. The Pro version offers greater hard disk space, with capacities ranging from 250 GB, 300 GB to 500 GB , while the MacBook offers only 250 GB. If you use your notebook computer for applications that require high data storage capacities, MacBook Pro is the choice for you.

Performance
Overall, performance wise, in terms of processing speed, multitasking ability, gaming application performance, the high-end MacBook models win hands down, compared to the basic version.

Size & Weight
If you compare MacBook and MacBook Pro models in terms of weight, then the difference is negligible as the MacBook weighs around 4.7 lbs with a polycarbonate casing, while the Pro versions, with aluminum bodies weigh a maximum of 6.6 lbs which is easy to carry around.

Price
The last and the most important parameter is price that is pretty much the decider. While the MacBook costs about $999, MacBook Pro models cost upwards of $1199 to about $2499 for the most advanced model. MacBook comes with the most economical of prices that you can get in the notebook market. If you are looking for an economical price, then MacBook's your choice, which is of course a no-brainer!

Hopefully, after going through this MacBook vs. MacBook Pro comparison, making a choice between the two is easier for you. After all your budget dictates your choice, but I would personally recommend going for MacBook Pro models as they have superior features and basically higher RAM, which makes a lot of difference.