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So, essentially, it's $300 difference between BB and MBP

S

sstern1

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 24, 2004
76
0
As a student I qualify for the discount and in upping the blackbook's ram to 2GB the difference is essentally $300.

The student discount is greater for the MBP ($200 instead of $100 for the BlackBook).

My parents are paying for half of but I'm still on the fence. I could also sell the Nano that comes with it. But, I can't shake the question: Do I really need the MBP for three years of law school? My GF argues that I should get the MBP because it's probably the last computer I'll buy for a while, assuming I get a good job that will actually, you know, have computers there. But portability is a big deal for me as a student. And the keyboard is also a big deal. I have a feeling I'll be staring at this thing A LOT and typing A LOT.

Just needed to vent. Post thoughts if necessary.
 
MBP dude you won't regret it

I thought about the macbook vs. macbook pro for a while. Then I figured, what the hell and I bought a MBP. You'll never look back man. Get yourself a free printer while you're at it.
 
I am a 3L. Trust me, get the MBP. That extra resolution comes in handy when doing legal research, making outlines, etc.

Trust me, spend the $300 and get the MBP. My wife has a MB (she is not in law school), and I have a MBP on order. Trust me, get the MBP - that extra resolution is worth it.
 
my opinion on this is to get a MB. It has a nicer keyboard and it is more compact and lighter to be luging around. If you do get a MB get a $60 hard case. It keeps th screen from getting squished and it protects from scratches. It is well worth the investment and it will keep you MB safe all the years you'll have it. Also this is an essential program that makes a better use of the little remote that comes with your MB or MBP. It is called ialertU. Since the zip file is too big heres the link.http://mac.softpedia.com/progDownload/iAlertU-Download-17574.html
contact me if you want to know how to use it.:) :) :)
 
Any benefit to buying it from the store as opposed to online? I want to get the Matte screen if I go with the MBP
 
Had my macbook for about 3-4 weeks now, loving it, best computer I've ever had, the keyboard and display is great. But without a shdow of doubt I'd take a MBP over it any day, I love my MB and it suits me perfectly but the MBP is just a bigger better version.
 
I'd spend the extra money

I did my first two years of law school with a 15.4 VAIO - which I chose specifically for its size/thin profile/weight. It may not have been as portable as something smaller, but it was never a problem and I never regretted having the extra screen size for class, essays and the lovely summary editing/formatting.

I was again faced with a choice just last week when deciding between the MB and MBP (my VAIO was stolen). The financial decision was similar - do I pay the extra $2-300 for the larger screen and a more powerful machine, and live with the larger size. And again, I opted for the bigger screen (and more power). This decision was a little tougher given the QC problems discussed on this board. But I don't think I"ll have any regrets. You end up having a bag for the laptop anyway, and an extra pound or so and a few inches just doesn't make that big of a difference when going from home-library-class.
 
I was in the exact same situation you are last week. My current computer is an iBook G4 that I've had for going on 3 years, and I was in a position to upgrade this year.

With my student discount I broke down as you did and figured it was a $300 difference after I upgraded the RAM in the black MacBook, and/or upgraded the HD in the MacBook Pro to 160GB.

Last Monday, I broke down and bought a black MacBook with the "free" (after mail-in rebate) iPod nano. But after using it for a few days, I started regretting my decision. $300 is peanuts in the longrun, especially if you plan on keeping a computer as long as I do. I knew that I'd appreciate the larger screen and better internals in the MacBook Pro. The aesthetic appeals of both product lines are subjective, but I also find those of the MacBook Pro more to my liking both in hand and from a distance.

Needless to say, Thursday morning I returned the MacBook and iPod nano, got the entire total of that purchase shifted onto an Apple Gift Card, walked to one of the MacBook Pro's on display, and ordered a MacBook Pro! It should hopefully ship before Friday.

I really don't think you'll have any regrets a year or two from now about ordering the MacBook Pro, but you might find yourself feeling a little cramped or more pressed to upgrade sooner if you just got the MacBook, as nice as they are.
 
You can also save even more money by going the ADC route.

Price under EDU - MB Black, 2 gb ram - $1557
Price under ADC - MB Black, 2 gb ram - $1507
Price under EDU - MBP 2.2, 160 gb 5400 HDD - $1866
Price under ADC - MBP 2.2, 160 gb 5400 HDD - $1659

Keep in mind, ADC Student membership costs an additional $99 - not factored in above ADC prices. But you get free copy of Leopard ($69 in EDU store otherwise) as ADC member, and you CANNOT have take advantage of the free iPod Nano promotion.

Something to think about.
 
Gandhi said:
You can also save even more money by going the ADC route.

Price under EDU - MB Black, 2 gb ram - $1557
Price under ADC - MB Black, 2 gb ram - $1507
Price under EDU - MBP 2.2, 160 gb 5400 HDD - $1866
Price under ADC - MBP 2.2, 160 gb 5400 HDD - $1659

Keep in mind, ADC Student membership costs $99. But you get free copy of Leopard ($69 in EDU store otherwise) as ADC member, and you CANNOT have take advantage of the free iPod Nano promotion.

Something to think about.
Click to expand...

so basically u save $100 more going adc route....i like the .edu discount
 
jayeskreezy said:
so basically u save $100 more going adc route....i like the .edu discount
Click to expand...

Actually, no. The comparison here would be between the EDU MB Black, and the ADC MBP 2.2. The price difference there is $102 (plus $99 for ADC membership). But you get a copy of Leopard for free (otherwise costs $69 in EDU store), so the real price difference between the two comes out to $132. For $132 more, the MBP 2.2 is definitely the better deal.

Of course, all this assumes OP is not interested in the getting the free iPod Nano. If OP wants the free iPod, EDU would be the better option overall.
 
Gandhi said:
Of course, all this assumes OP is not interested in the getting the free iPod Nano. If OP wants the free iPod, EDU would be the better option overall.
Click to expand...

Which is a big assumption, in that the OP can sell the Nano to a friend and get even more money off the cost of his purchase, like I did. I bought the 2.4GHz MBP with a $200 nano and then resold the Nano brand new for $180 the next day. So after the EDU discount and the Nano sale, I basically paid $2120 for a $2500 laptop :)
 
kingofkolt said:
Which is a big assumption, in that the OP can sell the Nano to a friend and get even more money off the cost of his purchase, like I did. I bought the 2.4GHz MBP with a $200 nano and then resold the Nano brand new for $180 the next day. So after the EDU discount and the Nano sale, I basically paid $2120 for a $2500 laptop :)
Click to expand...

Was that 15" MBP 2.4 with the stock HDD or the 7200 rpm HDD? I have a 15" 2.4 MBP w/ 7200 rpm HDD on order, and I paid $2119 :) Of course, I did have to pay $99 for ADC membership, but I get a free copy of Leopard soon after it is released :D
 
I had never looked into the ADC one-time discount. I really could care less about the Nano. Only problem with getting a new copy of leopard is that I'm not sure the law school software would run on it.
 
sstern1 said:
I had never looked into the ADC one-time discount. I really could care less about the Nano. Only problem with getting a new copy of leopard is that I'm not sure the law school software would run on it.
Click to expand...

People still run OS9 software on 10.4, what would your problem be?

Seriously, Leopord is still OSX. Its the same OS, its just .1 different: 10.4 -> 10.5
 
Yea I guess you're right. I think I will do the ADC thing. Very interesting. Anyone have any hangups associated with ordering your computer through ADC?
 
sstern1 said:
Yea I guess you're right. I think I will do the ADC thing. Very interesting. Anyone have any hangups associated with ordering your computer through ADC?
Click to expand...

Just because you get a free copy of Leopard does not mean you have to install it right away ;)

No problems ordering from ADC. In fact, i would say that since you are a "developer" they treat you a little nicer and respect.
 
One more vote here for the MBP. I have the previous generation (2.2 Ghz, 2GB RAM, non-Santa Rosa) and I LOVE it :) It's night and day different from the MB, in my opinion. Just feels like a whole different machine. You won't regret it :)
 
Get the MBP. While the blackbook is nice and smaller, the MBP performs better in many aspects and for that small price difference it is surely worth the cost.
 
ADC Question

Does the student ADC membership ensure that you'll get a copy of leapord when it comes out? Becuase it's not completely clear on the page. According to the page you get:

* Mac OS X and Xcode Tools
* 1 ADC Hardware Discount
* ADC Monthly Mailing

Does the Mac OS X mean literally "you'll get leapord when it comes out?"
 
You will get a copy of Leopard. You may have to wait a month or so after it is released to the masses, but you will get a copy of Leopard.
 
There are rather a lot of threads about this (MB versus MBP and what laptop to get for law school already) - you'll have no trouble finding some more advice.
 
Yea, thanks for the tips. I think it's time to sign up for ADC and order this bad boy!
 
if all you're doing is typing and browsing a lot and not much gaming or video editing then go with the Macbook instead of the MBP.
 
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