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Macbookpro 2010 vs 2011 (which to buy)

M

macship

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 26, 2011
14
0
Ok - so I can get a 15inch base model 2011 for $1850 (in Canada) or a 15inch 2010 base model for $1500.

I just bought the 2010 model but now I'm having second thoughts. I don't need a whole lot but I do need it to be powerful enough to run parallels very well.

Is $350 (about 400 after tax difference) worth the upgrade to 2011?
 
Wait, Wait, Wait. You will be very happy you did, 2012 is rumored to bring us a totally new MBP.

I have a 2010 and it's very nice, the new ones aren't even out long enough yet so we don't know how they will do after a period of time. Unless you absolutely have to have one wait.

To the question, if you can get a good price, I would go for a 2010. I've got a huge amount of time on mine and it's doing just fine, a proven model.
 
ozred said:
Wait, Wait, Wait. You will be very happy you did, 2012 is rumored to bring us a totally new MBP.

I have a 2010 and it's very nice, the new ones aren't even out long enough yet so we don't know how they will do after a period of time. Unless you absolutely have to have one wait.

To the question, if you can get a good price, I would go for a 2010. I've got a huge amount of time on mine and it's doing just fine, a proven model.
Click to expand...

That's what I was thinking originally. Would I even notice the double speed?? And thunderbolt is not useful yet so... really... what would be the point?
 
Ask yourself if the $400 is better in your pocket or Apples.

Also does the 2010 model do everything you would need it to do.

If it does then question answered imho.

If you have money to burn then by all means get the 2011 model
 
ozred said:
Wait, Wait, Wait. You will be very happy you did, 2012 is rumored to bring us a totally new MBP.

I have a 2010 and it's very nice, the new ones aren't even out long enough yet so we don't know how they will do after a period of time. Unless you absolutely have to have one wait.

To the question, if you can get a good price, I would go for a 2010. I've got a huge amount of time on mine and it's doing just fine, a proven model.
Click to expand...

Ya, I just bought my 2010 MBP 15 days ago, and the store offered me a good chunk of money back and I kept the 2010 model. For what I use my macbook for, the faster processor would not even be noticed on my end. It all depends on what the person uses the MBP for, and if the rumor is true that a new design is coming in 2012, An upgrade may be considered.

But for something that looks the exact same... for the sake of a new processor.
 
Krazed 1
if you bought a MBP2010 15 days ago Apple would let you exchange it for a 2011 for nothing extra. My wife bought one last year and it was 3 weeks later a refreshed model came out. Apple said they usually go 28 days when a refresh comes out. You might as well return yours and get a 2011 upgrade for FREE.
 
I held on to my $450 and bought the 2010 model. I personally don't need a quad core at this point. And most importantly, the unibody design came out in 2008, and before that the discrete design came out in 2006, so 2012 will most likely be the end of the life cycle for unibody. Nothing's for sure yet. But I'm saving the price difference toward the next gen of mbp. After all, you do get the same design and a better GPU.
 
ozred said:
Wait, Wait, Wait. You will be very happy you did, 2012 is rumored to bring us a totally new MBP.

I have a 2010 and it's very nice, the new ones aren't even out long enough yet so we don't know how they will do after a period of time. Unless you absolutely have to have one wait.

To the question, if you can get a good price, I would go for a 2010. I've got a huge amount of time on mine and it's doing just fine, a proven model.
Click to expand...

Well said. I have the late 2008 MacBook Pro and I'm still waiting for a new one right now. I'm hoping for a redesign in 2012.
 
rcpilot44 said:
Krazed 1
if you bought a MBP2010 15 days ago Apple would let you exchange it for a 2011 for nothing extra. My wife bought one last year and it was 3 weeks later a refreshed model came out. Apple said they usually go 28 days when a refresh comes out. You might as well return yours and get a 2011 upgrade for FREE.
Click to expand...

Hi rcpilot44- I bought a MacBook Pro on Feb 10- I'd really like to be able to have the new one. Can you give some details about who and where your wife contacted at Apple to implement the exchange. Thanks
 
Ok - same story as before - except it is $600 difference (got a refurbished one).

I think the difference for me is worth it - $600 is a lot of money. What do you guys think?

Would you go for 2011 for an extra $600?
 
$600? No way. I've debated even spending $150 for the new ones... looking at the old dual core i7 + AG screen vs base 15" i7 with AG screen... hmmm
 
ozred said:
Wait, Wait, Wait. You will be very happy you did, 2012 is rumored to bring us a totally new MBP.

I have a 2010 and it's very nice, the new ones aren't even out long enough yet so we don't know how they will do after a period of time. Unless you absolutely have to have one wait.

To the question, if you can get a good price, I would go for a 2010. I've got a huge amount of time on mine and it's doing just fine, a proven model.
Click to expand...

If you are willing to wait a year, you're willing to wait forever. Best time to buy is right after a refresh, as you won't worry about what will come out in 2012 for an entire YEAR! :)

Plus, Macs retain their value rather well. You can sell it and loss maybe $300 or on the high end, though I don't recommend playing the upgrade game on $1k+ computers every year as it seems to get rather tedious around refresh time, making sure you sell your computer for minimum loss.
 
dagamer34 said:
If you are willing to wait a year, you're willing to wait forever. Best time to buy is right after a refresh, as you won't worry about what will come out in 2012 for an entire YEAR! :)
Click to expand...

Yay! Best comment ever. Thank you. :)

aznguyen316 said:
$600? No way. I've debated even spending $150 for the new ones... looking at the old dual core i7 + AG screen vs base 15" i7 with AG screen... hmmm
Click to expand...

Thank you for your reassurance :) I spent a lot of time debating the purchase and I think saving the $600 is worth it.
 
macship said:
Yay! Best comment ever. Thank you. :)



Thank you for your reassurance :) I spent a lot of time debating the purchase and I think saving the $600 is worth it.
Click to expand...

Yeah I think it's kind of silly to debate that much money. The reason I say that is, usually I will have a budget in mind. I can stray from that budget if it's say $200-300 IF I feel like it's something I'd put to use. But $600 is just yourself asking if you want the newest stuff, but that doesn't sound practical. $600 will get you a new iPad come Wednesday lol.

I can understand if someone wanted base 15" and dropped $300 for the high-end later IF they would use the extra graphics + CPU. But if someone was looking for base 15" and started debating on the 17" then I would say that person didn't have a budget in mind.. and that could be dangerous spending habits haha b/c that's a huge difference!
 
I would wait, your recent purchase will satisfy you until the next revision and maybe beyond. Plus your 15 has already taken the initial depreciation hit, another 8-10months wont hurt its value near as much.
 
aznguyen316 said:
But $600 is just yourself asking if you want the newest stuff, but that doesn't sound practical. $600 will get you a new iPad come Wednesday lol.
Click to expand...

Good point! Except, I don't see the utility for iPads (at least for me) - but that doesn't mean I don't like to play with them at the store :p

aznguyen316 said:
and that could be dangerous spending habits haha b/c that's a huge difference!
Click to expand...

Yep! I'm glad I was able to get a refurb. I went from undecided to satisfied with spending less than $1500 for a 15inch. Which is pretty much my max budget.

C1raider said:
I would wait, your recent purchase will satisfy you until the next revision and maybe beyond. Plus your 15 has already taken the initial depreciation hit, another 8-10months wont hurt its value near as much.
Click to expand...

Wait for what? I've made my decision and got a refurb 2010 15-inch :) If I -really- have to have the next version (unlikely as I don't need the latest and greatest), then I'll resell for a bit of a hit.
 
MacBook Pro 15-inch 2010 vs 2011 (which to buy)

I was all set to purchase a 2011 15-inch MacBook Pro - 2.0GHz (MC721LL/A).
But - I have seen very bad reviews about the 2011 MacBook Pro's. There are multiple results in Google search pages.

A. - that users are experiencing "hard freeze" problems
(http://www.google.com/search?client...encing-hard-freeze-problem&btnG=Google+Search)

B. - that there is flickering on the screen if MacBooks are attached to Apple Cinema Displays
(http://www.google.com/search?client...=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=5dd506d947e5ee27)

QUESTION: Would I be better off, for a similar price, buying a refurbished 2010 15-inch MacBook Pro - that at least should be tested and should work?
Although the processor is less powerful, it seems the graphics card is better - and I would like to use it for 3D programs like SketchUp.

I would be so grateful for any insights - I can't wait until 2012 !
 
Honestly if the 2010 model does everything that you need it to, then there is no reason to upgrade.

Plus, there are many things that the money you saved could go towards to compliment the purchase - mainly an external hard drive and pocket the rest.

No need to spread yourself thin and get the upgrade when you don't even need it, really.
 
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