MacBook Pro: Now Or Wait?

[mvelinder]

I'm currently a senior in high school and in the area of buying a new laptop for college. Currently, I have a Mac Mini - so I'm looking to switch over all with all of my computing on the MacBook Pro. I've read around a few similar threads about the MacBook Pro, but wanted to post a specific message about my dilemma.

Prior to the annoucement, I had just planned on buying a 15" Powerbook G4. I won't be using the MacBook Pro for any heavy editing or for that demanding of tasks, but my main problem is the possibility that something better will be released before I ship off to school in the fall.

I assume that there will be releases of 12" and 17" models of the MacBook Pro, but I prefer the middle-ground 15" anyway, so that won't be a problem. This also does seem to be the higher end model since it was released in place of the Powerbook and not the iBook.

Basically, I want to make sure this laptop will last me through college and into the professional world without any major setbacks like a huge release of an even faster and better notebook in the coming months.

The recent post on Cult of Mac about the apparent release of more things in the coming weeks really didn't help put my mind at ease about buying a MacBook Pro either.

I just want to put my mind at ease with this major purchase...

 

[thairs]

Re:

I'm currently a senior in high school and in the area of buying a new laptop for college. Currently, I have a Mac Mini - so I'm looking to switch over all with all of my computing on the MacBook Pro. I've read around a few similar threads about the MacBook Pro, but wanted to post a specific message about my dilemma.

Prior to the annoucement, I had just planned on buying a 15" Powerbook G4. I won't be using the MacBook Pro for any heavy editing or for that demanding of tasks, but my main problem is the possibility that something better will be released before I ship off to school in the fall.

I assume that there will be releases of 12" and 17" models of the MacBook Pro, but I prefer the middle-ground 15" anyway, so that won't be a problem. This also does seem to be the higher end model since it was released in place of the Powerbook and not the iBook.

Basically, I want to make sure this laptop will last me through college and into the professional world without any major setbacks like a huge release of an even faster and better notebook in the coming months.

The recent post on Cult of Mac about the apparent release of more things in the coming weeks really didn't help put my mind at ease about buying a MacBook Pro either.

I just want to put my mind at ease with this major purchase...

If you need the laptop right away, get it. If you can afford to wait, than wait.
I seriously doubt you'd be needing much more power than what the macbook pro provides, it should definitely suit you for a while. I'll end it with this, if you keep waiting for the next best thing, you'll be waiting forever.

 

[yankeefan24]

wait. my guess is that the macbook pro was a "test" for the intel. I think that soon, apple will redesign it or the ibook and make it a much better machine.

 

[Mike Teezie]

wait. my guess is that the macbook pro was a "test" for the intel. I think that soon, apple will redesign it or the ibook and make it a much better machine.

How so?

What could they add or take away to make a better machine?

 

[cliffrouse11bas]

I think go for it if you want it.

 

[pknz]

I say wait until ~March, this way you can get some user feedback about it and you can see if there are any small changes Apple may have made.
You are right, the Macbook Pro is the replacement for the top Apple laptops, hence no other Apple laptop will be better until they are upgraded.

 

[amac4me]

If you can ... wait.

I was playing with the new MacBook Pro at Macworld today and the Apple guy who was going over it with me indirectly hinted at other models down the pipeline.

He stated that the entire Powerbook line would be transitioned over to Intel, I took that to mean the 12" and the 17"

 

[skimaxpower]

Wait

I'd say wait. Presumably, you won't be needing the notebook for school until September. First run Apple product always have some kinks to get worked out. Give them a few months.

Also be sure to cash in on your educational discount - you'll save 10%

 

[generik]

Contrary to common belief, you do not need a laptop in Uni.

If you need to walk around school with your laptop trying to look like a million bucks (when you in fact have a million bucks worth of student loans to pay off) you are in the wrong course.

I've completed a degree in COMPUTER SCIENCE without the need for a laptop, far from it I find it a hassle generally. Real men FTP/SSH their files around anyway.

Your mac mini will perfectly suit your needs, just buy a 2nd LCD panel for your hostel and off you go.

 

[ortuno2k]

Yea I'm kind of in the same boat too...
I'd say wait 'till Rev B comes out if you can.
Then get the MacBook Pro; I think that's what I'm going to do.

 

[.Andy]

Real men FTP/SSH their files.

That'd make the most kickass tshirt.

 

[generik]

Anyway now that the first MacTel is out, I really look forward to this:
http://www.transgaming.com/products_mac.php

Once it goes gold, Cya Windows! Up yours Billy Boy!

 

[Dr. Dastardly]

That'd make the most kickass tshirt.

That would make the most kickass sig.

 

[sk1985]

I'd buy a current gen iBook and wait till Intel's Dothan chips come out. They'll have better battery life, more power, and come in larger screen sizes. I've read that future LCD prices are going to hit an all time low. It's been estimated that a 20 inch laptop screen (recently announced) will cost about the same amount as a high-end 17 inch screen. Expect notebook price to drop several hundred dollars. Seriously I'd wait it out.

Also these mactel machines are going to be the black sheep future hardware. Too man cool features (that the powerbooks had) were dropped with these first macbook pros.

 

[kwajaln]

my main problem is the possibility that something better will be released before I ship off to school in the fall.

Dude, seriously, this is NOT a problem!! I am not telling you to buy now, but if you did and a "better" model came 2 weeks/2 months/2 years later - who fu*king cares?!? As long as the Mac that you bought serves you well, which I think we all know a Mac Book Pro (dumb name) would, that's all that matters! Particularly in the electronics and computer arena, you simply CANNOT put off a purchase because of the "gonna be obsolete next Tuesday" phobia. Everything eventually becomes obsolete, but what matters is how happy you are with that product until that fateful day, if it ever comes . . . .

 

[generik]

Dude, seriously, this is NOT a problem!! I am not telling you to buy now, but if you did and a "better" model came 2 weeks/2 months/2 years later - who fu*king cares?!? As long as the Mac that you bought serves you well, which I think we all know a Mac Book Pro (dumb name) would, that's all that matters! Particularly in the electronics and computer arena, you simply CANNOT put off a purchase because of the "gonna be obsolete next Tuesday" phobia. Everything eventually becomes obsolete, but what matters is how happy you are with that product until that fateful day, if it ever comes . . . .

Erm, given that it was a Rev-A product that was still a prototype 3 weeks prior to MWSF, let's not get this boy here too excited and jumpy shall we? He probably doesn't know how hard it is to make money yet.

I'd say it is best to wait. And anyway, college != must get laptop, seriously it is dumb. Having to spend 3 years of my life staring at a tiny screen, unable to play games, not to mention the expensive premium on portability. If you are willing to work smart (carry USB thumb disks around, etc) you do not need a portable at all, in fact it'd be *even more* portable for you, plus you have a real computer at home to use to boot.

 

[oclor]

I'm in my sophomore year in college and i bought a laptop right before i headed off to college. Getting a laptop before going to college is a fad that needs to be stopped. You will most likely never need your laptop in school. I love my iBook, but i only use it at home. When i go to school, i sometimes take it but it doesn't matter since my library lends out laptops. We have iMacs that we can use there aswell. This MacBook Pro thing doesn't appeal to me at all. Its features seem rushed. I think apple will come out with some amazing iBooks in a month or so. If you buy this, you will see a huge upgrade to its design and power before you graduate. I guarantee that. My iBook's screen is cracked, and like 1/3 of it is black so it's pretty tough to see what i'm writing right now. My parents offered to buy me a MacBook Pro but i said no because i know apple will come out with something better. I say wait, or buy an iMac cause its much cheaper and also more powerful.

 

[redAPPLE]

How so?

What could they add or take away to make a better machine?

hmm. where do i start? add a modem. add firewire800. not use a infrared remote control. add one more firewire400 port...

 

[redAPPLE]

He stated that the entire Powerbook line would be transitioned over to Intel, I took that to mean the 12" and the 17"

well that's good news, isn't? the entire powerbook line would be transitioned over to intel. that is one rumor i would believe.

 

[ezekielrage_99]

The MacBook Pro looks pretty sweet, even though it's the first Intel Mac out I still think it would be a solid Apple product.

All I can if I have the cash I would be buying one

 

[drbrog]

I'd consider getting a used ibook to get through the next year or so. There hasn't been any software released for the intel macs yet so you'd have to run software with Rosetta. Let someone else be the guinea pig for that. Buy that intel mac in a year or two when the bugs have been ironed out.

 

[Abstract]

I was playing with the new MacBook Pro at Macworld today and the Apple guy who was going over it with me indirectly hinted at other models down the pipeline.

He stated that the entire Powerbook line would be transitioned over to Intel, I took that to mean the 12" and the 17"

He didn't "hint" at you. Other laptops getting the Intel chips is just common sense.

Don't worry, even if other models get the Intel chip, you're only interested in the 15" anyway.

Also, there might be an update to the 15" MacBook by next September, but who cares? You were gonna get a G4 PB, and now you're worried that the current MacBook won't be fast enough for you to check your po.......erm, "email??"

EDIT TO ADD: I have a PB for uni, and I don't know what I'd do without the portability, so it's not overrated to have a laptop for school. Some people make due without them, but if you don't have to make due without one, then just get it and the portability will be there when you need it.

 

[mvelinder]

So what kind of updates or upgrades would there possibly be in the coming 2-5 months or so?

Really, it might just boil down to me being satisfied with what I have... the MacBook Pro will likely do all I need it to and more without any problems. So I'll likly have to get over my 'not having the newest thing' phobia.

 

[ozone]

And anyway, college != must get laptop, seriously it is dumb. Having to spend 3 years of my life staring at a tiny screen, unable to play games, not to mention the expensive premium on portability. If you are willing to work smart (carry USB thumb disks around, etc) you do not need a portable at all, in fact it'd be *even more* portable for you, plus you have a real computer at home to use to boot.

generik and oclor are right. You don't NEED a laptop for college/university. Sure, it's NICE to have, but you don't NEED it unless you absolutely must have portable computing everywhere or if your future college absolutely lacks in computing services for students (some are awful admittedly).

Keep this mind... laptops are:
- easy to steal
- force you into generally poor ergonomic positions
- fragile
- heavy and/or bulky to haul around all day (sure, 5 lbs doesn't feel that much, but pack it with textbooks, lunch, and handouts, and it'll weigh you down - good laptop bags/backpacks themselves are a couple of pounds)

If you have a laptop, you're dragging all your files everywhere. You only end up using 10% of them at any one time, and if you lose them or forget to back up your data and it gets stolen, you're toast. Students constantly say how they want to use a laptop to type notes in class; forget it. Handwriting notes - which forces you to listen, synthesize, and only write down the key points - is far more effective. Typing is sometimes rude in a meeting situation unless you're appointed the secretary. I actually use a tablet which allows me to write in digital ink, but keep in mind that a 99 cent pad of paper will do what my $2000 machine does. Even better, you never have to boot up a piece of paper.

As for having the machine last you another 4 to 5 years until you're in the work force - doubtful. Whatever profession you end up in will likely require specialized software or hardware and you'll be looking to upgrade by then anyways, unless you only require web and word processing capabilities.

Yes, it is nice to have your own computer if you live on campus and it is helpful to have a laptop if you end up taking the train or bus on long commutes between home and campus during school breaks. But if you end up considering a laptop, think carefully. Video games are way, way, way overrated (you should be reading anyways) and you don't need to play them everywhere, and almost any current laptop will serve your needs. Unless you go into an unusual field or have specialized demands (e.g., computer animation), you'll likely never use your laptop in as many situations as you think you will.

 

[After G]

For the people who say college != must get laptop, I think it depends on your study habits. I had an eMac and I eventually had to get a laptop because I kept having projects with groups who would like to meet in places that weren't the computer lab, and I even told them "I don't have a laptop, let's meet in the computer lab." and it just got to the point where it was annoying, and I was more productive with a laptop.

You already have a computer; don't bother getting a laptop right now until you are at the "my computer is pissing me off, it's so damned slow" stage. By then, Apple will have come out with Rev B of the MBP or something even better, and you can smile until Apple takes the money from your credit card.