The Ultimate College Notebook Suggestions?

[Shaduu]

I take my 13" MBP to every lecture I have and it's still perfect, well, apart from the rubber feet on the bottom. They're wearing away pretty fast.

I just zip it up in an Incase sleeve and stick it in my bag. When the weather's good enough to skate to uni, I wrap the computer in an old sweater for an extra layer of cushioning just in case I bail.

 

[Sanderr]

Macbook is a tough one. I have mine since mid 2007. I travelled half around the world with it, taken it with me 3 days a week for 3 consecutive years. Also use it at home a lot everyday. Not ONE single scratch. Only protection is a speck see thru case. Now and then i release it to get rid of the trapped dust and my MB is still in the exact same condition as when i first got it. So i can definitely recommend Speck products.

 

[Hemingray]

Right. "Unibody" means that the outside case is also the frame of the laptop, which wasn't the case before. Older MBPs had and internal frame that everything connected to which then connected to the outside case. In the UB MBPs, the outside case internally has the mounts for the interior components. They actually machine each case from a single block of aluminum (barring the bottom, which comes off, of course).

True, but I meant the design of the MacBook (not the Pro). They've redesigned that also to be unibody (single piece of polycarbonate I guess?)

Incidentally, as a follow up to my earlier post, I called up AppleCare and they said that they would repair my MacBook's top case even though it's out of warranty. They gave me a case # and even placed a reservation at the local Apple Store for me. When I took it into the Apple Store, the techs at first said they wouldn't fix it because it needs to be less than 3 years old (mine is 3.5), but they went ahead and did it anyway.

It looks better, but I wonder how long this one will last. I guess in another 3 years I probably won't care (or maybe that's what they're counting on? )

So, it sounds like they are still honoring these replacements, but the window of opportunity is closing fast!

 

[chuongster]

The new Macbook 13" looks amazing and if you are a college student you get a education discount. Save you $100. Yay Apple

 

[Alonzo84]

I would just use the Macbook Pro 13" you already have. If you're really worried about damaging it you can go hardcore on protection:

- InvisibleShield / BodyGuardz / BestSkinsEver full-body protective skin (goes on the top, bottom, sides, palmrests, and touchpad. Protects against scratches) - $30-$60
- Moshi Clearguard keyboard cover (silicon-y material, cover goes over the keyboard. Protects again greasy hands and minor spills of drinks etc. Best keyboard protector IMHO and I've used a few other brands like marware, zCover, kbcovers.com) - $23 shipped on Newegg.com
- Speck SeeThru Satin / Incase Hardshell cases (protects against minor bumps that would otherwise dent your computer etc.) -$40 - $60
- Padded laptop backpack bag.

You can even throw it in a padded sleeve first before you put it in the padded backpack lol. I had all this before on my Macbook Pro 13" lol. It made an otherwise 4.5lb laptop to like 5.5lbs or so, but I felt it was very protected and now it still looked as good as new after a few months of use before I traded it . I'm planning on getting the Moshi Clearguard and BestSkinsEver for my new Macbook White Unibody.

I was also planning on getting the Moshi keyboard guard for a 2009 MB but read a review stating that the oil from the clearguard stained the screen. I was positive that there was enough of a gap that it wouldn't come in contact with the screen. I had also planned on getting the Moshi palmguard and a Speck see thru hard case but also saw the Bodyguardz full body skin which also covers the palm guard and track pad. Would this be better than the Moshi? The only thing that worries me about the Bodyguardz is the amount of solution needed to apply the skin. I would think it would somehow damage the machine.