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Return Unibody Macbook?

mikethebigo

mikethebigo

macrumors 68020
Original poster
May 25, 2009
2,433
1,597
I'm in serious need of some advice. Last Saturday (the 22nd) I bought a 2.4 ghz unibody macbook. Between the RAM upgrade and applecare, the total package was $1800. I think OSX is awesome and I like my new system. But, for that price I really want the best possible system for school.

Should I consider returning the system (and paying the 10% fee) on the off chance a better, cheaper unibody maebook is right around the corner?

I don't see a CPU upgrade making a difference, and I don't core about a slight HD upgrade. However, I would be very interested in a battery upgrade, a dedicated GPU, built in 3G, or a max ram upgrade. Maybe even a matte display or firewire/ expresscard, even though I typically only use Wifi and USB.

Should I return my system, or should I assume the next update will only involve minor processor and HD upgrades like the white macbook got today?

Any advice would really be helpful.
 
I would say keep it if you are happy with it. If the thought that a very slight update might happen is going to keep you awake at night, return it. If you return it and buy a new one soon, you could benefit from the back to school promo, so the free ipod touch could make the 10% less annoying.
 
If you're happy w/ it, just hang on to it--it doesn't make sense to start playing musical computers.

No-one knows when Apple is going to release a new model, so it doesn't make sense to return a perfectly good computer for that reason.

If you want a matte display (17" MBP), ExpressCard slot (MBP), or Firewire (MBP), then you have to figure out if you'll actually use all those things before you invest in it ($500+). If not, or you're not sure, save your money. ;)
 
I think what you're seeking are upgrades that you won't see any time soon. Independently, perhaps, but you won't see everything anytime real soon. I have no inside information (rare for a poster I know), but it's my opinion based on buyer's guides and previous upgrades.

At best you'll see a CPU bump. I doubt you'll see a MB with 3G in it today or even by end of summer. I thought this whole 3G idea came about sometime last month with a job posting. That would imply that 3G is an idea, something to look forward to, but not really something that will happen this summer.

Something to consider is this, you have your MB and you didn't get the iPod promo. Now most people would have said WAIT, if you bought on the 22nd the Back to School promo was due within a week or two. I would have waited to get something for free to show more value in my purchase. However, you did not wait so returning it for the 10% stocking fee (is that 10% of your $1800 CTO purchase so it's $180), so frankly the new iPod is not really anything special in the end. It's the hassle that is a turn off to me.

You also have to consider it's CTO, or sounds to be a CTO so I doubt you can return it. You'll also have to transfer your AppleCare, another hassle.

So to answer your question, you should not return it, it was fine for what you needed before today. You bought what you wanted and you presumably shopped uninformed about the pending WWDC (June 8th - 12th I believe), and the Back to School promo, so that is on you. However, if you call Apple and gently discuss the back to school promo you may find yourself with a great machine (cruddy screen) and a free iPod.

Lastly, you want the best possible system for school … in the MB range you appear to have it. There's no such thing as a better MB that is currently for sale. You're banking on hopes and dreams of a rumor site. Nothing more.
 
Id say keep it. I don't think apple will make 4GB of ram standard and if a slight HD and processor upgrade does not matter to you than don't worry about it. The next macbook's wont have firewire or an express card since that would involve updating the casing. Also, its highly unlikely that there will be 3g support. Its more likely that apples rumored tablet computer would have 3g, as the networks could sell it with data plans.
 
and i would find it hard to believe they would add a dedicated gpu in the current mb - that too would require a new casing design because the current mb casing wouldn't handle the extra heat...
 
Only return your Macbook if you fully regret the purchase, otherwise relax and enjoy it. The mentality you have currently isn't very logical, since there will ALWAYS be a newer, faster, sexier model coming out.
 
I don't think some of the upgrades you mentioned will happen anytime soon, if at all (dedicated GPU, Expresscard slot, firewire) since those upgrades in a Macbook would bring it too close to the realm of a Macbook Pro and would force the MBP's to lose its only differentiating factors with the "consumer-grade" macbooks.

Built-in 3G or matte option would seem more reasonable, but IMHO still not going to happen anytime soon. Only things I think may happen is slight CPU bump (as you mentioned the whitebook was just bumped today from 2.0GHz -> 2.13GHz so unibodies may get bumped too from 2.0GHz -> 2.13GHz on the low end and 2.4GHz -> 2.53GHz on the high-end), maybe a jump in default RAM from 2GB ->4GB on the high-end macbook (I think they'll stick with 2GB though), and perhaps slight hard drive bump (160GB -> 200GB, 250GB -> 320GB, etc.). If these 3 (slight bumps in CPU, RAM, and/or Hard drive) don't seem too big a deal for ya, I'd say keep it.

Also, some people are having luck calling up Apple and asking them for Free iPod Touches 8GB (or a 16GB Nano if for whatever reason you prefer that) if they recently bought a Macbook from the Education Store and just missed the new "Back to School Promo":

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/707352/
 
i honestly believe the 3G won't happen on the MB lineup - simply due to design. The aluminium would prove too think for a decent signal.

The MBair would simply be a more logical choice in its thin design and would add more to marketing value of its "choice of travel" design.
 
Keep the systems. Since you are within the return period you should call Apple Customer Care (if you brought online) or call the store and see if they will let you do Back-to-School rebate. I brought A Macbook last Saturday, I call the store and they said just bring in my receipt.
 
So, it sounds to me like any upgrades that I would care about would not come soon because they would involve a change to the aluminum chassis itself, right?

Basically, the only updates that would be important to me would be 3G (though a USB unit may be better because then I could use it on multiple systems), a better battery, a different GPU, or a different screen. These all sound unlikely or pretty much impossiblefor a minor update, right?
 
what if a new one has a dead pixel or two, or even more in its display? like people here say, it would be better to keep it as long as you are happy with it.
 
I would keep it. I just bought the 2.4ghz macbook last Sunday without the RAM upgrade, and I am very happy with it so far. For your purposes at school it should be awesome and if there is an upgrade at WWDC, I don't think it will include anything you mentioned other than maybe the RAM, which by itself isn't worth the 10% restocking fee or the hassle.

I definitely agree with the idea of calling them to get the back to school promo. My campus store told me last Thursday, the 20th, was the cutoff for getting in on the promo. I still had to buy another laptop and then immediately return it to get the ipod classic for $20 after the $229 rebate and a free Epson printer. Definitely worth it.
 
I will definitely try calling Apple for the iPod. I think I could get it considering others that bought around the same time as me could.

Here's an interesting question though, if they update on June 8th in a very significant way (seems unlikely) then would they still be willing to let me return my macbook if I was persuasive enough or would they completely stick to the 14 day period?

Thanks for all the help so far guys.
 
dude if you dont want the computer just return it. I dont know why people are buying brand new computer than asking if they should return it if theres an update. The simple anwer is you should have waited until wwdc. Yes they will be an update , how much ? who knows. Its better to wait and find out. Thats what am doing. I dont know whats the rush Apples prom is until september
 
Ricanlegend said:
dude if you dont want the computer just return it. I dont know why people are buying brand new computer than asking if they should return it if theres an update. The simple anwer is you should have waited until wwdc. Yes they will be an update , how much ? who knows. Its better to wait and find out. Thats what am doing. I dont know whats the rush Apples prom is until september
Click to expand...

...if you must buy and return, you better do it with in 14 days of the event your waiting for...
 
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