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2011 MacBook Pro or 2012 MacBook Pro?

M

MJNBGA

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 26, 2011
136
0
New Zealand
Here's the thing: I am starting at a new school and they require you to have a computer. I want to buy a MacBook Pro. But should I just get a crappy computer and live with it until the next release of the MacBook Pro (hopefully :))? Or should I just take the plunge and buy the 2011 model. I will be buying the 13" if this matters.

Thanks,

Mordy
 
I would just buy now. You could keep playing the waiting game until the cows come home, and it will never end, or you could just get a computer that you would enjoy now
 
I would say this years MBPs are a big step up from last years. Get one now, who knows if Ivy bridge will give the same ~60% performance gains over this years.
 
The 2011 MBPs are really powerful compared with last year's models, so buying one now would last you a while. And the 2012 models are still several months away, so I recommend buying the 2011 model. I bought the base 13" back in March, and am absolutely loving it!! Its my first Mac, and I found the OS to be much better than Windows, especially with Lion just right around the corner.
 
I would wait for the 2015 models, I hear they'll be even better :p

Seriously though, the 2011 models are really good, powerful, machines. Apple has finally ditched the "ancient" Core 2 Duo and put in the new core i processors. Yes, the 2012 models will likely be faster, but so will the 2013 models, the 2014 models, etc..
The 2011 MBP models are in the mid product cycle, there's no point of waiting 6-8 months if you need a computer now. If it was a month or two, that's another story.

Final advice: Buy it and enjoy it! :cool:
 
Buy Now

im buying now... 2012 MBP isn't supposed to have optical drive nd I know people now get the software online (eg OS Lion) but I want one to play DVD's and burn to them too
 
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Get it now. '11 MBP is one of the best refresh from what I've read and seen. I personally just bought a 17" MBP 2.2 and have both 6G link speeds and it's build date of 5/27/11 I could not be happier. Do it!
 
gorskiegangsta said:
I would wait for the 2015 models, I hear they'll be even better :p

Seriously though, the 2011 models are really good, powerful, machines. Apple has finally ditched the "ancient" Core 2 Duo and put in the new core i processors. Yes, the 2012 models will likely be faster, but so will the 2013 models, the 2014 models, etc..
The 2011 MBP models are in the mid product cycle, there's no point of waiting 6-8 months if you need a computer now. If it was a month or two, that's another story.

Final advice: Buy it and enjoy it! :cool:
Click to expand...

well, the thing is, Einstein, 2012 is the rumored year for the complete overhaul, or redesign, and knowing apple, it could be big, and i suppose the op knows about this, hence the question

who gives a crap about a 20 percent increase in cpu power? not so many people, your advice would be valid if we werent looking at the complete redesign

to the op, youll get a lot of advices like 'if it does everything you need it to buy now', well why dont you buy lenovo then, it will do everything you need it to for half the price

in my opinion you should wait for the redesign, assuming youll have it for at least 4 years, you gotta thing forward, not like these fellows here ;)
 
actually, i think you should wait for the 2012. If you're talking about spec wise then you shouldn't wait for it as it will just get better and better. But the thing about the next mbp is that it "might" have a redesign which only happens every 3 years according to the rumor timeline. I guess you could argue about 2015's redesign, but for 3 years of design is definitely worth the few months wait.
 
MJNBGA said:
Here's the thing: I am starting at a new school and they require you to have a computer. I want to buy a MacBook Pro. But should I just get a crappy computer and live with it until the next release...
Click to expand...

Seriously? You're seriously asking about the next release? As you said yourself, it's going to be 2012 - it's only June 2011 ! Also, the next MBP won't be architecturally much improved, so it will only be a small speed bump.

Buy a 2011 now and if the 2012 one is much different, sell your 2011 MBP. You should receive 60% of the funds towards the new machine!
 
Wait until 2013, I hear those are even better than the 2012's.

Don't buy a crappy comp, these models are four months old. But a refurb macbook if you want, but don't get a filler comp till you get your dream one. Because you'll be sad when you hear the 2013's are coming out.

You won't regret it!
 
If you want the best of both worlds, buy a 13" basic model now since it will depreciate the least over the next year (they are $999 at Microcenter btw). Then keep it in mint condition with the original box and accessories, and sell it for $800-900 next year to buy a 15" model :)
 
awer25 said:
If you want the best of both worlds, buy a 13" basic model now since it will depreciate the least over the next year (they are $999 at Microcenter btw). Then keep it in mint condition with the original box and accessories, and sell it for $800-900 next year to buy a 15" model :)
Click to expand...

+1.


Thats what I do EVERY year.
 
beosound3200 said:
well, the thing is, Einstein, 2012 is the rumored year for the complete overhaul, or redesign, and knowing apple, it could be big, and i suppose the op knows about this, hence the question
Click to expand...

Exactly, and making decisions solely based on rumor will not yield you good results. There are rumors of a "complete overhaul" every year. There were hundreds upon hundreds of threads about that prior to release of the 2011 models. Here's the thing, every year new models come out that are better and faster than the previous generation. If you want to play the waiting game, you may as well wait forever.

beosound3200 said:
..who gives a crap about a 20 percent increase in cpu power? not so many people
Click to expand...

Bingo! what do you think the 2012 models will offer over the 2011 models? 200% increase in CPU/GPU power? Unlikely.

beosound3200 said:
..your advice would be valid if we werent looking at the complete redesign
Click to expand...

1. The OP said he's starting a school where they require him/her to have a computer. What would be the point of waiting 8 months? Just so he/she can have a marginally better computer? Well then, you may as well wait for 8 years and see what happens.

2. The "complete redesign", as it stands now, is just a rumor. The 2012 models will likely be better and faster, but guess what, so will the 2013 models, and so will the 2014 models, and so on, and so forth.
The 2011 models are good, solid computers; even if there will be a "complete redesign" in 2012, this can mean anything from different chassis design, to greater thinness, to exclusion of optical drive, etc.. If you think "complete redesign" means they'll make a perfect computer, you're gravely mistaken.
 
I would go with it now since I heard that MBPs are going through model change and I don't really trust Apple with their new product that they just made.
Like the MBP now, the i7 has been in there for about 2 years now and the precision body has been around for many years which Apple knows how to build it good. But new design or CPU, may have a fault which they might have to rebuild next year.
 
gorskiegangsta said:
Exactly, and making decisions solely based on rumor will not yield you good results. There are rumors of a "complete overhaul" every year. There were hundreds upon hundreds of threads about that prior to release of the 2011 models. Here's the thing, every year new models come out that are better and faster than the previous generation. If you want to play the waiting game, you may as well wait forever.



Bingo! what do you think the 2012 models will offer over the 2011 models? 200% increase in CPU/GPU power? Unlikely.



1. The OP said he's starting a school where they require him/her to have a computer. What would be the point of waiting 8 months? Just so he/she can have a marginally better computer? Well then, you may as well wait for 8 years and see what happens.

2. The "complete redesign", as it stands now, is just a rumor. The 2012 models will likely be better and faster, but guess what, so will the 2013 models, and so will the 2014 models, and so on, and so forth.
The 2011 models are good, solid computers; even if there will be a "complete redesign" in 2012, this can mean anything from different chassis design, to greater thinness, to exclusion of optical drive, etc.. If you think "complete redesign" means they'll make a perfect computer, you're gravely mistaken.
Click to expand...


you didnt get the point, i said those incremental refreshes arent worth waiting for, but redesign is, so in this case (based on a rumor) it is worth waiting. what waiting game? who waits for 20 percent increase in cpu? hence 'who gives a crap about 20 % increase...' get it now?

i would agree with you in regards to the threads that appear every year, i dont think they appeared 2009 and 2010, maybe this year for the first time, but 2012 makes the perfect sense for redesign if you think about all the hints, app store, lion and the rest of the software online, all the rumors about removing software from apple stores, future of macbooks, current design getting old,etc. so the optical drive is getting out - probably a redesign. the thing is, rumors, except our brain, is all we got, and what youre suggesting is blind shopping, and macbook are too expensive to not think about what youre doing, so i say wait for it if you can, if its not the redesign you can buy the one that comes out if you have to, understand?
 
beosound3200 said:
you didnt get the point, i said those incremental refreshes arent worth waiting for..
Click to expand...

Well then, it seems we do agree on something :D


beosound3200 said:
but redesign is, so in this case (based on a rumor) it is worth waiting.
Click to expand...

Can you explain to me why? Why is it worth waiting for the so-called "redesign"? What will the redesign bring that will completely render the 2011 models useless? The 2011 models brought a 200% increase in overall performance over the previous models, but guess what, the 2010 model owners can still do 90% of tasks as well as the 2011 owners.


beosound3200 said:
..what youre suggesting is blind shopping...
Click to expand...

How so? I am suggesting the OP to get a real device vs. waiting for a non-existent device that will supposedly come out in more than 8 months from now. To use the "bird in a hand is worth two in a bush" analogy: the 2011 models being a bird in a hand (i.e. good, solid device), while the 2012 models are 2 birds in the bush (better but thus far nonexistent dream device)
 
gorskiegangsta said:
Well then, it seems we do agree on something :D




Can you explain to me why? Why is it worth waiting for the so-called "redesign"? What will the redesign bring that will completely render the 2011 models useless? The 2011 models brought a 200% increase in overall performance over the previous models, but guess what, the 2010 model owners can still do 90% of tasks as well as the 2011 owners.




How so? I am suggesting the OP to get a real device vs. waiting for a non-existent device that will supposedly come out in more than 8 months from now. To use the "bird in a hand is worth two in a bush" analogy: the 2011 models being a bird in a hand (i.e. good, solid device), while the 2012 models are 2 birds in the bush (better but thus far nonexistent dream device)
Click to expand...


so, according to you theres really no difference before preunibody and unibody?

the ONLY update in the mbp line worth waiting for is the redesign

looks like you love analogies so heres one, suppose youre buying a car, every car can bring you from place to place, the newer model will not offer 200% increase in performance or mpg but new model (new design outside, inside, maybe new functions, different materials and so on) is coming out maybe in 2012 or 2013 and you already have a car (you can wait) what do you do?

forget incremental increases in performance (20 %). with redesign you can expect much more, maybe better screen, better cooling, lighter, sturdier, more beautiful, and so on, not worth waiting for? again, who gives a crap about 20% increase in cpu performance

if your computer is just a tool to get work done, like a hammer is for a worker, then i get you, but to me computer is much more, its the central hub for entertainment, social activities when im at home, work and so on, and i wouldnt miss a chance if it can get better, and to wait its the easiest thing to do
 
beosound3200 said:
looks like you love analogies so heres one, suppose youre buying a car, every car can bring you from place to place, the newer model will not offer 200% increase in performance or mpg but new model (new design outside, inside, maybe new functions, different materials and so on) is coming out maybe in 2012 or 2013 and you already have a car (you can wait) what do you do?
Click to expand...

If I (much like the OP) need the car now, I would go ahead and buy the car now. New technology always comes out, that is better, faster, stronger, etc..
That's just how it works. You can go about it different ways. Some people just go ahead and always get the latest and greatest. More practical folks skip a few cycles (i.e. buy every few years).
Myself, I have my own product cycle. It begins when I need something and it ends when something finally reached the end of it's usefulness; that's when I go ahead and purchase a new one.

beosound3200 said:
forget incremental increases in performance (20 %). with redesign you can expect much more, maybe better screen, better cooling, lighter, sturdier, more beautiful, and so on, not worth waiting for? again, who gives a crap about 20% increase in cpu performance
Click to expand...

OK, I see. The cosmetics are important to you. I, personally, don't think there are many deficiencies in the current design. It already is quite sturdy and beautiful. I guess they can add a higher res display and make it thinner/lighter. To me, that's not enough reason to wait 8 months if you need a computer now.

beosound3200 said:
if your computer is just a tool to get work done, like a hammer is for a worker, then i get you, but to me computer is much more, its the central hub for entertainment, social activities when im at home, work and so on..
Click to expand...

I agree with you on this one. Computers are nothing more than tools for us. We need them to accomplish certain tasks. Then why bend over backwards and wait for the "redesign" which will only bring marginal improvement when I can guarantee that the 2011 models will still do majority of the tasks just as well.

beosound3200 said:
i wouldnt miss a chance if it can get better, and to wait its the easiest thing to do
Click to expand...

Then why not wait for the 2013 or 2014 models? I can guarantee they will be even better. Not to be rude, but I think you're tripping on your own argument. How is it reasonable to wait that long just to get "better"?
 
Buy it now. I am using the 13" for college and love it. It does everything I need and more. I would wait for the buy a mac for college get a free ipod event. It should start any day now.
 
mlynchmob16 said:
Buy it now. I am using the 13" for college and love it. It does everything I need and more. I would wait for the buy a mac for college get a free ipod event. It should start any day now.
Click to expand...

I used to have a 13in for college, but founds its screen a bit too small. 15iners are much nicer.
 
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