Find a friend that has a prior gen mb and lay hands on it. Do the same for the new model. We can't tell you how you'll like the new build or trackpad, we can only tell you what we think about it. To a certain degree, buying a computer is a subjective, visceral decision. Have your friend go with you to an apple store and stick his model beside one of the new ones. Unless you know you can afford a mbp from the refurb site, don't have your friend put his mb beside a 13" pro; that's just self-abuse.😉
Is the amount of the best buy cards substantial? Can you afford to buy a computer without them? Unless you have to use the cards, you can find a better deal on a mb/mbp on the apple refurb site or a prior gen mb on craigslist (more on this in a minute).
Does your external firewire hard drive also have usb (many do) and is it necessary that you continue using it? If its an older, smaller hard drive, that may not be a valid consideration on which new computer to buy.
Are you doing anything processor intensive with the machine? If you'll just be living the iLife with it, it's doubtful you'll tell a difference between the old and new model performance wise. Same graphics card, and basically the same processor and ram. Unless you'll be encoding a lot of video on the laptop, it's doubtful that even Mr. Data could tell a difference between the two models.
Are you planning on replacing the hard drive for a bigger or faster one anyway? If so, negates the bigger hard drive on the newest model. And yes, you can replace the hard drive or ram on either model without voiding applecare so long as you don't damage anything during the installation.
Do you really need seven hours use without a power source? Prior gen mb's can get five hours or slightly more with the older battery.
Have you considered craigslist, and do you know what you're looking for? Whenever apple introduces a new model of a system, lots of people try to sell their prior models in order to buy the new one. Case in point, I got a five month old 2.13 mb for $500. 😀 It had a crack on the topcase which apple promptly replaced and it's otherwise nearly flawless. If you do get a mb on cl, make sure it's a 2.0 or 2.13 ghz core 2 duo with nvidia 9400 graphics; the earlier gma 950 or x3100 graphics are much less capable. You can get extended applecare (i.e., warranty) on a system within one year of the original purchase of it. Always, always, always get applecare on a mac portable. With the exception of the hard drive, it is neither cheap nor easy to repair the hardware on them.
Anyway, take a hard look at your needs (not wants) and budget, and go from there. Both are capable little machines. Good luck!
You are a brave soul buying a comp on craigslist. I bought/sold a lot of items on cl, and there are items I will buy on cl without thinking twice (like digital cameras or lenses) because I know what to look for. With something as complex as a computer, I probably would not risk buying on cl.
I have a recent desktop (windows pentium quad-core) at home which is my main machine used for everything (photoshop/ video editing/ word processing if needed etc)
I also have a windows laptop at work supplied by my employer. My wife has a personal windows laptop.
This (macbook or pro) will be strictly my personal machine for pleasure. I am basically just tired of having pc laptops and netbooks dying on me every 6 months to a year for various reasons whether I spend $900 on them or $250. I've seen macs last for my friends, so I am just hoping that if I spend a grand for a mac, I will have a laptop that would last for couple of years. This would be ideal.
Things you mention:
Financial: I cannot afford to buy it with cash now, I need to finance it. Plus with Best Buy same as cash for 18 month or Mac same as cash for 12 month, it is probably not a bad idea. Plus my wife is in school and I work for the Government and small discounts are available to either (at least they used to have them the last I checked).
Firewire: It is not critical, I do have one 120GB hard drive with it, filled with music, but it also has a USB on it.
Hard drive: Will I immediately replace it? Good question. Yes, if it is 160GB, but NO if it is 250GB. Since it is not my main computer I believe 250GB will be more than enough. 160GB is marginal.....especially when I bought a $89 500GB hard drive for my PS3 several months ago.
Trackpad: with my windows laptops/notebooks/netbooks, I still like to use external mouse, my understanding I can still use it with a macbook, am I correct? Then this won't matter, right?
Battery: since I know 7 hours is not real 7 hours and 5 hours is not real 5 hours I prefer the 7 hours; I do travel sometimes and it is nice to be able to have a power the entire flight.
Other things that concern me that you did not mention:
1) light up keys - never had it before, sounds nice, is it really useful?
2) only two usb ports - all my windows notebooks had at least 3 and that was not enough at times, and these guys only have 2
3) white color of non-pro macbooks, is it really gonna look gray in 6 months? laptops do attract dust......
4) lack of ir port - so no ir mouse? bt mouse perhaps?
