Buy an rMBP now?

[iPoopeh]

Alright~ For the people that have been waiting for WWDC, it was a great disappointment. No updated/refreshed rMBP's. Now if I already had a laptop, I wouldn't mind waiting until the end of the year for the refresh of the rMBP. But I don't. I need it for Art College, which starts in Late August. =/ The Back to School Promotion usually starts in June.

I'm wondering if I should just get one now [in June] and just deal that I'm paying money for year old technology. Or should I just try and wait for the ones coming in October? I doubt we'll see a refresh in July/August. And personally, I can't wait any longer. xD

 

[B...]

And personally, I can't wait any longer. xD

Well then the choice is clear.

 

[iPoopeh]

Well then the choice is clear.

Haha I know. But I wanted to see if any other students were going to wait or just get the current generation.

 

[George Smiley]

Honestly, I don't know what to do. I might wait until the end of next month. If the new line isn't out by then, I'll get the current rMBP.

 

[Greene1123]

I don't need to get a new one until October, so I think I'm gunna wait. I'm a student and I want the next laptop I buy to last me as long as it can, so waiting a few months wont kill me. And if for some weird reason I need one sooner I've seen a lot of 2.7ghz 16gb/512 go for cheap (low 2K) on eBay.

 

[gamerish]

If you're a student and you're gonna need it for school earlier in Fall than October (which is probably when it'll come out), I say go for the current Retina. This way, you get the BTS offer (which will probably have expired by the time the new one comes out).

 

[Premium1]

Haha I know. But I wanted to see if any other students were going to wait or just get the current generation.

I am going to buy one now. To me the current ones do plenty and the wait isn't really necessary for a little bit longer battery. If you need longer battery then no hurt in waiting

 

[TRAV9614]

Deleted

 

[applepie555]

As I mentioned in my thread https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1593424/

The rMBPs in the refurb store look like a really good deal, for $2189 you can get a rMBP wiith 2.6ghz, 16gb ram, 512gb ssd, and discrete gpu

By contrast when the rMBP update comes out the base model for $2199 would probably look like this: 2.4ghz, 8gb ram, 256gb ssd, intel iris and maybe discrete gpu.

The higher clocked processor probably makes up a lot of the difference between ivy and haswell, plus you get a discrete gpu, and more ram and sad space

 

[iPoopeh]

Yes. I feel like the current rMBP's can handle my workload just fine. Photoshop + other art programs, Chrome, e-mail, itunes. I don't do anything too intense. I know that Parallels is pretty hard on the RAM/battery. But that still doesn't justify waiting almost half a year until the refresh.

Whoever can wait though, more power to you! ^ ^

 

[B...]

I'm waiting. Not going to be easy,but a 10 hour battery is good incentive.

 

[iPoopeh]

As I mentioned in my thread https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1593424/

The rMBPs in the refurb store look like a really good deal, for $2189 you can get a rMBP wiith 2.6ghz, 16gb ram, 512gb ssd, and discrete gpu

By contrast when the rMBP update comes out the base model for $2199 would probably look like this: 2.4ghz, 8gb ram, 256gb ssd, intel iris and maybe discrete gpu.

The higher clocked processor probably makes up a lot of the difference between ivy and haswell, plus you get a discrete gpu, and more ram and sad space

My grandfather doesn't like to purchase refurbished electronics. And personally neither do I. But I shall keep an eye just in case, so thank you for sharing this information!

I was hoping for the next generation to have NVidia 750m GPU and not Iris only, but it seems like it may not have a dedicated GPU. =/

 

[bbishop93]

well apple just blew it imo... no 3k coming your way looks like im headed to the new sexy razer edge

 

[iPoopeh]

I'm waiting. Not going to be easy,but a 10 hour battery is good incentive.

^ ^ Looks like I'll be buying a spare charger to carry to college. I think 6-7 hours shall cover me though.

 

[fratey]

My grandfather doesn't like to purchase refurbished electronics. And personally neither do I. But I shall keep an eye just in case, so thank you for sharing this information!

I was hoping for the next generation to have NVidia 750m GPU and not Iris only, but it seems like it may not have a dedicated GPU. =/

Apple has the same warranty on the refurbished models - even a simple dent is enough to send it back and get a new one.

 

[tomtakesphotos]

Get one, you'll love it. The retinas are beautiful and when a new one comes out that lasts 4 hours longer and plays Civ slightly faster, you won't really care because Facebook will be just as fast.

 

[iPoopeh]

Get one, you'll love it. The retinas are beautiful and when a new one comes out that lasts 4 hours longer and plays Civ slightly faster, you won't really care because Facebook will be just as fast.

Yes. That screen is just fantastic.. Makes my poor iMac look blurry and not as crisp. I usually don't fangirl over Notebooks. But the Retina REALLY got me excited. :] Can't wait to get one!

Apple has the same warranty on the refurbished models - even a simple dent is enough to send it back and get a new one.

Oh yes I know. And yeah I could always return it if it has IR in the screen or if I see a small dent. But there's just something about buying a electronic new for me. But the savings is hard to overlook when it comes to Apple refurbished line. > >'

 

[tomtakesphotos]

But the savings is hard to overlook when it comes to Apple refurbished line. > >'

Can you not get educational discount? A friend with a student ID or something? In the UK, education pricing works out the same as the refurbished models and you get a 3 year warranty for parts & labour

 

[iPoopeh]

Can you not get educational discount? A friend with a student ID or something? In the UK, education pricing works out the same as the refurbished models and you get a 3 year warranty for parts & labour

Yes! Here in the US we have to pay for the extra 2 years for AppleCare. [Wish we were like the UK] But for the base 15'' rMBP instead of paying $2.2k, I'd be paying $1,999~ So I'll save $200... But there's Notebooks in the refurbished section that have better specs and $2,100. ^ ^

 

[tomtakesphotos]

Yes! Here in the US we have to pay for the extra 2 years for AppleCare. [Wish we were like the UK] But for the base 15'' rMBP instead of paying $2.2k, I'd be paying $1,999~ So I'll save $200... But there's Notebooks in the refurbished section that have better specs and $2,100. ^ ^

You said you're using it for Photoshop and other less intensive applications? And you're looking at a 15"? I think whatever you buy you'll love to bits, my 13" is lightening quick on photoshop and that's without a dedicated GPU, even whilst running spotify and safari and mail etc.

Surely you can CTO on the educational store and get something brand new at roughly the same price as a refurb?

 

[iPoopeh]

You said you're using it for Photoshop and other less intensive applications? And you're looking at a 15"? I think whatever you buy you'll love to bits, my 13" is lightening quick on photoshop and that's without a dedicated GPU, even whilst running spotify and safari and mail etc.

Surely you can CTO on the educational store and get something brand new at roughly the same price as a refurb?

Yes! ^ ^ I'll also be using Parallels and shall have Boot-Camp for some Windows gaming! But my main uses would be MS Word, Chrome, Photoshop, & iTunes. I just love a big screen so that's why I want the 15''. <3

Yes, I was planning on getting a BTO rMBP with 16GB of RAM. And really... that's it. I can handle the 256GB of SSD and everything else. But then the price bounces back up to $2,199... =/

well apple just blew it imo... no 3k coming your way looks like im headed to the new sexy razer edge

That machine is very sexy.... If I wasn't so in love with OSX, I would be making the switch back to Windows just for that. </3 Even though the screen isn't as good as the Retina.....

 

[Augustine864]

Haha I know. But I wanted to see if any other students were going to wait or just get the current generation.

I go to school in early August and can't afford to put it off, so I will be buying the current gen. The extra batter and an upgrade from the HD4000 would have been nice, but I think I'll be more than happy. I guess I just won't be playing any Rome: Total War 2 when it comes out.

 

[iPoopeh]

I go to school in early August and can't afford to put it off, so I will be buying the current gen. The extra batter and an upgrade from the HD4000 would have been nice, but I think I'll be more than happy. I guess I just won't be playing any Rome: Total War 2 when it comes out.

I'm assuming you're getting the 13'' rMBP? :] Mind if I ask why you're not getting the 15'' if you're kind of interested in Gaming? [I'm guessing it may be weight issues. But after dealing with a 6lb laptop during high school, the rMBP is nothing.]

 

[Augustine864]

I'm assuming you're getting the 13'' rMBP? :] Mind if I ask why you're not getting the 15'' if you're kind of interested in Gaming? [I'm guessing it may be weight issues. But after dealing with a 6lb laptop during high school, the rMBP is nothing.]

Yeah I'm looking at the 13". I just wanted to move to a smaller footprint. I know there is a big performance gap but for some reason that I can't rationally explain, I've wanted to try a 13" laptop.

It's not a weight thing because, like you, I'm coming from a heavy-weight PC laptop and both the 13" and 15" are very light. I'm always very surprised when people say they are worried about laptop weights. How frail are these people?

Anyway, when you said that i'm "kind of interested in gaming", that is exactly right. I'm only kind of interested, so that's why I'm not too concerned about gaming performance. I play almost no games these days. BF3 on my desktop (which is currently down) and I buy about 1 PS3 game a year. I would like to dabble every once in awhile in an RTS on my laptop, (like CIV 5 or Total War), but it isn't a priority. The only time I use my current laptop for gaming is when I substitute teach and those little turds can't see. I'll play Rise of Nations.

So anyway, gaming for me is of minimal importance, even tough I'd like to play the new Total War. The reality is that that is the ONLY new game I'd be interested in and it's not enough for me to move to the 15".

This is getting longer than I intended but I keep getting distracted here at home, so I apologize if I'm meandering. The other partial reason I'm going 13" instead of the 15" is to force me away from gaming possibilities. My next year is going to be in Italy at grad school and I can't afford the distraction of Rome Total War when I should be studying and doing work. So out of sight, out of mind, in a sense.

ANYWAY... 13" for me. For now. My only major qualm is adjusting to multitasking because on my 15" Dell I often split screen between a word document and whatever it is I am researching.

 

[iPoopeh]

Yeah I'm looking at the 13". I just wanted to move to a smaller footprint. I know there is a big performance gap but for some reason that I can't rationally explain, I've wanted to try a 13" laptop.

It's not a weight thing because, like you, I'm coming from a heavy-weight PC laptop and both the 13" and 15" are very light. I'm always very surprised when people say they are worried about laptop weights. How frail are these people?

Anyway, when you said that i'm "kind of interested in gaming", that is exactly right. I'm only kind of interested, so that's why I'm not too concerned about gaming performance. I play almost no games these days. BF3 on my desktop (which is currently down) and I buy about 1 PS3 game a year. I would like to dabble every once in awhile in an RTS on my laptop, (like CIV 5 or Total War), but it isn't a priority. The only time I use my current laptop for gaming is when I substitute teach and those little turds can't see. I'll play Rise of Nations.

So anyway, gaming for me is of minimal importance, even tough I'd like to play the new Total War. The reality is that that is the ONLY new game I'd be interested in and it's not enough for me to move to the 15".

This is getting longer than I intended but I keep getting distracted here at home, so I apologize if I'm meandering. The other partial reason I'm going 13" instead of the 15" is to force me away from gaming possibilities. My next year is going to be in Italy at grad school and I can't afford the distraction of Rome Total War when I should be studying and doing work. So out of sight, out of mind, in a sense.

ANYWAY... 13" for me. For now. My only major qualm is adjusting to multitasking because on my 15" Dell I often split screen between a word document and whatever it is I am researching.

Thank you for the good read.

Now I understand where you are coming from. I find the 13'' to be a perfect size for people that aren't A) into gaming, and B) working on 'creative' projects [Photoshop, Logic Pro, etc]. But either way, for a student, that screen is great for reading documents/papers.
I have astigmatism, so I don't have the greatest vision. But I can see the words on a rMBP very well. I sit two feet away from my iMac, and the words can end up a little blurry at times. And note, this is WITH glasses on, it's worse without glasses of course.

And I do most of my gaming on my PS3... But I want to explore more into PC gaming since I had Steam for 3 years and yet have not purchased one game yet... Because most of them are for PC.

Mind if I ask what you are studying in Italy? I would love to do that once I'm done with the first 4 years of college, study abroad.