Question about buying now & also resale value...

[Butla99]

I am getting anxious to buy a new (my first) PB 17" and want to buy it before I finish school so I can use my educational discount. I would like to see a few features updated (screen, video card, G5/some form of processor & bus speed update, etc...), but the current model seems pretty solid for what I need. I am not a gamer or anything. I am really sick of my PC crashing/freezing and getting popups. My question is, if I buy a PB 17" now, what will the resale value be like after WWDC (assuming the PB line is updated at all)? It would be really cool to have a PB with a high definition screen, TV tuner, etc., but not necessary, and who knows when they will actually update to G5? I have been readings rumors about it now for like a year or more. Thanks for any advice or opinions.

 

[RBMaraman]

Hey man, I'm in the same boat as you. I graduate from college in May and I want to purchase a 17" PB, but I really want to wait until the PB is updated again (Hopefully with a G5, better video card, better display). I wanted to alert you to the fact that the education discount can still be used up to 6 months after you graduate. So, If you graduate in May, your still eligible to use the discount through November. A lot of people are speculating that the PB won't be updated again until October (and I'd say the chances of having an HD display or TV tuner built in are zero), so I've just decided to wait until the next update and purchase then. If you buy now, and the G5 gets put into the PB in the next update, the resale value will drop a great deal.

 

[Zeke]

Check your campus stores...mine tells us that alumni are eligible for the education discount if bought through the campus store (and I think tax free if you ship it outside of the state the campus is at).

 

[plinden]

In general, the buying advice you get in MacRumors boils down to:
1) If you need it now, buy it now.
2) If you don't need it, but really want it, and there's been a recent update, buy it now.
3) If it's a rev A machine (as any G5 PB would be) don't buy until rev B unless you're an early adapter and willing to suffer (or wait for a bit to see what the problems are)
4) Don't play the waiting game. At any time, the current machines are pretty good.
5) Don't play the investment game. It's a computer. It loses value. Use it for computery things and if you have to sell it later be thankful that any Mac loses less value than any PC. So don't try to second guess it's resale value.
6) No one can tell you what to do. It's all up to you.

 

[vtprinz]

Buy.

I've been waiting 4 months for a PM and it's excruciating. If you wait, you'll find yourself checking the rumor sites EVERYDAY for what could be another 6 MONTHS or EVEN MORE. There's NO substantial reason to believe powerbooks will be updated at WWDC, people just keep talking about WWDC because they won't be happy until the damn G5's roll out (and then the bitching will start for dual core G5's, G6's, G27's, it never ends). G5 PB's are still a long way off anyway, and I'll bet you'll see dual core G4's first.

Besides, if you look at some benchmarks, the current Powerbooks even beat the G5 iMacs in some regards!!! Don't get greedy, it will do everything you need (and probably be able to do more than you'll ever know). Get out of the PC hell and BUY!!!

 

[wdlove]

Because of the recent upgrade to the PowerBook, its unlike that another will occur at WWDC. The only reason for waiting would be that you could end up getting Tiger for free, that is if you purchase after the release date.

 

[Lacero]

Have you considered buying a 15" PB for it's portability and the money you save, put it towards a 20" LCD? Otherwise, a nice entry level PowerMac would do for the premium price you pay.

 

[Butla99]

Thanks guys, a few more easy questions...

Thanks for all of your responses. I was also wondering about what software to buy. I will but iWorks for sure, and one of the Microsoft Office packages. Do I need the Pro version? Is Virtual PC necessary or any good? Also, I was wondering if I would be able to connect to the internet when I am away from my base station, say in school or at someone else's house? I have never used wireless internet before. Finally, what is the best/easiest way to transfer all of my files from my PC to my PB? My PC doesn't have firewire, IR, bluetooth, or USB 2.0, only USB 1.1. For anyone who has used the HDTV tuner from http://www.elgato.com, how is it? Thanks. Sorry,I am just full of questions. I will try to answer other's questions if I can, but many of you seem to be experts and really on the ball. If anyone has any questions about fitness or nutrition I can probably answer those.

 

[Flyinace2000]

Thanks for all of your responses. I was also wondering about what software to buy. I will but iWorks for sure, and one of the Microsoft Office packages. Do I need the Pro version? Is Virtual PC necessary or any good? Also, I was wondering if I would be able to connect to the internet when I am away from my base station, say in school or at someone else's house? I have never used wireless internet before. Finally, what is the best/easiest way to transfer all of my files from my PC to my PB? My PC doesn't have firewire, IR, bluetooth, or USB 2.0, only USB 1.1. For anyone who has used the HDTV tuner from http://www.elgato.com, how is it? Thanks. Sorry,I am just full of questions. I will try to answer other's questions if I can, but many of you seem to be experts and really on the ball. If anyone has any questions about fitness or nutrition I can probably answer those.

My opinions:
Virtual PC: I really hate it. I work at a highschool and we ahve two labs where the teacher insists using PeachTree (accounting software). So we have VirtualPC installed. It runs so slow. Doing anything takes forever.

Transfering Files: How about burning them to CD or filetransfers via network?

Connecting to the internet: You will be able to get to the Internet anywhere that has a wireless network set up for public use. You don't actually have to be using your base station. Their are lots of public hot spots. There are also lots of not public but open to the public hot spots. But thats another topic all together.