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College - Is now a good time to accept a MBP?

curlefry

curlefry

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 31, 2010
20
0
GA, USA
I recently graduated from high school. I'll be entering college this fall and I've had my eye on the MBP mid-15" since my birthday last August and ESPECIALLY since the spring update. As a combined graduation/birthday present I've been offered the MBP from my mom and I'm having a hard time deciding if I should get it. The standing in the buyer's guide is Neutral...which is exactly what I was thinking. I'm feeling I should wait, but this IS the last time I'll be getting something big like this from family and I AM entering college laptop-less as of now.

What do you guys think? Your opinion is very much appreciated.

Also: if I decide to get it, my friends recommend Best Buy to me highly because they say it has a better protection plan than Apple. Is this true?

Thank You!!!
 
There won't be a new MBP anytime soon, likely early next year. I would just get one now as it will be handy in college. There will always be new one after new one
 
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Understood. Do you have an opinion on the Apple vs. Best Buy protection plans?
 
curlefry said:
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Understood. Do you have an opinion on the Apple vs. Best Buy protection plans?
Click to expand...

Basically, with best buy you have a couple different options for protection plans. Theres is the standard plan, which covers normal wear and tear. What that means is it protects you from dust, heat humidity, power surges, etc. It will also cover the hinge, the A/C adapter, buttons popping off, things like that. Then there are the accidental damage plans, which cover dust, cracks, spills, pretty much anything you do to it short of dropping it in a lake, or smashing it with a hammer. Thats where you would gain protection over the applecare plans. And yeah, i work at best buy. Keep in mind though, you will have less flexibility as far as choosing system specs at best buy.
 
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Interesting. Thank you. I don't need much customization. What sold me on the mid-15 is the 500GB drive, but I don't need the power of an i7, so it works out. I'm pretty sure one of my local Best Buys carry it. If not, I can work around it.

Edit: I don't really need the power if an i5 either, but the speakers around the keyboard are a nice step up vs. 13". :)
 
curlefry said:
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Interesting. Thank you. I don't need much customization. What sold me on the mid-15 is the 500GB drive, but I don't need the power of an i7, so it works out. I'm pretty sure one of my local Best Buys carry it. If not, I can work around it.
Click to expand...

One thing you could do is get the low-end model, and while you're at best buy, get yourself a 500GB drive (7200 RPM if you like), and install that. You save over $100 that way, plus you can get an enclosure and use the other drive as a backup
 
Honestly speaking,
I would get the MBP now.
If your reason for hesitating is because the possibility of an update coming in the future,
don't.
Think about it this way.
Later into the future,
more and more updates will appear in all of apple's products.
If you want to "wait" for the best model,
you'll never get it.
Updates will continue to come whether you like it or not.
The current version you bought will be inevitably overshadowed.

The lower end of the MBP 15' will suffice.
If you want to increase it's performance later on into the future,
upgrade to an SSD and RAM.
 
I appreciate everyone's help! I went with the mid-15" because I had a hard time convincing my mom that it would be cheaper to go low-15" with another drive; it's all good though, I have a Western Digital external to use for backups if I need and for extra storage.
 
I would have got the i7 if I was you. Would last you all through college. Then if you go to grad school you could upgrade. Would get a good life out of a laptop after four years.

Either way congrats. I'm torn between a i7 iMac, i7 mbp, or a Mac pro. Decisions decisions.
 
curlefry said:
I appreciate everyone's help! I went with the mid-15" because I had a hard time convincing my mom that it would be cheaper to go low-15" with another drive; it's all good though, I have a Western Digital external to use for backups if I need and for extra storage.
Click to expand...

Did you end up buying it at the apple store? You would have gotten a free iPod touch, free printer, and a cash discount as well on the mbp.
 
:cool:
Aboo said:
Did you end up buying it at the apple store? You would have gotten a free iPod touch, free printer, and a cash discount as well on the mbp.
Click to expand...

I ended up going Best Buy. I don't think the Apple store near me did anything like that because my friend got his 13" a couple weeks ago and I consulted him; he didn't mention anything like that.
 
Frosties said:
http://store.apple.com/us/browse/campaigns/back_to_school?mco=MTgxNTgxOTU
Click to expand...

Yeah I was thinking about going with the education store, but we have RewardZone membership which gets us about $50 in a few weeks, and my mom liked the Best Buy no interest if paid within 18 months finance option. Also, we have 2 iPod Touches in the family and you have to pay for it up front if you do that option so I could hold off. We have a nice small printer that I'll be taking, too, haha.
 
'Grats on your decision!

I too am bound for my freshman year and will be taking my dilapidated mid-2007 black MacBook. God willing, I'll be upgrading to a 13" MBP very soon after.

I can't justify spending the money for the 15" or 17". I don't need the specs, and maximum portability is in my best interest for the next four years or so. The most strenuous thing I'll be putting my MPB through is the occasional bout of Photoshop CS3, so the C2D and 13" screen should do just fine for my personal needs lol.

Also, as you can see, just about any laptop would be an upgrade (spec-wise) from what I have now haha.
 
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