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Next MBP update to look to? Oct.14
- Thread starter str1f3
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It won't be. I don't have any supporting evidence to support that it won't be, except for the fact that I'm a pessimist, and enjoy all of this guessing. If you need one now, get it now. If you don't, then wait.
An excerpt for the lazy:
"Those of you holding out for a new lineup of MacBooks will have to wait until October 14 according to sources who, as they say, are familiar with Apple’s hardware plans."
"Those of you holding out for a new lineup of MacBooks will have to wait until October 14 according to sources who, as they say, are familiar with Apple’s hardware plans."
AAAAGGGGGHHHHHH! 
Now I don't know what to do... I'm moving to the Orlando on 5th October! This is great if its true, then I should sell my current PowerBook before i go.
Should I sell?
Now I don't know what to do... I'm moving to the Orlando on 5th October! This is great if its true, then I should sell my current PowerBook before i go.
Should I sell?
Truly sage advice (and I'm not being sarcastic).
If it really does ship on the 14th, it will be some six months since the first rumors of a replacement model started appearing. I myself will have been enjoying and being productive with my MBP for over five months come that date.
While superficially correct the argument is flawed in certain cases. Especially if you need a new feature only available in the next model.Truly sage advice (and I'm not being sarcastic).
If it really does ship on the 14th, it will be some six months since the first rumors of a replacement model started appearing. I myself will have been enjoying and being productive with my MBP for over five months come that date.
In my case my current PowerBook is showing its age and I would be a lot more productive with faster hardware. In a way I really do need a new machine now and it would make sense to buy now.
Yet being a graphics professional I also need more pixels. Unfortunately carrying a 17" MacBook Pro is not for me as it is too big. But for the applications I use mostly (Photoshop, Maya) a 1920x1200 screen resolution would offer the most productivity.
Now this resolution is not an option on today's 15" MacBook Pro so buying the top 15" model would not give me top productivity. If however Apple were to offer a WUXGA 15" MacBook Pro with the next (October?) update, the extra overall productivity gain for me (over the new notebook's 2-4 year life span) would be well worth the extra month wait.
Of course if Apple won't offer a WUXGA 15" option, then I don't gain anything. Except pain when using my current hardware for another month.
In an ideal world I would buy now and then sell and buy again in 6-8 weeks if Apple really offers a 1920x1200 15" display. But that is expensive and not everyone can afford that.
In September 2006 my daughter was a freshman in college. I had promised her a MPRO replacement for her 4 year old 700 MHZ G3 iBook. We were still waiting just like now. She went to school with her old G3. The new ones came out in the middle of October and delivered the end of October. For a number of reasons (one being the heat problem with the first gen intel MPROs) I'm glad we waited. She still has the machine and loves it.
So getting new MPROs this late, missing the peak college buying season, isn't all that unusual.
So getting new MPROs this late, missing the peak college buying season, isn't all that unusual.
What does your daughter study that a G3 700 wouldn't do the trick?
Good point, in that even if they are announced on the 14th they probably own't be available until Halloween. So its not just waiting a month, its more like a month & a half.
Good point, in that even if they are announced on the 14th they probably own't be available until Halloween. So its not just waiting a month, its more like a month & a half.
The reason why I doubt that is rumors of this major redesign have been going on since early this year. More rumors said it was suppose to release sometime in June/July, but never did. I hope this means 2 things: 1. Apple is making sure the hardware is solid and reliable 2. They are producing them in quantities for sale the week of the announcement.
We all want the latest features - but honestly; buying todays model or the next model won't make that crucial a difference. Sure, a speedbump is nice, larger screen estate, too, or whatever it is going to be - but WHAT EXACTLY is it that people think the next model can do, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE on this one!? When it comes down to it, there isn't all that much difference from one update to another, but everybody always seem to blow it out of proportion!
IMHO it is all about the fact that it would SUCK to buy the MBP now, and realizing that the next update is out next week...
The problem with that is we don't know if a new feature will be available on the new model. As you admitted, if they don't offer a WUXGA screen (and I tend to think they will not for cost and general usability issues), then you've waited in vain and, as you have also noted, you give up all the extra performance you could actually productively use in the interim.
I do think many people here are confusing wants with actual needs. You want a MBP now, but you are afraid you will miss something cool so you will wait. You don't need an MBP so you can wait, you just don't want to.
On the other hand, Dreamail, it sounds like you need an MBP and are just hoping that maybe Apple will offer a special feature that would make an already good machine that much better for you. While I have used WUXGA 15.4" screens and have found them very difficult to work with, I admit I'd buy that option if it was available - and then use my external 24" at the same resolution for most of my work as I do now.
I wanted to wait, as well, and noted as such back in May when the first rumors hit. But I had a hard deadline (mid-July) and by WWDC it was clear that new MBP's were not coming. So when WWDC ended, I went out and bought my MBP and it has served me far better then what I had before. My want crossed over with my need and while rumors swirled that a new MBP could be launched right up to the date my "want" became a "need", the benefits of waiting were outweighed by the benefits of having.
Even if the next MBP weighs half as much, is twice as fast, and has slews of new features, I'm not going to wail and gnash my teeth in frustration for not waiting because in the interim, my current model has made me more productive and earned me enough money to buy a new one if I had to.
Im waiting for the updates to the current ones don't sell for such ridiculous prices. Both refurb and ebay. :/
It's not that simple
A 17" MacBook Pro is too big for me yet the 15" MacBook Pro with its 1440x900 LCD simply doesn't offer enough resolution for the tasks I need it to do.
From the Autodesk Maya Qualified Hardware page:
Or in plain English:
With a 15" MacBook's 1440x900 resolution I cannot run Maya and must use an external monitor as I need at least 1024 pixel vertically.
So for me buying now or later is not a question of slightly faster or not, but rather can I use Maya only with an external monitor attached or anywhere (assuming the next revision will at least offer 1024 pixel vertical resolution).
The mere chance of getting a better vertical resolution in the next revision is such an important point that waiting - even if in vain - does make sense.
The alternative is a notebook that cannot really be used anywhere - only where an external monitor is available.
Whether the next MacBook Pro is a bit faster, lighter or has more storage is not the point. The screen resolution is.Even if the next MBP weighs half as much, is twice as fast, and has slews of new features, I'm not going to wail and gnash my teeth in frustration for not waiting because in the interim, my current model has made me more productive and earned me enough money to buy a new one if I had to.
A 17" MacBook Pro is too big for me yet the 15" MacBook Pro with its 1440x900 LCD simply doesn't offer enough resolution for the tasks I need it to do.
From the Autodesk Maya Qualified Hardware page:
Note: All Macs with built in Flat Panels are limited to built-in screen resolutions. These resolutions may limit the use of Maya; for example, menu bars may not be fully drawn and windows may need screen resolution that is not available. Using an external monitor and setting the resolution to 1280 x 1024 allows full use of Maya menus and windows.
Or in plain English:
With a 15" MacBook's 1440x900 resolution I cannot run Maya and must use an external monitor as I need at least 1024 pixel vertically.
So for me buying now or later is not a question of slightly faster or not, but rather can I use Maya only with an external monitor attached or anywhere (assuming the next revision will at least offer 1024 pixel vertical resolution).
The mere chance of getting a better vertical resolution in the next revision is such an important point that waiting - even if in vain - does make sense.
The alternative is a notebook that cannot really be used anywhere - only where an external monitor is available.
Fair enough. IMO, I expect the next MBP will either use a 16:9 screen (so the vertical resolution will likely be less then the current 900) or they will stick with the current type of screen and resolution.
Absolutely. If it wouldn't be such a pain to carry it around...
Most my friends use high-end tablet PCs because their built-in wacoms are perfect for Maya and Photoshop work.
Alas there is no tablet Mac. And the Axiotron Modbook lacks both a dedicated graphics chip (Maya requires either an ATI or NVidia card) and (with its 1280x800 screen) the required resolution of 1280x1024.
What I really need is a PC, not a Mac.
That's the sad truth.
(Although what I hear from them is that a good high-end tablet PC is harder and harder to find. That market seems to be dying. Perhaps it is too small - even for PC users.)
At 1440x900 nothing is hidden in Maya. Although it's not much fun to work with such a lowrez screen.