List: MR Members Waiting To Buy A New MacBook Pro

[Mister9]

Macworld 09 at the latest?
But honestly, the new update does represent better specs for the same money.

I think its much better to get the current update, then wait ...

Well so I have a couple questions to ask for everyone's opinion.

background: I'm 17 and will be getting a Macbook Pro as a graduation/birthday/own funds present. I plan on using it for a good 4 years through college. Now to my 2 questions:

1. How big of a step is 256 graphics to 512. If I want to game, is it really worth $500, because that's practically the only difference. I'm not going to be a hardcore gamer, but I'd like to be able to buy a game 3 years down the line and still play it, not necessarily on best graphics, but at least not running slugishly. I'll probably run Halo 2, battlefield 2142, half life 2, maybe crisis (about as high end of a game I'd ever run), etc. Is 512 really worth the extra $500 if I'm not a hardcore gamer?

2. Now or Montevina? Should i get one in a month when I can, or wait for this summer to get the Montevina update. I've heard the speeds not going to be much better and I know the processor will still be penryn, just a platform change. But does anyone see a new graphics card like say the 8800M being in it? or will it probably just be a 8600/8700 again. I thought about waiting too, to see what the probably eminent redesign will be. I LOVE the current design, but what if they make it thinner and add a magnetic latch??? However, the current design has almost all the bugs worked out, whereas a new design will have kinks to work out... So its a hard decision. Any input from you guys would be awesome. thanks. As of now, I'm leaning towards buying one in a month.

Where are people getting their information? "I heard the speeds not going to be much faster"?????? It isn't going to be the same processor it will be a predecessor still name Penryn but it will not be the same. I'm tired of typing the same ish over and over - I'm losing my mind. Get informed. Actually you know what, do what you want- get the current MBP which performed worse on nearly every benchmark than the MBP 2007 with overall performance below 2007's- that's what Intel & Apple are hoping for. The Santa Rosa is obsolete in three months, have fun with compatibility even 1 year down the road. This penryn was a premature, backwards compatible processor meant to help flush the market out of old technology. Front-end bus speed is THE most important criterion that bottlenecks how fast a computer can run- if you've "heard" otherwise then you are misinformed. "just a platform change" .... my god... I'm sorry but I have to stop going on this for a few months until Montevina waiters are the majority. Good bye suckers.

 

[akadmon]

I'm sorry but I have to stop going on this for a few months until Montevina waiters are the majority. Good bye suckers.

See ya in November, Mister9. BTW, this post just put this thread over the top. Hooray!!!

 

[jnc]

.... my god... I'm sorry but I have to stop going on this for a few months until Montevina waiters are the majority. Good bye suckers.

Door, butt, way out, etc!

 

[markrivers]

somebody get his temp please!

 

[skiffx]

I think some of those people have an S&M complex...they just like to wait and wait and wait and never get anything...

 

[jnc]

I think some of those people have an S&M complex...they just like to wait and wait and wait and never get anything...

I have danced around the MacBook Pro over 2 years - I always end up buying something else and convincing myself I'll get it at the "next update" It's the only Mac model I haven't owned yet!

... But I'm definitely getting a Montevina one

 

[TimeWaster101]

Thanks everyone for your input. I'm still deciding. The real big thing I'm worried about with Montevina is bugs with the new design, whereas the current designs got almost all the bugs worked out. Plus, what if they put some ugly black/aluminum dual color thing like the iMac to the Macbook Pro this summer!

So its a really hard decision for me. Also, regardless of what that one guy said, I've looked at the Charts and Montevina will still use the Penryn processor. It may work faster on Montevina, but its still Penryn.

 

[sleepingworker]

Thanks everyone for your input. I'm still deciding. The real big thing I'm worried about with Montevina is bugs with the new design, whereas the current designs got almost all the bugs worked out. Plus, what if they put some ugly black/aluminum dual color thing like the iMac to the Macbook Pro this summer!

I actually think there are a number of "design" bugs in the current MBP's - cheap feeling keyboard, small track pad (now that multi-touch is utilized), old latch, and a now clunky form factor that has barely changed since 2001.

On the other hand, the current speeds of the MBP's are more than fine for running Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, MTR, Toast, Aperture 2, Pro Tools, CAD programs, Final Cut Pro, opening RAW/NEF files, etc. and would suit most people's needs whether they're in the creative or business world. The serious serious gamers I know (of which I am not) ... either use a console or get a PC.

So, if you're happy with the current design (which I was back in 2003 but not now), and you are going to be running the above programs or others like it, buy now.

However, I'm going to wait to see what Jonathan Ive is cooking up for the true next generation of MBP's ...

 

[iMacToo]

This morning, I ordered a MBP 2.4 Refurb... I'm floating on "Cloud 9"!

I am so glad I waited for the Penryn updates. Saved about $850 off last week's price for the same machine. Also, ordered the 4GB Crucial RAM from Newegg.com for only $100!

Don't even bother checking to see if there's anymore left. The Apple Refurb store ran out of them by noon... Ya gotta move fast on those hotties!

Guess I better change my forum footnote now.

Thanks Apple and Macrumors!

 

[JWest]

I actually think there are a number of "design" bugs in the current MBP's - cheap feeling keyboard, small track pad (now that multi-touch is utilized), old latch, and a now clunky form factor that has barely changed since 2001.

On the other hand, the current speeds of the MBP's are more than fine for running Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, MTR, Toast, Aperture 2, Pro Tools, CAD programs, Final Cut Pro, opening RAW/NEF files, etc. and would suit most people's needs whether they're in the creative or business world. The serious serious gamers I know (of which I am not) ... either use a console or get a PC.

So, if you're happy with the current design (which I was back in 2003 but not now), and you are going to be running the above programs or others like it, buy now.

However, I'm going to wait to see what Jonathan Ive is cooking up for the true next generation of MBP's ...

A) Not sure why you think the keyboards feel cheap, they feel fine to me. Plus, they're backlit.

B) Trackpad is fairly big among laptops, though it could be a little bigger to accommodate multi-touch.

C) The latch is fairly ingenious. The "hooks" get pulled out of the lid by magnets, whereas most laptops' latches are just sticking straight out. Sure, they could use a magnetic latch, but they're better than most other laptops.

D) The form factor is FAR from clunky. Sure, they've been using it for a while, but it's still the sleekest laptop on the market.

 

[skiffx]

Thanks everyone for your input. I'm still deciding. The real big thing I'm worried about with Montevina is bugs with the new design, whereas the current designs got almost all the bugs worked out. Plus, what if they put some ugly black/aluminum dual color thing like the iMac to the Macbook Pro this summer!

So its a really hard decision for me. Also, regardless of what that one guy said, I've looked at the Charts and Montevina will still use the Penryn processor. It may work faster on Montevina, but its still Penryn.

yeah thats exactly how I see it as well (minus the black aluminum, I think new design will look good, as apple usually comes through with awesome designs), but the bugs and other issues will probably be not worth getting that one and already weight for Nehalem ones. Thus I think its better to get Penryn now, skip Montevina and get Nehalem and sell your Penryn if you really wanted to of course.

 

[skiffx]

I am so glad I waited for the Penryn updates. Saved about $850 off last week's price for the same machine. Also, ordered the 4GB Crucial RAM from Newegg.com for only $100!

Don't even bother checking to see if there's anymore left. The Apple Refurb store ran out of them by noon... Ya gotta move fast on those hotties!

Guess I better change my forum footnote now.

Thanks Apple and Macrumors!

Its not 100$, its actually 70$, go print out the rebate forms on them

 

[markrivers]

Its not 100$, its actually 70$, go print out the rebate forms on them

good thing i bought mine last tuesday!
i'm so happy for OUR purchase..
imagine.. we got a very good deal..
excellent machine, and great savings! wow!

 

[skiffx]

good thing i bought mine last tuesday!
i'm so happy for OUR purchase..
imagine.. we got a very good deal..
excellent machine, and great savings! wow!

Oh yeah )) Cant wait to get mine already, its still on the way from China.

 

[sleepingworker]

A) Not sure why you think the keyboards feel cheap, they feel fine to me. Plus, they're backlit.

B) Trackpad is fairly big among laptops, though it could be a little bigger to accommodate multi-touch.

C) The latch is fairly ingenious. The "hooks" get pulled out of the lid by magnets, whereas most laptops' latches are just sticking straight out. Sure, they could use a magnetic latch, but they're better than most other laptops.

D) The form factor is FAR from clunky. Sure, they've been using it for a while, but it's still the sleekest laptop on the market.

We will have to agree to disagree. Some of it comes down to taste and preference. But I know I'm not the only one who shares my opinions - more than a few tech writers agree that the current design of the MBP is getting very dated. And we'll both have to see how we feel when the form finally changes - and soon I hope. I'm pretty sure (based on the iphone, imac, and MBA) that I'll be just as excited as I was in 2003 (although I never liked the keyboard and felt it was a step down from typing on the Pismo).

 

[CunningWard]

Well...The wait is over...my MBP notebook is on it's way from Shanghai! 2.5ghz/200gb 7200rpm HD/512 vram/and glossy screen...va va voom! Is the 4gigs worth the 70 dollar upgrade from newegg or crucial? Let me know.

-Cheers Comrades

 

[skiffx]

Well...The wait is over...my MBP notebook is on it's way from Shanghai! 2.5ghz/200gb 7200rpm HD/512 vram/and glossy screen...va va voom! Is the 4gigs worth the 70 dollar upgrade from newegg or crucial? Let me know.

-Cheers Comrades

My 15" matte 2.5ghz / 200gb 7200 / 512vram is on the way as well...
I ordered the 70$ crucial from newegg, definitely worth having 4gbs of ram nowadays if you want your system to run smoothly. Plus whats 70$ on top what we've just spent on the system itself?

 

[Mister9]

Thanks everyone for your input. I'm still deciding. The real big thing I'm worried about with Montevina is bugs with the new design, whereas the current designs got almost all the bugs worked out. Plus, what if they put some ugly black/aluminum dual color thing like the iMac to the Macbook Pro this summer!

So its a really hard decision for me. Also, regardless of what that one guy said, I've looked at the Charts and Montevina will still use the Penryn processor. It may work faster on Montevina, but its still Penryn.

time waster, nominally it will still be called 'Penryn' just as Pentium kept its name thru its many generations and many... ah forget it- why do I bother...




I'd be on boat with getting the current update and then upgrading a year down the road had the performance tests been better than my current MBP- but they were worse. So, if you had the MBP 2007 it would be quite silly to downgrade to Penryn SR. They're saying Nehalem will start shipping in the 4th Q of 2008- I'm a little dubious of this but its still worth waiting until Sept/Oct to see what Apple's competitors show for their ship dates- I'm thinking January nonetheless. Wish me luck. Love you.

 

[Stuart in Oz]

to each his own!
i believe people who can USE both windows and Mac... without the " ohh my GOSH, i can't use windows!" attitude are hmmm... MATURE

Yeah, I use windows at work all day and you're right.

I still don't like it though. It is a major pain in the *** a lot of the time especially whenever it comes to networking. OS X has ease of networking down so well next to Windows.

 

[skiffx]

Me preciousss is in Alaska as of today.

 

[CunningWard]

Me preciousss is in Alaska as of today.

Ditto. Just a few more days!

 

[lita313]

I've been lurking for a while and I'd like to be added to the list of waiting to get a Macbook pro. I'm waiting until Fall 08 due to getting them cheaper and an ipod nano with purchasing it.

 

[sleepingworker]

Just maxed out the RAM on my old PB G4 today - getting myself ready for the wait .

 

[Krissanda]

Just ordered a Penryn 15" 2.4Ghz Macbook Pro yesterday. SO EXCTITED! I got Aperature 2.0 and iWork '08 preinstalled. I also got a printer and an iPod shuffle to supplement my Ipod Touch . Can't wait till it arrives, I've been without a computer for over a month and a half, because I THOUGHT Apple would release this MBP update @ Macworld but nooooo...... oh well, I'm happy now that my MBP is finally on its way.

 

[jnc]

Me preciousss is in Alaska as of today.

If you lived in Alaska, you'd have it by now.

Reason number 17 why Alaska rules.