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cmm

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 30, 2006
841
35
NYC
Can I find a used or refurbed macbook or mbp for 1000? All I really need is a HDD at or above 80GB. The rest I don't care about as long as it works and the screen is fine.

Currently I have a 12" 867mhz pb and I need the intel chipset.

Ideas?
 

cmm

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 30, 2006
841
35
NYC
What about this?

Refurbished MacBook 1.83GHz Intel Core Duo - White
13.3-inch glossy widescreen display
1280 x 800 resolution
512MB memory (2x256MB SODIMMs)
60GB 5400-rpm Serial ATA hard drive
Combo drive (DVD-ROM, CD-RW)
Built-in iSight camera
Learn More
• Save 28% off the original price
799$

Can I upgrade the HDD? Is it hard to do? How much would Apple charge me to upgrade? How much would the HDD cost? How high of an HDD can I go up to? What's the difference of CD and C2D?

I don't do anything intensive, but I need the ability to run some software that is only on win32.
 

MagicWok

macrumors 6502a
Mar 2, 2006
820
82
London
I would personally go for a C2D, as you can't upgrade the processor and it will give you a much better experience regardless if you do intensive stuff on your mac or not.

This deal looks much better:

Refurbished MacBook 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo - White
13.3-inch glossy widescreen display
1280 x 800 resolution
1GB memory (2x512MB SODIMMs)
80GB 5400-rpm Serial ATA hard drive
SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Built-in iSight camera
Learn More
• Save 16% off the original price
Original price: $1,299.00
Your price: $1,099.00


Just slightly over your budget, but if you can push for that extra $99 this would make you much more happier ;)
 

Lovesong

macrumors 65816
That sounds like a fair price for a system like that. Where is it from? If it's from the Apple store, I say go for it. RAM and the HD in a Macbook are really simple to replace- you'll need a coin, and a #1 phillips head screw driver (for 2 screws). As of now, you can get HDs in three speeds- 4200, 5400, and 7200. Faster drives means better performance, but also higher power consumption. The highest 7200's sold are the 120GB seagate and hitachis, though Seagate is supposed to come out with a 160 shortly. I have a 5400RPM 160GB in my MBP, and there are also 200 GB 4200s, made by Fujitsu (they are working on a 300GB 4200 by the end of the year.
Difference between a CD and C2D is 15% on paper, and insignificant, given your low demands.
Cheers.
 

Mozze

macrumors member
Mar 8, 2007
35
0
The difference between CD and C2D is huge I don't know about on mac but on a PC it's insane most single core Athalon 64 can out preform most CD even the extreme CD chip CD also uses tons of wattage and is hotter than a waffle iron in a Denny's. also CD has no 64bit OS support witch means no upgrading to leopard unless they make a 32bit leopard OS and from what I have read and understand it's going to be strictly 64 bit. C2D uses low wattage and has top performance in the PC chip industry now also doesn't get hot. If I where you I would go either C2D or one of the older Motorola's chips.
 

MacAnkka

macrumors regular
Jun 30, 2006
199
0
Finland
The difference between CD and C2D is huge I don't know about on mac but on a PC it's insane most single core Athalon 64 can out preform most CD even the extreme CD chip CD also uses tons of wattage and is hotter than a waffle iron in a Denny's. also CD has no 64bit OS support witch means no upgrading to leopard unless they make a 32bit leopard OS and from what I have read and understand it's going to be strictly 64 bit. C2D uses low wattage and has top performance in the PC chip industry now also doesn't get hot. If I where you I would go either C2D or one of the older Motorola's chips.
Care to cite your sources...? I haven't heard anything like that yet
 

mattscott306

macrumors 68040
Jan 16, 2007
3,769
0
Can I find a used or refurbed macbook or mbp for 1000? All I really need is a HDD at or above 80GB. The rest I don't care about as long as it works and the screen is fine.

Currently I have a 12" 867mhz pb and I need the intel chipset.

Ideas?

One question, are you a student? If so you get discounts, and I think a base Macbook is lower then a grand.
 

slu

macrumors 68000
Sep 15, 2004
1,636
107
Buffalo
The difference between CD and C2D is huge I don't know about on mac but on a PC it's insane most single core Athalon 64 can out preform most CD even the extreme CD chip CD also uses tons of wattage and is hotter than a waffle iron in a Denny's. also CD has no 64bit OS support witch means no upgrading to leopard unless they make a 32bit leopard OS and from what I have read and understand it's going to be strictly 64 bit. C2D uses low wattage and has top performance in the PC chip industry now also doesn't get hot. If I where you I would go either C2D or one of the older Motorola's chips.

The difference between CD and C2D is NOT huge.

See the benchmarks here for the CD 2GHZ Black Macbook vs. the C2D 2GHZ White Macbook: http://www.macworld.com/2006/11/reviews/13inmacbookcore2/index.php

I would call those improvements marginal, at best.

Also, to say that Leopard is only going to be 64 bit only is a ridiculous assertion. Do you honestly think Apple would not allow people who bought a Mac less than a year ago not upgrade to Leopard?

Will a C2D be faster than a CD? Yes, but only slightly.

Is it worth the extra money? Maybe, that is up to you. For the extra $300, you also get more RAM, a bigger HDD, and a Superdrive, along with the slightly better chip.

I would probably go for the C2D myself, but not because the different chip. It would be because of everything else. If you don't want/need a Superdrive and you can get better prices for RAM and HDD from a 3rd Party, you man not want to spend the extra $300.

Is it possible to get 512MB of RAM and a 80 GB 5200 RPM SATA HDD for less than $300?

From Crucial.com, you can get:

512 MB RAM for $52.99
1 GB RAM for $95.99

From Newegg.com, you can get:

80 GB SATA HDD for as low as $59.99

And this is for drives made by Samsung, Fujitsu, etc. Not some no name company.

So, if you went for the CD and upgraded yourself, you can get a machine that is nearly as fast as the C2D for about $200 less. You just won't get a Superdrive.

You could also sell your old HDD and RAM if you wanted and save even more money.

Replacing the HDD on a Macbook is something you can easily do yourself.
 

Mozze

macrumors member
Mar 8, 2007
35
0
Care to cite your sources...? I haven't heard anything like that yet

I think you are referring to leopard being a 64bit OS strictly. that was just from reading about leopard on the Mac site but when I was in the Mac store today I asked about it and they said it should be fine as long as your not into programing so I guess leopard is both 32/64bit OS witch I find rather odd or they could do like Vista and sell 32bit and 64bit flavors but with reading on leopard from the apple website it says 64bit OS so????
 

Fearless Leader

macrumors 68020
Mar 21, 2006
2,360
0
Hoosiertown
Mythbustin

the difference between Core Duo and Core 2 Duo is not huge 20% max of processing power which does not equate to 20% more usable power.

the 4500 -> 5400 uses marginally more power 5400 -> 7200 marginally more.

I'd say get the 799$ and upgrade the RAM in the future if you need to and for 200$ you can get a nice sized HD. BTW i have 1gb of RAM for sale 2 512 for real cheap.
 

Mozze

macrumors member
Mar 8, 2007
35
0
The difference between CD and C2D is NOT huge.

See the benchmarks here for the CD 2GHZ Black Macbook vs. the C2D 2GHZ White Macbook: http://www.macworld.com/2006/11/reviews/13inmacbookcore2/index.php

I would call those improvements marginal, at best.

Also, to say that Leopard is only going to be 64 bit only is a ridiculous assertion. Do you honestly think Apple would not allow people who bought a Mac less than a year ago not upgrade to Leopard?

Will a C2D be faster than a CD? Yes, but only slightly.
.

If you look at the post.... I said very clearly I had no idea about MAC but for PC the difference is huge not mildly different CD and C2D can't even sit in the same arena together in the PC world. but this is for CD and C2D desktop chips. the laptop CD and C2D are very similar in performance due to the people who designed CD mobile are the same people who designed C2D for desktop. one of the major differences in C2D laptop and CD laptop is direct DDR2 control from the Chip and not an external source
 

Fearless Leader

macrumors 68020
Mar 21, 2006
2,360
0
Hoosiertown
If you look at the post.... I said very clearly I had no idea about MAC but for PC the difference is huge not mildly different CD and C2D can't even sit in the same arena together in the PC world. but this is for CD and C2D desktop chips. the laptop CD and C2D are very similar in performance due to the people who designed CD mobile are the same people who designed C2D for desktop. one of the major differences in C2D laptop and CD laptop is direct DDR2 control from the Chip and not an external source

HUH?!?!?

Just becuase you put it in a mac doesn't change anything. They are still the same different.

btw what are you doing with the PB?
 

Mozze

macrumors member
Mar 8, 2007
35
0
HUH?!?!?

Just becuase you put it in a mac doesn't change anything. They are still the same different.

btw what are you doing with the PB?

I think it does from what I have seen mac seems to execute hardware better/ more efficient.
It also depends on witch CD chip the laptop has if it is a laptop vr of CD I would do it if it is a desktop vr of CD I would run for the hills

and as far as the PB goes I have taken it to apple had them run a scan on the serial and it came out clean Monday I am taking it to the police department and seeing if the serial matches any of their cases if not I have done my part to check it out. and I will be enjoying my first Mac.
 

slu

macrumors 68000
Sep 15, 2004
1,636
107
Buffalo
If you look at the post.... I said very clearly I had no idea about MAC but for PC the difference is huge not mildly different CD and C2D can't even sit in the same arena together in the PC world. but this is for CD and C2D desktop chips. the laptop CD and C2D are very similar in performance due to the people who designed CD mobile are the same people who designed C2D for desktop. one of the major differences in C2D laptop and CD laptop is direct DDR2 control from the Chip and not an external source

You can keep telling yourself this, but it will still be wrong.
 

leonk

macrumors member
Mar 4, 2007
35
0
And this is for drives made by Samsung, Fujitsu, etc. Not some no name company.

What do you mean by that? The 80GB in my MB is made by Toshiba, and I think it's a better brand than the ones listed above.
 

What

macrumors newbie
May 26, 2006
28
0
Macbook c2d refurbished

Is the refurbished notebook the same as a brandnew one? Or are their significant differences that account for the price differences? If the refurbished one are the same, I might as well get that one at a lower price.
 

Mr. MacBook

macrumors 6502
Feb 28, 2007
337
0
What about this?

Refurbished MacBook 1.83GHz Intel Core Duo - White
13.3-inch glossy widescreen display
1280 x 800 resolution
512MB memory (2x256MB SODIMMs)
60GB 5400-rpm Serial ATA hard drive
Combo drive (DVD-ROM, CD-RW)
Built-in iSight camera
Learn More
• Save 28% off the original price
799$

Can I upgrade the HDD? Is it hard to do? How much would Apple charge me to upgrade? How much would the HDD cost? How high of an HDD can I go up to? What's the difference of CD and C2D?

I don't do anything intensive, but I need the ability to run some software that is only on win32.

Get the 2GHz core duo w/ 80GB hd and superdrive if u need it that bad.
OR
Get the newerstack at macsales.com for 55 bucks, and you can install the old 60GB hard drive into it as an external, +ull get lots of extra usb ports
 

Scarlet Fever

macrumors 68040
Jul 22, 2005
3,262
0
Bookshop!
Is the refurbished notebook the same as a brandnew one? Or are their significant differences that account for the price differences? If the refurbished one are the same, I might as well get that one at a lower price.

refurbs are macs which have come back with problems, Apple fix them up, make sure they are working ok, then but them in a brown cardboard box and sell them for 3/4 of the price. The biggest difference between a refurb and a new Mac is probably conceptual; do you want a mac which has had a problem but is now fixed and running perfectly fine, or a new mac?
 

neyoung

macrumors member
Jan 15, 2007
74
0
I need the ability to run some software that is only on win32.

I don't think that anyone has addressed this yet, but you're going to need to get a copy of windows which will add to the price of your purchase. Around $100 bucks for XP and quite a bit more for Vista. To run windows you'll also either need to install bootcamp or use parallels. Parallels will run you another $70. So make sure you keep this in mind when pricing out a MacBook.
 

dukebound85

macrumors Core
Jul 17, 2005
19,131
4,110
5045 feet above sea level
The difference between CD and C2D is huge I don't know about on mac but on a PC it's insane most single core Athalon 64 can out preform most CD even the extreme CD chip CD also uses tons of wattage and is hotter than a waffle iron in a Denny's. also CD has no 64bit OS support witch means no upgrading to leopard unless they make a 32bit leopard OS and from what I have read and understand it's going to be strictly 64 bit. C2D uses low wattage and has top performance in the PC chip industry now also doesn't get hot. If I where you I would go either C2D or one of the older Motorola's chips.

wow please dont offer bad advice or post if you have no idea what the heck you are talking about. leopard will be able to work on cd no question about it. plus 64 bit is still off in the future, its just more hype now if anything. cd is not THAT much worse than c2d if you have seen any of the benchmarks.
 
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