Price guide for MBP decision makers (UK based).

[VespR]

Hello all,

Been doing some thinking over the new MBP (which I think I'll get over the MB). And I've came to these conclusions over the prices.

These are the two CPU's in the base MBP and the high end one.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showp...ryn' 2.53GHz (1066FSB) - Retail (BX80576P9500)

Top of the line one, costs £252.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showp...ryn' 2.40GHz (1066FSB) - Retail (BX80577P8600)

Base one costs £168.

0.13Ghz difference in speed (the L2 cache is up to 6Mb instead of 3Mb on the base one), but I wouldn't worry yourself with that, it is honestly fractures in difference.

So £252 - £168, is a £84 difference in the cost between the two CPU's.

But if you price up the base MBP to the SAME AS the top of the line MBP.

So boost the ram and hard drive from 2Gb and 250Gb to 4Gb and 320Gb. The only difference then is the CPU but the price difference between the two laptops is £180!!!

£180 - £84 is £96 premium JUST because you bought top of the line for 0.13Ghz of speed increase. Let's say 3-5%? Which will be noticeable in a benchmark when they stress the components, but in real world, browsing, word, music, you won't even see it.

Before anyone mentions the vid card, it's already been proven that it can't really make much use of the extra memory so again that in my opinion isn't worth the price increase on it's own.

It should also be noted that if purchased before 31st October using a higher education discount,

http://store.apple.com/uk_edu_78186?mco=MTE2MjI

(University of Cambridge store)

You save yourself AT LEAST another £200. You can make even more savings with the before Oct 31st by purchasing an iPod 8Gb nano. With that you get a £95 rebate from the £109. Using the base MBP, if I sold the nano on ebay for £100, I'd be saving around ANOTHER £90.

This brings the price of the laptop £1,103.10 DOWN from £1399. A nice saving IF you know any students at Uni (who doesn't?) and you don't need an iPod (who hasn't already got one?).

Personally I'd gut the hard drive and memory, ebay those for perhaps a total of £80, and buy 4Gb from crucial (£90) and the Western Digital Scorpio Black 320GB 7200RPM (£65), which is about a £50 saving over buying through Apple.

Just some food for thought for the brits here.

**Flame me if I made a mistake, I'm sure the logic is sound overall.

 

[thespyglass]

Food for thought indeed, thank you so much for this, it was really helpful. I've been comparing and contrasting so much my head is about to explode because ultimately, as a soon-to-be-switcher, I don't have any hands-on Mac experience so I don't know what is and isn't noticeable.

Cheers for this reality check. I was almost starting to convince myself I should get the 2.8Ghz even though all I'll be doing on the thing in addition to your standard word-processing/internet/music/TV-watching is a bit of video editing and casual Photoshop! I see everyone posting the specs they've ordered and go a bit nuts, I think.

So yes. Thanks!

 

[neiltc13]

Cheers for this reality check. I was almost starting to convince myself I should get the 2.8Ghz even though all I'll be doing on the thing in addition to your standard word-processing/internet/music/TV-watching is a bit of video editing and casual Photoshop! I see everyone posting the specs they've ordered and go a bit nuts, I think.

It sounds to me like you would be fine with the 2.0GHz MacBook.

 

[thespyglass]

It sounds to me like you would be fine with the 2.0GHz MacBook.

Thanks for your input and yeah, I'm sure I would, specs-wise, but having tried out the older ones belonging to a couple of friends I've found I just can't be doing with the small glossy screen. Which is a shame, but luckily I can afford to pay extra for a screen, even if it is quite a bit extra. I often struggle to have two or three windows open across the screen of my current 15inch machine, (that only stretches to 1280x800,) when doing research/writing etc. and when it comes to TV my ideal would obviously be a portable home cinema

In all seriousness, having already decided to get the heck away from Vista, the base 15inch MBP is the best compromise, I think, but I'm still weighing up the various refurb. versus new model considerations. One of which is the lack of a matte screen in the new one...

It'll probably be another month before I actually spend any blimming money I'm so indecisive!

 

[neiltc13]

Why not get a MacBook and spend the money you save on an external display?

You can get a 20" with 1680x1050 resolution for well under £200.

 

[thespyglass]

Why not get a MacBook and spend the money you save on an external display?

You can get a 20" with 1680x1050 resolution for well under £200.

I've never seriously considered doing this because I need to be really mobile, but thinking about it properly it's actually a really good idea, thank you. A main issue might be that I do a lot of said TV-watching from hotel rooms, but then I could always try and do some actual work instead! And thinking about that 'work', I suppose if I could get used to using Spaces and the application switcher thing then that might help me get over my but-I-need-to-view-all-windows-at-once issue with the smaller screen. And then I have added portability of smaller-and-lighter...

Okay, enough of me thinking out loud and dragging the thread off topic! Thanks for your help

 

[can7ona]

It should also be noted that if purchased before 31st October using a higher education discount,

http://store.apple.com/uk_edu_78186?mco=MTE2MjI

<snip>

You save yourself AT LEAST another £200. You can make even more savings with the before Oct 31st by purchasing an iPod 8Gb nano. With that you get a £95 rebate from the £109. Using the base MBP, if I sold the nano on ebay for £100, I'd be saving around ANOTHER £90.

You could also order the printer (the £60 rebate offer is still going) and sell that on for a profit which would bring your price down even more!

Also, how did you get the link for Cambridge's HE store? Or do you know the link for City University?

 

[VespR]

I found it on a student forum somewhere.. Not sure what would happen if you tried to order something through there and if you'd need to prove you were a student of the Uni.

 

[can7ona]

I found it on a student forum somewhere.. Not sure what would happen if you tried to order something through there and if you'd need to prove you were a student of the Uni.

OK... it's just that I always thought you had to be using the university's network to get to the page - if not I'd rather make my purchases from home than the university's computers - I'm a legit MSc student!

 

[VespR]

You have to be on the Uni's network to go through a website that gets you to the store. But the store is still on Apple's website. So if you know the direct URL it's fine. I presume you can order through there perfectly fine and they would never know!

 

[pinchez]

Ok i've clicked the link in this thread and added a custom spec. Macbook and the Nano totaling £1220 which is quite a saving for what i want

If I enter my CC details will the sale go through without questions?

Also what's the deal with HE applecare for £58, is it just the same as normal applecare and should i need to use it will i have to prove i'm in HE?

This is so tempting as i've had my original 13" Core Duo for just over 2yrs and would really like to replace it

 

[danielbriggs]

Also what's the deal with HE applecare for £58, is it just the same as normal applecare and should i need to use it will i have to prove i'm in HE?

The £58 is to extend the Apple Phone Support from 90 days to 3 years. There is a 3 Year Standard Hardware warranty on all purchases through the HE store, as negotiated through the HE agreement.
So the £58 only get you more time on the phone to Apple, they'll still replace the parts even if you don't buy it.

Dan

 

[pinchez]

The £58 is to extend the Apple Phone Support from 90 days to 3 years. There is a 3 Year Standard Hardware warranty on all purchases through the HE store, as negotiated through the HE agreement.
So the £58 only get you more time on the phone to Apple, they'll still replace the parts even if you don't buy it.

Dan

LOL i feel so dumb

So if I pull the trigger and order the Macbook through the HE link (even though i'm not in HE and sat at home) Will payment go through and will i get it without having to send proof of HE etc.

Also if i do get it and i later have to use the 3yr warranty will i then have t prove i am or was in HE.


Thanks

 

[VespR]

Personally I think it would be fine. Worst they can say is no. But it's online and completely automated.

You can still register it in your name because the warranty is tied to the serial of the Mac, not the person who bought it. For example, a friend who is a student could buy one for you using his discount, but the registration will be in your name.

I'm gonna go into the Regent Street store and flash my brothers NUS and say I'm getting it for him as a gift. Can't be arsed with the wait time for online delivery! Has worked before and nobody cares. They still get the sale and a TON of profit on these things.

 

[pinchez]

One other thing, when claiming rebate on the nano are they likely to want HE proof etc?

I'm looking to order this tomorrow all being well, It says "Ready to ship in 7 Days" how likely is this? I remember my White Macbook taking around 6 weeks

 

[can7ona]

One other thing, when claiming rebate on the nano are they likely to want HE proof etc?

I'm looking to order this tomorrow all being well, It says "Ready to ship in 7 Days" how likely is this? I remember my White Macbook taking around 6 weeks

Well I ordered mine on 17th Oct. and estimated delivery date is 5th to 6th Nov!

One thing that worries me is that the deadline for getting your rebates in for the iPod is end of Nov - so if people order their items before one the last day of the promo (end of Oct.) what happens if they don't get delivery before end of Nov.?

 

[VespR]

Have a little faith Apple can deliver your laptop within a month!

 

[pinchez]

OK, I pulled the trigger and ordered it 10 mins ago and the following is on the way.



Payment and order seemed to have gone through ok, I've also spent hours looking in to Applecare under HE and for an extra £47 I think it's as well to just have it.

This was the best explanation i could find for the HE Applecare confusion and why i opted to spend the extra £47.

"The 3 year standard warranty doesn't have mail in repairs after 1 year or phone support after 90 days however you can take it into an applestore to get it repaired for free (within the 3 years)

the uplift basically upgrades the warranty to full applecare. 3 year phone support and 3 year mail in repairs.

also i noticed that if you buy without the uplift and enter your serial into the support page it only shows 1 year warranty but if you get the uplift it shows 3 years.

this might be something to consider if you are going to sell it in the next 3 years as it will be easier to show that it is still under warranty."

 

[VespR]

Hehe saved yourself a bargain! I hope to head down to Bluewater sometime this week, if they've got any stock...