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So who else is totally happy with the -old- MBP?

Happy or not?

  • Totally satisfied with the old MBP.

    Votes: 171 70.7%

  • Going to get or owning the new one.

    Votes: 53 21.9%

  • Would upgrade, cannot afford.

    Votes: 18 7.4%
  • Total voters
    242
  • Poll closed .
Mac4Obama said:
? you can buy a new MBP for 1489? Because I can get clearance MBP's for 1399. (1599 w/o edu discount).
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I'm referring to the difference between the price I paid new for mine vs the price for a new one now. I'm not referring to buying a used/refurb model now.
 
I'm perfectly fine with my "old" MBP. I just bought it less than two months ago so it is still "new" to me since I'm still learning about it (I'm a converted PC-girl).

I can't say that I'm disappointed for jumping in early as I got one hell of a good deal:

Stanford Bookstore discount + Free iPod Touch (sold on eBay) + Free printer + discounted Apple Care = happy me.

I mean, is my 2.5G obsolete now? Does the new MBP outperform mine? Then I don't bother worrying or even giving it a thought.

Just my .02 .
 
Actually - I'd easily pony up for a regular MB if we could find a way to mod it with a high res 13.3 inch screen. If I look at latest the Thinkpads - they come with a 13.3 LED WXGA screen that runs 1440x900 resolution. Could that be swapped?

That would be the best of all worlds, as you could then get the same resolution on a MB as a stock MBP! I miss the portability of my old 12" Powerbook but want a higher res screen.
 
I absolutely love the old ones
i went into my reseller today to look at the news ones for the first time

theres just something about the new ones i dont seem to like. I dont know what it is.

The 17' one they still have in the line was next to it. I absolutely love it.


Looks nice, smooth


has a few downers but doesn't all computers?
 
darngooddesign said:
Sure... by car keys, but not by keyboard keys. Especially if they're using the same quality glass as on the iPhones.
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The thread title is, "So who else is totally happy with the -old- MBP?"
If you're not, that's fine. But your arguments are futile against those of us who are happy. No one could convince me that the new MBP has anything that makes me unhappy with my current one.
 
ggjstudios said:
The thread title is, "So who else is totally happy with the -old- MBP?"
If you're not, that's fine. But your arguments are futile against those of us who are happy. No one could convince me that the new MBP has anything that makes me unhappy with my current one.
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Awww are you upset that I pointed out a realistic and significant flaw in your precious matte screens?
 
I've had my SR MBP for nearly 17 months now (yes, got it just after the announcement) and I've been using it nearly every day since then and my matte screen is in perfect condition. No scratches or anything like that.

I'm not a fan of the update. Merging of the Macbook and Macbook Pro lines? I'm just wondering when they will figure out the manufacturing fault and remove the Pro badge from the shiny Macbook.

Being understated is not something Americans are normally good at, but until now Apple were spot on with the PB/MBP. Now they've gone over the top and put too much bling on the Pro model.

Roll on the refresh of the Pro design.
 
I was really looking forward to upgrade my early 2008 MBP for the updated model, too bad the old MBP works so much better for me.

Pros
  • Unibody design.
  • Black keyboard. Reminds me of the TiBook.
  • Dual GPU.
  • Buttonless trackpad with tactile feedback.

Cons
  • Glossy screen. That was my biggest problem with the Macbook Air. People told me I'd get used to it after a while. Two months later I still wanted to throw the damn thing at a wall in frustration. The reflections are awful on the MBA, I can only imagine what they'd be like with glass over the screen. I'd be willing to pay up to a $150 premium for a quality matte screen.
  • Its heavier than my current MBP.
  • The bezel is huge. I really liked the thin bezel on my old PowerBook G4. The bezel on the old MBP is slightly bigger at the top, worse but still good. The new MBP has more bezel than screen though.
  • The bezel is glossy black. Very Hewlett-Packard. The dual-tone doesn't work that well, it's not a Maybach. The all-aluminum case was a product differentiator.
  • The Macbook and Macbook Pro look the same. What gives? If I'm paying $2500 for a computer I want it to look and feel different than the one that costs half as much.
  • Less pixels on screen than the previous generation MBP.
  • Bigger than the old model. It won't fit in my current briefcase. The old MBP barely fits, and the new MBP is too wide. I'd have to buy a new briefcase.
  • Lack of a direct DVI port. Its an extra adapter to carry around.
  • Lack of a FW400 port. I know the FW800 is compatible, but now I'll have a mess of cables and probably need a hub because there is only one port. Two ports allowed me to chain all my FW800 devices and chain the FW400 devices separately without a hub or adapters.
  • The optical drive is located on the side. I dock my MBP and keep it hidden in my desk. Now I'll have to unplug it and pull out the computer to access the drive.
  • Magnetic latch. You could say I'm not known for driving slowly. Whenever my friends leave their Macbooks in the car they sometimes end up open inside the bags. That has never happened with the physical hooks of the MBP.

I really wish Apple had given me a reason to give them my money. Trust me, I really wanted to. But if I am going to spend $5000 on a computer (MBP + briefcase + exchange rate loss) I want to get exactly what I want, I am not willing to compromise especially on something as essential as a screen which was the real deal-breaker here. Unfortunately the last-generation MBP is more functional for me than the new one and I prefer the classic all-aluminum design.

I'm getting 4GB RAM and keeping my MBP. I hope it doesn't fail because I would hate to be "upgraded".
 
The biggest mass rejection ever?

I've been reading these forums for a very long time. (My join date is deceiving, since I lost my login info on my original join and then lurked for years.) I've seen lots of new case designs come and go, and there are always a number of people who are disappointed with the incoming design for one reason or another. However, I cannot recall seeing such a mass rejection of a new design ever. There are countless threads on the issue here and on Apple's own discussion forums. The percentage of people who are aghast at this new MacBook Pro design seems to dwarf anything I remember with previous design changes.

That's my impression, anyway. Does anyone else get the same sense?
 
Ergonomics are no trivial matter

Coldwater said:
You deserve some sort of "Poster with common sense" medal.

Seriously, people. Who are you attempting to convince? Yourselves? .1 pounds heavier? You're kidding me. All of the so called "reasons" I've seen has amounted to: "I don't like how it looks, therefore the old one was better", "The screen is glossy and I'm either too lazy to attach an antiglare filter or I'm foolish enough to do color work on a laptop screen", or "I tried a chicklet keyboard once and I have some sort of irrational hatred towards them."

Personally I'm waiting for the people to start saying "I'm not going to buy it because the CPU is better" or "I hate it because the graphics card isn't going to fry in a year." Those arguments are just as irrational. Let the people who bought a new MBP enjoy their purchases, or at LEAST stop making threads proclaiming the superiority of the old model when it clearly fails in many areas.

It's just a computer, people.
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Hey, it's mac hardware forum. Folks who frequent these places analyze and pick apart. People waited a long time for this refresh, so can you blame them for the emotional investment?

I was waiting to replace my 2004 PWB because its display is dying. For me speed increases are far less important than ergonomic issues. I spend 8-14 hours a day on my computer, and things like heat, awkward physical navigation, and eye strain are priority issues. I know I will appreciate faster processing when using graphics programs, but honestly, for the bread and butter work I do on the Mac, ergonomics trumps it all.

Whether the new MBP is for you depends a lot on who you are and what you use if for. If I watched movies a lot, or gamed, I'd probably love the glossy screen--but that's not what I do the most. After reading about the eye strain people have experienced with glossy screens, I have real concerns about this. I am 50+, and glare and contrast are real issues for me, which is why night driving has become more difficult over the years. Why should I pay $2k for a machine and then have to cover the fancy monitor with a piece of plastic to avoid glare?

And it's not "irrational" to have issues with the chicklet keyboard. I keep longish fingernails on my right hand for acoustic guitar picking, and I have problems with many keypad/keyboard electronics based on the chicklet form factor. Also, as an older person, I've had to evolve from manual to electric typewriters to old-fashioned desktop keyboards to...chicklets?

Let's be honest: Apple designs for people under 40. Under 30, even. The thing is, I basically love the mac - started with the amazing 512 way back when, and although I've had to use copycat win often for work, it would take a lot to push me back to win/pc.

So, looks like I'll be getting a new computer--but probably not the new MBP. I'll decide for sure after my trip to the Apple store tomorrow, but it's looking like I'll take advantage of closeouts and get the previous version--or a new, unrefreshed MBP 17".
 
Coldwater said:
Seriously, people. Who are you attempting to convince? ...Let the people who bought a new MBP enjoy their purchases, or at LEAST stop making threads proclaiming the superiority of the old model when it clearly fails in many areas.
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Anyone who prefers the new MBP has the right to enjoy them, and they have the right to start threads to share their thoughts with those who share the same viewpoint. In the same way, those of us who have earlier models, and who, after seeing the new release, decide that what we have is more to our liking, have the right to say so and to enjoy what we have. I'm not going into a "Who's glad they got the new MBP?" thread and arguing with them for enjoying what they bought. Yet, you find those who prefer the new ones coming in here and bashing our choices. Who's trying to convince who? :rolleyes:
skymastr16 said:
This thread should be re-Titled "A Rant of Pre-Late '08 MBP Owners Trying to Convince Themselves That They Don't Want A Better Laptop"
Click to expand...
So every thread about enjoying the new MBP is just a thread trying to convince themselves that they didn't just make a mistake? That's bull. We each have the right to prefer the old or new, for any reasons that we choose. You don't have to understand or agree. If you don't like or agree with the topic of this thread, you don't have to post here.

Kinda makes you wonder why pro-new-MBP posters appear to be so threatened by those of us who prefer what we have? Hmmmmm.
 
I bougth an Previous Generation Macbook pro for $1407 out the door. Matter of fact I just recieved it today. I am super happy. You can't beat that. Well, I think the new Pros are nice but I am happy with mine!! I love it! Now I m trying to figure out how to install windows lol. I am a newbie when it comes to macs.
 
Very happy with mine, But..

Very happy with my 2.4Ghz early 2008, but it's the computer I use mainly to conduct my business, contacts, invoices, web site maintenance and with the possibility of a failing GPU I'm at risk of at least a week of downtime, probably more. I live in Bahrain and parts aren't as available as in the US or Europe.

I like everything about my MBP, Fierwire without converter, matte screen, dvi and its overall looks. But this GPU issue is giving me an unneeded anxiety (a bit exaggerating but I hope you see my point).

I don't have a choice but to upgrade (more like switch) to the new MBP to lower the risk of downtime. The only thing I like about it over the older one is the ability to replace HD without voiding warranty. Will have to compromise about the rest.

I have been spending a lot of money on claimed top quality electronic equipment that can eventually break at great rates like computers and digital cameras, I miss the days when you paid top dollar to have a peace of mind. Now days, you pay top dollar for a piece of $^!#, not always but more often than it should. Either that or I'm cursed with bad luck when it comes to electronics.
 
I believe it's the "Santa Rosa"

I like using mine for home and for work, how ever today - All my photos, apps, editing my movies etc however i was a bit worried. Whilst using itunes and setting the art work for one of my movies, the screen went pink and all funny colors.

I rebooted colors where normal. Attempted to do the artwork again - Same problem. ( didn't set art work for that movie)

Other then that it's a nice unit
 
I have to say that I am totally happy with my pre-Oct MBP, and prefer it to the new MBP. I won't mention my reasons, as they have been very well covered already here.

What I will say is that people here are in no way "whining" and trying to "convince themselves"! It seems to me that everyone here is being plenty "rational" and calm about all of this. Most of us here could have gotten the new one if we wanted to.

I bought my MBP on Oct 6, despite the fact that I read about the Oct 14 unveiling rumor here, for the following reasons:

1. I didn't want a redesign of the aesthetics. The pros, and power books, have been so close to perfect for my tastes, that I just knew that whatever Apple did to "update" the aesthetics wouldn't appeal to me as much.

2. I didn't want to be an early adopter of a redesign. I like that my MBP, which was shipped to the store where I bought it in late September, is at the end of a long line of refinements and improvements of what has been basically the same design for years now. The bugs have been worked out (I hope), including the self-destructing NVIDIA graphics cards.

3. I didn't want to chance not being able to buy an older model, or having to get a refurb. I figured I could always sell my MBP in a year if I liked the newer models better. And by then some of the kinks would have been worked out.

4. I wanted my MBP sooner rather than later, and I had finally convinced my wife that it was a good idea for me to get a laptop (didn't want to chance that window of opportunity passing! LOL!)

And after carefully reviewing the new MBP's I have to say that I am really glad that I bought one of the pre-Oct models.

And I seriously wonder why Apple even bothered to maintain the MBP vs. MB distinction? The higher end MB's are essentially pro's now, or could be if Apple wanted to make them so. It could all be just one single line: macbooks. With the higher end ones having larger screens and graphics cards with separate video memory.
 
I'm really happy with my 15" 2.4GHz Penryn MBP. The only thing that worries me slightly is the fact that my graphic card might die anyday. I don't do any GPU-intensive tasks though, so I hope I won't have any issue with my MBP. It certainly looks more elegant and understated than the new MBP (IMHO).
 
I’ve had my previous generation 2.4 GHz MBP for a few days now and I am very pleased. Picked it up from Amazon for $1444, no sales tax and free shipping. I also put 4 GB of RAM in there just because it was super cheap. I love it, best computer I’ve ever owned. Definitely the fastest computer I’ve ever owned! It came with a matte screen and I prefer glossy but matte aint bad and there are no dead pixels. Macworld’s benchmarks made me feel better about it too compared to the new ones – the older one is actually the same or better at almost everything they tried except gaming. Even then, it still beat the new one on a couple games!

The new ones have a nice glass screen but are not worth the extra $500. Now I’m reading about many dead/stuck pixels and dust under the glass which drove me nuts on my iPod Touch. I prefer the chiclet keyboard though, and the unibody made from a single block of aluminum sounds nice.. but saving $500 is nicer.
 
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