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MacBook Pro: now or wait until Leopard?

Argelius

Argelius

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 16, 2005
292
6
I am thinking of upgrading to a MacBook Pro. Was all ready to trot down to the Apple Store (should it be open on Jan 1st...), but I then remembered that Leopard is on the horizon.

Am I correct that it would be dumb to get a new Mac now given that in a few (?) months the new version of the OS will be out and I'll have to chunk down some additional cash for it? (I'm guessing that Apple isn't giving free upgrade coupons out with the Macs yet...)

Thanks.
 
At the very least wait until after Macworld next week. You never know what will be released/updated! iLife '07 is a given, plus there's always the possibility of a hardware update.
 
I think it makes sense to wait if you don't actually need it now. Quite apart from Leopard, the core Macbook Pro motherboard & the subsystems around it has been out for a while now and is almost certainly up for a refresh.
 
I would never wait for a new OS to come out to make a computer purchase. Personally, I want my own standalone copy of the OS. That way if you ever get rid of that Mac for whatever reason you still have your own copy of the OS. The restore DVDs can ONLY be used on the product it came with.

Leopard isn't going to be released anytime soon. You're probably looking at least 2 or 3 months before its released. I find it silly to wait 2 or 3 months for a computer just for a new OS.

The only thing I would maybe do is wait until after MacWorld and you may be able to get iLife '07 free (pending its released), or at least for a significant discount, paying only a small shipping charge.
 
Sesshi said:
I think it makes sense to wait if you don't actually need it now. Quite apart from Leopard, the core Macbook Pro motherboard & the subsystems around it has been out for a while now and is almost certainly up for a refresh.
Click to expand...

MacBook Pros were just announced in October! I hardly think its time for an update....
 
mklos said:
MacBook Pros were just announced in October! I hardly think its time for an update....
Click to expand...

That was a minor change + drop-in of Core 2 Duos. I'd say it's fairly likely that there'll be some rearrangement of the innards after the next couple of months as although the Core 2 Duo is of course very much current, what's around it is becoming less leading edge.
 
definitely wait till MW...jst to be safe..is 2 weeks going to kill you?...but ya...leopard's a little bit of time...and i doubt that apple will introduce a new OS and new hardware (maybe a processor upgrade, but i dont see a drastic change)
 
Leopard will take time, as others have said, and you have to judge whether this will be worth it... but also keep in mind that when Leopard starts shipping it will have the following effects:

1) it may be close to the next MBP hardware update (expected in spring, around April when the Santa Rosa platform comes out with the Crestline chipset/the faster version of Merom/updated intel wireless with 802.11n/Robson Flash Cache) and you might want to decide if it's worth it to hold out for that update. I would for the sake of Robson flash, if they implement it.
2) Leopard will probably have a few kinks with the 10.5.0 release... a few .x updates will iron these out probably.
 
mklos said:
MacBook Pros were just announced in October! I hardly think its time for an update....
Click to expand...


I learnt from experience!

I bought the iSight G5 iMac when it was released in October, and then it was the first Mac to 'go Intel' the following January. You never know what could be released or updated at Macworld.
 
Personally I've been waiting for MWSF, as I have only been in the position to buy since mid-December and

(a) didn't really need the machine before January
(b) wanted to get the holidays out of the way before buying as I was busy with family stuff etc.

I debated waiting for Leopard but decided I probably wouldn't want it until the first couple of bug-fix releases were out anyway, which is looking like being May/June if it's released in April: I don't really want to wait 6 months for my new laptop!

I also considered waiting for Santa Rosa but decided that it looks like more of an incremental update than anything revolutionary. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong but a speed bump, 802.11n, improved boot times and longer battery life seem to be the main benefits and from what I've seen the current MBP seems fast enough for me, boots in under 30s, has a 802.11n-capable wireless chip in it already and has reasonable battery life. I also doubt that the MBPs will see Santa Rosa before May/June or later, given Intel's H1 2007 release timetable and how long it took Apple to put the C2D chips in the MBP after they were released.

Anyway, the bottom line is that I'll be ordering sometime next week after the MW keynote (presuming all the major announcements will be made during that). If you look too much to the next "big thing" that's coming out you could wait forever.
 
Argelius said:
Am I correct that it would be dumb to get a new Mac now given that in a few (?) months the new version of the OS will be out and I'll have to chunk down some additional cash for it?
Click to expand...

It sounds like you're not in a hurry. If that's the case, then by all means, wait. Personally I anticipate some moderate design changes in the next revision (which will probably come in Feb-March) like user-removable HDD, magnetic latch, and possibly a new graphics card.

Leopard, as others have mentioned, is a few months off, imo. Jobs will unveil the secret features at MWSF (probably an overhaul of the UI). Apple will probably then take a few months to get the bugs out before releasing it. Expect the April-May time frame.
 
i'd say if you can wait, wait for leopard, according to rumors, it shouldn't be THAT long a wait. but then again when waiting for an Apple, it may be drawn out
 
Argelius said:
I am thinking of upgrading to a MacBook Pro. Was all ready to trot down to the Apple Store (should it be open on Jan 1st...), but I then remembered that Leopard is on the horizon.

Am I correct that it would be dumb to get a new Mac now given that in a few (?) months the new version of the OS will be out and I'll have to chunk down some additional cash for it? (I'm guessing that Apple isn't giving free upgrade coupons out with the Macs yet...)

Thanks.
Click to expand...

do you live in manhattan? i love that apple store.
i think its usually better to wait to buy instead of trying to upgrade.
 
If you can wait at all, wait.
If you have a choice between having the OS pre-installed versus upgrading, you want to have a pre-installed version.
 
I dont understand why all of you are saying WAIT just becuase of an OS upgrade in the somewhat near future.

Assuming Apple follows the pricing on Tiger, Leopard will be $129. Thats not a lot of $$ for an OS upgrade. If you need a MBP buy it, if you want Leopard buy it when it comes out.

The only reason I can see waiting is the Macworld Conference that is a week away, if there arent any updates announced I say buy the MPB and enjoy it. Worry about the few buck Leopard will cost in a few months.
 
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