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Updates to Macbook Pro during Back to School Promo?

M

mnsportsgeek

macrumors 601
Original poster
Feb 24, 2009
4,481
7,012
Hello,

I am going to college this fall and am looking to buy either a 2.4ghz or 2.66ghz macbook pro. My initial question is, it seems in years past that apple has waited to update its computers until after the back to school promo. Do you think this year will be any different? If so, I will probably order the computer right away.

My second question is, for an engineering major, do you think a 2.4ghz with 256mb vram will suit my needs or would you suggest upgrading to the 2.66ghz with 512mb vram. I guess the real question is, how much of a difference in performance will I notice if I opt for the more expensive unit.

Thank You for your help.
 
thank you

That's what I was thinking, do you know anything about the performance differences in the two models?
 
Length of use

I want this thing to last AT THE VERY LEAST until i graduate in hopefully 4 years.
 
afurry13 said:
I want this thing to last AT THE VERY LEAST until i graduate in hopefully 4 years.
Click to expand...

Depending on use, you could get six years, easily.

Arrandale is Nehalem-based, so the performance increase of that+Snow Leopard might be around 40% over current models.

Of course, we have only one Nehalem-based Mac right now, and no Snow Leopard to test, so...
 
afurry13 said:
That's what I was thinking, do you know anything about the performance differences in the two models?
Click to expand...

Tallest Skil has been wrong about many things so don't take just his word for it, I believe there'll be an update in the coming months as Intel have just refreshed their line-up, even AppleInsider say:

AppleInsider said:
...MacBook Pros for the most part would stay their course and benefit slightly from Intel's planned Montevina refresh, which should nudge clock speeds.
Click to expand...
As for performance difference, there's not much in it, about 10%.
 
I'm also in the market for a new MacBook Pro. Wait until at least after WWDC, there could be some speed bumps announced. The white MacBook just got updated and can now be upgraded to 500GB, while the MacBook Pro can't...leads me to suspect it will be updated in the near future.

Intel is also adjusting their lineup for June, so processor speed should be slightly upgraded.

Steve
 
My recommendation is to wait till right before school starts to get your Macbook. Since there will be a major architecture change in the CPU used and a OS update you want to jump to that once it happens. Doing so may require selling your Macbook and buying the new system. That's my plan. I have the low end white nVidia macbook, and will keep it until SL and the next gen CPU are on the Macbook Pro 17", then I will sell my Macbook and buy the 17".
 
Steve1496 said:
I'm also in the market for a new MacBook Pro. Wait until at least after WWDC, there could be some speed bumps announced. The white MacBook just got updated and can now be upgraded to 500GB, while the MacBook Pro can't...leads me to suspect it will be updated in the near future.

Intel is also adjusting their lineup for June, so processor speed should be slightly upgraded.

Steve
Click to expand...


I am also waiting until after WWDC. Is it safe to order after the keynote or should you wait until the whole conference is finished? I looked at the schedule and it does not appear that they will have any major meetings.. But I don't know. I was going to order mine around the 8th.
You can private message me back if you would like.
 
skye12 said:
I see some minor upgraded models of the MBP in the near future.
Click to expand...

Me too. They just updated the white MacBook. They're surely going to update the Unibodies. This is speculation, of course, but also logical.

Rumor has it, they'll also be rebranding all the Unibodies as MacBook Pros. That would be a welcome change - especially if all of the family here gets Firewire. :D
 
ButtUglyJeff said:
To the best of my memory, if an item is included in the "Back to School" promotion, it doesn't see an update until after the promo runs its course......
Click to expand...

What about a 'bump'? After all it's just a new proc basically, and the current ones are over 6 months old now.

I'm hoping for a speed bump at WWDC. Gets people buying now, then they have to pay for SL later (MWUHAHAHA! says Steve Jobs). Then we'll see a proper update later in the year. I can't see them letting the Whitebook outdo the AluBook for months.
 
I'd wait next week for the WWDC. It MBP won't by updated with some minor processor upgrade for such event, as happened for the white MB, then no updates until autumn.
 
rhodent2013 said:
I am also waiting until after WWDC. Is it safe to order after the keynote or should you wait until the whole conference is finished? I looked at the schedule and it does not appear that they will have any major meetings.. But I don't know. I was going to order mine around the 8th.
You can private message me back if you would like.
Click to expand...

Usually all the updated products are put onto Apple's website within a few hours after the keynote is over. Typically, the apple.com store goes down just before the keynote and reopens with new products after it is over.

Steve
 
Biolizard said:
What about a 'bump'? After all it's just a new proc basically, and the current ones are over 6 months old now.

I'm hoping for a speed bump at WWDC. Gets people buying now, then they have to pay for SL later (MWUHAHAHA! says Steve Jobs). Then we'll see a proper update later in the year.
Click to expand...


ahaha, yes that sounds very appley :)
 
Hopefully SL will be announced during WWDC and loaded onto Macs before the Back-to-School promo ends. I'm waiting for a SL MBP during the promotion window so I can also grab a free iPod touch.
 
Consensus

Alright, so I guess the general consensus is to wait until after the keynote on June 8.

My last question is, do you think I should go with the entry level (if there is an update) which will probably be 2.66 and 256vram or go with 2.8 (or 2.93 depending on the update) and 512vram.

If they stay the same which would you suggest?
 
I plan on

I plan on hooking this up to a 24" monitor on occasion. Will the extra 256mb vram help me out in that department?
 
Steve1496 said:
Usually all the updated products are put onto Apple's website within a few hours after the keynote is over. Typically, the apple.com store goes down just before the keynote and reopens with new products after it is over.

Steve
Click to expand...


THANKS SO MUCH! AND GOOD LUCK TO OTHER FUTURE BUYERS! LETS KEEP OUR FINGERS CROSSED FOR A MINOR BUMP!
 
afurry13 said:
Alright, so I guess the general consensus is to wait until after the keynote on June 8.

My last question is, do you think I should go with the entry level (if there is an update) which will probably be 2.66 and 256vram or go with 2.8 (or 2.93 depending on the update) and 512vram.

If they stay the same which would you suggest?
Click to expand...

Same boat as you. On the UK HE store, by the time you replace the 2.4's 2 Gigs of RAM with 4, even purchasing elsewhere (and I need 4, I've got 798MB Wired and 1.88GB Active atm), you're on the way to the 2.66 (which has 4 as standard). Value for money vs do I really need it? Choices, choices.

afurry13 said:
I plan on hooking this up to a 24" monitor on occasion. Will the extra 256mb vram help me out in that department?
Click to expand...

For most stuff, probably not. Games and maybe heavy graphics work will benefit I guess.
 
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