To buy or not to buy a Macbook now

[popefloyd]

I am looking at buying my first mac.

I want my first Mac to be a notebook so therefore either the Macbook or the pro.

I have been itching to buy the macbook but a mac friend of mine has been urging me to wait until the processor update.

So, should I wait to buy a macbook and should a go for a black or white macbook?

thanks

 

[katie ta achoo]

Get it now, if you want it now.

To me, the processor upgrade can be equated to a salad... Instead of having romaine lettuce, you have iceberg. It's still the same general Salad, only a little different, probably not even noticeable.

The color preference is up to you, though. I'd get white-- it's classic.

 

[dmw007]

I think that MacBook Pros will be updated on September 25th (right before Photokina kicks off). Not sure if MacBooks will be updated at the same time.


My buying advice would be this- if you need/want it now, then go for it. The current revision of MB's and MBP's are great machines that will last you for a long time to come.

 

[meepm00pmeep]

unless you need it right away then get it... if not, waiting a bit won't hurt

 

[®îçhå®?]

If you need it get it. If you cant wait until, i think, Janurary, then get it. I prefer black but it is your own preference.

 

[noelister]

I would wait at least until Photokina was over. Also, don't forget the refurb section on apple. They usually have pretty sweet deals. I really like the blackbook myself.

 

[xfiftyfour]

i'd wait until the 25, just in case (since it's so close anyway) and buy then regardless of the outcome (whether a new release is made or not).

as for color: i had white, and sold it to buy a black one instead. it's all a matter of preference, though. the white scratches easily, the black picks up every fingerprint. the white was too "iBooky" for me, the black seems more professional. is it worth the extra $150? that's for you to decide.

good luck!

 

[e²Studios]

Black screams "Windows PC" to me.. MBP looks the best/most porfessional imo, but if i had to purchase a MB then i would go with the classic apple white

Ed

 

[nomad01]

i'd wait until the 25, just in case (since it's so close anyway) and buy then regardless of the outcome (whether a new release is made or not).

as for color: i had white, and sold it to buy a black one instead. it's all a matter of preference, though. the white scratches easily, the black picks up every fingerprint. the white was too "iBooky" for me, the black seems more professional. is it worth the extra $150? that's for you to decide.

I had a MBP but decided it was just a fraction less portable than I’d like. Partly because of the size but also because it just feels more delicate.

I went for black because I don’t like the shiny white. It does pick up more fingerprints but it seems less prone to scratches and I can just sling it in a sleeve and toss it in any bag without worrying that the case will bend or dent if I bash it a bit.

I adore the MBP but I was frightened to bash it about on the move.

The blackbook does everything I want very well and I got it for only 900 pounds by combining a couple of discounts with Dixons online so it was a no brainer.

 

[meepm00pmeep]

Black screams "Windows PC" to me.. MBP looks the best/most porfessional imo, but if i had to purchase a MB then i would go with the classic apple white

Ed

i agree... i like black but it does scream Windows PC... the Apple white is nicer

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Get it now, if you want it now.

To me, the processor upgrade can be equated to a salad... Instead of having romaine lettuce, you have iceberg. It's still the same general Salad, only a little different, probably not even noticeable.

The color preference is up to you, though. I'd get white-- it's classic.

That is one of the most nonsense analogies ever. There is no more equivalence between a Gen 1 Core Duo and a Gen 2 Core 2 Duo than there is between a dial-up Internet and DSL.

To OP: get a MB or MBP now but don't whine if there is a speed bump next week. If you think you'll bellyache then please wait (I think it's the smart thing do to. Another week won't kill ya).

 

[culturek]

Differences

The difference you'll notice now may not be very much because the C2D is 64-bit.

You WILL notice a difference once Leopard is released which can take advantage of the 64-bit nature of the C2D. Similarly, in the future, when software is released you'll be considered legacy support.

While 64-bit has been around for a few years now in widespread availability with desktop chips it is clear that it is become the de facto standard for both Windows & OS X operating systems.

This alone would suggest that a year from now, or at the longest extend 18 months from now you'll be seeing most major applications developed to take advantage of the 64-bit architecture.

If you're using the laptop for watching DVDs, email, internet, and maybe some pretty basic music or video editing you'll never know the difference.

If, on the other hand, you are using it to play games, do graphic art, serious sound mixing, or any other processor intensive application you're going to want to seriously considering waiting until that new processor is released.

The common advice has been that if you wait for the "next big thing" you'll be waiting forever. In this case, you're not waiting for a speed increase...you're waiting to get on board with the next generation of processor architecture.