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Should I return my refurbished 13 MBP

R

riveting

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 11, 2009
262
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Hello, I ordered a 2011 refurbished 13inch MBP for $830+tax=$940 on Apple Canada, it arrives this monday. I had been thinking about buying 16g of ram and put 120g SSD in it on optibay. And I am now thinking of returning it. I love the design and track pad, it seems to be an awesome machine. However, the minutes I saw the icons on the screen, I feel they are huge compare to my wife's MBA, and I now feel like paying close to a grand for the low resolution screen when my old laptop still running is not good.

I currently use a dell vostro 1320 laptop with 2.4g Core 2 duo CPU (P8400), 4g ram and 120g intel SSD. The laptop is still running strong after 3 years except the battery and I got a 9 cell aftermarket battery recently which can easily give me 5-6 hours of battery life. I have been wanting to try a Mac for a while. My wife has been on her second Macbook Air now. The reason I want to try Mac now is because I want to simplify my life style, spend less time on maintaining computer and like the simplicity of Mac OS.

From the limited time I have used my wife's MBA, what I like Mac OSX is mainly in two aspects: the most important one is I like the way backing up everything using time machine and when I switch to a new computer, I can just restore everything on to the new computer. As with a windows machine, if I get a new laptop or desktop, I have to reinstall everything and try to transfer data and settings there, and over years I start to lose some data settings. Second is the trackpad on macbooks, they are really easy to use. Have not got more time to play on mac OS what I do regularly, writing latex document, work with office, mat-lab and some C programming and possibly more photo editing in the future.

The rMBP is what I really want but spending over $2500 on a laptop is hard to justify for me consider my dell cost me only $450 in 2009. The refurbished 13 MBP is quite reasonably price, consider the high resale value of macs, and I know it is not financially a risky move. However, I now feel that if I keep the mbp, I will be suffering 1280*800 resolution for a few more years. I could go with macbook air, but the 2012 MBA with 8g ram would set me back for around 1400 after tax. So my current options would be:
1) keep my 13 MBP, sell my dell (but probably nobody want it), and migrate to MAC completely. (deal with low resolution screen)

2). Return the 13MBP and buy the refurbished 13 MBA (suffer from non-up-gradable 4g ram and small SSD)

3) buy a rMBP or refurbished 15 MBP (kind of expensive)

4). Keep working on my dell, and wait I can buy what I want at a reasonable price (say a 13 rMBP not so expensive?)

What is your opinions?

Thanks
 
My opinion - if you don't like the resolution then I would return it. That's why they have the return policy. You tried it, tried to like it, figured out you weren't happy with it. No problem. You spent a grand - you should be happy with your purchase.
 
what do you mean the icons are huge? you do know you can resize the dock right? 1440 vs 1280 isn't a huge difference to me.

depending on what you're doing, i wouldn't ever get a laptop thats limited to 4gb of ram, but thats just me.
 
If your wife has the MBA then go play with it and see what you think. You are clearly not happy with the MBP so there's no point keeping an expensive, regrettable purchase. How are we to help your situation?
 
He probably means the icons look big and cartoonish at 1280x800, which is true in my opinion. 1440x900 is a significant difference on a small screen. As big as the Retina? No, but maybe enough to turn the experience from negative to positive.

Now, what you're comfortable spending is another issue that nobody can help with. Everybody who owns one has done the math, Macs just cost more.

I spent a little more on mine cuz I do some consulting work that pays for my equipment. It's not much but enough to afford some nice toys. For personal home use my cut-off would be a refurbished Air or 13".

I have a low tolerance for crappy hardware, and I think the Mac is worth it. FWIW I have also loved all of my Thinkpads, especially the older ones that were built more solidly. No way I'd use a Vostro. ;)
 
If you're already thinking of adding the ssd and 16gb of ram it'll bring your pricing up to $1200-$1250 - why not just go for the new MBA and add 8GB RAM.
 
I already have the intel 120g ssd in my current laptop, 16g would cost me an extra $100, but I would kept my original HD, so make about 500g of storage and easily upgradable.

Plus $1270+ 13% tax=$1435 is what I need to pay for the new MBA with educational discount. But thanks for the suggestions, might still be worth it.

AlvinNguyen said:
If you're already thinking of adding the ssd and 16gb of ram it'll bring your pricing up to $1200-$1250 - why not just go for the new MBA and add 8GB RAM.
Click to expand...
 
Yeah I think you might still want to go with the new MBA route. You'll gain the much better body style too. The MBP design have been out for 4 years. Why buy such an old body style (even though I do have to admit it still looks amazing). The air's design is simply gorgeous and the screen is what you want.
 
Thanks, well, the rMBP screen is what I really want, but MBA screen is not bad.

AlvinNguyen said:
Yeah I think you might still want to go with the new MBA route. You'll gain the much better body style too. The MBP design have been out for 4 years. Why buy such an old body style (even though I do have to admit it still looks amazing). The air's design is simply gorgeous and the screen is what you want.
Click to expand...
 
riveting said:
Thanks, well, the rMBP screen is what I really want, but MBA screen is not bad.
Click to expand...

I was going to get a 13" MBA and the new iMac (whenever they come out) but I decided to buy the rMBP and it proves to be an excellent decision - loving every minute of it :D I even disconnect it from my trusty cinema display just to enjoy the retina display :p
 
Hi, while I am still debating, for some one has switched from windows laptop to a macbook pro 13, can you list what experience do you think is superior on the Mac side? My question is now more like whether should I move from PC to Mac now, or stay with PC or move to Mac later.

By the way, my macbook pro does not sit flat in the desk, which is kind of weird, is this common?
 
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