Purchase MacBook or wait for Merom?

[TallShaffer]

I don't think I should wait for merom, I don't care about 2-3 years from now, I'll have sold the laptop by then. I don't plan on keeping any laptop (as my primary) for over 2 years. The one I'm typing on is 'out of date' to me, and I bought it in July of last year.

That seminar posting makes it pretty obvious to me that it's gonna be here tomorrow! WOOOO! I'll have on in my hands Wednesday.

 

[asencif]

Normally waiting is not recommended as you will wait forever, however in this case I say wait. Merom is a 64-Bit low-power chip which is a big difference in the long rung compared to the current Yonah laptops. Intel clearly used Yonah as a stop gap chip until they were able to push out the 64-Bit lineup. While it's true most software will not take advantage of the 64-Bit processor to it's fullest, in time it will, especially if Leopard is released as a 64-Bit OS. Most developers in the next few years will start moving to develop for 64-Bit technology as the 32-Bit chip will start to disappear from the market as Intel moves to all 64-Bit lineup.

While the Merom's will be upgraded with faster processors at least your machine will be a 64-Bit machine and not 32-Bit. Nothing wrong with 32-Bit at this point, but if you want to future proof your purchase a bit then Merom is the way to go.

 

[TallShaffer]

I wouldn't mind waiting if:

#1 I wasn't able to afford the new iMac with the new chips when it comes out later this year.
#2 If the software that would be business/web development minded (a.k.a. bbedit and photoshop) along with leopard was instantly changed over to 64-bit.

While better battery is tempting, I don't need over 3 1/2 hours of battery out of my machine, and I have a feeling (hope) that the MB will have around 4 hours.

 

[netdog]

The new iBook announcement is definitely imminent. The following, posted by another user on this board, takes it all beyond rumour now...

Apple new iBook Confirmation

Apparently we were wrong. Yet another user here says that this seminar has been given regularly for that last 6 or 7 months.

 

[milo]

I am a switcher on an iMac Core Duo and have a Windows portable, but given how pleased I am with the iMac, I am anxious to switch in my portable life as well.

I need to do light Windows use under Parallels (XP now and then Vista when it is released). Otherwise just need to to do the usual -- Office (mostly Word and Entourage), Firefox, iTunes, Skype, etc. on my portable.

I do want this machine to last me awhile. Will I really be sorry not to have the Merom to run 10.5 and Vista, or should the Core Duo be just fine? Is Leopard likely to make all sorts of increased graphics demands?

If you want the latest and greatest, wait. But any of the Yonah macs should run both 10.5 and vista just fine.

And if you're really talking about the unreleased MB and not the MBP, I don't know that the MB will get a Merom any time soon.

 

[cmm]

MacBookPro now?

Should I get a macbookpro now? The 15 inch model. They have a good deal on them, I think. I hear Intel is coming out with a chip in September to speed up things. I am a philosophy and religious studies major; I tend to only use Office, Adium, Firefox, the dicionary, VLC, macirssi, and iTunes.

I am taking courses for the summer and I don't want to use my basically broken IBM Thinkpad. Should I go ahead and order the laptop now knowing of the speed increase?

Thanks.

cmm

 

[Totty]

Now that Apple has switched to Intel there will probably be a lot more "speed increases." This shouldn't worry you. It is just natural for new technologies to continue to come to retail. To my understanding, the next chip for the MBP will be the second version of the Intel Core Duo, codenamed Merom. This will be a 64-bit chip. If you feel that you could benefit from applications with the ability to utilize 64-bit instruction sets (which I wouldn't think, since you say you maintain a light load of programs) you may want to wait. I would go ahead and purchase, myself...as I am about to do in the very near future.

 

[cmm]

Thanks, I think you're right. No reason to not have a laptop during summer classes.

 

[pavetheforest]

Sounds to me like you would be using this laptop for light programs, as you mentioned. Have you considered the rumored macBook? It'll save you a ton of cash, and should be coming out this month...


rt

 

[NewSc2]

i'm in this same dilemma too. I just sold my 17" Powerbook and i'm looking to pick up the 17" MBP.

I run audio programs (Logic Pro mainly) and the speed bump from the G4 to the Core Duo was just too much for me not to upgrade. In some benchmark tests, the MBP can run almost 10x more tracks than the G4.

but now Merom's around the corner. I'm laptop-less and Mac-less so I feel like I really should purchase the MBP soon, but I don't want to kick myself when 64-bit programs run past my Yonah.