Time Mac purchase to hedge bets on poor new Mac release

[Mildredop]

Confusing title, but didn't know how to word it better.

I've got a 2013 MacBook Pro and have wanted to get a new one for a few years, but with every release of a new MacBook/MacBook Pro, they seem to get a bit worse.

I'm looking at the MacBook, but the Buyer's Guide says "Don't Buy".

With your experience of Mac releases, will I have the opportunity to buy the current MacBook at a timely moment to allow me to then return it if the new MacBook is actually better? Or do Apple suddenly release a new MacBook without warning and the old MacBook is immediately no longer available for purchase?

 

[apiro]

From Apple themselves after new one has been released - only refurbished IF they're available. From other retailers - no problem.

 

[Mildredop]

From Apple themselves after new one has been released - only refurbished IF they're available. From other retailers - no problem.

In your experience, does announcement and release happen simultaneously?

 

[apiro]

In your experience, does announcement and release happen simultaneously?

For the purpose of this question - yes. When they announce - you can no longer order previous generation apart from refurbished and rarely total redesigns (e. g. you can still order MBP 15" 2015 without dGPU along with MBP 2018 but that's because MBP 2016 was total redesign and still, as I mentioned, you can only order without dGPU and you cannot order 13" 2015 at all). By default expect you cannot order previous generation from Apple themselves.

 

[Howard2k]

Confusing title, but didn't know how to word it better.

I've got a 2013 MacBook Pro and have wanted to get a new one for a few years, but with every release of a new MacBook/MacBook Pro, they seem to get a bit worse.

I'm looking at the MacBook, but the Buyer's Guide says "Don't Buy".

With your experience of Mac releases, will I have the opportunity to buy the current MacBook at a timely moment to allow me to then return it if the new MacBook is actually better? Or do Apple suddenly release a new MacBook without warning and the old MacBook is immediately no longer available for purchase?

Forget the "Buyers Guide". I believe it's largely based on some arbitrary time metric.

 

[Smeaton1724]

Forget the "Buyers Guide". I believe it's largely based on some arbitrary time metric.

Soon as it goes near the average figure that models have been updated at historically the Buyers Guide says 'Don't Buy'. It's been like it for the Mac Mini for about 3 years! (Average 438 days, current 1427). It takes no account of potential price rises with newer models, features removed etc.

It said ''Don't Buy'' for a good 6 months in 2016 for the Macbook Pro's when the macs weren't updated for 18 months, then Apple released the new model with a keyboard people hated, touchbar and 'no' ports. Then people went out and bought the 2015 model instead. It's a poor metric.

This year the back to School Promotion ends 02/10/2018, the returns period is 14 days. Maximize the chances by buying/ordering on the 01/02/2018 to get the beats headphones and hopefully the Mac focused keynote falling within the first half of October.

 

[ravinder08]

This year the back to School Promotion ends 02/10/2018, the returns period is 14 days. Maximize the chances by buying/ordering on the 01/02/2018 to get the beats headphones and hopefully the Mac focused keynote falling within the first half of October.

Would they swap the macbook and let you keep the headphones?

 

[Mildredop]

So now my MBP had died. Seems I have no choice but to go for the current Macbook rather than wait for the new ones.

 

[apiro]

So now my MBP had died. Seems I have no choice but to go for the current Macbook rather than wait for the new ones.

You can always return it in 14 days... like... twice.

 

[VR46]

You're guessing the new model is released soon. Having my doubts now - unless it's a press prelease release only.

A conference is still at the very least 14 days away remember - invites go out 13 or 14 days ahead of an event.