Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Wait til January for Penryn or not?

E

echooche

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 21, 2007
15
0
I am a long time PC user about ready to purchase my first Mac - a Macbook Pro actually.

I believe that the 15" MBP's are using the LED display now, however I heard via rumor that they will release the Penryn 45nm chips up to 2.8ghz in January.

I'd like the opinion of others if this is something worth waiting for or not? I have other computers so this isn't a necessity, however I can get a better corporate discount if I order it soon - I'm weighing the options.

Opinions? Thanks in advance!
 
Depends how much is your discount now....

If it's just gonna be 100-200 more expensive if you wait then I would wait, if it's gonna be a big difference I would get it now. The current machines are very powerful and should last you for many years...but we are so close to January that I think anyone who doesn't need a new computer right now should wait. I'm waiting myself....also a PC user itching to switch!
 
It might be as much as 300$ discount

I really have no concept of the speed of the macbook pro's, but I am hopeful that it will be a great experience. I will in fact install XP Pro on it and run a dual boot for some time.

So my discount should be more along the lines of 2-300 dollars. Of course I am excited for a new toy, but I am not educated enough in the processor world of notebooks to know if that architecture leap is enough to justify waiting.

I will be doing a bit of 3d rendering and gaming on the machine however 8 )
 
i am in the same boat... i have the cash... i am ready to buy... but i dont want to be feel like i should have waited until Jan

Boo
 
2.6 Santa Rosa versus 2.8 Penryn?

Sounds like there's a handful of us in the same boat. To wait or not to wait?

Can anyone out there speak to the differences between the 2.6 Santa Rosa chip versus the 2.8 Penryn differences with regard to speed?
 
echooche said:
Sounds like there's a handful of us in the same boat. To wait or not to wait?

Can anyone out there speak to the differences between the 2.6 Santa Rosa chip versus the 2.8 Penryn differences with regard to speed?
Click to expand...

I would wait.

Currently have a 2.4 and I am not exactly impressed, I am hoping for hi-res screens on the next refresh. Even the new LCDs screens with whiter LEDs would be nice.
 
I am with the understanding that the Macbook pro's are currently selling with the new LED screens. Is that correct? Did you get one of the older 2.4 MBP's with the LCD screen?
 
...I really doubt a 2.6 SR vs. 2.8 Penryn will be that much of a difference...it's not going to be a revolutionary change such as moving to to Intel 2 years ago...

One thing to keep in mind though, is that the 2.6 option is $250 extra right now...and I would assume if the 2.8 Penryn chip is going to be the high end option, that they would not make that a $250 option. So if you wait you might lose that $300 discount which you might use for the 2.6 chip, but you're getting a 2.8 chip at the same base price as today's 2.4 which is actually big "discount" in and of itself. Lot's of calculations to make I know...but ultimately you have to decide if waiting the 2 months is something you wanna do. The change will not be revolutionary so keep that in mind as well, if you buy now that machine will be more than capable of fulfilling any needs for at least 3 years.
 
Gah! How many times? Just WAIT now, when you know updates are around the corner(what is it, 8 weeks to go now?) it's just not good value.

The current models will see a discount once the updated are out, so even if you don't buy what's offered in January, it'll have been worth the wait.

Basically, unless being without a MBP these next two months is somehow going to LOSE you money through work, wait!
 
Thanks for the good advice - Please keep it coming. As you all were posting that I was reading an article I found here:

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/07/09/19/next_gen_macbook_pro_penryn_chips_revealed.html

So it sounds like the 2.8 is actually their Extreme proc, which apple may or may not use as they have shied away from using the hotter/more power hungry procs previously. Though, he 45nm technology is greener and less power consumptive.

Basically my corporate discount is about 8% and it can be used anytime, and I was going to possibly use it in conjunction with the day after Thanksgiving specials. As it turns out it may be about 200$ plus free shipping.

Does anyone know of better promo's for one of these units?
 
I just made the switch like 3-4 weeks ago, and I debated this too. I figured that Penryn will probably be only an incremental speed bump for all practical purposes, although it may run cooler/have slightly longer battery life. No biggie IMO. If you're worried about heat, dl smcFanControl--it took care of the sweaty palms/legs. I don't think there will be anything revolutionary in Jan, but I could of course be wrong. The LED display was a big deal to me (much bigger than small processor speed bump), and that is still very new in this model.

The biggest reason I bought now though was timing. By buying now, I have the holidays to settle into this new computing world before I have to be really, really productive after the new year. And it is a new world; not to be taken lightly or learned overnight. It's been a few weeks and only now am I really getting comfortable in the OS and basic applications. Lots of tech issues--don't expect the migration to be problem-free. I had the time now; I won't in January. I only got my word files (my work) transfered over yesterday!

The learning curve was much steeper than I expected; I was very proficient in windows (always built my own computers, did tech myself, etc.) and just how long it took to get operational really surprised me. You may think you can wait, but can you wait for the announcement, then for availability (could be days or months), then the steep learning curve, migrating files, figuring out how to get networking, printing, passwords, etc. in order? And, lets face it, there might not even be an announcement in Jan--who knows when penryn will be widely available?

Besides, the MBPs have a very good resale price on ebay if apple really does astound us.

three tips:

do a clean install of leopard drop in disk (ppl say its not necessary but apple tech support told me it was always the best policy after hours on the phone, and it fixed the airport problems)
two fingers on touchpad then click = right mouse click
command left arrow = back in web browser
 
Once the 2.4GHz MBPs came out, the 2.33GHz entered the Refurb store at $1899(a $600 reduction).

Why you'd pay full price now, I'll never know...
 
I've got a 2.4 model and it's fine. Get the 2.6 with your discount. Don't count on the Black Friday sale though, even if Apple is giving a discount, you can't combine them most of the time. Couldn't hurt to try, and you may as well wait until then, but don't count on it. If you don't buy now, who knows how long you could be waiting. Could be a month, could be much longer. Look at the Mac Pro. ;) The new video card that they may use, the 8800 mobile, looks nice, but it's not that much of a difference.

Just buy 4GB of RAM third party.

jnc said:
Why you'd pay full price now, I'll never know...
Click to expand...
The refurbs are nice, but you'd have to wait for availability, and there may not be a way to get the 2.6 model.
 
Oh I didn't pay full price... I don't see why anybody would with the refurbs. I actually got mine new, with an edu discount from my university. I paid $1700 or so; it was cheaper than the edu price in the apple online store.

Of course, you won't find Penryn in a refurb for a long time, and the current model already is available as refurb.
 
yeah its the 17" i have my eyes on.
I am hoping for a redesign and speed bump, maybe blue ray would be nice?
i mean i am happy to pay over the odds for a mac, but i dont want to get ripped off either :apple::apple::apple:
 
I was in the same boat as you. However, when I sat back thought about, I knew that the current Macbook Pros are more than enough for me. I made sure too, and ordered the 2.6ghz and 250gb 5400 HDD options. 4 gigs of ram on the way here (should be here today).Penryn may have better battery life, but overal performance? Maybe around 10% at best. The best may be the heat - it may run considerably cooler, but I care not. I'm after the thin design, power, and prestige packed into the machine. Plus, it's a new chip set; there will most likely be bugs.

People get over obsessed with magnetic vs. latched lid detachments, and keyboards (of which, the current one is just fine). However, in the end, you will have one of the fastest, thinnest, and (arguably) the sexist laptop in existence today in the modern world.

So even if you wait, or buy now, you will not be disappointed. Sure, there are lemons, and unfortunately, the MacRumors boards list more than not, but I can assure you I know plenty of people who have never had a problem with their Macbook and/or Macbook Pro.

If you can wait, and have the patience that I lack, then go ahead and show your poker face to the Apple customer reps at the stores, however, if you really want it, don't wait to reward yourself - you will not be sad. And on the plus side, Apple laptops do not depreciate in value nearly as fast as their PC counterparts. So if, say, 2 years down the line, apple knocks your socks off with some super fast, 8 core, touchscreen, wonder of the world, you can pop the laptop you buy now onto ebay or any other sites of its kind and hopefully make some money to go towards your future dream Mac.

Edit: I bought the 15" 2.6ghz C2D, 250GB 5400rpm drive for $2845.13 with shipping + tax. 4Gb of ram from Fry's for $90.12 shipped. So, I still have not broken the 3k mental barrier.
 
Wait if you can...

There are no guarantees that anything is going to happen in January, but it seems likely that we'll see the Penryn update in that timeframe. The "buy now or wait" question is always couched in terms of change in performance. Another significant issue is value: now and when you decide to sell your machine. Seven weeks is so close, that unless there is an overwhelming reason to buy now it would be silly not to wait. And if you had such a compelling reason you probably would not have asked the question to begin with.

We all are painfully aware of how sensitive computers and similar technology are to obsolescence, and there's nothing much we can do about that. But imagine that you buy a new MBP now, and I wait two months and get a Penryn MBP. To start with, it's highly likely that I will get more computing "bang" for my buck, i.e. "better value". Then in two years we both put them on ebay. Not only will the more recent vintage enjoy stronger demand, but I will have enjoyed the superior technology over the life of the computer.

Seven weeks is just too close unless you have a compelling reason to buy now.
 
Congrats...

Creibold said:
I was in the same boat as you. However, when I sat back thought about, I knew that the current Macbook Pros are more than enough for me. I made sure too, and ordered the 2.6ghz and 250gb 5400 HDD options. 4 gigs of ram on the way here (should be here today).Penryn may have better battery life, but overal performance? Maybe around 10% at best. The best may be the heat - it may run considerably cooler, but I care not. I'm after the thin design, power, and prestige packed into the machine. Plus, it's a new chip set; there will most likely be bugs.

People get over obsessed with magnetic vs. latched lid detachments, and keyboards (of which, the current one is just fine). However, in the end, you will have one of the fastest, thinnest, and (arguably) the sexist laptop in existence today in the modern world.

So even if you wait, or buy now, you will not be disappointed. Sure, there are lemons, and unfortunately, the MacRumors boards list more than not, but I can assure you I know plenty of people who have never had a problem with their Macbook and/or Macbook Pro.

If you can wait, and have the patience that I lack, then go ahead and show your poker face to the Apple customer reps at the stores, however, if you really want it, don't wait to reward yourself - you will not be sad. And on the plus side, Apple laptops do not depreciate in value nearly as fast as their PC counterparts. So if, say, 2 years down the line, apple knocks your socks off with some super fast, 8 core, touchscreen, wonder of the world, you can pop the laptop you buy now onto ebay or any other sites of its kind and hopefully make some money to go towards your future dream Mac.

Edit: I bought the 15" 2.6ghz C2D, 250GB 5400rpm drive for $2845.13 with shipping + tax. 4Gb of ram from Fry's for $90.12 shipped. So, I still have not broken the 3k mental barrier.
Click to expand...

Eager to hear about your new 2.6 MBP!!! I hope you get it today. Let us know please. Did you get Applecare Protection Plan? Enjoy your new laptop, I'm jealous!
 
jameskohn said:
Eager to hear about your new 2.6 MBP!!! I hope you get it today. Let us know please. Did you get Applecare Protection Plan? Enjoy your new laptop, I'm jealous!
Click to expand...

I assure you I will not be getting it for a couple weeks at most, as I just ordered it last night right after the check cleared through the bank. Also, I am not the only one waiting. There seems to be a rather good size group of us on the board. The magical day seems to be tomorrow, November 22nd, which seems to be the day that the shipment of the new Intel processors makes it to the factory.

However, I am sure sure many people will beat me to the bang on posting statistics for the "new' model.

Also, I did not get AppleCare, instead I put that money in the processor and have decided to buy AppleCare a year after I receive the Macbook Pro, right before the manufacturer warranty runs out. :)
 
A little more research on speed..

Thanks everyone for the great input. I've been researching in the background while watching the thread and I didn't realize these existing processors benched as fast as they are.

If I'm seeing things right, this is the X7800 processor which I believe is the extreme version of the T7600... so, according to this chart it's just behind my Core 2 duo extreme X6800 which I use in my custom PC.

If this is the case I think it's fast enough...

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu_lookup.php?cpu=Intel+Core2+Extreme+X7800+@+2.60GHz
 
The thing is it's not just 7 weeks until the new Penryn might be on your desk--it's 7 weeks until a *possible* **announcement**. Availability could take much longer; it's totally unknown when you might get an actual penryn MBP in your hands. They could announce a new MBP in January that will be available in March, and then you'll say, "Well, I already waited this long, so I might as well wait it out..." And after waiting 4 months, you might get a machine that will have a 5-10% improvement in only a few cpu-intensive benchmarks, and a 0-1% difference in real life, and which might cost more and have that horrible flat-key, hard-as-concrete new keyboard the aesthetic (not ergonomic) designers seem to like. Or it might be really amazing and available for purchase January 19. Who knows? Nobody posting to internet forums...
 
Yeah, I'm tending to agree with you. Just to clarify... it appears that the current Santa rosa 2.6ghz processor is the X7800 which I dropped the link for above...

It's close to the speed of my custom rendering box so I am planning on ordering on Friday, unless I have a last minute change of heart.

Thanks for the input!

Echo
 
reifiedbeans said:
And after waiting 4 months, you might get a machine that will have a 5-10% improvement in only a few cpu-intensive benchmarks, and a 0-1% difference in real life, and which might cost more and have that horrible flat-key, hard-as-concrete new keyboard the aesthetic (not ergonomic) designers seem to like. Or it might be really amazing and available for purchase January 19. Who knows? Nobody posting to internet forums...
Click to expand...

Technology has a tendency to get cheaper and offer more as time goes on. If Penryn MBPs cost more and offer so little of an improvement over current tech, it wouldn't make sense now would it.

If Apple announces a new product and then doesn't introduce it, that will be out of the ordinary too. Who'd buy the current model at full price once there's official confirmation an update is imminent??
 
It's all down to Rumours and no Facts

I have just put in an order for a MBP 2.6 250GB HDD, however reading these threads and some of the responses make me chuckle.

All it takes is for ONE person to speculate, then people automatically think it is going to happen.

Where is the proof that MBP's with Penryn are going to be announced in Jan 08? This info has not come from Apple has it?!

If you look back at the rumours, people say ooh new computers are going to be announced, they are about due - yet the event was all about iPod etc, the next one could be nothing to do with MBP but AppleTV - just guessing, no evidence etc...

If you need a machine, get one now. I have only gone for the 2.6 because I am getting it discounted. Remember it is only 200mhz faster, it won't really save you that much time.

It's like going from a 286 PC to a 486 back in the day - it's all relative...

If you want to wait for something that may or may not happen? go for it and wait, but don't get fed up after the announcements as quite a lot do and storm out WTF's no MBP updates?

Do people do this for PC's? do you walk into PC World and think hmm i am not going to buy the fastest machine here because in a couple of weeks time a new and better model will come out - you have to draw the line somewhere...

Then again, I wouldn't dream of spending £1,700 on a PC laptop - god knows how Apple has sucked me in for this one!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back