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MacBook vs. MacBook Pro vs. Waiting for possible MBP update

Alonzo84

Alonzo84

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Dec 18, 2009
845
26
North Carolina
I am looking to get my first Mac notebook, I have been using a PC since the 2nd or 3rd grade (long time). I have an HP desktop and want a MB or MBP instead of a Windows based laptop. My only other laptop was a $900 Compaq that lasted 2.5 years. The mother board and battery had to be replaced after 1 year and the computer died all together about 2 years ago (in it's defense, it spent about 6 months in Iraq, a nightmare for all electronics). I have an iPhone 3Gs and a 3 year old iPod that spent 14 months in Iraq and still works like new, so I'm very pleased with Apple's quality.

My question is whether to get the MB, MBP or wait to see if the MBP receives any significant upgrades in the next couple months. I have read many posts looking for the answer, but they all seem to be very back and forth. The notebook's main purpose would be internet, word processing and other school work related things (in the next few months), movies, music and photo editing with photoshop elements or CS4. No gaming (I have an xbox for that). I'm leaning toward the MBP mainly because of the SD slot. I have no firewire based accessories but other posts suggest that it is a "must have" for external HD (although the external drive for my PC is USB). Both notebooks have the same specs (at least the way I would order it, 4GB RAM 320GB HD 2.26GHz) plus or minus a couple of ports. Despite the new unibody in the MB, other posts have mentioned issues with cracking. If anyone has any knowledge of possible upgrades to the new MBP (rumored to be coming out in the next couple of months), I would prefer waiting.

I apologize for the length of this post and would greatly appreciate any advice.
 
Alonzo84 said:
...I would prefer waiting...
Click to expand...

...take your own answer to your own question...

Maybe get a whitebook from the refurb store, they have the prev gen for $749 or the 2.0Ghz model right before that for $699 (the one in my sig and it works great)...

I don't like the SD slot on the new MBP's as the SD card sticks out too much so you may as well hook up a USB card reader when you need it...(even my eeePC takes the entire SD card into its slot)....
 
just wait.

If you dont think you have a need for firewire, then you probably dont, so dont sweat that detail.

Try and stay away from having apple doing upgrades for you, they really jack the price.

macbooks and MBPs have user installable ram and drives, change it out after yourself.

just wait.
 
1 thing about this possible new line of MBPs. Did Apple said anywhere when there will be any conference or sth like that?
 
Alonzo84 said:
I am looking to get my first Mac notebook, I have been using a PC since the 2nd or 3rd grade (long time). I have an HP desktop and want a MB or MBP instead of a Windows based laptop. My only other laptop was a $900 Compaq that lasted 2.5 years. The mother board and battery had to be replaced after 1 year and the computer died all together about 2 years ago (in it's defense, it spent about 6 months in Iraq, a nightmare for all electronics). I have an iPhone 3Gs and a 3 year old iPod that spent 14 months in Iraq and still works like new, so I'm very pleased with Apple's quality.

My question is whether to get the MB, MBP or wait to see if the MBP receives any significant upgrades in the next couple months. I have read many posts looking for the answer, but they all seem to be very back and forth. The notebook's main purpose would be internet, word processing and other school work related things (in the next few months), movies, music and photo editing with photoshop elements or CS4. No gaming (I have an xbox for that). I'm leaning toward the MBP mainly because of the SD slot. I have no firewire based accessories but other posts suggest that it is a "must have" for external HD (although the external drive for my PC is USB). Both notebooks have the same specs (at least the way I would order it, 4GB RAM 320GB HD 2.26GHz) plus or minus a couple of ports. Despite the new unibody in the MB, other posts have mentioned issues with cracking. If anyone has any knowledge of possible upgrades to the new MBP (rumored to be coming out in the next couple of months), I would prefer waiting.

I apologize for the length of this post and would greatly appreciate any advice.
Click to expand...

I would just upgrade now with a macbook pro. This line is solid and any faults problems have been worked out already besides do you see what is occurring with the 27in imacs. The possibilities are high there will be problems with this new chipsets. You said that you will be attending college sometime soon and having your laptop will be a key component. Yes you can wait but i would recommend waiting a bit after they release it to decide if stability is their in the new chipsets.
 
Badger^2 said:
Try and stay away from having apple doing upgrades for you, they really jack the price.
Click to expand...


That's often true but not always. In pricing high-end MBPs recently and salivating over the 8GB RAM option, I found that Apple's price for the upgrade was less than going third-party for the RAM. That sort of thing can change on a day-by-day basis, of course, depending on global supply issues. Lesson: It pays to shop around, but don't exclude factory upgrades in the search, and be sure your data is current.
 
sjinsjca said:
That's often true but not always. In pricing high-end MBPs recently and salivating over the 8GB RAM option, I found that Apple's price for the upgrade was less than going third-party for the RAM. That sort of thing can change on a day-by-day basis, of course, depending on global supply issues. Lesson: It pays to shop around, but don't exclude factory upgrades in the search, and be sure your data is current.
Click to expand...

I dont think you are reading that right.

8 gigs for a MBP is $600 from Apple, has been for some time. (except for when it was more)

8 gigs from OWC is $450, $150 less, and you could sell the 4 gigs you pull for close to $100...
 
Buy now. When and if the update comes there will be another update in 200 some days. Normally when there is update the revision has problems anyway just buy now I did.
 
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