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I'm in a real pickle.

J

jshelton

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 4, 2008
528
8
I decided I want a bigger screen, so I posted my 13-inch MBP on eBay. I planned on getting the June release 2.53ghz 15-inch MBP. Well, I saw that the new chips may be implemented the beginning of next year.

I realize that we can't stay current with tech, but one or two months is different. If it was going to be 6 or 8 months, I would just go ahead and buy. I don't want to spend $1,600 on a new machine and a better one come out the very next month. That just wouldn't be logical. My eBay auction ends in two days and I am going to be without a computer.

Would it be dumb to get the low end iMac and play with it for a couple of months until the Arrandale chips are offered in the MBPs? What would the depreciation be on the 21.5 iMac with two months use? I just need some suggestions here.
 
You might be able to charge refurb price? You could bill it as "mint condition, saw temporary use, everything is still perfect!" if that was indeed the case.

I know if I was in the market for one, and I saw I could get it local on craigslist for refurb price, cash, and there weren't any dead pixels/crap like that, I'd totally get it.
 
kroeks said:
you could get a monitor for your macbook. which displays your macbook-desktop bigger
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I know that. But if you read the original post, my Macbook is being sold. I won't have a notebook to hook to an external monitor, which for the most part makes an external monitor useless.
 
jshelton said:
I know that. But if you read the original post, my Macbook is being sold. I won't have a notebook to hook to an external monitor, which for the most part makes an external monitor useless.
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Did you sell it already, as in someone has paid for it? If not, just pull the sale.

edit: What do you use your machine for? If it's just low-end stuff then I don't think you should bother selling it in the first place and buy an external monitor. If a faster processor will actually help you then that's a different story.
 
miles01110 said:
Did you sell it already, as in someone has paid for it? If not, just pull the sale.
Click to expand...

I guess I could pull the sale. My thing with external monitors is, I still have a screen that is too small when I am away from my desk (which is 50% of the time). It makes sense to have a larger screen regardless of where I use the computer, right?
 
Ending the auction is the easiest and least expensive option you have. Just send the current high bidder an email explaining that your circumstances have changed and the item is no longer for sale.
 
jshelton said:
I guess I could pull the sale. My thing with external monitors is, I still have a screen that is too small when I am away from my desk (which is 50% of the time). It makes sense to have a larger screen regardless of where I use the computer, right?
Click to expand...

Honestly you aren't in a pickle unless you allow it to be one. People are always chasing the next thing. If you need a bigger screen now get it. 3 or 4 months is a long time to be stressing and being upset about it and it seems 3 months minimum is when people expect some possible update.

You can always sell whatever you buy now...sure you will lose some but you always do on a used sale. If you buy now it's not like it will be obsolete in 3 months...you will get a long time out of whatever you choose and then you can worry about buying whatever is out 3 updates from now when the laptop you buy today goes off the rails. If whatever comes out in a few months has some change you just cannot live without due to work or something then sell the one you buy now and buy the update. Simple.
 
I guess you should've thought all this through before putting your MBP on eBay...

If you absolutely need to have the new MBP coming out in the first quarter of next year, cancel your listing on eBay now and live with the 13" MBP for 2-4 months. After all, the 13" screen isn't that bad, right? There is always the zoom-in option if you can't read text. Either that, or get glasses/contacts.

If you don't need to get the new MBP coming out next year, then keep your eBay listing and get a 15" MBP. The June 2009 MBPs are absolutely brilliant. I love my 13" and I'm sure the 15" is even better. At least you can sleep at night knowing that these MBPs are "tried and true," unlike the new MBPs that will have new and different chipsets which of course will come with problems. Those problems are unknown to us now... so no one knows how they will work out.

Two choices. It really is that easy.
 
jshelton said:
I guess it is. Good point about the "tried and true". I'm not gonna remove the listing. If the reserve is met, I'll sell and get the 15-inch now. If it doesn't, I'll wait until the update. Thanks errbody.
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Heck why stop at the 15", just jump right to the 17" model. I have the 17" and I love the 1080p screen!
 
uberamd said:
Heck why stop at the 15", just jump right to the 17" model. I have the 17" and I love the 1080p screen!
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I couldn't do it! I sold my Unibody Macbook and couldn't get larger than the 15". At that size it is really a hassle to carry I think. Granted, I take my computer off of my desk maybe twice a month, it is nice to have a smaller computer in the event that I do move it.

I would love for a cheaper Macbook Air to be released, or a smaller Macbook with more of a netbook footprint for tossing around my bag when I go to school. A $600 Apple netbook would be much less stressful to carry around all day than a $2200 laptop. :p

In anycase, I have the 15" Mid 2009 Macbook. It's great! Go for it. Got the highest model before the 17". Best machine I have ever owned.
 
mousouchop said:
In anycase, I have the 15" Mid 2009 Macbook. It's great! Go for it. Got the highest model before the 17". Best machine I have ever owned.
Click to expand...

Does it make sense to buy the 2.53ghz model? I don't need the power of the high end 15-inch, I just need more screen.
 
jshelton said:
Does it make sense to buy the 2.53ghz model? I don't need the power of the high end 15-inch, I just need more screen.
Click to expand...

That's what I did...I needed the bigger screen for my eyes. The processor of 2.53 over say 2.26 was secondary. I was glad to get 4GB RAM but would have done that upgrade anyway had it not been included.
 
harperjones99 said:
That's what I did...I needed the bigger screen for my eyes. The processor of 2.53 over say 2.26 was secondary. I was glad to get 4GB RAM but would have done that upgrade anyway had it not been included.
Click to expand...

So you have the 15-inch, 2.53ghz, 4GB, and 250GB HDD?
 
jshelton said:
So you have the 15-inch, 2.53ghz, 4GB, and 250GB HDD?
Click to expand...

Yep. I have some weird screen flicker thing going on but otherwise I like it. If it wasn't for that and the crap service I have gotten from Apple with a Time Capsule I would be without complaints.

If you get one without problems that works like it should it is a capable machine. For average use it's been more than enough spec-wise..and I do like OSX coming from a lifetime of Windows. I have to admit I was a bit worked up about the glass/glossy screen thing before buying but it has been a non issue. In fact now when I am in a shop and see the average laptops screen I feel they aren't so nice looking.
 
Just because intel is releasing the chips in January doesn't mean apple will have a laptop ready by then.
 
jshelton said:
Does it make sense to buy the 2.53ghz model? I don't need the power of the high end 15-inch, I just need more screen.
Click to expand...

Is that the middle of the line 15"? I would say at least spring for the mid-line one as it has dedicated graphics. The base model 15" MBP only has the integrated graphics (9400M).
 
maflynn said:
Just because intel is releasing the chips in January doesn't mean apple will have a laptop ready by then.
Click to expand...

Very true. How has it worked in the past? When were the Penryn chips released, and how long after until Apple had them in their machines?
 
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