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Apple Releases Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro

AppliedVisual said:
I have to agree with the others - go with the new model, even if you lower the specs a bit. The new C2D versions have made adjustments for better cooling, faster clocked video, etc.. As others have noted. Overall, they're more refined. I originally bought a 15" MBP and then handed it down to the wife when I got the new C2D 2.33GHz model. Having both around here, I can say that the new one is a better unit. OTOH, we're still happy with the old model too and with the prices on the refurbs, it can be very tempting and a good deal.

If you have the budget for it, definitely get the new one though!
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Exactly the input I was hoping for! Thanks guys!

Still undecided about a 128MB Vid vs. 256MB. I'm guessing that when someone comes out with some serious 64bit apps (i.e. games) I'll really take advantage of the latter.

I also just found out that I can get the .edu discount. Makes the 256Vid that much more in my price range.
 
dunnick said:
Exactly the input I was hoping for! Thanks guys!

Still undecided about a 128MB Vid vs. 256MB. I'm guessing that when someone comes out with some serious 64bit apps (i.e. games) I'll really take advantage of the latter.

I also just found out that I can get the .edu discount. Makes the 256Vid that much more in my price range.
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Along with the 256MB video, you're getting the faster CPU... The extra video RAM will be worth it if you do any 3D graphics work or if you play games. Other than that, it won't do anything for you. I don't know how much faster the 2.33GHz is vs. the 2.16GHz (other than just 170MHz), probably not much real-world difference. Personally, I went for the 2.33GHz, 160GB HD 15" and it's been great. Gets between 2 and 3 hours on the battery unless I really stress it. Stressing it can really get the fans working and the battery drains pretty quick... Much better than my 17" HP notebook though. That thing was like having no battery. :)
 
hardcastle said:
Akadmon -

FWIW, I ordered a custom machine through Powermax to avoid paying sales tax. (15"/2.16/160gb/2gb ram) They charged me the same Apple price and the minimal shipping is free via rebate so I end up saving almost two hundred bucks versus buying locally or through the Apple store. The downside, however, is that it adds an 8-12 day delay in delivery since the machine goes to them first and then to me. For the savings, I can live with that. (Plus it helped me smooth things over with the missus.)
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Thanks for the info, hardcastle. I failed to mention that I am also getting an 8% EPP (employee purchase program) discount that I can only get through Apple. So the only way to both get this discount and avoid paying the tax is to buy the machine at an Apple Store located in a state that has no sales tax, like NH.

On a different note, the Mac Pro and iMac memory/video specs did not get bumped today (with the new Mac Books being released). Too bad. Hopefully the new Mac Pros will come out soon, cuz it's starting to look like there won't be any 17" MBPs in the stores before Thxgiving.
 
AppliedVisual said:
Along with the 256MB video, you're getting the faster CPU... The extra video RAM will be worth it if you do any 3D graphics work or if you play games. Other than that, it won't do anything for you. I don't know how much faster the 2.33GHz is vs. the 2.16GHz (other than just 170MHz), probably not much real-world difference. Personally, I went for the 2.33GHz, 160GB HD 15" and it's been great. Gets between 2 and 3 hours on the battery unless I really stress it. Stressing it can really get the fans working and the battery drains pretty quick... Much better than my 17" HP notebook though. That thing was like having no battery. :)
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True. Your setup (2.33 GHz, 2 GB Ram, 160 GB HD) sounds like the one I will order on my next paycheck.

As far as battery life goes, can't be any worse than my current PB: 400Mhz, G3 Firewire...battery (r.i.p.) gave up the ghost a few years ago. ;)
 
A later buyer

Hmm.. if first wave buyers are getting a delay for the 17" maybe for us late buyers, its pushed back far enough that it will be shipped at the time so far back that it'll be when machines are shipped with installed Leopard. hahaha *kidding*

For my prrrrecccioousss...

Ships by: Nov 20 - Nov 24
Delivers by: Nov 22 - Dec 01

Another hmm.. is it me but hypothetically, it can ship by Nov 20th and arrives Nov 22 which is 2 days. But then its possible also to ship Nov 24 and arrives Nov 22? Shouldnt the first day of delivery be at least a day after the last day of shipping? Man, where are these 17" coming from... its defying logic, space and time or the likes. haha. :)
 
visualmaximus said:
Hmm.. if first wave buyers are getting a delay for the 17" maybe for us late buyers, its pushed back far enough that it will be shipped at the time so far back that it'll be when machines are shipped with installed Leopard. hahaha *kidding*

For my prrrrecccioousss...

Ships by: Nov 20 - Nov 24
Delivers by: Nov 22 - Dec 01

Another hmm.. is it me but hypothetically, it can ship by Nov 20th and arrives Nov 22 which is 2 days. But then its possible also to ship Nov 24 and arrives Nov 22? Shouldnt the first day of delivery be at least a day after the last day of shipping? Man, where are these 17" coming from... its defying logic, space and time or the likes. haha. :)
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Don't you see -- your machine will be delivered to you on the 22nd and you'll ship it back to Apple on the 24th. Simple reverse logic :rolleyes:
 
Please post when you recieve your 17" for late buyers like myself, we would live vicariously through the ones who have gotten them already hehehe :)
 
akadmon said:
Thanks for the info, hardcastle. I failed to mention that I am also getting an 8% EPP (employee purchase program) discount that I can only get through Apple. So the only way to both get this discount and avoid paying the tax is to buy the machine at an Apple Store located in a state that has no sales tax, like NH.
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Adadmon: I was in a similar situation to yourself, as I was entitled to an 8% EPP discount, and was planning to participate in a VAT (sales tax) refund scheme in the UK, as I'm going to leave soon. Normally, you can only participate in the VAT refund by purchasing in store, but I called up the Online store and told them my story: basically seeking my 8% and trying to avoid tax.

They were really keen to negotiate and make the sale, and dropped the price of new MBP by approx 15% (8% EPP + 7%) - it still worked out more expensive than if I bought it in store, but to close the deal he dropped the price on Applecare to almost nothing....worked out far cheaper than if I had bought in store with discount and 0% tax.

Long story short, if you call up the online store & tell them your situation, they might be willing to hook you up with a decent deal, as good as or better than what you could get otherwise. It seems wierd that they were offering such strong discounts on a brand new product (3rd day after release), but I gather the telesales team are really sales driven.

Good luck, hope you can get one for the right price

Aaron
 
Wow! when fedex says fast, they mean fast

Nov 10, 2006
5:17 AM Arrived at FedEx location LOS ANGELES, CA
5:02 AM Departed FedEx location INDIANAPOLIS, IN


waiting for my 2.33 15" (stock).
 
aaronfzr said:
Adadmon: I was in a similar situation to yourself, as I was entitled to an 8% EPP discount, and was planning to participate in a VAT (sales tax) refund scheme in the UK, as I'm going to leave soon. Normally, you can only participate in the VAT refund by purchasing in store, but I called up the Online store and told them my story: basically seeking my 8% and trying to avoid tax.

They were really keen to negotiate and make the sale, and dropped the price of new MBP by approx 15% (8% EPP + 7%) - it still worked out more expensive than if I bought it in store, but to close the deal he dropped the price on Applecare to almost nothing....worked out far cheaper than if I had bought in store with discount and 0% tax.

Long story short, if you call up the online store & tell them your situation, they might be willing to hook you up with a decent deal, as good as or better than what you could get otherwise. It seems wierd that they were offering such strong discounts on a brand new product (3rd day after release), but I gather the telesales team are really sales driven.

Good luck, hope you can get one for the right price

Aaron
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Wow, that's sweet! I don't know if something like this will work in the US. I'm almost afraid to ask, but I may.

UPDATE: Just called 1-800-MY-APPLE. No luck getiing any kind of discount to offset the sales tax.
 
Two days into my shipping window and no new developments. Who here thinks the Nov. 14th ship date will come and go with no 17in MBPs in sight?

I'm about a week away from regretting this whole thing.
 
These really look quite nice. I just bought a black macbook and unfortunately am a little disappointed. I just don't think they have the same nice appearance as these. Too bad battery life hasn't really improved.
 
I received my 15" MBP with a glossy display last week and I'm extremely happy with it, aside from one thing. I'm not sure if this is just a case with my specific display or if it's something that's simple normal. The screen seems to be a bit, blurry or foggy. It's very evident when the screen is showing something completely white. I compared this to a regular Macbook and the screen looks very crisp. It's as if someone rubbed their fingers all over my screen and that's giving it the fuzzy look, though the screen is clean. Has anyone else encountered this or is this just me being unlucky.
 
pbmikez said:
I received my 15" MBP with a glossy display last week and I'm extremely happy with it, aside from one thing. I'm not sure if this is just a case with my specific display or if it's something that's simple normal. The screen seems to be a bit, blurry or foggy. It's very evident when the screen is showing something completely white. I compared this to a regular Macbook and the screen looks very crisp. It's as if someone rubbed their fingers all over my screen and that's giving it the fuzzy look, though the screen is clean. Has anyone else encountered this or is this just me being unlucky.
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I don't want to offend, but I've been through too many hours of troubleshooting for people only to find they didn't "plug it in" or "press the power button". So... just to make sure:

1) Did you remove any protective plastic from the screen. Sometimes, displays ship with what's basically a clear "sticker" on the screen itself that you have to peel off. It's meant to prevent scratches in shipment/production.

2) All displays, by nature, are soft (what you're calling fuzzy) if you don't have the screen resolution set to the highest level. Go into Apple > System Preferences > Displays > and make sure the resolution you choose is the very last one at the bottom of the list.

Might be dumb answers, but it's always best to make sure...
 
clintob said:
I don't want to offend, but I've been through too many hours of troubleshooting for people only to find they didn't "plug it in" or "press the power button". So... just to make sure:

1) Did you remove any protective plastic from the screen. Sometimes, displays ship with what's basically a clear "sticker" on the screen itself that you have to peel off. It's meant to prevent scratches in shipment/production.

2) All displays, by nature, are soft (what you're calling fuzzy) if you don't have the screen resolution set to the highest level. Go into Apple > System Preferences > Displays > and make sure the resolution you choose is the very last one at the bottom of the list.

Might be dumb answers, but it's always best to make sure...
Click to expand...


Oh, it's definitely not dumb and any input is greatly appreciated.

The resolution is set to it's native res. Maybe my description wasn't so great about the screen being fuzzy and all. It's not the operating system or any other software that's affecting this. I believe it to be a hardware issue, if it's an issue at all. I wish I had a camera to take a picture of the display but the best I can do is describe it as the screen being grainy, which is very evident when viewing pictures of solid color.

As for a protective layer of plastic on the MBP, I didn't see one on my screen and I double-checked just to be sure. I'm just curious if this is just a bad display or if it's a problem others are also having.

Another thing is that the gray-plastic edges surrounding the base of the laptop (keyboard, trackpad and all) isn't completely flush and even with the aluminum part of the laptop. It's close; some parts are smooth but other parts very slightly protrude out. I'm going to eventually bring my MBP down to the Apple store and compare it to the MBPs there.


edit: As I was searching around online for some more info, I came across a posting at the MacNN forums where a user was having the same problem but with a Matte screen. He described it as having noise displayed in the screen, glitter like. Here's a pic he posted to describe the display.
taken from thread.
 
pbmikez said:
Another thing is that the gray-plastic edges surrounding the base of the laptop (keyboard, trackpad and all) isn't completely flush and even with the aluminum part of the laptop. It's close; some parts are smooth but other parts very slightly protrude out. I'm going to eventually bring my MBP down to the Apple store and compare it to the MBPs there.


edit: As I was searching around online for some more info, I came across a posting at the MacNN forums where a user was having the same problem but with a Matte screen. He described it as having noise displayed in the screen, glitter like. Here's a pic he posted to describe the display.
taken from thread.
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Write down that link, and call Apple. If it's a new machine, they'll either tell you how to fix it, or fix it for you for free. No sense wasting your time on here? Sounds like a setting someplace is the likely culprit, but if not they'll certainly fix or replace it for you.
 
clintob said:
Write down that link, and call Apple. If it's a new machine, they'll either tell you how to fix it, or fix it for you for free. No sense wasting your time on here? Sounds like a setting someplace is the likely culprit, but if not they'll certainly fix or replace it for you.
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I definitely will once I can free up some time shortly. In the meantime, I've been reading around and I've noticed that many other notebooks that sport the x1600 have had similar problems with the dithering, which leads me to believe it may not be the displays.

I compared a MB to a MBP and the MB looked extremely clear where as the MBP was very grainy. Firmware fixes have been given to those notebooks and the problems went away. Everyone's been mentioning about dithering problems with the different bits but I don't fully understand it so I won't try to explain it here. I'm just curious as to if the situation with the MBPs now are fixable with a firmware update and if Apple even acknowledges the problem.
 
hello all

i got a buying question, i see alot of people have already ordered thier macbooks. is there any chance of apple doing a holiday promotion? other then the crappy 100$ off a printer that nobody needs? i was hoping for a dec promotion that bundles a nano/shuffle or something. is that not apple style?

also, what is the latest time that i could order a stock MBP 2.16 from canada and get it before christmas? early december?

any info would help
arif
 
manhole said:
hello all

i got a buying question, i see alot of people have already ordered thier macbooks. is there any chance of apple doing a holiday promotion? other then the crappy 100$ off a printer that nobody needs? i was hoping for a dec promotion that bundles a nano/shuffle or something. is that not apple style?

also, what is the latest time that i could order a stock MBP 2.16 from canada and get it before christmas? early december?

any info would help
arif
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Don't quote me on this but I believe Apple does 10% off during black friday. As for bundling an iPod with a mac purchase, they normally include rebates which would make the iPod free with the purchase of any Mac when they're clearing our inventory and making space for new iPods so unless that's going to happen, I doubt they'll bundle it with a Mac.
 
Like many others on this forum, I was eagerly awaiting for the c2d mbp's to come out so I could go out and pick mine up.

I went to the valley fair store (san jose) and picked up the base 15" model. I'm lovin' it so far, even under just about full cpu load it's only "toasty" on my legs--and the performance is just amazing.
 
pbmikez said:
I definitely will once I can free up some time shortly. In the meantime, I've been reading around and I've noticed that many other notebooks that sport the x1600 have had similar problems with the dithering, which leads me to believe it may not be the displays.

I compared a MB to a MBP and the MB looked extremely clear where as the MBP was very grainy. Firmware fixes have been given to those notebooks and the problems went away. Everyone's been mentioning about dithering problems with the different bits but I don't fully understand it so I won't try to explain it here. I'm just curious as to if the situation with the MBPs now are fixable with a firmware update and if Apple even acknowledges the problem.
Click to expand...

For those who have this issue, I posted this in it's own thread that you can follow.
 
wow, someones 17incher shipped, mine has been pushed back to ship on the 16th its only a day or so later so i am not too upset.

:eek:
 
edu delays - what the...?

DeMoye said:
I also purchased a 2.33 15" on the second day, and have a shipping date of November 29th pushed back from an original estimate for November 3rd (see post one page back for full sob story, if you're into that kind of thing).
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Same boat here - ordered 15"/2.33/Matte/160 GB on OCT 25 through the campus store (with an original Nov 3 shipping date), and now have a shipping date of NOV 29. Great job on customer service, Apple! Seeing via this forum that we are getting treated differently than other customers really gives me that warm and fuzzy feeling...

I guess the silver lining is that us edu customers might get Rev. C machines by the time they get here!
 
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