I got a free laptop at my college, should I sell my Macbook Pro?

[kiwi34fruit]

So I today I found out I would get a free laptop from my college, a Macbook Pro! A brand new one with fully updated applications such as Adobe CS5 (I go to a ridiculously expensive art college).

Unfortunately, I already have a Macbook Pro. I worked and saved up for two years to afford it, and it's probably the first thing that I was able to purchase by earning everything myself. It's literally the most important thing I own. Although I'm really really attached to it, I think I'm being selfish and I'm wondering if I should sell it for a thousand on eBay.

I should also mention that the Macbook Pro I get from my college is rented. I must return it after four years, which is the only reason I'm not selling it immediately. However, I'm not sure if this fact will eventually change. The Class of 2009 actually got to keep their Macbook Pros after they graduated, but this was the first time this had ever happened in the last four years.

There are several technical differences from my personal Macbook Pro and my college's rented one as well. Overall, my personal one is better.

My Macbook Pro: 15.4 inch, 2.66 GHz, 320 GB, 3-year Applecare, 14-months Old

College Macbook Pro: 13.3 inch, 2.4 GHz, 250 GB, 1-year Applecare, New

Same software. Same spects such as the graphics card, battery, and whatnot.

There's also the option of just using my second Macbook Pro as another monitor, because I am using it for art programs such as Photoshop, but I find this idea rather ridiculous. I'm not desperately poor, but I need money as much as the average college student. I don't need to show off with two bloody Macbook Pros on my desk.

And the most obvious option, the option of asking for my money back for the rented laptop, is unavailable. An anonymous donor actually gives my school around 2000 brand new fully updated Macbook Pros each year to pass out to freshmen.

 

[TheBritishBloke]

Firstly expensive art college.. Lol Jk, in the UK we consider art college as the place to go if you don't have any qualifications xD

Now my overrated criticism is out the way, I honestly would sell your MacBook Pro if you get to keep this one for 4 years.. If you sell up and put the money in a high interest savings account on a 3-4 year fixed term, you could gain up some interest, and technology will be way advanced over your MacBook Pro by then, and if you do get to keep your free MBP, it's a bonus.

If you don't need the extra screen size, I say do it.

P.S. Please don't be offended by my opening statement ^^

 

[Lokrado]

hell i'd do as the above poster, take it, sell the old one, put the money in a high interest locked account, once your done with collage buy a brand new MBP for your interested money?

I happen to have a 17" because i <3 the screen real estate. I didn't think of the new compatibility with HDMI when i bought it, so when using photoshop i usually just end up plugging it into my home TV

 

[Eddyisgreat]

1.Sell it (DON'T GET RIPPED OFF)
2.Use free updated MBP for four years
4...?
3.Use the money you made on the resell to buy the Macbook ProWoah 2015 w/ holographic screen and 40-core processor that runs on sunlight and happiness.

 

[Sankersizzle]

Firstly expensive art college.. Lol Jk, in the UK we consider art college as the place to go if you don't have any qualifications xD

Haha, I'm pretty sure that's a universally held belief.

Anyways, take the new one, sell the old one, UNLESS -you can sell the new one and keep the old one (depending on how attached you are to it). I have two MacBook Pro's as well, a 13" and a 17" and I thought I would use them both, but I just got into using the 17" and never used the 13" again.

 

[TheBritishBloke]

Haha, I'm pretty sure that's a universally held belief.

Anyways, take the new one, sell the old one, UNLESS -you can sell the new one and keep the old one (depending on how attached you are to it). I have two MacBook Pro's as well, a 13" and a 17" and I thought I would use them both, but I just got into using the 17" and never used the 13" again.

Care to send me your 13"

 

[kiwi34fruit]

Wow, I'm actually very surprised by the responses. Outside of this forum, I've been told repeatedly to keep my personal Macbook Pro when I asked my colleagues. I was actually expecting being told to sell it from my classmates and told to keep it from the Mac Forums.

The whole art college thing in the UK is rather surprising as well. It's actually costing me around 160,000 to attend art college here, even with scholarships and grants. I wish I could say I was joking, but in the US, colleges in general love sucking up exorbitant amounts of cash. I feel like the people who couldn't get into any other college wouldn't even bother burning their cash to get in here, unless we're talking about some crappy Art Institute Community College or something.

I should have mentioned that I'm going as rich as the average college student in America, as in at least a few 10-thousands of dollars in debt. I won't be rushing to buy the next new shiny Macbook ProXtreme Awesome anytime soon, although I'd love to.

But, even if I can't buy the next Macbook ProXtreme Awesome, should I sell my personal Macbook Pro? The high-interest rate thing sounds lovely, but I doubt my nonexistent "just-became-an-adult" credit score. Wouldn't I be stuck with it for the next several years so my credit wouldn't plummet? I'm just worried about opening and closing accounts after only 3-4 years.

And remember, I can't sell the 13-inch Macbook Pro. It's rented. I would have sold it already if I could.

 

[Reelknead1]

I personally would keep the one you have. If you don't have the software that comes on the new one just migrate the applications over to your current computer. What happens if something happens to your "rented" computer? Then you would have no computer and would have to pay the college back for it. Also as a Art major your going to want a good size screen. The 13 is to small for me to do any work on. Thats why i got the 15. Up to you but thats just my opinion.

You could also take the 13 that they give you and bring it home and let your parents use it for 4 years. It would be a nice gift to your parents for helping you out for the past 18 years of your life. Just and Idea.

 

[h1r0ll3r]

^ I like this guys option.

Having two laptops never hurt. I have three but only one MBP....for now. Use the 15 that YOU own since it'll work out a lot nicer than the 13" one will. Let your parents/siblings use the 13" (responsibly I might add) and let it be. Once you're done, give the 13" back, and then buy some upgrades for your 15" and you should be set. Maybe max out to 8GB ram and throw in a SSD for about $1000 total? Much cheaper then buying a whole new MBP once you're done with school and will probably be just as good.

 

[fcortese]

Firstly expensive art college.. Lol Jk, in the UK we consider art college as the place to go if you don't have any qualifications xD

Now my overrated criticism is out the way, I honestly would sell your MacBook Pro if you get to keep this one for 4 years.. If you sell up and put the money in a high interest savings account on a 3-4 year fixed term, you could gain up some interest, and technology will be way advanced over your MacBook Pro by then, and if you do get to keep your free MBP, it's a bonus.

If you don't need the extra screen size, I say do it.

P.S. Please don't be offended by my opening statement ^^

Great Idea. I agree with the selling of the older MBP. However, nowadays there is NO such thing as a high interest savings account! Use the money for books or something else, or better yet buy some gold and save it. 4 years from now, hopefully, the economy will be better and you may be able to find a job!

 

[tflournoy95]

1.Sell it (DON'T GET RIPPED OFF)
2.Use free updated MBP for four years
4...?
3.Use the money you made on the resell to buy the Macbook ProWoah 2015 w/ holographic screen and 40-core processor that runs on sunlight and happiness.

sunlight and happiness. lol too bad it wouldnt work for me

 

[longball11]

Well...depends on how much you have used your 14 month old macbook pro. I got a brand new one and I know in 14 months it won't be used much because i still use 2007 black macbook alot.

 

[Sneakz]

Same spects such as the graphics card

Don't think so. Your old MBP has a 9600M GT, the new one has a 320M. 9600M GT is still quite faster

 

[ouimetnick]

1.Sell it (DON'T GET RIPPED OFF)
2.Use free updated MBP for four years
4...?
3.Use the money you made on the resell to buy the Macbook ProWoah 2015 w/ holographic screen and 40-core processor that runs on sunlight and happiness.

Computers (PowerBook G4s) are similar to the MBP that we have today. It won't be that advanced in another 5 years.

 

[Sankersizzle]

Wow, I'm actually very surprised by the responses. Outside of this forum, I've been told repeatedly to keep my personal Macbook Pro when I asked my colleagues. I was actually expecting being told to sell it from my classmates and told to keep it from the Mac Forums.

The whole art college thing in the UK is rather surprising as well. It's actually costing me around 160,000 to attend art college here, even with scholarships and grants. I wish I could say I was joking, but in the US, colleges in general love sucking up exorbitant amounts of cash. I feel like the people who couldn't get into any other college wouldn't even bother burning their cash to get in here, unless we're talking about some crappy Art Institute Community College or something.

I should have mentioned that I'm going as rich as the average college student in America, as in at least a few 10-thousands of dollars in debt. I won't be rushing to buy the next new shiny Macbook ProXtreme Awesome anytime soon, although I'd love to.

But, even if I can't buy the next Macbook ProXtreme Awesome, should I sell my personal Macbook Pro? The high-interest rate thing sounds lovely, but I doubt my nonexistent "just-became-an-adult" credit score. Wouldn't I be stuck with it for the next several years so my credit wouldn't plummet? I'm just worried about opening and closing accounts after only 3-4 years.

And remember, I can't sell the 13-inch Macbook Pro. It's rented. I would have sold it already if I could.

Well then, bud, I suggest you just keep using your old one. Because in 4 years (or whenever) you have to give the other one back. The 13 is pretty much the same as your computer you have now (worse processor and worse graphics, small screen) so there are more reasons to keep using your current one than to use the new one (in my opinion).

 

[crawfish963]

Firstly expensive art college.. Lol Jk, in the UK we consider art college as the place to go if you don't have any qualifications xD

Now my overrated criticism is out the way, I honestly would sell your MacBook Pro if you get to keep this one for 4 years.. If you sell up and put the money in a high interest savings account on a 3-4 year fixed term, you could gain up some interest, and technology will be way advanced over your MacBook Pro by then, and if you do get to keep your free MBP, it's a bonus.

If you don't need the extra screen size, I say do it.

P.S. Please don't be offended by my opening statement ^^

This. Who says the Brits don't have good ideas?

 

[Eddyisgreat]

Computers (PowerBook G4s) are similar to the MBP that we have today. It won't be that advanced in another 5 years.

Ok maybe I exageratted just a little.

But the MBPs of today are far far advanced to the antiquated Powerbook, maybe not in terms of styling (which is subjective), but in terms of raw power.

 

[ouimetnick]

Ok maybe I exageratted just a little.

But the MBPs of today are far far advanced to the antiquated Powerbook, maybe not in terms of styling (which is subjective), but in terms of raw power.

Are the Intel Core 2 Duos really THAT much better than the PowerPC G4? Like comparing the Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 to the power fullest PowerPC G4 (1.67 GHz) in the last PowerBook. GHz don't mean everything.

 

[Mike Macintosh]

Edit: Take back what I said about keeping your currant one.

IMHO since your taking a major in Art, I suggest selling your current one and purchasing a Cinema Display for your rented one when your in the dorms/home/etc.

 

[brianfast]

If you are going to go in debt you want to be as liquid as possible now to avoid future debt.

 

[Eddyisgreat]

Are the Intel Core 2 Duos really THAT much better than the PowerPC G4? Like comparing the Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 to the power fullest PowerPC G4 (1.67 GHz) in the last PowerBook. GHz don't mean everything.

are you asking me or telling me lol I can't tell?

 

[silveradoman01]

Are the Intel Core 2 Duos really THAT much better than the PowerPC G4? Like comparing the Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 to the power fullest PowerPC G4 (1.67 GHz) in the last PowerBook. GHz don't mean everything.

So your saying my I7 macbook pro is just as good as a 6 year old single core macbook?? Wow I never knew that. I guess then I should quit buying new and just go for a 1990 mac since its exactly the same, and trade my 2001 silverado 2500 for a 1988 silverado 2500. because even though the engines are completly different. Because technology never changes my 6.6 liter durmax makes just as much power as a 5.0 gas engine. Right. thanks for the advice.

 

[silveradoman01]

Edit: Take back what I said about keeping your currant one.

IMHO since your taking a major in Art, I suggest selling your current one and purchasing a Cinema Display for your rented one when your in the dorms/home/etc.

THIS get the new 27" LED that would be perfect. Then screen size wont matter.

 

[Sankersizzle]

So your saying my I7 macbook pro is just as good as a 6 year old single core macbook?? Wow I never knew that. I guess then I should quit buying new and just go for a 1990 mac since its exactly the same, and trade my 2001 silverado 2500 for a 1988 silverado 2500. because even though the engines are completly different. Because technology never changes my 6.6 liter durmax makes just as much power as a 5.0 gas engine. Right. thanks for the advice.

I think you completely missed his point, he's saying exactly what you're saying.

 

[kidwithdimples]

It's not really FREE.

You paid it with your tuition

My school is giving 'free' Macbooks while my sister's school is giving an iPad to freshmen and transfer students.