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what a deal

I was almost ready to buy the 2.8 new 15" for $1839 + $99 = $1948 + tax (developer price) until I saw this thread. It seems like the 2.53 has everything the 2.8 has except for the new battery and a 500GB HDD. Plus I could get the 500GB upgraded to a 7200 for an extra $40.
However it doesn't seem to warrant the extra $500. I like that I can easily replace the HDD in the refurbished model. You can buy a 500GB HDD for about $90 when and if I ever decided I needed it. Both models have the 9600 graphics card, 512 GB, and the 6GB L2 cache 6GB.
Can anyone talk me out of saving the $500 and buying a refurbished 2.53? Is there something I'm missing here.
Oh, and I don't care about the SD slot either.

Thanks for your help!
 
I was almost ready to buy the 2.8 new 15" for $1839 + $99 = $1948 + tax (developer price) until I saw this thread. It seems like the 2.53 has everything the 2.8 has except for the new battery and a 500GB HDD. Plus I could get the 500GB upgraded to a 7200 for an extra $40.
However it doesn't seem to warrant the extra $500. I like that I can easily replace the HDD in the refurbished model. You can buy a 500GB HDD for about $90 when and if I ever decided I needed it. Both models have the 9600 graphics card, 512 GB, and the 6GB L2 cache 6GB.
Can anyone talk me out of saving the $500 and buying a refurbished 2.53? Is there something I'm missing here.
Oh, and I don't care about the SD slot either.

Thanks for your help!

How about this:

With the extra $500 you save, you can swing a hard drive upgrade, a new iPod, and an external 24" monitor.

'nuff said
 
How about this:

With the extra $500 you save, you can swing a hard drive upgrade, a new iPod, and an external 24" monitor.

'nuff said

Great idea, however what I'd like to know is is there's something else about the newer model 2.8 that I'm missing that the 2.53 doesn't have? Or do I have this comparison between the 2 machines right?
I've got plenty of other things to do with an extra $500, like pay bills!
 
Great idea, however what I'd like to know is is there's something else about the newer model 2.8 that I'm missing that the 2.53 doesn't have? Or do I have this comparison between the 2 machines right?
I've got plenty of other things to do with an extra $500, like pay bills!

Honestly?

Take a look: http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook_pro?mco=MTE4NDY

The noticeable differences that stand out in the 2.8 model is:

2.8GHz 15" Model:

- 500GB hard drive
- NVIDIA GeForce 9400M + 9600M GT with 512MB
 
I'm pretty sure he's talking about the OLD 2.53 GHz, which was actually very powerful. The current 2.53 has weaker specs.

Oops.

If that's the case, the only major difference is the hard drive (320GB vs 500GB on the new 2.8 15" model).

So, when it comes down to it, the 2.53 > 2.8. :D
 
Great idea, however what I'd like to know is is there's something else about the newer model 2.8 that I'm missing that the 2.53 doesn't have? Or do I have this comparison between the 2 machines right?
I've got plenty of other things to do with an extra $500, like pay bills!

If you are going to do it, I would in the next hour or so, seems every other forum member here is scooping them up.
 
If you don't need it right now, I would wait a few months. You could prob save a couple hundred more through reduced prices or even craigslist (my fav!)

Don't tell me the 2.53 will go for cheaper than the price it's at now.

You're killing me here.
 
Don't tell me the 2.53 will go for cheaper than the price it's at now.

You're killing me here.

It won't drop more than $50-$100 in the next several months (and only because of low demand because of the new MBP's finally in stock), but maybe it won't drop anymore for a while. It has great specs.
 
It won't drop more than $50-$100 in the next several months (and only because of low demand because of the new MBP's finally in stock), but maybe it won't drop anymore for a while. It has great specs.

I've heard rumors that in the new MBP with the 512 MB 9600M GT, Apple quietly upped the core clock on the GPU to better enable use of the larger buffer. I don't know that this is true, but if so it could essentially make useless the difference of 256 and 512 MB GPUs in these refurb models. There's been talk of this before in the forums, especially when the Unis came out and there were 8600-9600 comparisons. Anyone know if there is truth to this rumor?
 
2.53

I'm pretty sure he's talking about the OLD 2.53 GHz, which was actually very powerful. The current 2.53 has weaker specs.

So the OLD 2.53 has the 9600M GT with 512? Keeping all these models straight is very confusing!
 
So the OLD 2.53 has the 9600M GT with 512? Keeping all these models straight is very confusing!

Yep, the old 2.53 is better than the new 2.53 in two respects; the old one has the 9600 GT with 512MB, and the new one doesn't....and the old one has 6MB cache, as opposed to the 3MB of the new one.

My 2.53 refurb is arriving today!!
 
Yep, the old 2.53 is better than the new 2.53 in two respects; the old one has the 9600 GT with 512MB, and the new one doesn't....and the old one has 6MB cache, as opposed to the 3MB of the new one.

My 2.53 refurb is arriving today!!

Are the screens the same as the new models too? I guess I'm finding this too good to be true!
 
From what I've heard, yes the screens are the same. They improved the screen on the 13" of course to bring it up to the same level, but I think the 15 and 17 didn't really change.
 
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