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MacBook Pro Upgrade At Photokina?
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Impatient buyers be aware!
Here's the scoop for impatient purchasers...
Overview:
You want to buy a Macbook or Macbook Pro, but with the release looming you want to wait, but your impatient nature says buy buy buy! Here are some facts you should know before giving in!
Apple Return Policy:
(This information was provided during a phone conversation with an Apple salesperson at a local store)
EXAMPLE:
If you buy a Macbook on Saturday, and on Monday Macbook Pro is announced with the Core 2 Duo you can return your Macbook. You lose the 10% restocking fee and can purchase the new model.
If you, on the other hand, buy a Macbook Pro on Saturday, and on Monday Macbook Pro is upgraded to Core 2 Duo, you can return your Macbook Pro and use the FULL purchase price towards the purchase of an upgraded model.
THE GAMBLE:
There are really 2 gambles here that you are making:
SMART BUDGET PLAY
So, if you wait until Monday or Tuesday and see what the Apple Store looks like online or at a local retailer you'll have a much better idea of what to order. You'll know all the variables here and be able to make a safer bet.
For example, if the update on Monday is truly to just talk about Aperature or perhaps some kind of Cinema display upgrade then you won't have bought too early!
THE GAMBLER'S HAND
The most you can lose in this whole deal is only your 10% restocking fee. So if you go out and pick up a Macbook you're out $109 bucks, but didn't make the mistake of being out $200. So if Apple does update the Macbook Pro for release within 14 days, you've at least cut your loses.
Truly the worst case scenario would be to go out and pick up a top of the line Macbook Pro and be out $300. Play it safe, and understand the risk/reward for all the situations.
Hopefully people will find this helpful in having everything laid out in "non-legal speak" as it sits on Apple's site.
(Of course the other reason for writing it is to find out if what I heard and what I understand match reality!)
Here's the scoop for impatient purchasers...
Overview:
You want to buy a Macbook or Macbook Pro, but with the release looming you want to wait, but your impatient nature says buy buy buy! Here are some facts you should know before giving in!
Apple Return Policy:
(This information was provided during a phone conversation with an Apple salesperson at a local store)
- You have 14 days from the date purchase to return your purchase
- You pay a 10% restocking fee on returned goods
- If a price drop occurs, they will give you the difference in refund
- If a new model is made available for order of THE SAME model line you can return and use your FULL refund (think store credit) towards an upgrade to the newer model.
EXAMPLE:
If you buy a Macbook on Saturday, and on Monday Macbook Pro is announced with the Core 2 Duo you can return your Macbook. You lose the 10% restocking fee and can purchase the new model.
If you, on the other hand, buy a Macbook Pro on Saturday, and on Monday Macbook Pro is upgraded to Core 2 Duo, you can return your Macbook Pro and use the FULL purchase price towards the purchase of an upgraded model.
THE GAMBLE:
There are really 2 gambles here that you are making:
- That the model you choose is the one being upgraded
- The model you choose is going to be available for purchase within 14 days for order!
SMART BUDGET PLAY
So, if you wait until Monday or Tuesday and see what the Apple Store looks like online or at a local retailer you'll have a much better idea of what to order. You'll know all the variables here and be able to make a safer bet.
For example, if the update on Monday is truly to just talk about Aperature or perhaps some kind of Cinema display upgrade then you won't have bought too early!
THE GAMBLER'S HAND
The most you can lose in this whole deal is only your 10% restocking fee. So if you go out and pick up a Macbook you're out $109 bucks, but didn't make the mistake of being out $200. So if Apple does update the Macbook Pro for release within 14 days, you've at least cut your loses.
Truly the worst case scenario would be to go out and pick up a top of the line Macbook Pro and be out $300. Play it safe, and understand the risk/reward for all the situations.
Hopefully people will find this helpful in having everything laid out in "non-legal speak" as it sits on Apple's site.
(Of course the other reason for writing it is to find out if what I heard and what I understand match reality!)
culturek said:
While all of this has been said in parts and pieces throughout the forums, it's nice to have it all in one glance. Thanks for taking the time to collate everything into one post.
MBP needs to step it up more besides the cpu... because the MacBook by itself is almost comparable to the MBP (minus very little features & screensize) for half the price or more...
Are you sure that upgrade policy is true, because I just ordered a refurb MBP and it came damaged. So I ordered a new one while still holding on to the one that I have, and they messed up the ordered so I just got it today. I asked about what thereturn policy if th MBP is updated I was told I would still incur a 10% restocking fee unless the product is not opened. Nedless to say as of now I have not opened the box with teh replacement comp so if they do update the mbp I won't get dinged 10%. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
does anyone know if you use adc student membership to buy a mac, can you purchase the Apple Care Protection Plan separately at an apple retail store with the regular student discount because they adc membership doesnt discount the plan and i'm planning to buy a fully loaded macbook pro at the lowest price it can come out to.
I don't know if you understood my question. I was asking if i purchase a macbook pro with the Apple Developer Connection Student discount which is different from the normal student discount, can I purchase the apple care protection plan separate in an apple retail store with a regular student discount since there is no discount in the developer store? Developer store price $349. regular education discount price is $249. Can someone answer this question who is familiar with the adc student discount?culturek said:
Yes You Can Buy Student Priced AppleCare For Any Mac
Apple doesn't really pay any attention to how you got your Mac from where - only that it's less than a year since the purchase date.
Yes You Can Buy Student Priced AppleCare For Any Mac. Just do it online. It's a separate product you attach to any Mac still in the one year warranty period when you buy it.macman2790 said:
Apple doesn't really pay any attention to how you got your Mac from where - only that it's less than a year since the purchase date.
thanks, now my macbook pro got even cheaper, when they decide to release it.....unfortunately i've been waiting since wwdc just like everyone else. I just hope that its well worth the wait and has lots of new features and not just a merom dropped into an old macbook pro.Multimedia said:
that's one of the main things im looking for and hopefully upgradeable to 4gb of ram......i could go on and on ill just have to wait and see.madmax_2069 said:
macman2790 said:
Unless they change the chipset, figure on 3GB tops.
You need some IO space, and while there's tricks to keep both RAM and IO space, I'd figure on them not bothering given the few who'd make use of it.
Remember, this is a design that's not going to last a year even.
Reach said:
In other words, it means nothing apart from bragging rights by some...not to forget that it's a Dell, dude...computers from a company that currently resides in the karma doghouse of the IT industry...
BRLawyer said:In other words, it means nothing apart from bragging rights by some...not to forget that it's a Dell, dude...computers from a company that currently resides in the karma doghouse of the IT industry...
All I know is Quanta makes Dell too, the same house that makes MBPs... maybe that explains why they are so problematic?
Hi there.
I am interested in this whole 7200/ 5400 RPM HD stuff.
What would you prefer, because of heat problems?
I will do audio processing / production stuff, I intend to go with the 7200.
But I think "Multimedia" posted that there where not so significant speed differences between them. So going with the 5400 HD because of less heat production?
That much heating difference? Maybe "Multimedia" can tell me more?
Thanks, it's been interesting.
Greets from sunny Switzerland
I am interested in this whole 7200/ 5400 RPM HD stuff.
What would you prefer, because of heat problems?
I will do audio processing / production stuff, I intend to go with the 7200.
But I think "Multimedia" posted that there where not so significant speed differences between them. So going with the 5400 HD because of less heat production?
That much heating difference? Maybe "Multimedia" can tell me more?
Thanks, it's been interesting.
Greets from sunny Switzerland
In terms of access times, the 7200 will give an improvement, but for sustained transfers not so much. I'd rather invest in an external FW800 drive (maybe with a 10,000RPM drive!) to use as the video editing drive.
If your production fits into a 160GB laptop harddrive you aren't a serious pro anyhow
If your production fits into a 160GB laptop harddrive you aren't a serious pro anyhow
generik said:All I know is Quanta makes Dell too, the same house that makes MBPs... maybe that explains why they are so problematic?
No, this has nothing to do with the subcontractor...each manufacturing process is regulated via different agreements and SLAs with the big companies, depending on what they demand from Quanta.
It's up to them to enforce proper quality standards, either by means of preemptive actions or contractual penalties. And Quanta has been producing for Apple since at least year 2000...the Apple computers are, still and by far, the most reliable and with the lowest return/repair rate of the market, notwithstanding the outcry you may see on support forums.
rawdigits said:
Indeed sunny...it's a beautiful friday here in CH...so I am almost free to take some rest after another crazy week of work...
@ generik : Well, I ain't a serious pro now
Just starting out with ableton live. Want to produce electronic dance music.
For Hardcore Processing Stuff, I intend to wait for Tigerton (Dunnington
?) Mac Pro in 07. Probably with some UAD-1e Cards.
So i think I will go with the 7200. Loading Samples n Stuff while working goes faster then .
Any other arguments??
Well last sunny daze here in Switzerland , probably won't work much longer now. Going to have a beer and have a nice swiss smoke with my friends.
Just starting out with ableton live. Want to produce electronic dance music.
For Hardcore Processing Stuff, I intend to wait for Tigerton (Dunnington
?) Mac Pro in 07. Probably with some UAD-1e Cards.
So i think I will go with the 7200. Loading Samples n Stuff while working goes faster then .
Any other arguments??
Well last sunny daze here in Switzerland , probably won't work much longer now. Going to have a beer and have a nice swiss smoke with my friends.