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Is this a stupid idea?

D

danwayfilms

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 15, 2012
42
0
To be honest, i'm terrified that the late 2011 MacBook Pros will be the last that truly offer professional features, like the ability to upgrade memory and hard drive, swap the optical for a sad, etc.

I think i've decided that I'm going to go ahead and purchase the late 2011 15 inch 2.4 i7 with 4 gb of ram (to be upgraded immediately from crucial) and the 1gb discrete graphics, with the hi rez matte screen. My current MacBook Pro makes graphic and video work tedious, and while I know Apple will come out with newer MBP's, rumors have been flying that they will be thinner and more macbook air like. This may possibly mean a loss of the features I described above. I also know that they love glossy screens, and that is one thing my next macbook pro cannot have.

If my worst fears are confirmed, I would probably have to get a refurbished late 2011 model, which I don't want to do.

So my idea.. is to purchase the late 2011 model now with the specs I listed above, and IF apple surprises me and releases a newer MacBook Pro that doesn't give up the features I want, I can always sell the late 2011 model and still get good money for it. If I also sold my current macbook pro (2009) I could probably get around $500 for it, and that should offset the difference.

This way, i'm prepared if Apple goes down a scary path and I have a computer that does what I need it to. But at the same time prepared in case Apple surprises and does good with it's MacBook Pro line.

Is this plan completely crazy?
 
I think it'll be a while before they get rid of the MacBook pro, if ever. There's really nothing to worry about.
 
It certainly could work. You could always wait and see what happens, and if you don't like the refresh, just get the 2011 model at what should be discounted price. I assume you lose less money that way. Unless of course you need a computer now.
 
I think its okay but I still believe you can exchange the internals.
I mean thats what the "Pro" is for.
Apple don't make RAMs nor HDDs. They are all 3rd party.
This is why Apple charge you so much for 8GB RAMs, SSDs, etc

What Im trying to say here is, even on the instruction manual there is a explanation on how to swap HDDs and RAMs, so they should not disappear.

Maybe the optical drive. I mean nobody really "burns" CD and DVD as much now.

There are rumors saying that MBP would be like Airs but I highly doubt that.

But I think your purchase is still a great idea.
 
It is not a stupid idea. The rumors surely have been pointing to that scenario, unfortunately. If you can, why not wait? If the MBPs do compromise on too much you could always get a better 15" MBP from 2011 for the same money, since they'd get cheaper once the 2012 versions came out.
 
I know that the MacBook Pro line won't go away, but Apple's idea of Pro may change. I feel like they want everything to be thin and simplified, which will take away the ability for the limited customization that currently exists
 
danwayfilms said:
I know that the MacBook Pro line won't go away, but Apple's idea of Pro may change. I feel like they want everything to be thin and simplified, which will take away the ability for the limited customization that currently exists
Click to expand...

Something being thinner is not indicative of it not being "pro". Not to mention there is no such thing as a "pro" machine. If that were the case all of our laptops would be 5 inches thick right now. I know many pros who do amazing work on 5 year old hardware, and many people who think they're pros who drop 6k on a machine for Photoshop and Lightroom because they think it gives them some sort of advantage. (Big time overkill.)

In the end, its the person who uses the machine thats a pro. Ever see what machine the banshees from Avatar were made on? A very old mac (the ones with the plastic housing).

A real pro will be able to adapt and use whatever he has available to make his best quality work.

Anyway if the form factor changes it'll be because they removed the optical drive, and added SSD's which would be a great move. Optical drives are virtually useless nowadays and for the few that need them, externals are readily available.
 
danwayfilms said:
To be honest, i'm terrified that the late 2011 MacBook Pros will be the last that truly offer professional features, like the ability to upgrade memory and hard drive, swap the optical for a sad, etc.
Click to expand...

Those aren't professional features, they're upgradeable features. Not the same thing. I have a creaky plastic Dell laptop whose RAM and hard drive I could upgrade. It is not now, nor has it ever been (nor could it ever be), a "pro" machine.

If that is the machine you want, get it (I have one. They're excellent). But don't discount the next revision just because it's not "upgradeable." That shouldn't really matter much. If you save and plan ahead a bit, you can still get a (non-upgradeable) machine that will last you years.
 
I purchased an early 2011 MacBook Pro even though prior rumors suggested a complete redesign/refresh. According to Phil Schiller "The Mac is kicking ass!" While it might not be the bread and butter it once was, I doubt Apple will be killing off the MacBook Pro any time soon. :cool:
 
danwayfilms said:
I also know that they love glossy screens, and that is one thing my next macbook pro cannot have.
Click to expand...

This is the one thing I really think we don't need to worry about. They've already brought back the matte screen due to demand once; I don't see them getting rid of it again soon.

I agree with you fully about glossy being unacceptable, by the way. As I wrote to everyone at Apple who would listen as soon as they first announced their all-glossy lineup in 2008, I would sooner use Windows than a mirror.
 
While there is no really anything wrong with buying one now, just doing it mostly because you are afraid of the upgrade seems odd.
did you think of the fact that once the new ones are released you can still buy the old one refurbished for less money?
You can still wait and see what the update actually brings and decide then. Worst case you buy a cheaper current one.
 
If you want an optical drive on your laptop, there's a lot of speculation that there won't be one on the next MacBook Pro's. This generation are the last to support snow leopard as well, if that matters to you.

If I didn't care about the glossy screen, I'd wait to see what Apple do with the new models but anti glare MBP's are most likely going to be harder to find in the refurb store.

There's no right or wrong decision at this point. The current models (particularly the one you mentioned) is very nice and will serve you well but equally the next MBP's will most likely be very nice. The key is to make a decision and then be happy with it.
 
Gomff said:
If you want an optical drive on your laptop, there's a lot of speculation that there won't be one on the next MacBook Pro's. This generation are the last to support snow leopard as well, if that matters to you.

If I didn't care about the glossy screen, I'd wait to see what Apple do with the new models but anti glare MBP's are most likely going to be harder to find in the refurb store.

There's no right or wrong decision at this point. The current models (particularly the one you mentioned) is very nice and will serve you well but equally the next MBP's will most likely be very nice. The key is to make a decision and then be happy with it.
Click to expand...
I'd hate to spend so much money on a MBP only to find out Apple release Ivy Bridge MBPs 5 weeks or so after the purchase :/
 
You shouldn't be buying technology for what you need in the future, you buy technology for what you need now. Tech gets outdated fast. How do you know in 2 years you will even need a macbook pro. You may find you need a desktop. If your 2009 is fine for you, why buy a new one?

Besides, if the time comes you think it is, what is the difference between buying a leftover macbook pro or a used one for a discount. That's the smart way to do it.

When the unibodies came out they didn't originally offer an antiglare screen. I needed the antiglare so the day they were released I bought the old model for a healthy discount.
 
danwayfilms said:
This way, i'm prepared if Apple goes down a scary path and I have a computer that does what I need it to. But at the same time prepared in case Apple surprises and does good with it's MacBook Pro line.

Is this plan completely crazy?
Click to expand...

Should Apple completely change the design, MacMall and other resellers would still have stocks to get rid of. If you keep yourself up to date on the news, you would probably be able to get one at clearance the day they announce redesigned models. I did the same thing with one of the pre-unibody MacBook Pros in fall 2008 and got a fantastic deal on it.
 
danwayfilms said:
I think i've decided that I'm going to go ahead and purchase the late 2011 15 inch 2.4 i7 with 4 gb of ram (to be upgraded immediately from crucial) and the 1gb discrete graphics, with the hi rez matte screen.
Click to expand...

I just received this same system, and have the same upgrade plan, last weekend. But I'm not scared of refurbs so went that route. It came in perfect condition. I can't wait because my daughter needs my current 13" Al MacBook as her old White one is dying.

I'm also upgrading the hard drive to the 750GB Seagate hybrid. Disk access in the new Pro is noticeably slower than the 500GB hybrid in my MacBook.
 
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i am one the ones that need optical drive and i know tons of others that do to. there are other that dont have the ability to have hi speed internet they cant get cable or dsl they have to rely on phone 56.6 kps so for some having the dvd in the computer is more of nesicity and the air is to fragile for them and just the usb superdrive is to much of a bother
 
Liquinn said:
I'd hate to spend so much money on a MBP only to find out Apple release Ivy Bridge MBPs 5 weeks or so after the purchase :/
Click to expand...

The performance difference between Sandy and Ivy is reportedly not that great. I decided to go with a late 2011 MBP because I wanted the option to run SL, an optical drive and the current Unibody design. Plus (most importantly) I needed one at the time.

I'm not concerned what Apple bring out with the Ivy Bridge model as my current machine rocks. I'd rather get the refined final iteration of a design than the untested new model, especially given Apple's direction towards consumer driven hardware and software.

I don't need to have the latest thing and it's a fool's game anyway.....Unless you're the kind of person that sells every year to get the latest model, you will spend the majority of your ownership not having the newest.
 
Im not sure why you cant wait and get a refurb if apple stops making the "pro"

have you ever purchased a refurb you sound really against them, is it a fancy box thing?
 
Gomff said:
The performance difference between Sandy and Ivy is reportedly not that great. I decided to go with a late 2011 MBP because I wanted the option to run SL, an optical drive and the current Unibody design. Plus (most importantly) I needed one at the time.
Click to expand...

Those are the same reasons I bought a Late 2011 MBP, too. Like you, the last reason was the most important. My Late 2006 MBP was on its final legs.
 
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