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Is there a point to me selling my MacBook Pro

I

insmgg

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 21, 2010
34
0
Long story short, I bought a 13" MBP two months ago because I thought I was starting school this fall but some things changed and I won't be starting for another year.

Should I sell the MBP on eBay and buy a new one next year? I'd probably lose $200.

Once I start school in a year, it'll be a 3 year program and I need my MBP to be in excellent shape during this time and have a battery that works for many hours.

If I keep it this year, there's a chance I will keep it off the entire year since I have an old HP that I'm more used to. So what should I do?
 
Did you really need a Mac? If you think you'd prefer to use an old HP because you're more "used to" it then I have to ask whether you needed a Mac specifically or did you just want a new computer and ergo, you got a Mac? For example, does the program you were supposed to enter require Macs?


It sounds to me as though you think your Mac won't be in good shape in a year. I kept and used my PowerBook daily for 4 years. I got a Mac Pro and used the PB nearly every day for another year until I bought a MacBook Air. I found the PB to be great even 4+ years later.

It is up to you but it seems as though you don't need the Mac, may as well get rid of it if you're into your HP still.
 
insmgg said:
Long story short, I bought a 13" MBP two months ago because I thought I was starting school this fall but some things changed and I won't be starting for another year.

Should I sell the MBP on eBay and buy a new one next year? I'd probably lose $200.

Once I start school in a year, it'll be a 3 year program and I need my MBP to be in excellent shape during this time and have a battery that works for many hours.

If I keep it this year, there's a chance I will keep it off the entire year since I have an old HP that I'm more used to. So what should I do?
Click to expand...

keep it for next year
 
I won't be able to use the HP at school. I'll have to use a Mac. So my only two options are-

1. Keep this Mac. Leave it off for a year most likely unless I decide to scrap the HP
2. Lose $200 by selling it. Get a new one in a year.

BTW, is it bad to leave a laptop off for a year?
 
insmgg said:
I won't be able to use the HP at school. I'll have to use a Mac. So my only two options are-

1. Keep this Mac. Leave it off for a year most likely unless I decide to scrap the HP
2. Lose $200 by selling it. Get a new one in a year.

BTW, is it bad to leave a laptop off for a year?
Click to expand...

Personally, if I was absolutely not gonna use it for a year, I would try to sell and take a small loss, unless I had plans to use it at least lightly. Next year, new notebooks will be out with more current, perhaps energy-efficient technology that would be worthwhile to have (i.e., Intel Ivy Bridge infrastructure).

Technically it's not BAD to keep it turned off for a year, but you'd have to keep check on it every so often in some way in order to keep it around a 50% charge--a natural amount of charge loss occurs all the time whenever not in use.

Be sure to read Apple's notebook battery suggestions: http://www.apple.com/batteries/notebooks.html

Read all of it, but I quote here:

Long-Term Storage
If you don’t plan on using your notebook for more than six months, Apple recommends that you store the battery with a 50% charge. If you store a battery when it’s fully discharged, it could fall into a deep discharge state, which renders it incapable of holding any charge. Conversely, if you store it fully charged for an extended period of time, the battery may experience some loss of battery capacity, meaning it will have a shorter life. Be sure to store your notebook and battery at the proper temperature. (See “Notebook Temperate Zone.”)
Click to expand...
 
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I believe you will loose more than 200.00. Just keep it
 
Why not just use it.. I mean it would save you from the confusion when you start school if you aren't familiar with Mac OS X you should probably scrap your HP and use the Mac so you're comfortable with it once you do start going to school

No hassle of resell, no lost money. ;)
 
Received an offer of $1100. Paid $1400 for it.

Worth it to lose the $300 and get a new one in a year?
 
insmgg said:
Received an offer of $1100. Paid $1400 for it.

Worth it to lose the $300 and get a new one in a year?
Click to expand...

I'd do it if I needed the money.

Either way you don't plan to use the computer so what do you have to gain by keeping it?
 
Maybe he was planning on moving in dorms, but since he's not moving, he doesn't need a laptop anymore since he has his desktop at home.

Leaving it idle for a year would probably lessen the life of the battery since the neurons would be inactive for so long. I'd probably sell it at a loss, learn my lesson on jumping the gun too early, and purchase another when you're ready to fully use it.
 
Keep it. The money you would loose in reselling it now, you could put towards an SSD and really speed up your machine for next year, and you'd have the benefit of having a machine an extra year.
 
If you're not into gaming, the current MBP will last for a good 3-5 years... Safari or Microsoft Office will not suddenly be so CPU intensive which requires you to upgrade your MBP. The only thing is if you're thinking about the possible redesign of the next MBP. I had a desktop computer, and once I got the MBP, I barely touch my desktop.
 
Keep it you'll be glad you did.

The only thing that will change when sitting, or even if you use it, is that you battery will gradually deteriorate. Modern day laptop batteries begin to degrade even if out of the computer and just sitting on the shelf. It's a small amount, but something to be aware of.
 
I'd keep it. You've already said you aren't real familiar with the Mac OS. If that is the case, you will have the year to get used to using OS X and it will become second nature. I bought my new MBP part way through a semester for various reasons and I really wished I wouldn't have. Getting used to a new computer while trying to do school work was not a good thing. Whatever you decide to do, good luck! You will enjoy your new Mac!
 
I agree with Tonya. Spend the year using and getting familiar with your Mac so it's one less thing you have to learn once you're in school next year. $300 is too much to loose.
 
In your situation I would:

1. Sell the MBP.
2. Invest the money into AAPL, if you can do without it.
3. Sell enough AAPL next year to buy a new MBA.

You could get by with the HP, you seem committed to switching but not really needing a Mac right now. You will very probably grow some of your cash back, and the MBA's in a year from now will no doubt be the way to go, maybe even replacing or trumping the MBP by then.
 
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If the batteries are dead, buy a new one. A new battery cost only $150 or something?

I highly doubt your battery will be gone.

My machine is now 1+ years old and it still has 98% health. In 3 years, it will be 94%?
 
I would sell it only if I needed the money.

You've actually got an interesting opportunity here, you've been a PC user (an HP), and you've got to use a Mac for college.

Now you've got a year to get really comfortable with the Mac, without it impacting your school work.

I would keep it, and use it for the next year.

Unless you're one of the "must upgrade every year" folks, a MBP will last ~5ish years pretty easily, especially as you got one of the Sandy Bridge MBP's, which is a good improvement on speed. Between now and next year, the update is only likely to go to Ivy Bridge, which is more of an "iteration/die-shrink" over Sandy Bridge, not an radical redesign, which implies limited performance gains. This year "might" get us a redesign of the MBP's, but it wouldn't obsolete the current MBP.
 
jessica. said:
Did you really need a Mac? If you think you'd prefer to use an old HP because you're more "used to" it then I have to ask whether you needed a Mac specifically or did you just want a new computer and ergo, you got a Mac? For example, does the program you were supposed to enter require Macs?


It sounds to me as though you think your Mac won't be in good shape in a year. I kept and used my PowerBook daily for 4 years. I got a Mac Pro and used the PB nearly every day for another year until I bought a MacBook Air. I found the PB to be great even 4+ years later.

It is up to you but it seems as though you don't need the Mac, may as well get rid of it if you're into your HP still.
Click to expand...

I just bought a Powerbook G4 5 months ago just for learning OSX and now I am getting a mid/late 2007 MacBook Pro next week I wish I could keep Powerbook but I need some money so...I have to let PB go. :(
 
Alright I get it.

I don't think any school program requires a Mac to get into. Even studio arts and graphics majors aren't required to BUY THEIR OWN MAC COMPUTERS simple because no reputable school would offer these programs without good computers for their students to work on.

Having the newest Mac in the market sure is attractive, you just need "a Mac" to show off on campus.

Keep the Mac and enjoy yourself, life is too short. :D
 
You're going to have to get used to the OS for school, you might as well take the plunge and toss that useless HP for using your MBP full time.
You will realize that I am right soon.
Lots of people only stick with the clunky Windows just because they're "used to it"
I know Im going to get in trouble for saying this, but it doesn't seem like you need a windows machine for anything specific. Makes more sense to use the fantastic piece of hardware that you just bought for a year and know what you're doing when you get to school.
 
Keep the Mac ... it will last you through school ... you are just making things complicated for yourself.
 
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