Choosing the 2.1Ghz vs. 2.4Ghz MB

[brettinlj]

I'm going to grad school starting in the Fall and need a new notebook as my old Vaio is trashed. My desktop is very old too, so this will be my primary machine. I was hoping the new Macbook Pro's would come out before school starts the first week of September, but recent rumors/news seems to indicate that this may not happen. I will need a machine from day one, so my plan is to buy a Macbook that I will possibly sell on craigslist when the new MB Pro comes out.

I am very budget conscious since I won't live with this machine long, so I was wondering if 2.1Ghz vs. 2.4Ghz makes much difference. I come from the Windows side, so my experience is that memory is more important in the real world. The price difference will be about $100 after upgrading the 2.1Ghz to 2GB of memory. I'm not worried about the slightly larger hard drive or combo vs. super drive.

Am I correct that I won't see very much difference between the two based on the 300Mhz processing speed? My only other concern is resale value (would someone pay $100 more for the 2.4Ghz six months from now).

 

[TEG]

If you aren't going to use it long, why not get a used one or refurbished? Extra memory would be good. A faster processor would net you the same difference when you try reselling.

TEG

 

[iShater]

+1 to TEG's post. If you KNOW you won't keep the system, get a refurb instead.

 

[brettinlj]

I was looking at that but the 10% student discount (plus the free iPod Touch) make the price difference between the Refurb and a new one negligible. The Refurbs were the same price in the education store as the regular store.

 

[stone315]

Since the educational discount makes it about the same price as a refurb, and you get a free iPod Touch with the new one, I would get a new 2.1GHz. This is just a temporary solution, and you have no guarantee what you can recoup on ebay, so I would go for the cheapest option available until the refresh comes out. The big difference is the superdrive, but you already said you don't care about that, so definitely go for the 2.1GHz. However, instead of upgrading the RAM through Apple, buy it through Crucial and then just switch that RAM into the new Macbook Pro. It's cheaper already, and you don't have to pay for an upgrade twice.

 

[emac82]

Am I correct that I won't see very much difference between the two based on the 300Mhz processing speed? My only other concern is resale value (would someone pay $100 more for the 2.4Ghz six months from now).

Get the 2.4...Better value when you sell it, as it will have a SuperDrive, and a bigger hard drive...The processor won't really make much of a difference, but people still like a higher number...

It is DEFINITELY worth the extra $100...

 

[dacreativeguy]

The rumors are very strong that when Apple does release new notebooks they will be at reduced prices. Buying a brand new MB at the current full price wouldn't seem like a good idea if you know you are going to flip it in 2 months. If the new MB is released for $200 cheaper, you just lost $200 before you even factor in the depreciation on your 2 month old computer.

I'd either buy something for the long haul now or wait until the new ones arrive.

 

[nintendude]

I was looking at that but the 10% student discount (plus the free iPod Touch) make the price difference between the Refurb and a new one negligible. The Refurbs were the same price in the education store as the regular store.

dont forget to get the free printer to resale or something