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Is it a good time to buy a 13" MacBook Pro?

D

doxavita

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 6, 2010
614
3
Do you think right now is a good time to get a brand new 13" MacBook Pro?($1199 version)
(Considering https://buyersguide.macrumors.com//#MacBook_Pro suggests it has reached its "Neutral - Mid product cycle" and there being rumors of an update during November)

What attracts me about getting it right now, is that offer where you also get a free 8GB iPod touch! I would be using the 13" macbook pro mainly for reading.

One extra question: How does the 13" MacBook Pro handle high def movies? ( for example a 1080p movie? any choppiness? all smooth and good? ;-) )

Thanks very much
 
Short answer: If you want it, and can even take advantage of the free iPod deal, go for it!

Long answer: In my opinion, people often spend too much time trying to decide the best time to buy something new. While it's always a good idea to research possible options first, one must keep in mind that products will always eventually be replaced by new and improved models. Good luck!

Edit: About the 1080p; I've never watched a 1080p movie on my MBP, but YouTube 1080p works great!
 
It is a GREAT time to buy a 13" macbook pro! I had a 2.66GHz 17" i7 macbook pro for 2 months and I've sold it recently and moved to the 13" 2.4GHz mbp with the nvidia 320m and let me tell you that this thing is FAST.

Honestly, using it in everyday task under OSX I do not notice much of a difference if any at all in terms of overall speed! I am still amazed by the 320m and how wonderful it performs (especially ui animations are smooth unlike the 9400m which is dog slow). I also returned a mac mini with the nvidia 9400m because it couldnt handle 8GB or higher MKV files (even under the plex player it would stutter) but now the 320m plays it like its nothing!

I also installed windows xp via bootcamp and I've tried playing bioshock 2 and it runs fast. This nvidia 320m doesnt feel like an integrated GPU at all. I'm running bioshock in medium graphics mode and its perfectly playable even at 1920x1200. I'm also playing mass effect 2 on low to medium settings just fine. Its amazing that it performs on par with the nvidia 9600m gt of last generation (I had the 15" 2.8GHz model with the 512mb ram version of the 9600m gt before I exchanged it to the i7 2.66GHz when it was released).

I'm so glad that I sold my 17" (although it was an amazing notebook), I ended up pocketing the $1500 and got myself an Epson 8500UB projector.

Anyway, if you have a microcenter near you, you can pick up the 13" 2.4GHz macbook pro with the nvidia 320m for just $999 (thats what I did) and its worth every penny. :)
 
jjahshik32 said:
It is a GREAT time to buy a 13" macbook pro! I had a 2.66GHz 17" i7 macbook pro for 2 months and I've sold it recently and moved to the 13" 2.4GHz mbp with the nvidia 320m and let me tell you that this thing is FAST.

Honestly, using it in everyday task under OSX I do not notice much of a difference if any at all in terms of overall speed! I am still amazed by the 320m and how wonderful it performs (especially ui animations are smooth unlike the 9400m which is dog slow). I also returned a mac mini with the nvidia 9400m because it couldnt handle 8GB or higher MKV files (even under the plex player it would stutter) but now the 320m plays it like its nothing!

I also installed windows xp via bootcamp and I've tried playing bioshock 2 and it runs fast. This nvidia 320m doesnt feel like an integrated GPU at all. I'm running bioshock in medium graphics mode and its perfectly playable even at 1920x1200. I'm also playing mass effect 2 on low to medium settings just fine. Its amazing that it performs on par with the nvidia 9600m gt of last generation (I had the 15" 2.8GHz model with the 512mb ram version of the 9600m gt before I exchanged it to the i7 2.66GHz when it was released).

I'm so glad that I sold my 17" (although it was an amazing notebook), I ended up pocketing the $1500 and got myself an Epson 8500UB projector.

Anyway, if you have a microcenter near you, you can pick up the 13" 2.4GHz macbook pro with the nvidia 320m for just $999 (thats what I did) and its worth every penny. :)
Click to expand...

funny...i have 3 mac mini's with 9400m's and they all have 8gb ram in them.....
 
MacModMachine said:
funny...i have 3 mac mini's with 9400m's and they all have 8gb ram in them.....
Click to expand...

Dont get me wrong the mac mini with the 9400m is just good enough for almost everything but the 320m is a HUGE step up in performance.

I have alot of 10GB-15GB MKV files that I play under the plex player and those movies in half the scenes lose alot of frames where its unwatchable. I remember I used to get frustrated where the scenes skip and the lip sync doesnt match and is off by a few seconds at a time! Also my mac mini with the nvidia 9400m wasnt even using dual monitor either (one port connected to my samsung 23" display and the mini display port connected to my 52" sony bravia xbr6) because it would make the mkv files virtually unplayable.

If I hadnt bought the 13" macbook pro, I probably would have gone with the 2.4GHz mac mini with the nvidia 320m as it has the same specs as my 13".

What entices me even more so with the mac mini now is that, graphically its so much more powerful (yes in real life it can be felt so much more than on what it saids on paper) that I'm tempted to pick up a mac mini and use it in dual monitor mode. Also using 6-9 spaces even connected to my 52" sony bravia runs the graphics buttery smooth without any hiccups (like the nvidia 9400 would struggle even on my 23" samsung).

I'd love to drive two monitors with the new mac mini. Perhaps this would keep my 13" macbook pro free from the desk (especially when watching the mkv files).
 
jjahshik32 said:
Dont get me wrong the mac mini with the 9400m is just good enough for almost everything but the 320m is a HUGE step up in performance.

I have alot of 10GB-15GB MKV files that I play under the plex player and those movies in half the scenes lose alot of frames where its unwatchable. I remember I used to get frustrated where the scenes were skip and the lip sync doesnt match and is off by a few seconds at a time! Also my mac mini with the nvidia 9400m wasnt even using dual monitor either (one port connected to my samsung 23" display and the mini display port connected to my 52" sony bravia xbr6) because it would make the mkv files virtually unplayable.

If I hadnt bought the 13" macbook pro, I probably would have gone with the 2.4GHz mac mini with the nvidia 320m as it has the same specs as my 13".

What entices me even more so with the mac mini now is that, graphically its so much more powerful (yes in real life it can be felt so much more than on what it saids on paper) that I'm tempted to pick up a mac mini and use it in dual monitor mode.

Even the 320m driving my 52" sony bravia xbr6 has no hiccups whatsoever and it feels like its being driven by a dedicated GPU! I'd love to drive two monitors with the new mac mini. Perhaps this would keep my 13" macbook pro free from the desktop (especially when watching the mkv files).
Click to expand...

oh i know the 320m is great, i have it in my 13" 2.66 which is my desktop/laptop now.....i have several mini's i just sold one and will be selling the others later down the road, but the 320m is a very fast card and coupled with the ddr3 dual channel config's they really handle themselves.

before a decision between the 13" and 15" was a very easy one when you needed a little video juice, now that the 13" has a capable video card (meaning it can hold its own in high end applications) its a tougher decision.

i purchased over $200 in games on steam this past week and weekend and they all run great on this card.
 
Buy now! Good deal with the iPod touch, use it or pocket some cash. Stop waiting and get something you'll be happy with using right away. The 13inch has a much better GPU than the previous gen, overall speed isn't a big step but that GPU plus 10 hour battery and other enhancements make it a nice buy. I don't think you'll see a new macbook until Christmas at the earliest.

So why wait 6 months when you can get 1 now :)
 
There is never really a great time to buy / bad time to buy a computer. You never truly know when the computer is going to be updated with specs until it happens. What you should focus on is whether the model you are looking at fits what you need and whether you like the specs that are currently available. Ultimately, when the time is right for you to buy your new computer given all the factors (money, existing hardware lifespan, outside factors that drive hardware upgrade requirements [aka back to school deals, starting of school, new job, etc], etc.), you should focus on what is available and find the machine that best suits your needs. Also be aware of certain parts of the machines that can be upgraded in the future vs static if you don't currently have the money for certain upgrades... Things that can be upgraded post purchase: RAM, hard drive, Things that are static : cpu, graphics, glossy/anti-glare(matte), high-res/standard-res.

Electronics is one of those purchases that will get outdated quickly and unless you have the money lying around, you just have to live with the specs you have when it gets updated. The only time that is truly risky to buy a machine is when you can see imminent changes happening popping up in the next week or so, usually when the system hardware hasn't been updated in an extremely long time. At that point, usually the buyer's guide says Don't Buy - updates soon.

That said, I think it is pretty safe to say that the mbp 13" is not likely to have any changes anytime soon.
 
aljlin said:
There is never really a great time to buy / bad time to buy a computer. You never truly know when the computer is going to be updated with specs until it happens. What you should focus on is whether the model you are looking at fits what you need and whether you like the specs that are currently available. Ultimately, when the time is right for you to buy your new computer given all the factors (money, existing hardware lifespan, outside factors that drive hardware upgrade requirements [aka back to school deals, starting of school, new job, etc], etc.), you should focus on what is available and find the machine that best suits your needs. Also be aware of certain parts of the machines that can be upgraded in the future vs static if you don't currently have the money for certain upgrades... Things that can be upgraded post purchase: RAM, hard drive, Things that are static : cpu, graphics, glossy/anti-glare(matte), high-res/standard-res.

Electronics is one of those purchases that will get outdated quickly and unless you have the money lying around, you just have to live with the specs you have when it gets updated. The only time that is truly risky to buy a machine is when you can see imminent changes happening popping up in the near future, usually when the system hardware hasn't been updated in an extremely long time. At that point, usually the buyer's guide says Don't Buy - updates soon.

That said, I think it is pretty safe to say that the mbp 13" is not likely to have any changes anytime soon.
Click to expand...

As aljlin said. The best time to buy your new laptop is when you really need it.
 
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