I need a MacBook Pro before August for college....I can get a NEW Macbook Pro 15" with dGPU 512GB for $300 off for a total of $2199 at Best Buy.
Do I take the plunge?
Do I take the plunge?
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$300 off a good deal?
- Thread starter Videomanmac
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It sound like a good price. Almost what you would pay for a refurb from Apple. I paid a few dollars more from Amazon.
Another question....does anyone have a comparison between the amd radeon r9 m370x and the Intel Iris Pro found in the non dGPU 15"?
If it's for college, you don't need the high end model with a dedicated GPU unless you are doing heavy graphical work or animation. I bought the lower end 15" model with no dGPU for $300. If you can get that deal for the lower end model, do that.
How would parallels run on the Iris Pro? I am very rough on my computers - not physically, but computerly...if you get my drift 
I went for the unit with the dgpu more for the 512 GB SSD. I did not see a 512 GB SSD unit that did not have the DGPU in stock. That was BTO and I did not want to wait.
But now that I have the dGPU I think I am going to like it. I plan on replacing my desktop monitors this fall with 2-4K monitors, and you need the dGPU to drive them.
BTW, the system with the dGPU has both the Iris Pro and the dGPU and switches between them as needed (by default) in OSX.
But now that I have the dGPU I think I am going to like it. I plan on replacing my desktop monitors this fall with 2-4K monitors, and you need the dGPU to drive them.
BTW, the system with the dGPU has both the Iris Pro and the dGPU and switches between them as needed (by default) in OSX.
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I am anxious to hear the cons!
Makes the computer hotter and work harder than it should, even for small tasks like web browsing. There have always been some problems associated with dGPU's in Mac computers in the recent years, namely 2011-2013 MBP's and the 2013 Mac Pro. Note that they have yet to release anything about the 2014 and 2015 MBP's, as the aforementioned were named just last year.
All in all, even setting aside the weird dGPU problems, you're getting a computer with an underpowered chip that costs you much more than the configuration without the dGPU, and that will cost you battery life. I think that you, as a college student, will fare well with the iGPU models.
I was in the same position last summer, and I got the previous years model for somewhere around $1600 from BH. It was exactly the same in every way as the current model, aside from the NVIDIA vs AMD GPU. Might be worth looking into, since there aren't any major differences between the last couple of iterations.
Unless you have a particular need for the M370X GPU (e.g. 5k external display), I'd try to find last year's model instead, as it's almost identical in performance to the current model (last year's 15" MBP uses the EXACT same processor / integrated GPU as the current model).
A couple months ago, there were several online retailers selling last year's 2.5GHz / 512GB / dedicated 750M GPU model for $1799. If you search around a bit, I'd imagine there are still some of them out there.
If you can't find last year's model though, or just prefer the current model, you should be able to do better than $2199 (and you gotta tack on another $100 - $200 for tax if you purchase at Best Buy as well).
For example, here's a pretty solid deal for the latest 2.5GHz / 512GB / M370X model on eBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/122025984307
1 - Curious, but why not the 13" rMBP ?
2 - If battery life is important, and gaming not so much, I'd also recommend one with the iGPU.
3 - I'd also wait some more for 'back to school' promos, and better deals that'll surely come around as the newer model's release gets closer.
Just my .02
2 - If battery life is important, and gaming not so much, I'd also recommend one with the iGPU.
3 - I'd also wait some more for 'back to school' promos, and better deals that'll surely come around as the newer model's release gets closer.
Just my .02
Smaller screen means more portable for a student.
Oh..yeah.. Duh!
newbs..
[doublepost=1467052737][/doublepost]
Bought one!
Congrats!!
Smaller screen means more portable for a student.
Oh..yeah.. Duh!
newbs..
Smaller screen means harder to see and more eyes strain.
Duh!
newb
I bought it for situations like these:
Girl: How big is it?
Me: 15"
Girl: No way!
Me: Yep! It's super fast too.
Girl: *facepalm*
I only spend $400 on for my (2013) MacBook Pro 15 Retina with dGPU.
If I were you, the money I save come in handy in situations like this:
Girl: What are you doing?
Me: I am doing homework. I saved a lot and lot of money so I can buy you a fancy lobster dinner.
Girl: Wait, I thought your have a girlfriend! I am going to tell her!
Me: Oh, sh*t!
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I agree with kevinkyoo above.
Many of the "top end" MacBook Pro's with dedicated GPU's seem to have had problems along the way.
Ironically, the buyers who spend the most money seem to end up with the most trouble.
I'd get a "relatively base model", and be done with it.
Many of the "top end" MacBook Pro's with dedicated GPU's seem to have had problems along the way.
Ironically, the buyers who spend the most money seem to end up with the most trouble.
I'd get a "relatively base model", and be done with it.