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Suggestions on what to do (2011 v. 2012)

N

Nocky24

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 26, 2011
54
0
I know this has been asked a lot, however I would like updated opinions on whether I should push the buy button on a 15" 2.2 MBP or wait until when ever the new model comes out, which is expected to have a whole redesign?

I hate these questions myself :p however it is a lot of money (to me) and want to make a good informed decision. I figured as they've just gone quad core, we wont see any huge jumps in performance, apart from in efficiency and incremental speed bumps, i.e. we won't be seeing a six core until maybe haswell at the earliest?

I use logic, so a good cpu and ram is at the top of the list, closely followed by a decent enough gpu for running WoW on mainly high settings :p

Any opinions will be much appreciated :)
 
well do you need it now, or can you wait, if you can wait, then wait, if not buy now. Bought mine in the beginning of june and i absolutely love it :)
 
buy it now if you want/need it now and it is what you are looking for. no sense in waiting for new models as it will be quite a while for a refresh (there was one about 4 months ago).
 
Nocky24 said:
which is expected to have a whole redesign?
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Actually that isn't really expected. It is entirely possible as it was for the last updates. Some people expected redesigns for the last two updates.
I haven't heard of any actual evidence that it is different this time.

I think your assumptions about performance are quite accurate. I wouldn't expect anything too significant (that is really worth a 1 year wait) at the CPU side. GPU might be a little more with 28nm switch but that really only matters for gaming.
Battery life and temps is more likely to change for the better with 22nm 3D trans. and new 28nm GPUs.
As for the redesign that is anyones guess. Could be worth it, could be worse, could be awesome, could be ... . IS no reason to wait imo.
 
xxBURT0Nxx said:
Are you willing to wait 8+ months for a computer?

Just buy it now
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I would say less than 6,5 months...
For me, that's gonna be 3,5 months to long...

I only can wait for it until end of october...

I'm gonna be deciding if I buy it or wait for it the 17 of July...
Then I'll order it if there aren't any rumors telling me that the next MBP would be before November. IF they confirm that it only will be in the Q2 of 2012, I'll buy it then too.

That's my strategy...
(t's because I'm on vacation from 1 to 17 July, so then I can't use it anyway) :p
 
Nocky24 said:
I know this has been asked a lot
Click to expand...

Why yes, yes it has.

however I would like updated opinions on whether I should push the buy button
Click to expand...

It was most recently asked in the last 24 hours - how much more updated do you want?

EDIT: At most 12 hours - another thread is still on the front page of the MBP forum.

on a 15" 2.2 MBP or wait until when ever the new model comes out, which is expected to have a whole redesign?
Click to expand...

Really? I haven't heard this yet.

I hate these questions myself :p
Click to expand...

So does everyone else - a smiley face won't make it any better.

however it is a lot of money (to me) and want to make a good informed decision.
Click to expand...

How can you expect to make an informed decision on whether or not to buy a product that hasn't even been mentioned by the manufacturer yet?

Any opinions will be much appreciated :)
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Same as always - if you need it, buy it. If you don't, wait. Again, smileys don't help when you're asking this question. Just look at your post rating.


I'm not normally this much of a jerk, but come on people - this question is asked every single day. OP even says he KNOWS it's asked a lot and he hates the question himself. Imagine how the rest of us feel.
 
Last edited:
I'd wait.
Great chance the next revision will be a re-design.
 
ddavid said:
Why do you think that?
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Opinion.
They're due for a re-design. Plus, optical drive is dead amongst most consumers. And, Apple usually redesigns every 3 years ... and late 2011 would be 3 years.
 
Here's my opinion:
1. Redesign is just a rumor, no one is sure about that.
2. The new model will possibly first arrive in 8+ months.
3. Why wait for a computer, in so long? I mean, I see the point in having the newest model, but I don't see a point in waiting around 8 months? When you buy it there, then you can have it for like a year, and then they'll update once again. I think its waay to long waiting, for a computer thats going to be updated in a year. I say; focus on what you can get now, instead of focusing on a computer that nobody knows anything about, and first will arrive in almost a year.

Thats my opinion.
 
I doubt you'll see anything until Ivy Bridge is released from Intel. That's slated for Q2 2012, so April 2012 at the earliest. There might be some minor speed bumps between now and then, but I doubt we'll see anything more than that.
 
Gen said:
Opinion.
They're due for a re-design. Plus, optical drive is dead amongst most consumers. And, Apple usually redesigns every 3 years ... and late 2011 would be 3 years.
Click to expand...

They usually do a redesign for a reason, not because they have to. The pre-unibody MacBook Pros have their design traced back to 2003 with the PowerBooks of the time.

The question you really have to ask yourself is how you improve on a frame made from a solid block of aluminum and how that'll affect how you use your computer.
 
dagamer34 said:
They usually do a redesign for a reason, not because they have to. The pre-unibody MacBook Pros have their design traced back to 2003 with the PowerBooks of the time.

The question you really have to ask yourself is how you improve on a frame made from a solid block of aluminum and how that'll affect how you use your computer.
Click to expand...

Why'd they go from a round, curvy iPhone to a sharper one with crisp edges?

Apple is the definition of form over function company. That's why we love them.

"Let's put all the ports on the left side!" Looks nice, but makes little sense from a practicality's point of view.
 
I think they Apple'll have to consider a complete redesign. This generation of mpb's is like the never released G5's in terms of heat when stressed. The exterior reaches temperatures as warm as 45°C! Besides the heat there's the noise issue of the fans spinning at full speed. This issue grows in gravity with every hardware upgrade. Maybe the next generation CPU's will use less power and produce less heat, but that doesn't mean GPU's will share this path.

Also is the usage of IPS panels in laptops gaining popularity. It would be weird that one of the most expensive portable workstations, of 'the most progressive tech company' wouldn't include an IPS in the next upgrade. (I meen, look at that TN'+' panel, the view angles are just for crying out loud).

I also think Apple will putt in a blade SSD as in the MBA - standard. The express card in the 17 inch will make place for another TB port. And last but not least: I think we'll lose the optical bay! Why do you still need cd's? Software/OS? -> Mac Appstore. Music, video? -> iTunes store. Backup's? -> Time Capsule. I'm not saying no one'll miss the optical bay (it's till bothersome to install windows from an usb, since you need access to an already operational windows OS, before you can make an USB bootable for windows), but I think it's a rather 'logic' step from apple perspective.
 
dagamer34 said:
They usually do a redesign for a reason, not because they have to. The pre-unibody MacBook Pros have their design traced back to 2003 with the PowerBooks of the time.

The question you really have to ask yourself is how you improve on a frame made from a solid block of aluminum and how that'll affect how you use your computer.
Click to expand...

To get rid of the optical drive.
 
Gen said:
Opinion.
They're due for a re-design. Plus, optical drive is dead amongst most consumers. And, Apple usually redesigns every 3 years ... and late 2011 would be 3 years.
Click to expand...

I think there are wildly varying ideas about what constitutes a re-design, e.g., carbon fiber, no optical drive, different color keyboard, USB 3, etc.

I suppose one could also argue that Thunderbolt was a re-design and we aren't due for another for 3 years.
 
I think there will be a redesign too. But I bought the early 2011 macbook anyway with the knowledge that if theres is a significant improvement I will sell my macbook at a loss and get a new one. I already calculated this loss into my budget.

I feel that especially the 13 inch macbooks have a lot to improve. Lighter and slimmer design. IPS panels. Higher resolution. More battery life.
 
Sjhonny said:
I think they Apple'll have to consider a complete redesign. This generation of mpb's is like the never released G5's in terms of heat when stressed. The exterior reaches temperatures as warm as 45°C! Besides the heat there's the noise issue of the fans spinning at full speed. This issue grows in gravity with every hardware upgrade. Maybe the next generation CPU's will use less power and produce less heat, but that doesn't mean GPU's will share this path.

Also is the usage of IPS panels in laptops gaining popularity. It would be weird that one of the most expensive portable workstations, of 'the most progressive tech company' wouldn't include an IPS in the next upgrade. (I meen, look at that TN'+' panel, the view angles are just for crying out loud).

I also think Apple will putt in a blade SSD as in the MBA - standard. The express card in the 17 inch will make place for another TB port. And last but not least: I think we'll lose the optical bay! Why do you still need cd's? Software/OS? -> Mac Appstore. Music, video? -> iTunes store. Backup's? -> Time Capsule. I'm not saying no one'll miss the optical bay (it's till bothersome to install windows from an usb, since you need access to an already operational windows OS, before you can make an USB bootable for windows), but I think it's a rather 'logic' step from apple perspective.
Click to expand...

That's another form function thing. Slimmer sleeker design = less air flow = hotter. Apple isn't one to normally sacrifice form for function.

Case in point: Apple LETS their computers heat up in order to maintain that "quiet" rep; MBPs are known for low spinning fans.

Obvious fix for heat problems: faster/larger fans, better heat sink, better air flow... slightly thicker laptop. Doesn't sound like Apple's cup of tea. Technology's gotten better, but not THAT good. Heat isn't something that's addressed twice a year in a tick-tock cycle.

IPS doesn't require a complete redesign.
 
th3goob said:
well do you need it now, or can you wait, if you can wait, then wait, if not buy now. Bought mine in the beginning of june and i absolutely love it :)
Click to expand...

I agree.

Although my real advice is to WAIT!

Especially with possibility of redesign (sorry but the current design is too long in the tooth, and it really felt like that this refresh). You won't regret it ;)
 
2hvy4grvty said:
Case in point: Apple LETS their computers heat up in order to maintain that "quiet" rep; MBPs are known for low spinning fans.
Click to expand...
mbps are FAR from quiet, what are you talking about....?

And the mbp is designed to get hot, the aluminum body is a large heat sink.

It gets hot, no doubt, but contrary to popular belief, it's not overheating. If the computer was overheating it would actually shut down before becoming problematic.

fewture said:
Especially with possibility of redesign (sorry but the current design is too long in the tooth, and it really felt like that this refresh). You won't regret it
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yeah, people who are looking at buying a computer should just wait for 8-12 months so that they can get some mythical redesign that people have fabricated because they think the current design is too old. There is no more proof that there will be a redesign this time than there was for the last refresh, or the one before that, or the one before that.
 
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