Which Mac should I buy for college??

[TeddyLeroux]

I am a senior in high school and I was wondering if I should wait to buy a new or mac or buy one within a week or two?? My second question is:Should I buy an IMac, Macbook or Macbook Pro?? When is the next update after the rumored October update?? All insight is helpful since I am a new Mac user. Thanks

 

[Jhanson09]

I am a senior in high school and I was wondering if I should wait to buy a new or mac or buy one within a week or two?? My second question is:Should I buy an IMac, Macbook or Macbook Pro?? When is the next update after the rumored October update?? All insight is helpful since I am a new Mac user. Thanks

wait till the back to school promotion next april. what college are you going to?

 

[mastershakess]

wait till the back to school promotion next april. what college are you going to?

I second that, wait until next years back to school promo

 

[jimjiminyjim]

...or if it is for school but you won't wait, get the base macbook pro. Because.

alright, because I've got the macbook not pro, and with lots of use, have cracked off the plastic on the edges where my palms rest while using the trackpad... so I'm all about aluminum casing.... plus I played with one and looked at one at best buy the other day, and it was way sweeter feeling/looking. specs, specs, whatever. Get the base pro. You don't need a desktop. You can buy a sweet, expensive apple monitor to turn your laptop into a desktop if you want, or a cheap dell monitor. Eitherway, then you'll have a laptop *and* a desktop.

 

[arjen92]

+1 for the second post. You get quite a big discount, and you can even increase it with certain coupons and such. + my sister got an ipod touch for 30 euro and a printer for 10 euro. So I think the summer is the best way to go.

I recommend all student to buy a laptop (and then of course a mabcook). When you're student you travel a lot. You want to make notes in the courses, but also want to take it to your room to watch movies or socialize and such. You want to take it with you to your holiday for all your photos and video's and take it with you to your old folks to show them your vacation photos and videos.

An iMac has more power, but is really a desktop, immobile. And students are very mobile. (my sister and brother always carry their macbooks in their regular back-packs (eastpak as is regular in holland). No need of an extra laptop bag, just always with you). And when the weather is nice you can work outside ,

 

[TeddyLeroux]

can you guys tell me more about the back to school promotion... because right now i save like 50-100 dollars when I go onto the Education store at apple.com... how much is the promo in April?

 

[djc6]

can you guys tell me more about the back to school promotion... because right now i save like 50-100 dollars when I go onto the Education store at apple.com... how much is the promo in April?

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/campaigns/back_to_school

The past couple years you also get a free iPod Touch. Apple seems to always have a free printer w/rebate deal going on too. I used this to get a Canon IP4300 that I'm quite fond of. Having your own printer is always good for last minute assignments, etc instead of running around campus trying to find a working printer in one of the computer labs.

I'd also recommend waiting until the END of the back to school promo - if you get it in april, maybe new computers will come out over the summer and you'll regret buying one so early Waiting until early august is what I'd do.

For example, refreshed Macbooks and new Macbook Pros were released this summer (June) just in time for back to school.

https://buyersguide.macrumors.com//#Portable_Macs

 

[zedsdead]

(1) If you need a computer before the end of the year, I say buy a Macbook Pro now because it not due (only the iMac and regular Macbook are).

Whenever you only have one computer (especially in college), you want a laptop that can really handle anything. I highly recommend a 15" which is a great balance between portability, screen size, and power. Avoid the Air like the plague.

An iMac is great in terms of performance and it's footprint, but it is not portable which I think is the biggest concern for you. Also, in reality it is nothing more than a high end Macbook Pro standing upright with a bigger screen and slightly better graphics/hard drive.

(2) If you can hold off till the back to school promotion, that would be great because you will get a free iPod Touch as well as the printer offer. The Macbook Pro's are likely to be updated early next year when the Arrandale chips become available.

In short, I personally would wait at least until the next update (early next year most likely), but it would be even more beneficial if you could wait till the back to school promotion starts.