I need to replace my ageing G3 PowerBook with a new PowerBook. I had expected to be able to do so this month but I was disappointed by Tuesday's announcement of the new MacBook Pro models. It would seem that the 15" now has a better screen than the 17" model. I know the 17"model has a much better resolution. How long am I likely to have to wait for the 17" version to get the LED-Backlit screen. Is it worth waiting for?
How do you decide between the matte and glossy screen versions?
David
In article 1181144538.571981.287430@redacted.invalid, "davidsteward4@redacted.invalid" davidsteward4@redacted.invalid wrote:
I need to replace my ageing G3 PowerBook with a new PowerBook. I had expected to be able to do so this month but I was disappointed by Tuesday's announcement of the new MacBook Pro models. It would seem that the 15" now has a better screen than the 17" model. I know the 17"model has a much better resolution. How long am I likely to have to wait for the 17" version to get the LED-Backlit screen. Is it worth waiting for?
Only Apple knows how to answer that question and I can assure you, they will not announce the answer in a newsgroup forum. Your question has the same answer as it does whenever someone asks if they should buy now or wait.
The answer is, if you can wait, wait. If you need to buy now, buy now.
On Wed, 6 Jun 2007 20:43:33 -0700, Shawn Hirn wrote (in article srhi-26ABAA.23433306062007@redacted.invalid):
In article 1181144538.571981.287430@redacted.invalid, "davidsteward4@redacted.invalid" davidsteward4@redacted.invalid wrote:
I need to replace my ageing G3 PowerBook with a new PowerBook. I had expected to be able to do so this month but I was disappointed by Tuesday's announcement of the new MacBook Pro models. It would seem that the 15" now has a better screen than the 17" model. I know the 17"model has a much better resolution. How long am I likely to have to wait for the 17" version to get the LED-Backlit screen. Is it worth waiting for?
Only Apple knows how to answer that question and I can assure you, they will not announce the answer in a newsgroup forum. Your question has the same answer as it does whenever someone asks if they should buy now or wait.
The answer is, if you can wait, wait. If you need to buy now, buy now.
The few articles I've read suggest it is a technical problem with the larger size, so Apple may not know. Something to think about is do you need the new screen with a 17". The main advantage to it is power saving, not something that is really a main concern for that laptop. If it was then you would probably get the 15".
davidsteward4@redacted.invalid davidsteward4@redacted.invalid wrote:
I need to replace my ageing G3 PowerBook with a new PowerBook. I had expected to be able to do so this month but I was disappointed by Tuesday's announcement of the new MacBook Pro models. It would seem that the 15" now has a better screen than the 17" model. I know the 17"model has a much better resolution. How long am I likely to have to wait for the 17" version to get the LED-Backlit screen. Is it worth waiting for?
The issue is that LED backlighting is either too expensive or not reliable enough in a 17" screen yet, so Apple chose to stick with the existing technology in this generation.
It is likely that the next refresh of the MacBook Pro will add LED backlighting to the 17" model.
Given Intel's timeline for their next generation of processors, Apple is likely to introduce the next models around early 2008.
It is possible that they might do a minor revamp before then, just to add LED backlighting to the 17" screen (similar to the introduction of the glossy screen as an option on the MacBook Pro), but I wouldn't expect it to be for a few months yet.
How do you decide between the matte and glossy screen versions?
Good question. I'm about to need to make that choice (replacing a 5 year old PowerBook G4 which is starting to misbehave). I'm intending to go to a Mac dealer and have a close look at glossy vs matte screens to see whether I'm OK with the glossy one for details like image quality, reflection issues and viewing angle.
My gut feeling is that I will go with the glossy.