Advice on buying a MacBook to run Secondlife. Either MacBook or Pro, 13" size

[Goop Naxos]

I have to opt into a Mac program for next semester at school. And I can either go with a 13" book, or a pro book. They are about $250 in the difference, and really I don't need the processing power of the Pro, but I would consider it an investment if it runs Secondlife better.

I know that the 15" MacBook Pro would be a dream to run SL on, but it is about $700 bucks more, and all that quad-core niceness, but way overbudget. As it stands I am not looking forward to dropping a grand on another computer as it is.

 

Advice would be great.

[Rolig Loon]

Take a look first at https://secondlife.com/my/support/system-requirements/index.php?lang=en-US .  Whatever system you choose ought to meet or exceed LL's recommended standards.  Don't settle for the minimum standards, because they will become obsolete before you can blink.  For a graphics card, I'd recommend NVidia instead of ATI, which tends to be buggy.  Beyond those rough guidelines, the best advice I can offer is to get the best video card (greatest amount of memory) you can afford, and to be sure that your new computer has more than enough ventilation to handle the heat it will generate.  

FYI:  The most common problems we hear about in this forum have to do with connection issues.  Unlike many online game programs, SL demands a huge amount of bandwidth and can be very picky about having a stable connection and very low packet loss.  Residents who use wireless often have problems, and so do those who have older routers and modems.  Whatever computer you choose, think about those potential connection issues as well. 

[Paladin Pinion]

I'd go for the Pro if you can. For SL you really do need the extra processing power, and in general the graphics card is better. Get as much RAM as you can, that makes a big difference too.