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I've picked the worst time to be macless - buy MBP?

O

other

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 18, 2005
312
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I want a new mac. I've been macless since September last year (I sold my iBook because I thought the 12" PowerBook was going to be updated, and my warranty was running out). Waiting is getting annoying. The MacBook Pro is nice because of it's screen, but it's expensive. I could buy a MacBook (or what they're going to be called) when they're released, if they're any good. But I don't feel like waiting another two months for something that might be good. And if I were to buy a 13.3" MacBook, I might feel that the screen is too small. Buying an external display would obviously cost a lot, so maybe just getting a 15.4" MacBook Pro is smarter. Then I could have a good screen everywhere.

My concerns about the MacBook Pro are:
  • The price, but I can afford it
  • The issues, heat, whining
  • Somehow my timing is the worst possible. 801.11n is coming, and so is blu-ray, Leopard, 64bit CPUs. It's going to be more obsolete than ever in a few months.

Things which could be better than on a future MacBook:
  • Keyboard, if the MacBook will get a redesign, maybe the keyboard will be inferior, and not include any backlight
  • The screen, 15.4" is better than 13.3" anyway you look at it (for my needs, that is, I won't be moving it around that much)
  • Graphics card, though I'm not sure if I need it. I suppose gaming some could be fun.
  • I can't think right now, anyone want to help out?

I want a mac, and I want it now. What do I do? I feel like everyone is talking about how this is a bad time to buy a mac.
 
I'm in a similar boat. After checking the price trackers at PowerBook Central, I almost bought a MBP this weekend. I'm going to give it a few more months, though. Why not buy a super-cheap Mini on Ebay or refurbished and use that until the new laptops come out and/or the 1st gen MBP defects are cured? Then you could sell the Mini or use it as a server.
 
Reliablility: If you buy a MBP now, you are probably more likely to get one without any of the problems some people are seeing, but a MacBook may have some teething problems.

Screen size: you had a 12"er before, so you are not likely to feel constrained on a 13.3" sreen. I didn't think my 17" LCD monitor was too small until I started using a 20" LCD monitor at work.

64 bit CPU: I think it's unlikely that Apple will have 64 bit CPUs in their laptops any time soon. Perhaps in a year. Most people are going to be fine with 32bit CPUs.

Leopard: not for another year. And it'll cost just $129 as usual. And you should probably wait for 10.5.1 anyway.

Blu-ray: blu-ray is going to be a very expensive option for a couple of years yet.

Wireless-n: you'll likely be able to "upgrade" with a wireless ExpressCard or USB dongle.

Personally, unless you really need one now, and unless you need what the MPB gives you, I'd say wait.
 
sjshaw said:
I'm in a similar boat. After checking the price trackers at PowerBook Central, I almost bought a MBP this weekend. I'm going to give it a few more months, though. Why not buy a super-cheap Mini on Ebay or refurbished and use that until the new laptops come out and/or the 1st gen MBP defects are cured? Then you could sell the Mini or use it as a server.
Click to expand...

They don't sell refurbished computers over here, and the used market ain't that big either. Plus, I don't feel very comfortable buying from some random person. Who knows what they've done with their computer? I can't afford buying both, and selling is also kind of a hassle. I just want to buy a damn computer, then keep it forever. ;)

plinden said:
Screen size: you had a 12"er before, so you are not likely to feel constrained on a 13.3" sreen. I didn't think my 17" LCD monitor was too small until I started using a 20" LCD monitor at work.
Click to expand...

I realize that I could use the 13.3" screen without any big problems, the 15.4" would just be much more comfortable.
 
other said:
I just want to buy a damn computer, then keep it forever. ;)
Click to expand...

You live in the wrong times for that. :)

Buy my 12" PB G4 and keep it forever while I get a MBP and keep it 9 months before buying another. :)
 
To the OP: If you want or need a Mac buy the thing .. every 6 to 9 months the tech world does upgrades on there items .. i'd buy the MBP now if i had the cash on hand and be happy for 2 to 3 years :rolleyes: .. I'm on a 6 yr old system wit tiger etc.. and its doing what i do right now .. :eek: :eek:

So if you got the cash for the MBP buy it and be happy with it ..:rolleyes:

Quit the fussing on the MBP outdated scheme... the items Do get upgraded once in while ... even if blu-ray drives come out in next revision of MBP,you'll pay alot for that and discs will be limited for first couple months even when you can find them they'll(Blu-DVDs) will expensive as h*ll :eek: :eek:
 
waiting to buy something cuz it will get better is stupid,your'll be wating forever. buy when you need it and dont worry. The mbp is the best computer ever made and makes me very happy. I was once working on a movie at school and I turned around and everyone in the auditorium was right behind me watching me on my computer saying how tight it was and all. CHICKS dig this computer
 
Maybe I emphasized it a little too much, but I do think bigger upgrades than usual are about to come. This won't really keep me from purchasing, though. The main problem is really all the issues I hear that the MBP has. To be even more specific, I worry about the heat issue. I don't want a computer running so hot that it's uncomfortable, and possibly shortening the life of it. Also, I wonder a little about the future MacBook. If it's going to be anything worth having.

Right now, I hate Apple. Is it so damn difficult to release an upgrade of the 12" PowerBook, or a replacement model? (As I said, I really want the 15" model, but I'm still debating whether or not it's worth the money.) I've been waiting around seven months. Seven. I'm pretty pissed at Apple.
 
MBP all the way!

I wouldn't wait and I'd go with the MacBook Pro now if you think you'll benefit from it's enhanced features and overall performance gain. The awesome screen and the powerful GPU are features few laptops offer right now.

The new MacBook will obviously be an entry-level laptop computer, as the iBook was/is now, so don't expect it to have much more than what the Intel Mac Mini has now. I wouldn't be surprised to see a Core Solo and a pricier Core Duo configuration like Apple did with the Mini. Remember how long it took Apple to upgrade the iBook from the G3 processor to the G4? Almost all entry-level laptops right now have older Celeron M or Pentium M processors, so the MacBook wouldn't be too bad with his Core Solo/Duo configs.

I wouldn't worry too much about what's coming in the next few months. There's always "something better" coming out anyway, what's important is if it will really make a difference for you. For example :

- 801.11n : If you're using Wi-Fi for Web, 801.11G will be as fast as N anyway.
- Blu-Ray : Not a concern until mid-2007 at the earliest, Apple even dropped DL support from the MBP so I wouldn't worry about BD-ROM.
- Leopard : Sure looks cool, and it'll work just fine on a MBP.
- 64-bit CPUs : That's something interesting indeed, but it's not like if it will make the new 2007 MBP 50% faster than actual MBPs.

I don't think the 12" MBP (well smaller than 15") is too far away, nor is the 17" one. We will eventually see a smaller MBP imo. As for the issues, you shouldn't have much of a problem if you order now. Apple is shipping 1-2 days right now, so it's a much better time than it was with the pre-orders in january. The MBP does get hotter than my PB 12", but I'm not worried about it because laptop parts are made especially with heat/bumps hazards in mind. It is a quality product, just like all pro Apple laptops before.

If you want a laptop now, the MacBook Pro is a great buy. It's a brand-new product, and it'll give you a couple of years of great fun for sure. ;)
 
While I really like the convenience of having a portable, I tend to think
that too many people are buying complete desktop replacement portables
paying a tremendous premium for that portablity, when they would be better off with a great primary desktop and a simple laptop to cover only portable needs.

When I compare the prices between a properly configured 17" Core Duo iMac with 2 GB RAM against a comparable MacBook Pro, I simply can't justify the expense.

After seeing what happened to my daughter's beloved iBook after a fall from a table,
there's no way I would spend $3500 on a laptop.
They are just too fragile.

By the time you add in AppleCare and hazard insurance, this can get a bit crazy.

Even with good external back-ups, I wonder about the Wisdom of having your entire
life stored on a system this vulnerable to damage or theft.

If you absolutely must have a new computer before WWDC, I would
go for a 17" iMac, then pick up a mid level MacBook for the price difference once they are released.
 
take a look at the pb + link in my sig. Its for sale with a ton of accessories. Maybe that would/could hold you over un til macbooks roll out?\
-dsm
 
I don't want two computers. I'm going to use this laptop mostly at two different locations. Actually a 15" PowerBook is something I've thought about, but like I said, the used market isn't big (I don't live in USA/Canada). It's practically non-existant, and the few 15" PowerBooks up for sale aren't cheap enough compared to a MacBook Pro.

I'm probably going to wait until the MacBook is released, only to find out that it's not worth it. I would've abandoned Apple a long time ago if it weren't for OS X.
 
I just wanted to add, if I did buy a MacBook Pro, I would get a 10% student discount. I thought maybe that would add a dimension if I ever thought about selling it. Or something.

Give me a computer, Apple!
 
other said:
I just wanted to add, if I did buy a MacBook Pro, I would get a 10% student discount. I thought maybe that would add a dimension if I ever thought about selling it. Or something.

Give me a computer, Apple!
Click to expand...

I hate to tell ya but you're wrong... :D

For college students at least, it's a 20% discount!
 
bobber205 said:
I hate to tell ya but you're wrong... :D

For college students at least, it's a 20% discount!
Click to expand...

While I would like that, I'm only entitled to 10%.
 
FFTT said:
When I compare the prices between a properly configured 17" Core Duo iMac with 2 GB RAM against a comparable MacBook Pro, I simply can't justify the expense.

After seeing what happened to my daughter's beloved iBook after a fall from a table,
there's no way I would spend $3500 on a laptop.
They are just too fragile.

By the time you add in AppleCare and hazard insurance, this can get a bit crazy.

Even with good external back-ups, I wonder about the Wisdom of having your entire
life stored on a system this vulnerable to damage or theft.

If you absolutely must have a new computer before WWDC, I would
go for a 17" iMac, then pick up a mid level MacBook for the price difference once they are released.
Click to expand...


I understand your comparisons between a desktop and a laptop.. but I wonder what happens, if your iMac falls off the table? Thats a little silly don't you think? If you're careless, and you let your gear fall.. be it a laptop, a pda, etc etc.. thats not really a reason to not buy a laptop.

Sure a laptop is way more expensive than a desktop, but I'd love to see you working on an iMac on a flight.. :rolleyes: The MBP is more than enough justification for the price.

My powerbook *is* my desktop at home.. attached to a lcd monitor, an external array of drives.. etc. When I travel.. for business or leisure.. I cam still use it to edit music productions.. email, browsing, etc etc. I would gladly pay the price premium to have access to these features.. on the go.


To the original user who posted.. go ahead and buy the MBP. If you're thinking about buying it, just do it. I wasted 6-8 months contemplating on whether I should buy the nikon D-50 or not.. and when I finally bought it, I felt like crap! (too much money wasted, etc etc.. and im an amateur) However, now I am so glad that I made that decision to buy it.. no regrets.
 
Some people do actually need a full desktop replacement portable and they
generate enough income on the go to warrant the expense.

As a professional, you need the best tools available to handle your workload.

It's just that I also see numerous posts where light users would be better off
with an iBook or the upcoming MacBook.

Right now the G4 iBooks and PowerBooks are EOL, so it won't be long before
Apple offers a better selection of Intel based products.

If your world won't come to a grinding halt waiting 2 months, then I would try to hang in there untll the rest of the laptops are released.
 
FFTT said:
Right now the G4 iBooks and PowerBooks are EOL, so it won't be long before Apple offers a better selection of Intel based products.
Click to expand...

The 12" PowerBook was last updated in January 2005. I think that is ridiculous.

If your world won't come to a grinding halt waiting 2 months, then I would try to hang in there untll the rest of the laptops are released.
Click to expand...

I'll most likely do this. Though I think it's crap how Apple haven't been able to release an update or something for the 12" PowerBook.

I want a SuperDrive in the laptop I'm buying, and if Apple will limit itself to a 4x single layer model because of the MacBook Pro, I think they're retarded. But could they but a better DVD-burner in a consumer laptop, than in a professional one? I sure hope they do.

I might seem very negative, that's just because I've been waiting for so long.
 
FFTT said:
While I really like the convenience of having a portable, I tend to think
that too many people are buying complete desktop replacement portables
paying a tremendous premium for that portablity, when they would be better off with a great primary desktop and a simple laptop to cover only portable needs.
Click to expand...

It's a good idea. Problem is that Apple isn't selling a "simple laptop" yet. They need to upgrade the ibook, and to really justify having two computers they'd have to have something in the $799 range.
 
I'm pretty sure they'll offer a single core k-12 MacBook base unit for around that price
and an upgrade core duo model with at least as much kick as the upgraded mini for around $1000.

The unit I'm waiting for is the smaller MacBook Pro if it comes in at around
$1400.00
 
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