$1699 vs $1999 Macbook pro what one to get?

[Wotan31]

i can love mac but still can hate apple too. i have a rev b mba, iphone, ipod shuffle 2nd gen. All was purchased at half price.

Just FYI, no one gives a crap how much you paid. No really, we dont.

 

[MacMini2009]

I'm kinda in the same boat as the OP. I'm decided on a 15" MBP, but didn't consider a refurb until recent posts about them, like the one you mentioned. However, I'm wondering, wouldn't it be better to get a brand new 2.66 MBP with iPod touch and printer, and sell off the two items to offset the cost on the MBP? In the end, it may cost a little more than the refurbs mentioned here, but it's brand new and slightly better specs, with the longer battery. Obviously, you have to cough up more money up front, and wait for money back, and also worry about selling off the two items, but if we're talking final costs, would it still make sense to go refurb? I feel like I'm missing something "magical" about the refurbs.

The printer deal ended yesterday.

 

[Wotan31]

I'm kinda in the same boat as the OP. I'm decided on a 15" MBP, but didn't consider a refurb until recent posts about them, like the one you mentioned. However, I'm wondering, wouldn't it be better to get a brand new 2.66 MBP with iPod touch and printer, and sell off the two items to offset the cost on the MBP? In the end, it may cost a little more than the refurbs mentioned here, but it's brand new and slightly better specs, with the longer battery. Obviously, you have to cough up more money up front, and wait for money back, and also worry about selling off the two items, but if we're talking final costs, would it still make sense to go refurb? I feel like I'm missing something "magical" about the refurbs.

No you pretty much described it. Some people value "brand-newness" and others value a lower entry price. Case closed.

 

[Eidorian]

No you pretty much described it. Some people value "brand-newness" and others value a lower entry price. Case closed.

I consider Apple's refurbished hardware to be brand new. There's also the chance you'll get more than the stock load out as well. There have been past purchasers with additional RAM or a larger hard drive.

It is about the low entry cost on effectively new hardware that just can't be sold as new.

 

[MacLover4491]

I'm kinda in the same boat as the OP. I'm decided on a 15" MBP, but didn't consider a refurb until recent posts about them, like the one you mentioned. However, I'm wondering, wouldn't it be better to get a brand new 2.66 MBP with iPod touch and printer, and sell off the two items to offset the cost on the MBP? In the end, it may cost a little more than the refurbs mentioned here, but it's brand new and slightly better specs, with the longer battery. Obviously, you have to cough up more money up front, and wait for money back, and also worry about selling off the two items, but if we're talking final costs, would it still make sense to go refurb? I feel like I'm missing something "magical" about the refurbs.

Get the new mbp because you have the money to cough up right now then get it back later from the rebate. If you dont want to wait for your money back then get the refurbs. You win both way.

 

[goldenaustin]

The printer deal ended yesterday.

Thanks for pointing that out.

No you pretty much described it. Some people value "brand-newness" and others value a lower entry price. Case closed.

I consider Apple's refurbished hardware to be brand new. There's also the chance you'll get more than the stock load out as well. There have been past purchasers with additional RAM or a larger hard drive.

It is about the low entry cost on effectively new hardware that just can't be sold as new.

Thanks for the explanations. Guess it's also how much I value the longer battery, built in SD, more level 2 cache, and slight bump in speed. I think there's a difference of $200 for that stuff between new(minus ipod touch profit) and refurb price. Doh, forgot to mention the express card slot too, which is a + for the refurb.

 

[stainlessliquid]

Unless you play games theres not really any point in the 9600. It drains the battery way too fast for casual use. Sure its always nice to have that option should you ever need it, but I can think of a lot better things to spend $300 on than a crappy mobile graphics card which I'll barely use.

When Snow Leopard hits, you'll be a lot happier that you got the more powerful graphics card, even if you never touch 3D. With OpenCL, who knows what kind of improvements we'll see in terms of GPU-based processing.

Likely little to no improvement. Its like 64bit, Snow leopard does not use Open CL for everything you open, the apps use it independently so they have to be written to use it. What that means is that just like with 64bit there will be virtually no apps written to support it.

Open CL sounds great in theory but if we are to learn from history then Open CL will be one of those things featured on peoples wish lists instead of feature lists.

Plus any performance advantage likely wont be worth the tremendous battery drainage you get from the 9600 except when doing large renders that could mean the difference between 4 hours and 7 hours.