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To buy or not to buy?

cheddar-caveman

cheddar-caveman

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 25, 2012
382
66
I am updating my laptop and am pretty impressed with the new rMBP 15". Light, good looking graphics, good processor etc BUT.... reading several posts on here there seem to be a few potential problems looming if I buy one, not the least this Haswell USB thing.
Are there a lot of problems? What should I be asking Apple before buying? £1500+ is a lot-a-dosh for a potential lot-a-headaches!
 
1. If you dont like it, return it within 14-days.
2. If defect happens, it has a 1-year warranty
3. Buy WorthAveGroup.com or SquareTrade.com insurance for accidental incidents.
 
what?

cheddar-caveman said:
I am updating my laptop and am pretty impressed with the new rMBP 15". Light, good looking graphics, good processor etc BUT.... reading several posts on here there seem to be a few potential problems looming if I buy one, not the least this Haswell USB thing.
Are there a lot of problems? What should I be asking Apple before buying? £1500+ is a lot-a-dosh for a potential lot-a-headaches!
Click to expand...

what is the "haswell usb thing" ?
 
cheddar-caveman said:
I am updating my laptop and am pretty impressed with the new rMBP 15". Light, good looking graphics, good processor etc BUT.... reading several posts on here there seem to be a few potential problems looming if I buy one, not the least this Haswell USB thing.
Are there a lot of problems? What should I be asking Apple before buying? £1500+ is a lot-a-dosh for a potential lot-a-headaches!
Click to expand...

I was thinking the same as you in january and I bought it. The first one had te left usb dead. They exchanged the whole computer. The second one had horrible retention problems. I sent it to apple service and they exchanged the logic board because they told me it was broken. The image retention persisted. I sent it back to see if they exchange the display. I'm waiting. If you want to spend 2000$ or more to beta test the next generation of macbook pros that are going to be realeased in two or three months, just join us.
 
tivoboy said:
what is the "haswell usb thing" ?
Click to expand...

The "Word" is that when Haswell gets released, in July or August, the first batch will trickle out in small numbers due to a glitch in the Haswell processor. The Glitch is that when you put the computer to sleep and wake it up the devices connected to the USB 3.0 ports don't get read. So you have to restart the device or unplug the reinsert into the USB. Then there was a report that it's only with SOME thumb drives. Nobody know for sure but this could delay the mass release of a MBP with Haswell, which is what I call a TRUE 2nd generation retina MPB, until the Holiday season. Which sucks!
 
Orlandoech.com said:
3. Buy WorthAveGroup.com or SquareTrade.com insurance for accidental incidents.
Click to expand...

If you have homeowner's or renter's insurance, see if they have a "personal items policy" you can take out. It could end up being cheaper than either of these. It costs me less than $50/year. It covers both accidental damage and theft.
 
cheddar-caveman said:
I am updating my laptop and am pretty impressed with the new rMBP 15". Light, good looking graphics, good processor etc BUT.... reading several posts on here there seem to be a few potential problems looming if I buy one, not the least this Haswell USB thing.
Are there a lot of problems? What should I be asking Apple before buying? £1500+ is a lot-a-dosh for a potential lot-a-headaches!
Click to expand...

Looks like the Haswell USB bug has been fixed:

http://www.tomshardware.com/news/Haswell-S3-Sleep-Problem-PCN,21896.html
 
i think late this month will begin the production..so nobody will have this issue due to fact that they fixed it
 
Speaking with my computer savy son I understand that there is a "new release" of the MBP coming out shortly? That being the case I'm thinking to wait for them. I'd like to think that all the current glitches will be sorted but then again, being "all new" there will probably be others as yet unknown!
I guess it's a case of you pays your money and you takes your chances!
 
Depends what you mean by "soon" ;)

Late Summer at the earliest, most likely. I too am waiting for the new release - the current MBPs are a bit...sketchy. I'm not one for gambling - and £2000 is a big stake.
 
andy9l said:
Depends what you mean by "soon" ;)

Late Summer at the earliest, most likely. I too am waiting for the new release - the current MBPs are a bit...sketchy. I'm not one for gambling - and £2000 is a big stake.
Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly Andy91. Give me a bit more time to accumulate the cash and also is then very near birthday time :D:D
 
cheddar-caveman said:
My thoughts exactly Andy91. Give me a bit more time to accumulate the cash and also is then very near birthday time :D:D
Click to expand...

Ha - even better! ;)

If you were asking this a couple of months ago, I'd have said to get one because of the wait - but you're kind of in that awkward time period where people who need are still buying, and those who want one are starting to wait. In a month or two, those who need one will start to wait too.

By the sounds of it, you "want one" :p
 
Haswell isn't even out yet and you are worried about a discovered bug prior to release? Isn't that the whole purpose of pre release testing. I'm not sure what there is to worry about.
 
cheddar-caveman said:
I am updating my laptop and am pretty impressed with the new rMBP 15". Light, good looking graphics, good processor etc BUT.... reading several posts on here there seem to be a few potential problems looming if I buy one, not the least this Haswell USB thing.
Are there a lot of problems? What should I be asking Apple before buying? £1500+ is a lot-a-dosh for a potential lot-a-headaches!
Click to expand...

Before the 1 year warranty ends you have the ability to buy an additional 2 years of AppleCare.
 
i too was contemplating copping a brand shiny new rMBP
With the 15% educational discount and added apple care for free - tempted me further!

However, i really feel like waiting for haswell will mean, a lot of the early issues will of been resolved.

Finally i can use usb3
- sorry, but TB for peripheral storage has been a bit of a titanic fail!
 
inlinevolvo said:
Haswell isn't even out yet and you are worried about a discovered bug prior to release? Isn't that the whole purpose of pre release testing. I'm not sure what there is to worry about.
Click to expand...

The bugged version is stepping C1 and the fixed version is C2.

I read somewhere that Intel had informed customers (I assume integrators, including Apple) that they "should expect to get a mixture of C1 and C2 material"

This implies that some will have the bug and they didn't catch it in time.
 
johnnyturbouk said:
i too was contemplating copping a brand shiny new rMBP
With the 15% educational discount and added apple care for free - tempted me further!

However, i really feel like waiting for haswell will mean, a lot of the early issues will of been resolved.

Finally i can use usb3
- sorry, but TB for peripheral storage has been a bit of a titanic fail!
Click to expand...

Since when do you get added AppleCare for free when using educational discount?
 
It's not an offer. You get AppleCare for £80 as a student in the UK - at least, that's what I was offered last time I bought something.
 
Last edited:
When it comes to Apple computers, I tend to never buy one just when they are released, from past experience they always have some issues etc.

I usually wait a couple of months for these to be ironed out. Apple will never acknowledge they have changed components in that time, but they work with the supplier to iron these out.

The current MBPr is very good, you probably will not see Haswell ones till late Q3-Q4 this year.

Given the usual Tick tock Intel jumps, your probably looking at 10-15% performance upgrade. If that matter for you wait. If it does not the current model is great, get a Samsung screen one ;)

----------
cheddar-caveman said:
At a COST! We're talking £270+
That's a lot of money on top of the £1800!
Click to expand...

Look on ebay. You will find its alot cheaper. Have a search.

Also you do not have to buy Applecare here in the UK. You can buy it from anywhere around the world. The last 5 I have bought have been from the states, never had an issue, and soooo much cheaper. I have bought it overseas and had to code mailed to me within minutes.

If you look on ebay, always go with sellers with very high ratings. Thats the only advice I can give you.

----------
andy9l said:
It's not an offer. You get AppleCare for £40 as a student in the UK - at least, that's what I was offered last time I bought something.
Click to expand...

was that one a notebook or another product?
 
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