MacBook Pro: Now Or Wait?

[erkanasu]

While I agree that laptops are def not required for college( im a junior biochem student) they sure are nice to have. Heres why,

- Sometimes its really hard to study your dorm/appartment while on your computer with all the freaking crazy loud **** going on around you, sometimes its a must to get out and head down to the library or coffee shop to get away from the racket.

- On campus computers are sometimes a pain in the butt when you want to get **** done. for instance, sometimes you have to wait in a line to use them, and secondanly, they are not personalized and you dont have your own "privacy"

- GROUP PROJECTS, its nice to be the guy in the group with the nice laptop running the show in a group project, you then are the leader and dont rely on anyone else.

thats my experinece at ASU

 

[0s and 1s]

I placed an order for the MacBookPro minutes after the Apple store was online again. It only took me a matter of days before I realized that it is simply overkill for what I need. I'm a CIS/Management double major and I mainly use a computer for iTunes, internet, word processing, and very light iPhoto work.

WHY would I need a laptop as fast as the MBP for my needs? I don't, so I canceled the order and purchased a brand new 12" iBook for $720.

The MBP is suited for a professional, and I, am NOT a professional....yet!

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.

This is an interesting comment. I use my laptop to type notes because I obviously type faster than I write. In regards to your reasoning to handwriting notes, I have to disagree. If anything, I write down more of what the teacher has to say, and in turn, helps me to grasp the concept efficiently. I'm quiet on the keys, which can't be said to the vast majority of laptop owners in classrooms, who try to tap as loud as they can to impress others with their "3000 WPM" skills, nunchuck skills, and bow hunting skills.

 

[mvelinder]

A laptop is not required for the first three years at the university I'm looking to go to, but after that I will need a laptop and a palm pilot.

So really I'm looking to get it now and not have to worry about upgrading it for 5-8 years.

I hope the MacBook Pro will fit the bill.

 

[weldon]

I would definitely vote to wait. Two main reasons...

* You'll get the education price when you enroll
* There will be more choices in laptops in the Fall (more MacBooks and new iBooks)

 

[512ke]

OK, so you're thinking about spending $2500 on a new 'book.

Here's a concept for you:

Split the money in half. Use half of it to buy an iBook (either now or in March).

Invest the other half. Personally I'd buy Apple stock. I think it's about to split.

If that's too risky for you, then try a mutual fund, liquid CD or money market. That will give you at least 3% growth/year.

Let your money grow while you enjoy your iBook. When you're ready for a new machine, you'll have money to get it.

 

[Abstract]

So really I'm looking to get it now and not have to worry about upgrading it for 5-8 years.

I hope the MacBook Pro will fit the bill.

You sir are flippin' mad.

8 years ago if someone told me that I was gonna take nice looking photos using the camera that comes pre-installed on mobile phones, I would have told you that you were crazy.

What you just said is even more crazy. Tech changes quickly, and I doubt it would be worth your time or several hundred dollars to repair or replace broken, worn down parts on a 5-8 year old laptop.

And yes, consider the "split the money in half and get an iBook" advice just given above. It's actually not bad. People buy PowerBooks and expect them to last 4-5 years. Why not just get an iBook, which isn't very slow for almost all tasks (especially for students), and in 2-2.5 years time, get a new iBook, which will probably be so fast at the time that it would whoop your MBP's ass in terms of speed and capabilities.

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).

I use my laptop for 4-8 hours a day while at my university, and I don't even have lectures. I like being able to access all my Mozilla bookmarks (I have 100s of bookmarks pertaining only to my research topic), all my experimental data, addess book, and even my photos and music anytime I want.

I also like being able to work anywhere I want, since I can never concentrate at home. As someone who went through his entire 4 year undergraduate program without a laptop (they sucked at the time anyway), and getting a laptop to use in my Masters and PhD program, I can clearly see the many benefits of having one. I have 7 years of university experience to back up my opinion, and could never go back to having a desktop right now.

 

[supersalzme]

I can't imagine NOT having a laptop for college. It was THE best purchase I have made for college, and can't even think about what it would be like without one. Once I live off campus next year, it will make it that much more needed to have a computer I can take back and forth to school. Wether you get one now, or later, it's the best investment for college I think you can make.

 

[osustudent]

OK, so you're thinking about spending $2500 on a new 'book.

Here's a concept for you:

Split the money in half. Use half of it to buy an iBook (either now or in March).

Invest the other half. Personally I'd buy Apple stock. I think it's about to split.

If that's too risky for you, then try a mutual fund, liquid CD or money market. That will give you at least 3% growth/year.

Let your money grow while you enjoy your iBook. When you're ready for a
new machine, you'll have money to get it.

This is the best idea I've seen in awhile.

With this being the 4th year at Ohio State, I'm mixed with the laptop idea. I personally have a 4 year old Gateway desktop, and an old P-II laptop. For some classes, having the laptop to take notes works. Others, it doesn't. And, while its not the quickest thing in the world, the old laptop gets the job done in class. For how much longer, though, who knows. Point being: speed is great, but you don't need the fastest thing in the world to type notes.

Since you already have a computer, I wouldn't shell out $2500 for the MBP, period. Since you have the luxury of time, you can wait until August to buy a new iBook (or whatever they name it), OR, even buy a new G4 Powerbook for cheap.

Seriously, while laptops at college may be slightly overrated, they are somewhat useful. It depends on the person and your major. But, you really don't need a top of the line computer at college.

 

[ozone]

This is an interesting comment. I use my laptop to type notes because I obviously type faster than I write. In regards to your reasoning to handwriting notes, I have to disagree. If anything, I write down more of what the teacher has to say, and in turn, helps me to grasp the concept efficiently.

Well, to each their own. I still disagree. I was hooked on portable keyboards, small WinCE devices for typing, etc. because I too type far faster than I write. I used them in meetings, in conferences, at seminars, etc. I found my typewritten notes are far less effective and even worse, do not allow me to me to make diagrams, make flow charts, make quick tables, etc. I've written down so much that it all seems important. Word processing my notes on the fly means I worry about formatting. I was a very good student and many of my peers wanted my notes because I did write down what the prof said, but at key points. I'm a prof now and I want to see my students paying attention, but I also want them to be able to pick through what's what is relevant and what is not. I believe it's the (recollection + your interpretation) that makes for good notes, and I find that's easier when writing by hand because typewritten notes almost lead you to try to write everything verbatim.

I also like being able to work anywhere I want, since I can never concentrate at home. As someone who went through his entire 4 year undergraduate program without a laptop (they sucked at the time anyway), and getting a laptop to use in my Masters and PhD program, I can clearly see the many benefits of having one. I have 7 years of university experience to back up my opinion, and could never go back to having a desktop right now.

Hey Abstract... you helped me out a lot in the past on this forum. I can't disagree with what you're saying. A laptop has many benefits. However, what I'm trying to get across is that many think there is this desparate and absolute NEED for a laptop. Like you, I was in university for many years - 11 - and now I'm a professor (for the last 4 years). I find that technology has its place and mighty convenient, but I find many of the younger students have misplaced notions about why and how technology should be used to assist them in their studies. Even now I sometimes wrestle with how to best use my tablet and occasionally wonder if being highly mobile has really helped me in my work, or just simply made me think I am.

 

[matperk]

* You'll get the education price when you enroll

As long as you're accepted to a school, you can get the educational discount. That's what I did and I bought a MBP for college.

I got the top of the line model, because I don't plan to buy another computer until I get out of school, and considering I do a lot of work with videos, I figured it couldn't hurt to pay for performance.

I just don't get some people. All the griping for upgrades, and when a major upgrade comes...what happens? people endlessly complain. No one even has any of these things yet. When you do, and you find something wrong...fine. Go ahead and whine. Until then, pretend like it wasn't released and whine about wanting an intel mac like you all were before.

 

[bursty]

so I canceled the order and purchased a brand new 12" iBook for $720.

How did you get it for $720? With my edu discount, it was $950.

 

[mvelinder]

Only more professional apps like Final Cut Pro or Photoshop would be temporarily affected by the Intel switch though right?

Wouldn't it be safe to get the MBP now if it's only going to be used for fairly basic tasks? Because wouldn't the updates in coming months simply be on those non-native applications?

I'm no professional. Do I need to worry?

 

[MRU]

Only more professional apps like Final Cut Pro or Photoshop would be temporarily affected by the Intel switch though right?

Wouldn't it be safe to get the MBP now if it's only going to be used for fairly basic tasks? Because wouldn't the updates in coming months simply be on those non-native applications?

I'm no professional. Do I need to worry?

No need to worry at all.

Office is meant to fly even with Rosetta. All iLife apps are univesal and internet browsing is meant to be super fast with the intels, even faster than the Quad.. What ever they've done to Safari, i hope they release a faster version for the PPC.

Bit for pro's - even the first batch of Photoshop tests look very promising using Rosetta let alone when it goes to full universal (probably when CS3 is released) and Final Cut is out in March anyway.

 

[technicolor]

You dont even have to be enrolled in school to get the education discount, if you buy online. You can just go in the education store, pick a school, and buy. Many ppl i know not in school did that for their ipods.

 

[revenuee]

i'm waiting for the rev b's, i'm taking a year off next year between finishing my B.A and starting my B.F.A and i want to travel so a desktop is just not suiting my needs anymore and i want to have a computer on the road to process all my RAW images so a Rev B. MacPro Intel loaded with aperture is going to be ideal.

if you are just going to school .. a laptop is NICE to have if you are spending a lot of time during the day in school.

but at the same time i like to disconnect from the world on once in a while.


also ... Rev A. can be buggy, particularly since apple has completely changed hardware architecture

you did mention you want it for when you go to school ... the EDU discount is a god send when buying equipment, use that when you get to school; rather then buying now. You mentioned you have a mini, if it does everything you need it to do for now? why not wait? i'm impulsive too and pulled out my credit card to make the order. But logic sunk in and a course of action presented itself.

 

[mvelinder]

Look like I'll wait few weeks after they start shipping to gauge the buzz and reviews.

Seems like the best plan of action at this point. Eventhough I likely wouldn't see any problems with the tasks I'd be using it for - I think I'll sit on my hands to make sure it's what I need.

 

[Mord]

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.

or you could use a laptop as and when you need it and not care what people think of you, thats what i've done over the last two years of sixth form (i'm 17) and it's been great, i have a record on hand of all my work done in the last two years, people are always too conservative in their use of their laptops

 

[mvelinder]

Also, should I throw in AppleCare on the order?

I never bought it for my Mini - and I haven't had any problems with that one, so would it be worth it for my MacBook Pro?

 

[matperk]

Also, should I throw in AppleCare on the order?

I never bought it for my Mini - and I haven't had any problems with that one, so would it be worth it for my MacBook Pro?

I always get them on laptops. They move around too much and have a much higher chance of failure. We bought a windows laptop a few years ago, and we just kept having problem after problem. We're on our third laptop (each upgraded in features because prices dropped) and we haven't put in a penny more.

Apple support is reallly good too. They'll basically fix anything quickly.

 

[MacsomJRR]

I started college with a desktop but only used it for a little less than a year before "upgrading" to a laptop (best decision I ever made in my computing career). IMO unless you are a hardcore power nut there is NO need to ever even think about purchasing a desktop PC. I could go on and list ten gazillion reasons as to why this is the case but you've heard them before.

Also, why is everyone so scared of the first release? How many seriously terrible issues are there with first releases? If you ask me it's all just urban computing legends...

I'll be getting a MacBook Pro in the first month or two.

 

[cwedl]

I personally wait for 2nd revisions, that way any problems discovered by people in the 1st version can be fixed.

 

[matperk]

Also, why is everyone so scared of the first release? How many seriously terrible issues are there with first releases? If you ask me it's all just urban computing legends...

agreed, and even if there are issues, apple will fix them. They're not going to soil their name by releasing a product with a bunch of bugs, because they're known for good products, and they even if they had issues, they wouldn't let them go unrepaired in the computers of people who have them, because 1 - that's just bad business, and they dont' want any possiblity of people complaining a lot.

oh wait, people are already complaining, and they haven't shipped.

 

[Bern]

.... Also, why is everyone so scared of the first release? How many seriously terrible issues are there with first releases? If you ask me it's all just urban computing legends...

I guess it's not so much about being scared of a buggy system, but the more than likely event that a much improved model will appear in less than a year. This has been the trend with Apple for a long time. It's almost as if they send it out to see what the consumer response is and then make necessary improvements based on that... which actually is not a bad thing to do.

 

[tveric]

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.

Not to get off topic, but this argument has always seemed like kind of urban legend BS to me - I waited for the Rev. B PowerMacs and they had all kinds of problems with the fans ramping up to super-speed and thusly the CPUs putting themselves to sleep at random times - finally fixed by a firmware update. There's no reason to believe the Rev. B will consistently be better than the A's, and in some cases, like mine, the Rev. B actually had MORE problems.

 

[direzz]

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.

ughhh i have that phobia, and i dont even own a mac.. but i really want the mac book pro and i just kno i will die if come april a new product comes out that is so much better or whatever.

plus i can buy a pc labtop with 1.8 ghz for 1500

the mac book pro is 2299. but i honesltly want the macbook pro.

its just a roller coaster of confusion for me.

anyways.. im waitning untill next quarter just to play it safe.