Buying MacBook pro

[Asher133]

I'm a college sophomore and I've used windows laptops all my life and my recent one broke last week I thinking its a mother board issue

Anyway I've been looking Into getting a MacBook Im done with windows computers

I'm looking to get a used MacBook and I just happen to know friends who are selling them but don't know which to buy im including prices and specs

(Late 2011) MacBook pro 13inch- $650
-8GB ram ,500GB HD, Intel HD3000, i5 CPU

(Mid 2012) MacBook pro 13inch- $750
-4GB ram, 500GB HD, Intel HD4000, i5 CPU

(Late 2012) Retina MacBook pro 13inch-$950
-8GB ram, 128GB SSD, Intel HD4000, i5 CPU

I'm a criminal justices major so ill only use the laptop for writing papers,taking notes in class, YouTube,watch movies, and flash games when I get bored in study hall.

Are the prices fair or inflated

 

[yjchua95]

I'm a college sophomore and I've used windows laptops all my life and my recent one broke last week I thinking its a mother board issue

Anyway I've been looking Into getting a MacBook Im done with windows computers

I'm looking to get a used MacBook and I just happen to know friends who are selling them but don't know which to buy im including prices and specs

(Late 2011) MacBook pro 13inch- $650
-8GB ram ,500GB HD, Intel HD3000, i5 CPU

(Mid 2012) MacBook pro 13inch- $750
-4GB ram, 500GB HD, Intel HD4000, i5 CPU

(Late 2012) Retina MacBook pro 13inch-$950
-4GB ram, 128GB SSD, Intel HD4000, i5 CPU

I'm a criminal justices major so ill only use the laptop for writing papers,taking notes in class, YouTube,watch movies, and flash games when I get bored in study hall.

Are the prices fair or inflated

For the last option, you got the RAM wrong.

All late-2012 and early-2013 13" rMBPs have 8GB of RAM.

I'd go for the late-2012 option. You'll greatly appreciate the retina display. Besides, the SSD is upgradeable with mSATA blades from OWC or Transcend. The prices are pretty fair, especially for the late-2012 option.

 

[Asher133]

For the last option, you got the RAM wrong.

All late-2012 and early-2013 13" rMBPs have 8GB of RAM.

I'd go for the late-2012 option. You'll greatly appreciate the retina display. Besides, the SSD is upgradeable with mSATA blades from OWC or Transcend. The prices are pretty fair, especially for the late-2012 option.

Ok thanks is the SSD upgrade expensive like what's the average price on a 256GB one for the retina model ?

 

[poiihy]

I suggest you get the late 2011 model.

 

[yjchua95]

Ok thanks is the SSD upgrade expensive like what's the average price on a 256GB one for the retina model ?

No idea. Check around eBay or Amazon.

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I suggest you get the late 2011 model.

I'd advise against it, because:

1. No retina display. You don't know what you're missing until you use it.
2. No USB 3. That's a big turn off.
3. Weight. It's much heavier than the retina variant.
4. Bad thermal design and ventilation compared to the rMBPs.

 

[poiihy]

I'd advise against it, because:

1. No retina display. You don't know what you're missing until you use it.
2. No USB 3. That's a big turn off.
3. Weight. It's much heavier than the retina variant.
4. Bad thermal design and ventilation compared to the rMBPs.

Oh I haven't noticed that the 3rd option is a retina Mac.

 

[radioking]

If you're going to spend $950 and then add a new hard drive, you might as well buy a late 13 refurbished 256GB with a 1 year warranty for just a little more.

 

[Asher133]

I wasn't going to get the New SSD right away

 

[protoxx]

Of those choices the 2011 looks best. Watch for discounts of new Air's with the comming update soon. B&H has '13 11" 8gb 256gb Macbook Air new for $879 now. Lot better battery life than any of those, new warranty and more portable.

 

[Gav2k]

The middle option as its the best bang per buck and the hdd and ram can be upgraded. Would say save $100 and go with the cheapest but the gpu difference between the 3000 and 4000 is a fair bit.

 

[tillsbury]

I'd say there is no comparison, SSD all the way. Pretty much doesn't matter about the other specs.

 

[imaccooper]

I'd say there is no comparison, SSD all the way. Pretty much doesn't matter about the other specs.

I agree the SSD is great, but price is also something you should consider. Obviously, $300 is a decent amount of money for anybody, but if you can swing it then that will give you much better speed. However, as another user mentioned, if you are going to go for something of that price then for your uses, i would strongly suggest a MBA which you could get new (or almost new) for a similar price.

If you are only interested in those three machines, then I would say the first system would work fine if price is important and the last machine is best if you are more interested in higher specs / overall speed.

 

[tillsbury]

The last one is also Retina, and the much improved model. Chalk and cheese. For an extra $300 it's a no-brainer. It will still be worth way more when it comes to selling time again.

 

[js81]

Prices seem fair, though I'd rule out the middle one - either go for $650 to save money or the Retina. However, the Retina is $999 refurb on Apple (but with only 4GB RAM, $1099 with 8GB) - you're awfully close.

Personally, I'd probably go for the 13" for $650 and upgrade to an SSD yourself (easy and fairly cheap - ~$60 for a 128GB) and put that 500GB drive in the optical bay. Though the Retina screen is very tempting, $300 is about 1/3 the price and a fairly sizable sum.