Hi, I'm new to these forums and i wanted the opinion of some experts on purchasing a macbook pro.
This is a somewhat long story, but i think context is necessary to understand my position. It all started with my dell XPS m1330 which i ordered 1 year and 2 months ago. This thing is the most problem prone machine i have ever used. Just to give you some idea, i have replaced by bottom base twice, motherboard thrice, hardrive once, and a few other parts which i am unsure how to describe. problems have included the laptop turning on in my bag by itself, the NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS playing up (which has been a common and widespread problem), and a slight wobble since the base is not completely flat. As you can see - hardly a reliable laptop. In fact i am waiting for a technician to come again on monday - if the turning on problem is no fixed i am going to RAWR at the dell customer service people (most of whom you struggle to understand) until they offer me a new unit or some form of compensation.
I am a uni student, and use the laptop for basic functions, as well as some moderate gaming when i have time. Having my computer break down on me is a huge inconvenience, since i use it every day to take down notes and listen to lectures i've missed. Having the hardrive die lost me a lot of work which couldn't be recovered. Ever feel like you wanted to throw your laptop against a wall and claim it as an "accident" under Dell's warranty? i sure have...
So, i am on the market for a new, more reliable laptop and having heard good things about the macbook pro from friends i decided to make the move to
. I did some research and decided to wait a month for the new macbook pros, thinking that they shouldn't disappoint.
IMO the new laptops are both a step forward and back for various reasons which i presume you all know having read many rants about the screen etc. However, i am not disappointed and am still keen to make a purchase. there was only one surprise - October the 14th would hold a $600 AUD (australian dollar) increase in the price of the upper model MBP, and a $500 increase for the lower model. I recognise that the price increases are to adjust for the depreciating AUD, and that the prices aren't too far off those in the US as it includes all taxes (including a 10% GST). are trying to preserve their profit margin in AUD by doing this, but this will be at a huge cost. The price for the upper model is now $3999, one of the most expensive laptops i've ever seen. In comparison my M1330 cost $2300 and included 4Gb of ram and a 2 year warranty. Dell, who update prices and special offers weekly haven't changed their prices at all. The "apple premium", which i hope is for build quality has really blown out. Also to give you readers a comparison, a playstation 3 costs $700 and my 1998 toyota camry cost be $5000.
So I face a dilemma - is this new MBP worth $4000 of my money? i can claim the education discount, but i would buy applecare for such a expensive piece of equipment, which is more than the discount. I was browsing some online shops for the previous gen MBP too - the upper model now costs $2899 new, down from $3399 (the Australian refurb store hardly has any laptops). This seems like a pretty good deal, but i am hesitant again since $3000 for an outdated model is still a bit steep.
Ow and a question - do you think it is possible to claim the educational discount for clearance stock MBPs?
Ok, thanks for bearing through this longwinded story. Any comments and opinions are appreciated.
This is a somewhat long story, but i think context is necessary to understand my position. It all started with my dell XPS m1330 which i ordered 1 year and 2 months ago. This thing is the most problem prone machine i have ever used. Just to give you some idea, i have replaced by bottom base twice, motherboard thrice, hardrive once, and a few other parts which i am unsure how to describe. problems have included the laptop turning on in my bag by itself, the NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS playing up (which has been a common and widespread problem), and a slight wobble since the base is not completely flat. As you can see - hardly a reliable laptop. In fact i am waiting for a technician to come again on monday - if the turning on problem is no fixed i am going to RAWR at the dell customer service people (most of whom you struggle to understand) until they offer me a new unit or some form of compensation.
I am a uni student, and use the laptop for basic functions, as well as some moderate gaming when i have time. Having my computer break down on me is a huge inconvenience, since i use it every day to take down notes and listen to lectures i've missed. Having the hardrive die lost me a lot of work which couldn't be recovered. Ever feel like you wanted to throw your laptop against a wall and claim it as an "accident" under Dell's warranty? i sure have...
So, i am on the market for a new, more reliable laptop and having heard good things about the macbook pro from friends i decided to make the move to
. I did some research and decided to wait a month for the new macbook pros, thinking that they shouldn't disappoint. IMO the new laptops are both a step forward and back for various reasons which i presume you all know having read many rants about the screen etc. However, i am not disappointed and am still keen to make a purchase. there was only one surprise - October the 14th would hold a $600 AUD (australian dollar) increase in the price of the upper model MBP, and a $500 increase for the lower model. I recognise that the price increases are to adjust for the depreciating AUD, and that the prices aren't too far off those in the US as it includes all taxes (including a 10% GST).
are trying to preserve their profit margin in AUD by doing this, but this will be at a huge cost. The price for the upper model is now $3999, one of the most expensive laptops i've ever seen. In comparison my M1330 cost $2300 and included 4Gb of ram and a 2 year warranty. Dell, who update prices and special offers weekly haven't changed their prices at all. The "apple premium", which i hope is for build quality has really blown out. Also to give you readers a comparison, a playstation 3 costs $700 and my 1998 toyota camry cost be $5000.So I face a dilemma - is this new MBP worth $4000 of my money? i can claim the education discount, but i would buy applecare for such a expensive piece of equipment, which is more than the discount. I was browsing some online shops for the previous gen MBP too - the upper model now costs $2899 new, down from $3399 (the Australian refurb store hardly has any laptops). This seems like a pretty good deal, but i am hesitant again since $3000 for an outdated model is still a bit steep.
Ow and a question - do you think it is possible to claim the educational discount for clearance stock MBPs?
Ok, thanks for bearing through this longwinded story. Any comments and opinions are appreciated.