In fact, if I were buying a MacBook Pro this year, I'd be fine with the Core i5. Although I typically lust after -- and often buy -- the fastest processor available, this time around I'd opt for the low-end 15-incher instead of the high-end model and use the $400 I'd save to buy an SSD drive.

I've been an SSD convert ever since ; that's why I installed one in the MacBook Pro I bought last summer. It feels just as supercharged now as it did last summer. I've had zero problems with the drive or the laptop itself. In fact, it's been the best laptop I've ever owned, and over the years, I've had several.

When it comes to SSD options for the 15-in. MacBook Pro, Apple gives you three ways to spend money: You can go lean and get a 128GB SSD for $300, go extravagant with a 256GB SSD for $750, or go money-is-no-object outrageous with the 512GB SSD for $1,400. Going all out would boost the price of this $1,799 laptop to $3,199, which is almost 44% more. Since I don't need a lot of room for data, the 128GB drive works fine for me.

Put simply: Any of these Core-based MacBook Pros would be a screamer with an SSD.