Price cut pattern for powerbooks

[indomitable]

I really like the feature here where the release dates are kept track of and the average time between updates for various products is posted. I was wondering if anyone has this sort of information on how often price cuts happen. Specifically for the powerbooks. I expect its about halfway between the release of a new update to the product and the next time an update will be coming out but I was wondering if anyone else had better guesses.

Specifically, I'll be buying the new 12'' powerbook with the student discount some time this summer. However since I dont really need the computer over the summer but would kind of like it anyway I wanted to see if the computer is going to cost the same now (with the discount) as it will cost in september when I really do need it. If the price wont change between now and then I'll buy it now and enjoy it right away. But if I can save a hundred bucks or so by waiting till september I could go without for a while.

any help?

thanks

 

[abc123]

the prices dropped quite a lot with the new revisions only a few weeks ago, i doubt you'll see another price change for a while.

 

[Godfather]

omg, are you kidding me? You posted this today and think we're in 'the middle' of a new price cut on the powerbooks? They just dropped pal, about 3 weeks ago...

 

[Rod Rod]

price cuts

hi indomitable,

you might have looked at the pricing and not noticed the price cuts.

as the previous posters point out, the price dropped with the latest revision of powerbooks on 4 of the 5 models. how can it be?

well, the most visible price cut is the 17" dropping from US$2999/2699 (retail/education) to 2799/2499.

all the other prices seem to have stayed put. however, both 12" models and the 15" combo drive model have dropped in price by $99. that's because now all PBs come with Airport Extreme standard, whereas before only the 15" superdrive and 17" had that feature standard.

the only PB which hasn't changed in price is the 15" superdrive model.

 

[ieevans]

You could wait for 10.4 to come out. A good friend of mine waited for 10.3 and purchased a G5 at "Night of the Pather" with a 10% discount. Saves on the taxes anyway. Think it is supposed to be in the summer some time.

 

[tamara6]

Typically, Apple does not lower the prices of models between product introductions. The current iBooks will cost $1099, $1299, and $1499 until Apple comes out with new models (whenever that is).

When they come out with the new models the current ones will be discontinued and the prices will drop by maybe $200 or so. The new models will typically have close to the same price as the model they replace.

Since Apple just refreshed the iBook line in April, it seems unlikely that they will do it again until October or November. In short, if you want one of these iBooks there will be no advantage in waiting until July or August and buying then - they will cost as much as they do now and they will be exactly the same thing.

Of course, if you want to wait until October or November to buy your computer then you will probably be able to get these current models at a discount when the new models are released.

 

[abc123]

as said above, the only advantage would be tiger if it comes out by the time you want to buy.

 

[indomitable]

omg, are you kidding me? You posted this today and think we're in 'the middle' of a new price cut on the powerbooks? They just dropped pal, about 3 weeks ago...

yes I know we're not in the middle of a price cut on the powerbooks, I do in fact realize that the new ones came out barely three weeks ago. Thanks for being so polite about it..... I was asking about a projected estimate might for when or if a price drop would happen on those new powerbooks (the 1.33ghz) before the next upgrades are released. I apologize if my original post was unclear.

Thanks to everyone else for the helpful info, I'm not sure why I thought Apple sometimes cut prices after one product release but before the next, just a mistake on my part I guess. Thanks for clearing that up tamara

(Tiger is next you say? . . . . . . I wonder what happens when they run out of big cats. Fish? Insects? Legumes?)

 

[Beck446]

yes I know we're not in the middle of a price cut on the powerbooks, I do in fact realize that the new ones came out barely three weeks ago. Thanks for being so polite about it..... I was asking about a projected estimate might for when or if a price drop would happen on those new powerbooks (the 1.33ghz) before the next upgrades are released. I apologize if my original post was unclear.

Thanks to everyone else for the helpful info, I'm not sure why I thought Apple sometimes cut prices after one product release but before the next, just a mistake on my part I guess. Thanks for clearing that up tamara

(Tiger is next you say? . . . . . . I wonder what happens when they run out of big cats. Fish? Insects? Legumes?)

No, no, I think you were right the first time. One: Tiger OSX is not going to be out this summer, so don't factor that in. If you still have the educational discount, you can pick that up for $20 when it comes out anyway. And two: sometimes Apple does drop prices during the middle of a product cycle. Either that or they throw in a freebie like more RAM or a printer or something. Amazon also tends to add in a $100 mail in rebate towards the second half of a product cycle.


The bottom line is that you will not save much by waiting, but you might save a little. You certainly won't be paying more.

 

[saabmp3]

I think the only time apple really lowers the price on a product if it is absolutly not selling at all. Unfourtunally for you, the powerbooks and iBooks are selling like hotcakes, so I don't think they'll be going down. However, look for reductions on the cinema displays.

BEN

 

[Krizoitz]

omg, are you kidding me? You posted this today and think we're in 'the middle' of a new price cut on the powerbooks? They just dropped pal, about 3 weeks ago...

Ok, you're tag says newbie so I'll cut you some slack. Try not to be so condescending ok? We try and be polite around here, especially when its such a harmless question.

 

[kanker]

I'm not sure why I thought Apple sometimes cut prices after one product release but before the next, just a mistake on my part I guess.

Last summer there was a price drop on the TiBooks and the Rev A AlBooks a month or so before the rev b's came out. Maybe that's what you were thinking of.