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Am i crazy?

daneoni

daneoni

macrumors G4
Original poster
Mar 24, 2006
11,946
1,778
So i just got a refurb macbook (blackbook). Its great and even came with maximum RAM and maximum HDD (2GB & 120GB HDD FREE) and has yet to give me any issue, no shutdown, moo, whine (powerbrick buzzes though).

So whats the problem?...coming from a 15" the screen is significantly small and you can barely fit itunes on the display meaning i'll have to get an extra display which means an extra keyboard and mouse (more costs). Also the edges are definately sharp and i feel any slight movement will lead to cuts and for that reason i've been typing more on my PowerBook. It also absorbs fingerprint which is bad because i'm a clean freak (whitebook is not an option for me)

For this reason i'm considering returning it for a 17 MBP...but getting that significantly hampers my mobility as i'll be reluctant to carry it out. Also the MBP have more issues than the MacBook which means chances of getting a lemon are higher BUT i know i'll be more productive and happy with a pro machine.

But the macbook is such an amazing deal and i feel i'll be a fool to return it.

What do i do?
 
try and adjust to the sceen while you're on the go. get an external for when you're home i'd say.

this is where Expose and Desktop Managers can come in handy to make better use of the limited work space.
 
I'd live with it until you see the Rev. B MacBook Pros then make your mind up. With those specs you'll get a great second hand price for the MacBook.
 
daneoni said:
So i just got a refurb macbook (blackbook). Its great and even came with maximum RAM and maximum HDD (2GB & 120GB HDD FREE) and has yet to give me any issue, no shutdown, moo, whine (powerbrick buzzes though).

So whats the problem?...coming from a 15" the screen is significantly small and you can barely fit itunes on the display meaning i'll have to get an extra display which means an extra keyboard and mouse (more costs). Also the edges are definately sharp and i feel any slight movement will lead to cuts and for that reason i've been typing more on my PowerBook. It also absorbs fingerprint which is bad because i'm a clean freak (whitebook is not an option for me)

For this reason i'm considering returning it for a 17 MBP...but getting that significantly hampers my mobility as i'll be reluctant to carry it out. Also the MBP have more issues than the MacBook which means chances of getting a lemon are higher BUT i know i'll be more productive and happy with a pro machine.

But the macbook is such an amazing deal and i feel i'll be a fool to return it.

What do i do?
Click to expand...

Just get the external display, get the 20" one you should be good to.
 
why would you go from a 13" MB to a 17" MBP? why not get a 15" MBP? also, an external display is a good option.

you may have gotten the MB for a good price, but if you're not getting everything you want from it, is it really that good?
 
Hector said:
what res was your old 15" screen?
Click to expand...

1440 x 960

An external display sounds good. Might do that but'll have to spring for a mini DVI cable plus theres a possiblity the almighty GMA 950 won't even drive the 20" properly. The reason i'm skipping a 15" is simply because of the issues surrounding it and the price difference for me between a 15 and 17 is 100 bucks its a no brainer since i get an extra USB, firewire 800, screan estate and dual layer burner (all of which i use).

Thanx for all the replies thus far, much appreciated.
 
TBi said:
And it comes with a free annoying whining sound!
Click to expand...

Now that is funny.

Act now and they will even throw in an easy shut down! No need to close programs, you dont even need to save. It just shuts down.
 
The blackbook was a good price bu if you aren't using it, is there any point in having it?? If you are not using it but think that you will use the MBP, then get that but hold out until after WWDC.
 
I use my Macbook with a Bluetooth keyboard and 20" widescreen dell monitor and have no problems with it. I use it in clam shell mode at the moment but it also works in dual screen mode with no slowdown.

You wouldn't dare try a game on it but for normal every day work it's perfect... apart from having to connect everything up everytime I want to use it as a desktop.
 
I'd say do what you feel is best.

I would just like to say it doesn't make sense to keep a deal you aren't going to use. If you really like the MBP that much more, just sell the Macbook at nearer to retail (so you don't feel gypped) and get an MBP.
 
Well wait for the next generation of MBP at least. Hopefully the non whining generation :)
 
daneoni said:
An external display sounds good. Might do that but'll have to spring for a mini DVI cable plus theres a possiblity the almighty GMA 950 won't even drive the 20" properly.
Click to expand...


Mine runs my 23" display fine. I use my blackbook with that screen at home, and use the laptop on the go. No problems. I haven't tried any games yet on the big screen…
 
daneoni said:
So i just got a refurb macbook (blackbook). Its great and even came with maximum RAM and maximum HDD (2GB & 120GB HDD FREE) and has yet to give me any issue, no shutdown, moo, whine (powerbrick buzzes though).
Click to expand...

How much did you spend on a fully loaded refurb black book? Why did they throw that RAM and hard drive in for free?
 
yankeefan24 said:
Mine runs my 23" display fine. I use my blackbook with that screen at home, and use the laptop on the go. No problems. I haven't tried any games yet on the big screen…
Click to expand...

I'm thinking of buy and macbook then buying an external monitor, maybe the 23"ACD, can you run ur display in max resolution, without slow downs??
 
BeefUK said:
I'm thinking of buy and macbook then buying an external monitor, maybe the 23"ACD, can you run ur display in max resolution, without slow downs??
Click to expand...

I'd say it would handle it no problem. It's only 2D, not 3D. Plus a lot of people run the Mac Mini with a 23" screen and the MacBook has exactly the same hardware.
 
BeefUK said:
I'm thinking of buy and macbook then buying an external monitor, maybe the 23"ACD, can you run ur display in max resolution, without slow downs??
Click to expand...

It runs fine, as I said, I have not tried games under Tiger, under Windows some older games run fine (haven't tried newer ones), and with the basic OS, iPhoto, and such, it runs fine. It runs DVDs well. I have never had a slow down.

I also got my display "refreshed" from a B&M Apple store for the same price as the 20". Try to see if you can do that.
 
Try playing around with the settings, make the icons smaller, the dock smaller, and some text smaller as well. You got about 400 dollars in free upgrades, I wouldn't nix it unless you absolutely had to.

Assuming you were going to upgrade it anyway, you have 400 dollars to work with.

You can pick up a 17" LCD display from rosewill for 240 - http://www.rosewill.com/product/product.aspx?productId=35

You can pick up a bluetooth mighty mouse for 70

That means that you have 90 dollars to buy a keyboard, and you can pick up a keyboard for significantly less than that as well.

Throw in the mini dvi to vga adapter for 20 bucks or so, take that from the extra keyboard money you have.

Even after that's all said and done, that puts the total money put into your macbook at 1700. Price of a refurbished 17" MBP - $2400.

With the MacBook, you also have the added bonus of being able to take it places when you need to, so you have the portability of a smaller computer along with the productivity of a larger display. You could even run it in dual-screen mode or whatever, keeping iTunes on the MB and everything else on your other display.

With the MBP, you run the risk of a lemon, and may have the productivity, but you also lose a lot of the portability. Forget about taking it on planes.

Even if you went down to 15" and 1.83 ghz (the cheapest refurb you could go to) it's only about $150 cheaper, and you don't have as large a screen, or the versatility of excellent portability or productivity (plus the lemon factor).

As to the edges, they kind of bother me too, but they won't cut you, and if it's really annoying to you just put something on the edges then, like a cut up mouse pad or something.

If you're worried about fingerprints, get a bottle of iKlear or something. Or even just a damp paper towel would do it.

Honestly, you have a good thing going and I hope i showed you how the extra cost isn't so extra.
 
macdaddy121 said:
How much did you spend on a fully loaded refurb black book? Why did they throw that RAM and hard drive in for free?
Click to expand...

they didin't "throw it in", the refurbed blackbooks go for about 1300 flat rate, and sometimes you get extra goodies thrown in by people who upgraded their macs either BTO or themselves, so the refurbished sector is kind of a lottery - sometimes you get lucky and get maxed specs and sometimes you just get the stock model. When they get a macbook back with 2 gb RAM and 120 hard drive, they're going to be fixing the computer, why spend extra money downgrading it when it's cheaper to keep it in and give a nice surprise to people who buy refurbed?
 
JurgenWigg said:
they didin't "throw it in", the refurbed blackbooks go for about 1300 flat rate, and sometimes you get extra goodies thrown in by people who upgraded their macs either BTO or themselves, so the refurbished sector is kind of a lottery - sometimes you get lucky and get maxed specs and sometimes you just get the stock model. When they get a macbook back with 2 gb RAM and 120 hard drive, they're going to be fixing the computer, why spend extra money downgrading it when it's cheaper to keep it in and give a nice surprise to people who buy refurbed?
Click to expand...

Well said. They didnt throw it in its the previous buyer who did the upgrade. It is like winning the lottery except the chances are significantly better (i've been lucky twice)
 
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