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Deeply confused if I should buy june 2009 Macbook pro 15"

xomissjaye

xomissjaye

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 14, 2009
7
0
East Coast
Hello there :] I'm Jocelyn, I'm not sure if I can even consider myself a newbie to macs since I never had one. I've been wanting one since like 2005 though lol. So, right now I am soo confused if I should go ahead and buy the Macbook pro 15" refreshed this year or wait based on rumors of a new chip(?) coming out. I've read the "The unofficial "I'm Waiting for Arrandale" thread... " I tried to follow but I got so confused lol

I'm starting college this fall studying graphic design, my current laptop is... pretty much done for. I'm pretty sure it was refurbished from the Microsoft Millennium times. it's a dell. I really really want a mac now, but alot of people are saying it's not 'pro' anymore or the screen is too glossy, and other things. I am pretty nervous as there is around 2,000 dollars on the line lol. I really want a fast good laptop and all.

Things I would like to be able to do:
Run Photoshop (and pretty much most of the Adobe programs) smoothly and fast (my current HP desktop is 2.40 GHz and seems to stall sometimes in photoshop for whatever reason) [I'm really not sure if the 2.40GHz has anything to do with photoshop? lol] and I would like to edit videos :]

I am pretty patient and everything, but at this moment I just want to go out and buy it now lol, I need a laptop like yesterday. The other reason why I am not sure if I should wait is because the 'buy a mac for college' thing ends september 8th and I really dont wanna miss out. I can wait until the end of august (hopefully) just incase the rumors become facts and may happen soon and all.

Overall, is it really worth waiting for this new chip? Will it make a big difference? I heard people saying this current chip is 'ancient' I just don't know lol. I desperately need some help...
 
If the one now meets your needs, which it will, then go out and get it! If you keep waiting for every little update then you'll be waiting forever. The laptop at the moment is a great machine, get it!
 
Just get one. You'll be satisfied with it I think. Just know that something newer will always come out and don't worry about it.
 
If the next update of macbook pro is truly going to be something special you can always sell the one you get now next year.....but based on my experience, CPU architecture changes etc are usually more hype than anything else for the general user, and most users never see the actual differences.

In any case, if you current laptop is done for, go out and get one now. You can always re-sell it
 
I think any current Mac will be a dream coming from an old Dell. Seriously, they are all really nice. Some people like matte or anti-glare, but those same people that are complaining about glossy/glass used to have glass CRT displays... change happens. While the new MBPs have glass displays, their color accuracy and gamut are amazing. I have read some reviews that state they are the best displays ever found in Macs and compare with top professional laptop displays.

So, buy with confidence and enjoy. There are plenty of threads about new to Mac information and useful apps.

I would say that you would even be well served to buy a MBP 2.4 GHz refurbished for $1349. Or, if you can find them, sometimes in the refurbished section the 2.53 GHz MBP with 4 GB RAM for $1449. It has double the video RAM too. The nice thing about the older 15" MBPs, is they have an Express Card slot. Those refurbished Macs are incredible buys, and most state they are like new. You definitely should consider those. Unless you need more than 4 GB RAM (those only support 4 GB), you can get the best value from them for those prices. Go to Apple.com/ the Store link/refurbished Mac on left side halfway down page.

Good luck with your purchase.
 
Jocelyn, I'm writing this on a new 15" MBP that I've been using to run Photoshop. You will find that the Adobe CS4 suite will run great on these machines. There is little to be gained by waiting. Besides, it will be well into the academic year before any new models might be announced. Get the laptop now (don't forget to apply for the educational discount!) and get comfortable with it before college starts in the fall. You'll have enough to adjust to once you get to school!
 
Yeah there wont be a MacBook Pro refresh until Spring 2010 Semester in all likeliness
 
They were just updated, and likely will not be again until early next year. Just buy one now. The current release is just awesome, particularly the battery.
 
i just got my mbp last tuesday!:D i am totally satified from head to toe! its performance, stability and design is almost perfect comparing to the other notebooks in the market. get a macbook pro with at least 15' display 'casue u r gonna do a lot of graphic design! get a one with GT graphic card in your situation! :)btw, i never used mac os before. i am totally new to mac, either.:eek: but i learned a lot to operate my mbp in this forum. thx to the guys posting and replying in this forum here! u will have no regret to get the current generation of mbp 'cause this is the most stable model with excellent performance, stability and design. who knows apple will launch a new model with such perfect issues? remember the new model apple launched might have flaws like 8600m graphic card in the previous mb model! so, don't wait, the choice is right out of there! if u wanna get new model, then, u got risk many issues! remember! u can't get a notebook with the most current technolegy and the most stable condition right after its launch to the market!
 
Yes

Yes, just grab it, make sure you get the free iPod Touch (for students after rebate) and then sell the Touch on e-bay for around $200.

And stop LOLing. You're getting a Macbook PRO, so time to be professional
 
As a college student you are eligible for the educational discount. That will save you some money. If you buy one now under the educational discount you are also eligible to get a free 8 GB iPod Touch... or get 230 dollars off of the 16 or 32GB one.

I wouldn't wait. Get one now. They will be updated after the new mobile chips come out which will be Jan - Feb next year... so look for March 2010 before you would see new mac laptops with new chipsets in them.
 
Sirmausalot said:
Yes, just grab it, make sure you get the free iPod Touch (for students after rebate) and then sell the Touch on e-bay for around $200.

And stop LOLing. You're getting a Macbook PRO, so time to be professional
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heh Im sorry >.< It's like automatic :/ haha

Thanks for all the advice :] I hope to get one soon! maybe Saturday? :apple: :3
 
I don't know why a college would buy anything else besides an Apple laptop, but that's just me. Excluding cost, (which Apple virtually gives $300 off for the educational discount and iPod touch deal, not to mention $100 off a printer) there is no reason to not switch.
 
Go and buy one, seriously - you won't regret it and before you know it you'll be surprised why you settled for less, in the past. :):apple:
 
Or if you go to my college you get a 15" MBP, adobe master suite CS4, Logic Pro, for $500aud hehe :)

Would have never bought one otherwise, and regret not buying one earlier.... took me about a day to be a complete convert, and worse comes the worse, if osx cant do it you can dual boot and do whatever you want in windows.... but the only thing ive ever found is games, thats it.
 
I've had my new 15-inch MacBook Pro for about three weeks now--its my fourth mac--and lemme tell you, its easily the nicest computer i have ever owned. i say go for it!
 
If your dell qualifies for hospice, then you should get a mac now. If you truly need a new system now, buy it now; if you don't, wait until you do.

The only problem you've got is an embarrassment of riches, or options. The prior gen unibody refurb mbp's are an incredible deal now. New 13" or 15" mbp's are also valid choices, especially with an educational discount. If you think the integrated nvidia 9400 graphics can handle what you want it to do, a 13" mbp and an external monitor is considered by many to be a 'sweet spot' in portability and desktop usage.

And let's just say that apple releases some new hotness in a year that you can't live without. Portable macs traditionally have higher resale values than laptop pc's.

I, and everyone else on the boards, can make various logical arguments over which model you should buy, but the choice is inherently subjective. Go to an apple store or best buy, play around with the display models, and choose whichever one tickles your fancy without unnecessarily draining your wallet. Good luck with your decision.
 
Funny how everyone on here is quick to spend other peoples money.:rolleyes: I would do research and evaluate whether or not you can really honestly afford it. College is expensive and $2000 plus could be quite a few months rent paid.
 
shambo said:
Funny how everyone on here is quick to spend other peoples money.:rolleyes: I would do research and evaluate whether or not you can really honestly afford it. College is expensive and $2000 plus could be quite a few months rent paid.
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:rolleyes: I don't think there is any reason to believe she cannot afford the machine. She mentioned next to nothing about price except for that she wants to make an informed purchase since $2000 is quite an investment. I think you are being very presumptuous in reguards to her financial position and way too judgemental of those who responded with a seemingly genuine desire to help.

You are right, $2000 is a lot of money (especially for a college student), and rent, food, etc. should certainly be more of a priority than a computer. However, some people are in better financial situations than others and can afford both rent and a $2000 Mac. So while I believe your advice is sound for the majority of users, I did not feel that it was appropriate for this young lady nor do I feel it was warranted based on the information she provided.

@Jocelyn: If you need a computer going into the school year and can afford the new MBP then I reccomend you purchase now. You will have a beautiful machine that should last you 3-5 years without a problem. Good luck with your purchase.
 
xomissjaye said:
I've read the "The unofficial "I'm Waiting for Arrandale" thread... " I tried to follow but I got so confused lol

....I really really want a mac now, but alot of people are saying it's not 'pro' anymore or the screen is too glossy, and other things.
Click to expand...

Yes, but those people are extremely picky people who post regularly on a computer forum. ;)

Overall, is it really worth waiting for this new chip? Will it make a big difference? I heard people saying this current chip is 'ancient' I just don't know lol.
Click to expand...

It's not worth the difference for you. Remember that the large majority of graphic designers, even designers who use Macs professionally, use a slower laptop than the current MBP. They don't buy new computers every month, you know. ;)


Go for it! They're fast, and capable of doing all the things you mentioned. :) And good luck with uni ('college').
 
I say buy the current machine rather than wait. This will give you time to get a feel for the Mac OS and have some fun with it before you get down to buisness (class work).

Otherwise you are waiting indefinately for somthing which won't be that different from what you can get now.
 
If you buy now, you can get the education discount, free iPod Touch ($229 rebate), and if you buy before 7/20, you can also get a $30 rebate for iWork (essentially get iWork for $2). I'm thinking of doing just this. I'll be selling the iPod Touch since I have an iPhone already.
 
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