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New MBP: Buy Now or Wait?

S

skibum12189

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 4, 2008
5
0
Hey guys, new to the forums. :)

well to start off i'm a senior in high school and i'm looking at MBPs. I'll be entering college in the 08/09 schools year and i'm set on getting a 15" MBP with the glossy screen. I've had PCs all my life and even now, i'm typing on one of the biggest pieces of ***** ever.

But here goes, I noticed the new MBPs just came out and was wondering if i should get it now or wait (I heard maybe a new one will come out before i leave for school - maybe in june?) ? Is there an truth to this rumor or should i get it now and hope for the best.

I don't do any video editing or anything crazy like that but i want a decent computer and I was basically just wondering if i should get it now or wait til a new one comes out (if a new one comes out)

Thanks!!!
 
skibum12189 said:
Hey guys, new to the forums. :)

well to start off i'm a senior in high school and i'm looking at MBPs. I'll be entering college in the 08/09 schools year and i'm set on getting a 15" MBP with the glossy screen. I've had PCs all my life and even now, i'm typing on one of the biggest pieces of ***** ever.

But here goes, I noticed the new MBPs just came out and was wondering if i should get it now or wait (I heard maybe a new one will come out before i leave for school - maybe in june?) ? Is there an truth to this rumor or should i get it now and hope for the best.

I don't do any video editing or anything crazy like that but i want a decent computer and I was basically just wondering if i should get it now or wait til a new one comes out (if a new one comes out)

Thanks!!!
Click to expand...

I say get it now, i mean i'm sure you want it. What comes out next won't be that big of a leap, until there are quads i don't think it matters, and i don't think that will be until 2009. The only thing worth waiting for really is a case redesign. But there is no real substantial evidence. What i've learned, and i've been in your position, whatever you get you're going to love anyway. I really mean that, you will. So why waste time, just go for it.
 
This question has been asked countless times.

If you can wait, then wait. There might be something new before you go to school. There will always be something new at some point.

If you can't want, or you will get a lot of use out of your new computer in the meantime, then buy now. Just updated, so it's perfect timing.
 
Just wait. from what it sounds like, you are obviously not dying from not having one, so you might as well wait till you absolutely need one. But, if you get one now, you will still love it.
 
Well, if you're not in a rush, wait till July. From this round of updates, it seems Intel really pushes their CPU's onto their customers. But if you do get it now and Intel comes out with something new in a few months, it'll only be around 5% faster on average - not noticeable to most.
 
skibum12189 said:
Hey guys, new to the forums. :)

well to start off i'm a senior in high school and i'm looking at MBPs. I'll be entering college in the 08/09 schools year and i'm set on getting a 15" MBP with the glossy screen. I've had PCs all my life and even now, i'm typing on one of the biggest pieces of ***** ever.

But here goes, I noticed the new MBPs just came out and was wondering if i should get it now or wait (I heard maybe a new one will come out before i leave for school - maybe in june?) ? Is there an truth to this rumor or should i get it now and hope for the best.

I don't do any video editing or anything crazy like that but i want a decent computer and I was basically just wondering if i should get it now or wait til a new one comes out (if a new one comes out)

Thanks!!!
Click to expand...

I think in your situation, you should just wait. You really have no use for it right now and you can make do with your PC. When June comes and if a new MBP comes out, then you can buy it. If not then you can always buy the Penryn model (which would still be the most recent model)
Speaking from the perspective of a senior at UCSD, I think a Mac is the perfect laptop for college student. Professors tend to talk extremely fast and the isight +built-in microphone is extremely handy when it comes to recording lectures. Wish you the best of luck. :)
 
I was on the fence on whether I should buy a new MBP now or wait until the new ones came out. the problem I have with that is obviously no one really knows when that'll be.

so, with life being too short as it is, I decided to pull the trigger and I bought a 15" 2.5 MBP. lets just say this thing is pretty bad ass. I love running XP through Bootcamp so I can play my favorite games like Half Life 2 and so on.

so, to the OP I say this. you can wait until the newer models come out (whenever that may be) or you can enjoy life now with one of these pretty sweet machines.
 
OP, it doesn't sound like you would benefit too much by buying now (other than having a kick ass computer), so I would wait if I were you, just so that you have the top of the line (assuming a new one is released shortly after the new Montevina chipset is released in June) to being with you to your new school.

By the way, if you haven't considered the MacBook Air, you might want to. Unless there is a good reason not to get it, you might want to give it a hard look because it sounds like you would benefit more from portability than power, since you said you don't do any processor heavy tasks like video editing. And the MBA would be great for college too.
 
DO NOT BUY NOW!

I'm in the same boat. I was looking at the ones Apple has on clearance. It is a FANTASTIC deal right now ($1499 for a MBP that cost $1800 a week ago), but remember the Back to School promo that will (likely) start in June! Wait 3 months and get the new one for only $150 extra than today's clearance after you sell the free iPod you get with it! :D

For $150 your getting:
+ 90GB HD bump
+ Lower Temps
+ 10% speed boost
+ Double VRAM
+ Longer battery life

Plus I really want a glossy so I have to wait and have it build to order. But, seriously, the $150 extra in June is totally worth the added features and the wait! :cool:
 
I'm in your exact position and literally felt like I was reading my own post when I read yours. Here's what I'm doing: I've read up a TON about all the Apple stuff (used pc all my life) because quite frankly I'm just now learning about it all. If you take a look at what Apple has to offer in the refurbished units they are hundreds of dollars less than what the same units were a month ago. I see the same thing happening at the next update. Unless there is some big change in the whole system, I'm waiting for the update and then buying a Penryn refurbished for hundreds less. Now, if money's not an option for you then wait until the last minute before school and get the latest update, but for me, I need the best MBP I can get for a decent price right before school starts.
 
thanks for all the help guys

well, the thing is i guess, money isn't really a factor i guess, my parents would probably get me any computer up to 2500, but i'm not sure what i want to do. it sounds like most are saying wait, which i guess i would, but my current pc is starting to die...and fast. ahha itunes doesnt work so i cant even update my ipod or anything yadda yadda. bc we need a new desktop, im thinkin of convincing my mom to get the 20" imac and then get my mbp in june...

also, once i commit to my college, the university i'm going to offers discounted mbp's and starting march 10, i could order the new penryn mbp for like 1849 or something, so i might do that, but my only fear is that a new cosmetic design will come out (which is a lame fear, but i'm not really that much of a techie and i would probably not even notice a mechanical (processor, etc) change....


hmm....i want it sooo bad, but patience is a virtue and it seems as if the majority are saying wait....sooo, damnit maybe ill wait :(
 
this has been asked like a million times in this forum

wait, and never buy ( because updates are always just around the corner after each new release ( 6 months max )

or buy now, and enjoy the best notebook in the line today, you will love every Mac Product :D
 
If I were you I would buy now. The black Macbook is also a good option, very fast, glossy screen, better keyboard IMO, more portable, much cheaper, stronger wireless signal. Then max the RAM out and buy an external monitor for using at home. That's if you dont do video editing etc.
 
same thing

I;m in the same boat! I love the current design and the speed upgrade in the summer doesn't matter to me as I know I won't notice a difference. The big thing is, will the next case be something amazing IF it even gets updated this summer!? I could get a MBP by my birthday in early April or wait. I've thought of waiting since June isn't far off and WWDC is suppose to be a week after. However, I could end up waiting till August or they may not update until fall. Plus, people thought there might be a MBP update this revision, but there wasn't. Nahelem to me would make more sense to redesign the MBP instead of doing it twice. So i don't know what to do. I'm thinking maybe I should buy now because I'm so obsessed and am always thinking and talking about it. Its driving my fmaily nuts and wasting countless hours of my life reading these forums. If I wait till June, it'll be an extra 2-3 months of wasted time. Any suggestions????? :eek:

I could really use people's detailed opinion.

Also: If they redesign, I actually FEAR them making it like the Air. The air design is awesome, but not on a 1" laptop. I currently LOVE the shape of the MBP, BUT I wouldn't mind them getting rid of the plastic edging. However I like the current keyboard better than the chicklet keyboard. Also I can't decide if I like the push button or magnetic latch better. The button on my ibook is easier than my brother's macbook (magnetic latch) but his seems better for longevity.

Also i don't want to have the new design if its going to have lots of problems due to being the first redesign. Does anyone know if past 1st model releases have had lots of issues????

Your input would be wonderful! Thanks!
 
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