Finally Getting A MacBook!

[MatthewConnelly]

Well i've been waiting to get a MacBook for a couple of months now, and my credit card is on route to my house! The only problem is that the limit isn't as high as I needed it to be, so I guess i'll have to cut down my order.

I originally wanted a black MacBook with 2GB RAM, which came to £1119, and .Mac which is £49 when purchased with a Mac. I get 6% discount through my work so this comes to £1098. The only problem is that the limit on the card is £1000 (my first CC) so I won't be able to get it. I've been pondering getting a 2GHz white MacBook with 2GB RAM and .Mac, which comes to £985 with my discount, but the white doesn't look as sexy as the black and the hard drive is 40GB smaller, and I don't want to worry about discolouration.

So I guess it's going to be a stock black MacBook with the .Mac which is £985 after discount, but i'm not happy about the 1GB RAM. Is it possible when placing an order online to pay a bit (say £100) on a debit card, and the rest on a credit card? If I could, then I would be able to get the MacBook that I want! Also, do you think Apple will still be able to guarantee christmas delivery if I bought it on the 18th of December?

 

[coastertux]

When I ordered in the US Apple Store it gave me the option of splitting between two cards. I think your debit card must be able to be processed as a credit card though (IE it has a Visa or Mastercard logo on it).

 

[flopticalcube]

Will your credit card company allow a pre-payment of say £100 to increase your limit?

 

[MatthewConnelly]

When I ordered in the US Apple Store it gave me the option of splitting between two cards. I think your debit card must be able to be processed as a credit card though (IE it has a Visa or Mastercard logo on it).

It's a Maestro card, which is the debit card version of a Mastercard. I'm not sure if it can be processed as a Mastercard though.

Will your credit card company allow a pre-payment of say £100 to increase your limit?

I never thought of that, i'll give them a ring and see if they'll allow me. Has anyone ever tried this?

 

[MatthewConnelly]

The alternative for me is to just go into my local Apple store and pick up a stock black MacBook. I know it'd be fine for running most every day apps such as iTunes, Safari, Mail etc. But I want to be able to run Photoshop on it, and I can't find any reviews or anything of a stock black MacBook with comments about how it runs Photoshop.

 

[Eraserhead]

Can't you get your credit limit raised to £1200? or pay by debit card? Either should be OK with Apple, otherwise I believe it is possible to wire the money to Apple, it may cost £10 or so extra to do so, call and ask.

 

[weckart]

The alternative for me is to just go into my local Apple store and pick up a stock black MacBook. I know it'd be fine for running most every day apps such as iTunes, Safari, Mail etc. But I want to be able to run Photoshop on it, and I can't find any reviews or anything of a stock black MacBook with comments about how it runs Photoshop.

Your local Applestores will also install memory for you, so you may be able to get what you want there, anyway. Try ringing up to see if they will sell the memory you need. They will not sell hard disk upgrades, though.

Credit cards come with a credit limit. If you overpay into your credit card account, then obviously the amount you can spend on it is raised correspondingly. I have done this on occasion in error and my statement always shows the credit limit plus the overpayment as the amount available on the card.

 

[MatthewConnelly]

Can't you get your credit limit raised to £1200? or pay by debit card? Either should be OK with Apple, otherwise I believe it is possible to wire the money to Apple, it may cost £10 or so extra to do so, call and ask.

I wouldn't be using a credit card if I already had the cash in my account!

Your local Applestores will also install memory for you, so you may be able to get what you want there, anyway. Try ringing up to see if they will sell the memory you need. They will not sell hard disk upgrades, though.

Credit cards come with a credit limit. If you overpay into your credit card account, then obviously the amount you can spend on it is raised correspondingly. I have done this on occasion in error and my statement always shows the credit limit plus the overpayment as the amount available on the card.

That kind of makes sense, i'll ask my bank when I go in on Monday. As for the Apple Store, I won't be getting a BTO machine in there. I asked at my local one (Manchester Arndale) and they told me that it costs extra in store. They get stock models with 1GB RAM (the MB at least) and if you want 2GB installed, you have to pay for 2 x 1GB sticks and not just the 1GB upgrade. Purely because the stock models have 2 x 512MB instead of 1 x 1GB stick. Kind of stupid and it pissed me off a little bit. They told me, "You still get to keep the 1 x 512MB (obviously) and you can just sell them on eBay or something."

 

[Abstract]

Your local Applestores will also install memory for you, so you may be able to get what you want there, anyway. Try ringing up to see if they will sell the memory you need. They will not sell hard disk upgrades, though.

If you buy the stock model, and then add RAM as a separate purchase from the stores themselves, they'll charge you WAY too much money for RAM. They'll charge you less if you just order it as a BTO option online, although it's still a ripoff.

Get it from OWC or Newegg.

Credit cards come with a credit limit. If you overpay into your credit card account, then obviously the amount you can spend on it is raised correspondingly. I have done this on occasion in error and my statement always shows the credit limit plus the overpayment as the amount available on the card.

But be careful if you try to do this. Some cards won't let you overpay, or may penalise you if you do so.