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Buy or wait?

R

Roosterfosho

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 28, 2009
59
0
I've never had a MacBook, I've always stuck to the traditional windows OS. Now that I'm going to college I'd like to purchase a Mac since I'll have a lot of extra money from graduation. I was wondering whether or not it would be a good time to purchase within the next few months (Possibly wait til September) or if a new model will be coming out within the next 5-6 months. Sorry if this has been discussed somewhere, I'm not familiar with the MacBook forums.
Thanks.
 
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New model will more than likely NOT be coming out this year. It was just updated.
 
This thread won't gather much appreciation, that I can guarantee you. You find at least one thread like this in every single mac related forum and the answer is always the same. If you need it --> buy it. If you don't need it and want the upgrade that is, in my opinion, not coming before christmas, more like early 2012, then wait for the upgrade. The MBP 2011 is a great machine and you won't have any complaints about the power. You might have complaints in half a year when Apple releases the new one which is "all better" and bite yourself in the ass. I say go with this one. When you wait a couple weeks you even get a free ipod touch. perhaps. :rolleyes:
 
I was planning on waiting a few months at least, but I wasn't sure if they would come out with one for the new school year, for the holidays, etc. I don't necessarily NEED it ASAP, this was more of a thread to see if they were planning any huge structural or internal upgrades in the next model.
 
If you need it now, buy.

Apple can be secretive, and given the news of a new case design in 2012, along with Ivy Bridge, I doubt anything will come out until then.

If they do a refresh, it'd be minor. The mid-2009 refresh had better specs and better monitor panel technology. I don't see that for any mid- or late-2011 design.

But 2012 will be.

I can say this: My 2011 17" MBP runs far faster than the 2009 17" MBP I had sold a month ago, and doesn't get as hot under the same level of use.

2011 MBP temps @ 3000RPM: Photoshop moderate use = 46C (probably wouldn't get over 52C under heavy use), Dreamweaver = 40C, web browsing = 37C... Windows + UT2004 in Parallels = <70C (often 66C). Poser 2010 render (10,000x10,000 DPI) = 89C. Haven't done Flash in a while and there's one game I want to port to the iPad, so I'll have temp results for this in the future at some point... but it won't get up to 99C, of that I'm more than certain...

2009 MBP temps @ 3000RPM: Photoshop heavy use/painting = 79C, web browsing = 44C, Flash actionscript compiling = 99C :eek:, Windows + UT2004 in Parallels = 82C.
 
Roosterfosho said:
I was planning on waiting a few months at least, but I wasn't sure if they would come out with one for the new school year, for the holidays, etc. I don't necessarily NEED it ASAP, this was more of a thread to see if they were planning any huge structural or internal upgrades in the next model.
Click to expand...

Rumors do point to there being a redesign in the next revision, but as to when that will be is anyones guess. Most likely in the first half of 2012.
 
Buy when the back to school promotions start, if you don't need it right now.
Max it out with memory and the best video card and you're set for the next 4 years.
 
If you don't use it for the just released games for every year from now on it will last longer than 4 years. The laptop should at least get you through college. Of course now some are in college not longer than 4 years...mhh.
 
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