Opinions Needed! Future college kid needs a MBP

[Davewithak]

Hello! I know there are plenty of long threads about the next generation of MBPs with a lot of speculation, but I need opinions. I'm graduating in May and my mom was planning on getting me a MBP as a graduation present. I've done research and saw all of the stuff about new ones with Retina screens and MBA-style bodies, but I'm just unsure.

I need the MBP for college, which starts in August/September. I know the new models are supposedly coming out this summer, but I'm afraid that Apple will wait and I'll have to start school without a laptop. I don't want to not buy one, thinking they'll come out in June/July and then Apple not release them until later. Should I go ahead and buy the newest model available now or wait and see what happens this summer?

It would suck to buy a late 2011 model in August and then Apple release a brand new MBP in September.

 

[shanimal]

I would just wait if youre not starting until September. if there isnt any sign that Apple will be releasing one any time soon in August/September than i would get one then, but if you can wait than i would. Assuming you dont need one right now, there really isnt anything bad that could happen. if you wait the price wont go up o you could find a better deal waiting until the end(ish) of the year.

 

[Freyqq]

Wait as long as you can and buy when they come out. However, if school is starting, just buy what is available. You don't want to be setting up a new computer in the middle of a semester if you can avoid it.

 

[rockyroad55]

Hello! I know there are plenty of long threads about the next generation of MBPs with a lot of speculation, but I need opinions. I'm graduating in May and my mom was planning on getting me a MBP as a graduation present. I've done research and saw all of the stuff about new ones with Retina screens and MBA-style bodies, but I'm just unsure.

I need the MBP for college, which starts in August/September. I know the new models are supposedly coming out this summer, but I'm afraid that Apple will wait and I'll have to start school without a laptop. I don't want to not buy one, thinking they'll come out in June/July and then Apple not release them until later. Should I go ahead and buy the newest model available now or wait and see what happens this summer?

It would suck to buy a late 2011 model in August and then Apple release a brand new MBP in September.

I would also wait until about a week before you move in/start classes. Plus, if you do wait, Apple will have their back to school sale around that time so you get whatever they offer.

 

[Ccrew]

Should I go ahead and buy the newest model available now or wait and see what happens this summer?

It would suck to buy a Mac too, and have your curriculum say you need a Windows computer. Been there, done that, and having to now buy the daughter a Windows machine for engineering school because they refuse to support windows bootcamped or in a VM.

Check the curriculum requirements before buying anything. But to answer, I'd hold off until the new ones are announced or school is starting and you need one, whichever comes first. Everything about what the new ones will bring is still all just speculation. They'll be what Apple says they'll be. Wait until the announcement, unless you require a build to order machine old ones will still be in the sales channel

My money is on Apple releasing the new MBP's with the release of Mt Lion, and given Intel announced yesterday IvyBridge isn't shipping in quantity until June/July my money is on a Sept MBP refresh

 

[Davewithak]

It would suck to buy a Mac too, and have your curriculum say you need a Windows computer. Been there, done that, and having to now buy the daughter a Windows machine for engineering school because they refuse to support windows bootcamped or in a VM.

Check the curriculum requirements before buying anything. But to answer, I'd hold off until the new ones are announced or school is starting and you need one, whichever comes first. Everything about what the new ones will bring is still all just speculation. They'll be what Apple says they'll be. Wait until the announcement, unless you require a build to order machine old ones will still be in the sales channel

My money is on Apple releasing the new MBP's with the release of Mt Lion, and given Intel announced yesterday IvyBridge isn't shipping in quantity until June/July my money is on a Sept MBP refresh

I didn't think to check the curriculum to be sure I can even use a Mac, thank you very much! I looked and it says Macs are acceptable.

Thanks for your input everyone, I think I'll definitely wait until late August/early September (depending on when classes start). As someone mentioned, Apple will be having their back to school sale, so that's a plus. Also, if something happens (for example, Apple removing the CD/DVD drive) and I don't want the newer MBP, I will be able to get the older model for a cheaper price.

 

[Agent-P]

It would suck to buy a Mac too, and have your curriculum say you need a Windows computer. Been there, done that, and having to now buy the daughter a Windows machine for engineering school because they refuse to support windows bootcamped or in a VM.

Why would the school care if Windows was being run on Apple hardware via bootcamp versus any PC hardware manufacturer? It's the same thing as buying a Dell/Toshiba/HP/Sony Windows laptop. The hardware differs, but the software is the same across all of them. (this isn't directed at you in particular, I'm just wondering why the school is so uptight about it).

 

[Krazy Bill]

Been there, done that, and having to now buy the daughter a Windows machine for engineering school because they refuse to support windows bootcamped or in a VM.

Lol. And you caved in over this silly nonsense? It's an Intel based machine - same as everything else except it has an Apple on it. End of story.

 

[malman89]

Just wait and see what happens. Back to school deals don't even start until maybe end of May/June, and if there is an Intel Ivy Bridge delay until June, then Apple should (hopefully) launch an update around then anyway (if not sooner).

Also, need to change your thinking. Title should be: "Opinions Needed! Future college kid wants a MBP". There's nothing one "needs" a MBP for at college.

 

[Ccrew]

Lol. And you caved in over this silly nonsense? It's an Intel based machine - same as everything else except it has an Apple on it. End of story.

It has to do with what they'll support. Although I'd have no qualms with doing it myself, in reality all users are not savvy enough to support their own machines, my daughter being one of them. Apple won't support Windows, and Microsoft won't support Mac hardware nor VMware if I went that route.. While I disagree, it's about what the school will support.

It's not a matter of "caving in" it's a matter of their policy. Their policy says they don't support it, and you're on your own.

 

[shootingrubber]

Hello! I know there are plenty of long threads about the next generation of MBPs with a lot of speculation, but I need opinions. I'm graduating in May and my mom was planning on getting me a MBP as a graduation present. I've done research and saw all of the stuff about new ones with Retina screens and MBA-style bodies, but I'm just unsure.

I need the MBP for college, which starts in August/September. I know the new models are supposedly coming out this summer, but I'm afraid that Apple will wait and I'll have to start school without a laptop. I don't want to not buy one, thinking they'll come out in June/July and then Apple not release them until later. Should I go ahead and buy the newest model available now or wait and see what happens this summer?

It would suck to buy a late 2011 model in August and then Apple release a brand new MBP in September.

Buy a cheap refurbished one, sell for the same amount as what you bought it for or slightly cheaper when the new one's come out, then buy the new one. You won't be without a computer for any length of time. Problem solved

 

[Dejta]

Sounds exciting.
I'd say it's best to have your gift before Sept., If you want it get it, you'll never know what tomorrow holds. It's about enjoying your MBP.

 

[thekev]

Lol. And you caved in over this silly nonsense? It's an Intel based machine - same as everything else except it has an Apple on it. End of story.

It works well enough. You do run into a few quirks with drivers and bootcamp partitioning.

It has to do with what they'll support. Although I'd have no qualms with doing it myself, in reality all users are not savvy enough to support their own machines, my daughter being one of them. Apple won't support Windows, and Microsoft won't support Mac hardware nor VMware if I went that route.. While I disagree, it's about what the school will support.

It's not a matter of "caving in" it's a matter of their policy. Their policy says they don't support it, and you're on your own.

By vmware you mean their fusion windows shell? You can install Windows, and it does behave like a Windows box for the most part. You have a couple missing keys, a few wonky drivers from Apple, and their hit and miss partitioning scheme. It works well enough. I'm curious about their policy though as I've never heard of this. It just said "no macs" or something? I haven't seen any really crippling problems that are unique to bootcamp personally, but if I spent most of my time in Windows, I'd buy a Windows computer. You aren't limited to cheap junk at that budget range (although the only thing made well these days seems to be server hardware).

 

[paolo-]

Wait, at the very least, you'll get the summer student discount!

 

[Ccrew]

It just said "no macs" or something?

While they don't specifically say "No Mac's" they do list that the software that they're using in engineering school is specifically for Windows, and that while they are aware that you can run Windows on a Mac it's 100% unsupported by their in-house IT (and why they reached that decision). Basically a "you can choose to do this but you're doing it alone" type scenario. This is not the school as a whole, just the students with majors in some of the Engineering disciplines. Here it is verbatim (would have posted a link but couldn't find one that didn't need a logon)


Recommendations on Computers for Incoming 1st Year Students
arriving August 2011
U.Va. School of Engineering and Applied Science
Q: I hear that Windows7 runs on the Apple Mac computers. Will a Mac laptop work for
me if I'm an incoming engineering student?
Response by Prof. M. C. Rosen, CTO, U.Va. SEAS Posted: 5/18/11; rev. 1
A: Most of the software used throughout the Engineering School curriculum is available
in editions that run on Microsoft Windows. This general compatibility is not the case for
the Mac OS or Linux.
Running Windows on a Mac
Technically it could work, but it is not a supported option and therefore not
recommended for everyone at this time.
The University has implemented a plan that allows remote access to some Windows
software titles from a Mac. This project goes from pilot to production rollout this Fall,
and provides access in a way that wasn't possible a year ago. Unfortunately, not all of the
titles used in engineering programs were included, and the need to run some Windows
application software on your laptop remains necessary.
Considerations
Apple has some nice laptops. There are some key considerations to incorporate in
making your decision:
[1] U.Va. Bookstore's Cavalier Computers sells Windows 7 Ultimate Edition installation
discs for $15 to students who own MACs.
[2] Running Windows under virtualized environments on Intel-based Macs that include
Parallels, VMware Fusion, Virtualbox or emulation software such as Codeweavers
CrossOver on Mac OS X is an unsupported option.
Many Windows applications will work under such virtualization. However, software
versions are updated each year and there's no way to test ahead. There is no guarantee
that all the Windows-based software or your devices (incl. some peripherals) will work
correctly in that mode, and that the virtualization not interfere when you are trying to
work in the Mac mode.
Page 1 of 2The use of Parallels ($79.99), Fusion ($39.99) & Virtualbox (free download) consumes
system resources (CPU, RAM) when running Windows sessions/software. The choice of
MAC hardware model is relevant. For example, MacBook Air configured with 2GB RAM
would not be sufficient.
Keyboard mappings are different as well as the mouse operations on the Mac compared
with Windows. When running Windows software or running even just in virtualization
modes, this takes some getting used to even for some experienced users.
[3] An alternative that only shares hard drive space, but not system resources is Apple's
BootCamp.
Even though BootCamp is included by Apple in the current operating system, Apple's
support does not cover a lot of questions on Windows running on their hardware,
Microsoft doesn't support Windows running on Apple hardware, and the U.Va.'s ITC
Help Desk does not support dual boot or virtualization modes.
The bottom line is in either the virtualization mode or dual boot mode, you're on your
own to try and make it work. This appeals to a limited set of Engineering School
students.
If you feel comfortable providing your own self-help technical support, and are willing to
find creative ways to get your work done should it turn out that a particular program or
device doesn't operate properly, then maybe you are a Mac person.
Students enrolled in some majors do more intensive computing tasks than others, but I
can not recommend a path based on major. About half of our incoming students don't
know what major they want, and a portion of those that do when they applied to U.Va.
wind up changing their mind once they are enrolled and learn more about the different
choices of majors that we offer

 

[NutsNGum]

<snip>

Sounds like the engineering department have never used bootcamp before. There are mechanical engineering students on here all the time using MBPs, seems like a bit of laziness as far as the uni is concerned.

 

[throAU]

You considered an air? Unless you NEED mobile 3d graphics (which suck battery BAD) or the increased ports, the Airs are MUCH faster in general use due to the SSD, and much lighter to carry around in a backpack.

Of course a pro with SSD will be faster again, but the weight is definitely noticable...

edit:
with ivy bridge i the new air (when it comes out) i'd suggest that the benefit of buying a pro over an air would be even less. the HD3000 is not bad GPU wise (ivy bridge will be even better), and much less power draw...

 

[macmastersam]

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OP, I would say just buy it now or when you need/want it. At least you will be assured that it will last through your whole course of college and probably a few years after that.

 

[dank414]

You don't need any VM for it and boot camp definitely is the better choice because you're computer isn't dying from sharing cpu/gpu/memory. There should be no hardware issue. *Funny thing is tech support should be able to assist you when you're running Win OS (unless they get confused with CMD key X).

With that said, I agree with the comment above. Mac is a want, not a need. Get what you need for college, then get what you want when you're bling'ing. If not, wait until back to school sale. You'll get either $200 GC to Apps Store or iPod Touch (or something else), and free cheapo printer w/ rebate. It's worth it.

 

[Krazy Bill]

It's not a matter of "caving in" it's a matter of their policy. Their policy says they don't support it, and you're on your own.

All good points. I hereby yield to your logic.

 

[rockyroad55]

I would get a Windows laptop to be on the safe side. I wouldn't want to risk my education because I didn't buy the right laptop at the time. Take a tour of the school if you haven't done so already and ask to sit in on some classes if you can. Look around and see what people are using.

 

[Ccrew]

All good points. I hereby yield to your logic.

And for their stupidity I get to pay $24k a year for the daughters tuition.. Really does make you wonder when you see the complaints about the American education system doesn't it? UVA while not Ivy League isn't a podunk community college either.

I run a big IT department, Mac was a no brainer for me to buy her. Never saw UVA's policy coming.

 

[thekev]

And for their stupidity I get to pay $24k a year for the daughters tuition.. Really does make you wonder when you see the complaints about the American education system doesn't it? UVA while not Ivy League isn't a podunk community college either.

I run a big IT department, Mac was a no brainer for me to buy her. Never saw UVA's policy coming.

They may have a few quirks even under bootcamp, but I don't understand how given the popularity of them among college students, they wouldn't just test this stuff properly. The bootcamp drivers have a couple bugs, but it's much more fluid than using Parallels or bootcamp. Autodesk actually certified 3ds max on a number of macs under Parallels and this IT department can't figure out how to support bootcamp ? With that kind of tuition they should be able to stay up to date with things.

 

[Krazy Bill]

And for their stupidity I get to pay $24k a year for the daughters tuition.. Really does make you wonder when you see the complaints about the American education system doesn't it? UVA while not Ivy League isn't a podunk community college either.

I share your pain my friend. I've got one at Kansas State. $20k with academic scholarships.

But the university is pretty much all macs (basically get what you want). They have their own Apple genius/repair center on campus.

I run a big IT department, Mac was a no brainer for me to buy her. Never saw UVA's policy coming.

Got mine a MBP for HS graduation. It didn't ever occur to me that a learning institution would have any type of OS requirement. I can see it for specialized engineering courses, maybe for grad students but not for freshman who have no clue about their future like my kid.

 

[dukebound85]

when it comes to requirements in college, the program you are in will have the machines in a lab setting...which is nice as they will have all the software so you don't need to license out the expensive sw on your own machine and are frankly much faster than any personal computer. Plus the labs generate a community within your major

for a personal computer, which all you will do is write reports, internet, etc, anything is fine

I got by with a mac back when it was much harder to co-exist with windows and I was in engineering. No issues as for any program, I had the labs. Even if one had a windows pc, they couldn't run the programs as they couldnt afford the license cost for the applications