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Finally! Mbp Time! Buying Questions!

MacsBestFriend

MacsBestFriend

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
hey everyone, so i'm back after a 8 month hiatus from the forum. i finally am able to buy a macbook pro, too! first off, i cannot decide if the hi-res screen is worth the extra $100. how do they compare?

second, i am stuck between the i5 and i7 macbook pro's. is it worth the extra money? should i save two hundred dollars?

third, when can i expect the next update? is it safe to buy now before school starts (i'm buying online not from apple to save money, so the ipod touch doesn't really matter)? or should i wait until like october?

again, thanks for the help and i will have a bunch of follow up questions soon!
 
MacsBestFriend said:
second, i am stuck between the i5 and i7 macbook pro's. is it worth the extra money? should i save two hundred dollars?
Click to expand...

You give zero helpful information that would help answer this question.

third, when can i expect the next update? is it safe to buy now before school starts (i'm buying online not from apple to save money, so the ipod touch doesn't really matter)? or should i wait until like october?
Click to expand...

They were just updated. Even if there was an update between now and October it would be minor.
 
Next major update isn't coming before 2011 when Sandy Bridge comes. If you have a store near by, go and take a look, they might have 15" with hi res in stock. If not, then play with the 17" as it has around the same ppi so it gives you an idea how small fonts etc will be with the hi res screen. As for i5 vs i7, go with the i5 as i7 is only ~10% faster and that's in CPU intensive tasks, in general usage there is no difference.
 
i thought i would also add, with the i5 i would have extra cash left over for a new camera, case, and magicmouse.
 
miles01110 said:
You give zero helpful information that would help answer this question.



They were just updated. Even if there was an update between now and October it would be minor.
Click to expand...

sorry about that, i would be doing a lot of final cut, autodesk (bootcamp), and photoshop on it.
 
Hellhammer said:
Next major update isn't coming before 2011 when Sandy Bridge comes. If you have a store near by, go and take a look, they might have 15" with hi res in stock. If not, then play with the 17" as it has around the same ppi so it gives you an idea how small fonts etc will be with the hi res screen. As for i5 vs i7, go with the i5 as i7 is only ~10% faster and that's in CPU intensive tasks, in general usage there is no difference.
Click to expand...

when sandy bridge comes will there be a redesign?
 
Are you going to be doing processor intensive stuff?

FCP / animation etc etc

If not, then you probably don't need the i7.
 
I think i7 is one of those "if you have to ask..." dilemmas. Save your $$ and put it towards something else.

I'd definitely go for the hi res personally, but it's always best to compare in person if you can.
 
MacsBestFriend said:
when sandy fridge comes will there be a redesign?
Click to expand...

Maybe, maybe not. Likely no though as current design is fine. Looking at your usage and it might be worth it to jump for i7 as the apps you run are more or less CPU intensive. Depends on whether the 10% increase in performance is worth it to you or not.
 
MacsBestFriend said:
sorry about that, i would be doing a lot of final cut, autodesk (bootcamp), and photoshop on it.
Click to expand...

i currently run the 15" mac book pro, high res screen and I got it in june '09. I got a free i pod touch and printer(USF is on the university list of approved schools)

At this current time, I would get the macbook pro, 15", free ipod touch high res and save the $200, and sell the unopened/not used ipod touch for little under face value on craigslist and make money on the deal... 😀
 
silverhkswrx said:
i currently run the 15" mac book pro, high res screen and I got it in june '09. I got a free i pod touch and printer(USF is on the university list of approved schools)

At this current time, I would get the macbook pro, 15", free ipod touch high res and save the $200, and sell the unopened/not used ipod touch for little under face value on craigslist and make money on the deal... 😀
Click to expand...

i'm in ny, though. i dont know the tax in ca, but here 2000 would be 2160 after taxes, and with the discount...... wait. you may be on to something...
 
ok, i'll break this down so i understand😕- at the apple store, i would pay about $2600 for the laptop and ipod touch, before rebates. after i get $400 in rebates from apple, it would be $2200. then i would get about $200 for the ipod. so.... i would end up paying $2000 in the end. really doesnt seem that awesome because of $200 in tax 🙁. i'll shop around a little, now. but that is still on the table.
 
as posted above, if your not going to do any cpu intensive things or gaming, where not only with the i7 come in handy, but the 512mb of ram instead of 256mb (if i remember right) would help too.
 
Hellhammer said:
Next major update isn't coming before 2011 when Sandy Bridge comes. If you have a store near by, go and take a look, they might have 15" with hi res in stock. If not, then play with the 17" as it has around the same ppi so it gives you an idea how small fonts etc will be with the hi res screen. As for i5 vs i7, go with the i5 as i7 is only ~10% faster and that's in CPU intensive tasks, in general usage there is no difference.
Click to expand...

what is "sandy bridge?"
 
silverhkswrx said:
i currently run the 15" mac book pro, high res screen and I got it in june '09. I got a free i pod touch and printer(USF is on the university list of approved schools)

At this current time, I would get the macbook pro, 15", free ipod touch high res and save the $200, and sell the unopened/not used ipod touch for little under face value on craigslist and make money on the deal... 😀
Click to expand...

??????

Last years model didn't have a hi res screen.
 
MacsBestFriend said:
hey everyone, so i'm back after a 8 month hiatus from the forum. i finally am able to buy a macbook pro, too! first off, i cannot decide if the hi-res screen is worth the extra $100. how do they compare?

second, i am stuck between the i5 and i7 macbook pro's. is it worth the extra money? should i save two hundred dollars?

third, when can i expect the next update? is it safe to buy now before school starts (i'm buying online not from apple to save money, so the ipod touch doesn't really matter)? or should i wait until like october?

again, thanks for the help and i will have a bunch of follow up questions soon!
Click to expand...

I've used an i5 and an i7 and own a C2D... and to be honest the difference between all three is ALMOST negligable unless you are doing something like 3d image rendering. What are you going to be using it for? What type of HD are you getting? I would get a 7200 HD with an i5 over a 5400 HD with an i7. I was and never will be in the market for something bigger than a 13 inch so I don't know if you can get these configurations so forgive me if you can't. I'm just saying, a faster HD with an i5 is more worth the money to me than an i7 with a slower (I know, still fast) HD.
 
robotmonkey said:
I've used an i5 and an i7 and own a C2D... and to be honest the difference between all three is ALMOST negligable unless you are doing something like 3d image rendering. What are you going to be using it for? What type of HD are you getting? I would get a 7200 HD with an i5 over a 5400 HD with an i7. I was and never will be in the market for something bigger than a 13 inch so I don't know if you can get these configurations so forgive me if you can't. I'm just saying, a faster HD with an i5 is more worth the money to me than an i7 with a slower (I know, still fast) HD.
Click to expand...

dude i completely forgot about the harddrive 😱
$45 bucks for the upgrade? done.
 
MacsBestFriend said:
dude i completely forgot about the harddrive 😱
$45 bucks for the upgrade? done.
Click to expand...


Apple is having serious quality control issues with their displays, I personally had to exchange two machines to get one with a display that wasn't yellow tinted or have the light glow along the bottom of the screen. I read tons of threads regarding this issue all the time and if you buy from Apple online you cannot exchange the machine at the store. I would seriously only buy from the physical store, and rather buy a upgraded HD from Newegg and stick it in my self.

Also there have been issues regarding dents and scratches on the body of the computers, if you did CTO you would have to wait weeks for an exchange. Best bet is to goto the store buy it... Open it in store inspect it and then show them the problem if there is one.

Apple Stores should be stocking the Highrez and Antiglare options. The only thing you cannot get from the physical stores is a HD upgrade which you would have to do online or buy one your self and install it afterwards. This would give you a nice extra HD to put in an external enclosure and use it as a Time Machine drive.
 
xi mezmerize ix said:
what is "sandy bridge?"
Click to expand...

Reapur said:
Apple is having serious quality control issues with their displays, I personally had to exchange two machines to get one with a display that wasn't yellow tinted or have the light glow along the bottom of the screen. I read tons of threads regarding this issue all the time and if you buy from Apple online you cannot exchange the machine at the store. I would seriously only buy from the physical store, and rather buy a upgraded HD from Newegg and stick it in my self.

Also there have been issues regarding dents and scratches on the body of the computers, if you did CTO you would have to wait weeks for an exchange. Best bet is to goto the store buy it... Open it in store inspect it and then show them the problem if there is one.

Apple Stores should be stocking the Highrez and Antiglare options. The only thing you cannot get from the physical stores is a HD upgrade which you would have to do online or buy one your self and install it afterwards. This would give you a nice extra HD to put in an external enclosure and use it as a Time Machine drive.
Click to expand...

i like the thought of buying in store, but i am using a friends college discount being that i am in high school and he probably won't go to the store, being too much. plus i want to unbox it in hd to draw some traffic to my youtube channel, and people only care about watching the plastic seal on the computer breaking 😉
 
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