Wait 4 Months, Save $330 on Macbook Pro?

[Epsilon88]

I'm a college student desperately wanting to replace his aging 2007 MBP (with the 8600 GT graphics card, it's a ticking time bomb) but it seems so much more economical to wait 4 months. Here's why:

1) Lion - the next version of the Mac operating system appears to be a larger upgrade than Snow Leopard was over Leopard (hence keeping the "Leopard") in the name. It's likely that Apple would charge $100 or so to upgrade from Snow Leopard. The reference releases of Mac OS X remained $129 for 10.2 through 10.5. Therefore, buying the computer with Lion included would save a small bundle of money.

2) Free iPod touch worth $230.

Is there anything incorrect here? I really want to buy the new MBP, but it seems like it would be more economical to wait.

 

[miles01110]

It's likely that Apple would charge $100 or so to upgrade from Snow Leopard.

Is it? Based on what evidence?

Is there anything incorrect here? I really want to buy the new MBP, but it seems like it would be more economical to wait.

It's always more economical to wait.

 

[Epsilon88]

Based on the fact that 10.2 to 10.5 were all priced over $100.

 

[Cougarcat]

If you're a student, you'll be able to get Lion for $69 at your campus bookstore, if it's priced like previous full releases.

Also keep in mind that Lion might not appear until September.

 

[ECUpirate44]

Plus the student discount for Apple care. I'd just buy now. Chances are Lion won't be out until sept and then you will be kicking yourself. Last year, the ipod deal ended sept 7. Maybe lion will come out before then and you will have the best of both worlds.

 

[ls1dreams]

Is there a reason you can't wait?

You have a perfectly functioning laptop right now. In about 3-4 months you can save around $300 (don't forget to subtract ebay fees for selling).

Honestly, I think most people are upgrading just to have something that feels a little quicker.

I'm annoyed because my old laptop just broke, and want to pick up something ASAP. I'm pretty frugal, and would very much prefer to save that $300 (or upgrade from a 13" to a 15" with that money), but I kind of need something now.

Wait! If you want, splurge that $200-$300 on an SSD or something else fun as a reward. I wouldn't worry about Lion too much, though.

 

[Hwaet]

Depends on whether you need one now or whether you are able to wait. If you aren't, go for it.

Don't get sucked into the trap of perpetually waiting for the next best thing though - or you'll never run a decent computer again. There's always something around the corner; you have to weigh the pros and cons of waiting, and more often than not waiting is rather pointless.

 

[Epsilon88]

To be honest, I don't *have* to upgrade my laptop right now. It's just that it's a constant worry because I fear that I'm overheating it. The faulty Logic Board already died a year ago ($1100 replacement - covered by AppleCare) and replaced with the same, defective model. Therefore I have to back up my data every day (writing my thesis) and worry that my MBP will just die.

So that's my main motivator. If it weren't for the logic board issue, I'd be perfectly content with this machine. It's a 15 incher, upgraded to 4 gb RAM with Snow Leopard.

 

[vincenz]

Maybe you just want an excuse to upgrade! Sounds like you can wait until the back to school promotion. Don't let us decide for you though.

 

[TheGenerous]

my white macbook from 2006 stills great.
I do CS5 photoshop, illustrator, lightroom, and watch HD video on TV.
I don't see why your macbook pro is aging?

EDIT: nevermind, faulty logic board.

 

[brownpaw]

The problem with the free iPod Touch deal is that you have to buy everything directly through Apple, meaning you have to pay sales tax which is likely in the $80 range. You also have to pay sales tax on the iPod Touch because it is a mail-in rebate, unless that has changed recently. Another $14 or so. You can't get in on any of the nice free after rebate deals that other sites like MacMall sometimes have, such as free cases, Parallels, etc, except for the free printer that Apple sometimes offers. Pay sales tax on that too... about $4. Also, if you buy from those other sites instead of directly from Apple then you can get FatWallet cash back, 3% right now, saving $33.

So you're paying nearly $100 in extra sales tax and missing out on $33 in cash back, plus losing out on other free stuff (weigh it for yourself based on its usefulness to you), PLUS miss out 4 months of utility of having a Macbook and iPod Touch.... just to get the touch for free when you could have bought it on Amazon for $204.

So even if you JUST look at the money side of things (~$133), the utility of having both devices four months sooner is worth that extra $70 to me. But you can decide for yourself.

 

[1rottenapple]

Nawwww I'd wait. You'll get an ipod with your new laptop that you can use to offset your purchase price by reselling it. Or you can keep it


Get dropbox to backup your thesis online automatically when you save and have internet connection. Dropbox saved my butt many times in grad school. Not to mention two people in my program had their windoze laptop die and had to restart their thesis using printed copies=fail!!! If they had drop box, they could have restored and retrieved their thesis backup online.

Plus, you can even retrieved deleted documents and restore it back to your dropbox folder.

 

[Cougarcat]

The problem with the free iPod Touch deal is that you have to buy everything directly through Apple, meaning you have to pay sales tax which is likely in the $80 range.

Many states have tax-free weekend during the back to school season. That's how I've bought my last 2 macs. Of course, this would require holding out till August.