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Should I Get The MacBook Now?

kwabena

kwabena

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 8, 2006
59
0
Accra, Ghana
I need help on this one. I'm going back to School next week. I was expecting Pres. Jobs to announce something good about the MB. Since he didn't, I'm kinda confused as to getting one. What's happening to merom ? We need that upgrade. Should I purchase the Blackbook with with 2Ghz, 120Gb Hard Disk and 2Gb RAM ? Will it come close to Merom ? I use a powerbook and it's kinda slow now. Oh, and I plan of using it about a year or two. Should I wait for an upgrade ? Where are the expects ? Pls, help me out.. Thanks
 
I've always been under the impression that if you are using a Macbook (a lower end laptop of the Mac lineup) that Merom doesn't really have much more to offer than a speed boost. The current lineup is very fast and I don't see 64-bit processing being beneficial to those who have a Macbook (since they are mainly for browsing, listening to music, some video editing and photo editing).

IMO, I think you'd be just fine purchasing a Macbook right now unless you can wait until November or so.
 
i would buy it now, i have a base white Macbook with 1Gb, and shes been pretty solid. Compared to my windows box this has been a dream. The current macbooks are very quick, and i cant see 64 bit making too big a splash for most users.. So get the 2.0 blackbook with 2GB should fly, i say buy one and after 2 years you will get a good price for it and you can upgrade after merom gets settled in and really developed for.
 
You should just buy it. Whether or not a new Macbook is released, you'll still have a solid machine. Plus, technology is never permanent. You're always a day away from being obsolete, but it's not like the Macbook is going to stop working if a new chip is being placed in other ones.
 
I don't know why anyone was expecting upgrades of the consumer range at WWDC that never happens. As for buying a MacBook well if you need it for next week well of course you should buy it. With all this talk about Core 2 Duo I think people have forgetten how fast the Core Duo actually is.
 
If you need it... buy it now. The Macbook is still very nice in its current form, plus Apple products are notorious for holding their price - so re-sale later if neccessary shouldn't put you out of pocket too much.

Personally I'm holding out until Merom makes it into Macbooks, but I don't neccessarily need the laptop yet for Uni - computer labs at Uni are good enough for now :).
 
just get it now. The new merom chips won't make it into the MB for a lonnnggg while. And all it really offers is 64bit proccessing which is just totalllyyy just overhyped.
 
I'm waiting, but that's because I have that luxury. If you need the computer, get it now. Merom will only see a probably 20 percent increase in CPU dependant tasks. That means if you're not working on garageband or converting video you'll barely notice it. Just jump ship while you're still sane
 
i understand merom wont necessarily be a big speed improvement for people like me who just do the basic email/internet stuff. but my reason for waiting is that maybe the next chip will allow a cooler computer.

i come from the pc side and after using centrinos for the last few years im used to having a laptop i can actually use on my lap. i have yet to experience the macbook heat so thats really the biggest thing keeping me away from going mac.
 
I placed an order for a MacBook 2GHz 80GB HD yesterday and plan to up the RAM to 2GB in the coming months and I couldn't be happier. Of course, I haven't used it yet, I know that even if the MacBooks get updated (which I doubt they will because they are like, what, 2 months old?) I will still have a sweet portable machine that will last me quite some time and will only get faster as more apps become universal. :)
 
Caitlyn said:
l because they are like, what, 2 months old?)
Click to expand...

Its more like 3 months, next tuesday the macbooks would have been out for a quarter of a year
 
Caitlyn said:
Oh, alright. Well, still. They are fairly new machines.
Click to expand...

Yup, WAY newer than the iMacs and Mac Minis, which have yet to be updated.

In fact, they're the newest thing Apple's released, aside from the Mac Pro.
 
If you buy now through the edu store you are also entitled to a $179 rebate on most iPods. I was kind of hoping for an update before the September something date when the student offer expires, but if no update, nevermind, i'm going for the 30GB black ipod that will end up costing me $99 (to replace my heavy 1st gen 10Gb ipod).

yt
 
Unspeaked said:
Yup, WAY newer than the iMacs and Mac Minis, which have yet to be updated.

In fact, they're the newest thing Apple's released, aside from the Mac Pro.
Click to expand...

Im not starting anything, but arent they the most problematic of the current intel macs? this is first generation hardware so i'd guess the Macbook to be the first of those models to get a slight update.

It wouldnt be unreasonable to ask for one that runs cooler, doesn't moo and doesnt turn yellow. And also, when the Merom comes out for the MBP then there will be enough distinction between the two notebooks that they will consider a dedicated video option or superdrive as standard. I'm not saying they will do anything, i'm just saying a Macbook v.1.5 isnt that farfetched.
 
go to your apple store play around with the macbook you WONT be dissapointed they are a very very nice computer. pretty much like a portable iMac minus the graphics card (like that really matters).

very solid notebook, go and see for yourself!
 
Steve Has A Plan

Ok. This' what I think. The plan's to sell the MacBook to us, back to school peeps and then role out Merom. Perhaps not in MB but MBP. I like the design but everybody is talking about it running hot. Is it that hot ? hotter than the 12" PowerBook G4 ? And what about 64 bit ..... blah blah ? Will that affect Leopard if I install it in Spring 07 ? And I wish Steve will open an Apple Store for us, mac mamiacs in Ghana we could also give their products a try before getting them. I haven't regretted any Apple purchhase from hardware to software)including 3rd parties) to .Mac. Just don't wanna regret with this purchase. Thanks so far for your advice. I've found a home here.:)
 
people are acting like "WAIT FOR THIS WAIT FOR MERMON" whatever i say. do you know how fast the 1.83 dual core macbook is? very fast.

people that are purchasing a MACBOOK do NOT need MERMON. heck, they dont' even know what it is let alone be able to really tell a difference.

if all you want to do is wait so it will be know that you have a "mermon" notebook then heck wait your heart out. people are wasting their time waiting, wasting their time i say.

p.s. pssh i'm not going to buy a car right now, are you kidding me? i want the cars that they promised in the Jetson's where they can fly. Why would I buy a car that can drive on the ground?

why dont' u go to your local store and run the most crap you normally would run at the upper most level and see how this baby stacks up for you??

i mean heck, a year ago we were all riding on G4 POWERBOOKS and we could care less bc they LOOKED pretty and they were freaking slugs on power. but people still forked over $1500 for that ****.

c'mon now
 
mini.boss said:
Im not starting anything, but arent they the most problematic of the current intel macs? this is first generation hardware so i'd guess the Macbook to be the first of those models to get a slight update.
Click to expand...

Actually, I think the MBP are the most problematic.

Also, Apple has let notorious hardware problems go months and months and months without repair in the past (see: heat issues on original iMac G5).
 
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