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MBP: Buy Now or Wait?

Randizzledante

Randizzledante

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 21, 2011
110
6
Hey all, first time poster here. Just want to get some opinions on my particular situation.

I'm looking to get a new 15" MBP. Essentially, I'm just curious if I should buy now or wait for the redesign. I'm a student so it'll be used primarily for school, with a fair amount of gaming and some video editing.

At the moment I'm sponging computer usage off my girlfriend's HP laptop, which has been getting the job done for the most part, but I do "need" my own at some point (preferably sooner rather than later.)

So between the redesign, Lion, etc., will it be worth the wait? Or should I plunge now? Thanks so much for any help!
 
Surfing@Blacks said:
wait till 2018, heard the model is going to be sweet.
Click to expand...

Yes yes, might as well wait forever, next is always gonna be better, etc etc. As helpful as this was, any better advice would be even more appreciated.

I'm asking if this one, particular upgrade will be worth the wait. Since it's been confirmed there's a redesign, along with new OS.
 
Randizzledante said:
Yes yes, might as well wait forever, next is always gonna be better, etc etc. As helpful as this was, any better advice would be even more appreciated.

I'm asking if this one, particular upgrade will be worth the wait. Since it's been confirmed there's a redesign, along with new OS.
Click to expand...

No confirmation of the redesign. I thought the MBP were just updated this past Feb/Mar? New OS is definite this summer but they may do some sort of offer like they did with SL and offer some upgrade disc.

My advice is to wait until next week for the back to school deal with the free iPod and printer. That's the most concrete advice I can give you. They say they will update the MBA but that isn't what you want so you might as well buy the MBP now and be happy.
 
rockyroad55 said:
No confirmation of the redesign. I thought the MBP were just updated this past Feb/Mar? New OS is definite this summer but they may do some sort of offer like they did with SL and offer some upgrade disc.

My advice is to wait until next week for the back to school deal with the free iPod and printer. That's the most concrete advice I can give you. They say they will update the MBA but that isn't what you want so you might as well buy the MBP now and be happy.
Click to expand...

Hmm my mistake, thought redesign was confirmed. Thanks so much for the info, that'll really help. I utterly forgot about the back to school offers and whatnot. Is that next week as in starting tomorrow? Or a week from tomorrow?
 
Last edited:
Apple OC said:
if you want to wait a year then wait ... if you get one now you will be happy right away
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Ooo also very helpful, didn't know it would be that long of a wait, though that makes sense. I think I'll definitely be picking it up soon then! Thankee!
 
Randizzledante said:
Hmm my mistake, thought redesign was confirmed. Thanks so much for the info, that'll really help. I utterly forgot about the back to school offers and whatnot. Is that next week as in starting tomorrow? Or a week from tomorrow?
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I think that's one of the topics of the retail meetings tomorrow. It should begin the last week of May (this coming week) like it usually is in the past. Redesign is always something they may do in the future like the rumors on liquidmetal or carbon fiber, but that next refresh may not happen until next spring.
 
Blaine said:
Wait for the redesign. It'll probably be awesomely sexy.
Click to expand...

+1

sounds like you are not in a rush. Wait a year, if no redesign then at least you'll have the fastest mac around.

Just dont go asking this question next year ;)
 
If you need it now get it now. If you have nothing critical to use your MB Pro for then enjoy the next revision a few months from now. :)
 
I think you should get what's available when you need it. Do you need it now? If so, get it. I needed a new laptop a couple month before the 2011 MBP came out and got a 17" 2010 model. I am not disappointed at all in missing the update by a couple months. Quad core would have been nice but do I really need it? It would be nice to tell people that I have the newest/fastest one available, but it's not really a need. The 2010 model does what I need it to do just fine.
 
Do you need a computer now. ? If so it's a good time to buy with the SB upgrade. From experience you do not want to be getting a rev a version from apple. Lion will work fine on the current mbp. I say buy now or wait for about 3-4 months till after the redesigned model is out for apple to sort out any manufacturing issues
 
No one knows for sure if a redesign is coming, even though there seem to be "reliable sources".

You said you needed it for school: if you're able to get a student discount, I would definitely buy now since you'll be able to resell at minimal to no loss when the next refresh comes (if you need the latest and greatest) :)
 
If the current MBP has what you need then get it now. If you can wait then wait. The next version will usually always be an upgrade so it just depends on if you can wait or not.
 
Thanks so much for replying everyone, really great stuff. I think I am going to go take the pLunge now (tomorrow, in fact). It seems like the positives outweigh the negatives this time around. I also liked the comment about potential revision problems - something I didn't think about. I'll go with the safe, sexy, reliable UB right now and wait for a couple revisions ahead (unless, and this is more likely, I break down the second the revision comes out and try to trade up :))

And yeah, education discount ftw! Can't wait to use that.

Now only one question remains...

Glossy or AG?
:p
 
I just bought my MBP 13" yesterday for a killer deal! Even though there will be a redesign, I'll enjoy this one now and upgrade later. Macs hold their value pretty well so hopefully next version I won't take that big of a hit.
 
might as well wait... i mean why buy now when there is always a newer better one coming "soon"???
 
Apple Expert said:
Soon as in next week or next year?
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there probably won't be a new one until next year, but at that point there will be another new one within a year after that, so shouldn't you just wait again? Oh but by that time I'm sure a new release will be coming around the corner soon, so why buy that refresh when a new one will be out?

The point is if you wait, you're always going to be waiting... just buy the damn computer, for almost every user around here, especially those who need to ask this question, they aren't going to notice the difference between this machine and the next 3 or 4 refreshes.... most people don't use their computer for extreme enough tasks to always need the newest processor, for some reason they just think they do. Majority of customers could probably still get by on a core2duo for their basic school, email, web browsing, video chat, etc....

ECUpirate44 said:
Oct? No, maybe a spec bump like the 2.8 GHz Arrandale, but not a total refresh.
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unlikely, only SNB processor that isn't available is the 2.5Ghz Core i7 Extreme (2920XM) and it's unlikely Apple will add this as an option because it has a TDP of 55W vs the current high end processors TDP of 45W...
 
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