Want Current Uni MBP, but it's too expensive.

[LAS.mac]

If you can apply for an educational discount it's something. The back to school promotion will giv you, probably, a free ipod that's worth to be sold for about 200 bucks. Don't buy extra RAM by Apple, that's saves you probably other 100 bucks.
Work a while and you can have something to contribute with.
Or, think about alternative such as refurbished and/or MB. To me, it still seem a good compromise...

 

[yoyomaster]

The macbook pro is way better for college than the macbook.

I totally disagree, only a select few actually "need" the macbook pro, most college students will not need anything more than a macbook for the 4 years of undergraduate studies.

 

[Unprocessed1]

I have a dilemma:

I just graduated from high school, and for the longest time, my parents have been telling me that they would buy me a laptop for college as a graduation present. Whenever we would discuss the subject, they would ask me what I wanted, and I would reply: a macbook pro.

Now that it is time to purchase, they don't like the price of the macbook pro. I picked out a nice refurbished one, but my dad is not loving the price at all.

I'm wondering if there is any secret way to get a macbook pro of similar specs for less than $2000. I don't want to resort to begging like a little child asking for sugary cereal. My parents and I are on very good terms; logical discussions work.

Just buying a macbook is out of the question. I've got too many things with audio, video, and digital imaging that I do with computers to bring myself to invest in a machine that I know won't do the job very well for very many years to come.

Any suggestions/help?

Easy solution: Ask them to chip in the amount they were willing towards the MBP. Get a summer job. Buy MBP.

 

[Shiner]

I totally disagree, only a select few actually "need" the macbook pro, most college students will not need anything more than a macbook for the 4 years of undergraduate studies.

To each their own. I would much rather have a 15" inch screen and a dedicated video card for my only computer for the next 4 years. I think saving a little and buying a computer with decent specs would be better than settling for something that is just ok. He is young you know he will want to play some video games watch some movies etc. The macbook does those things ok not great. So why not save up and get a better computer for the next four years. Hell he might even use the thing if he goes into math or science. Macbook is a great secondary computer.

 

[Shiner]

I totally disagree, only a select few actually "need" the macbook pro, most college students will not need anything more than a macbook for the 4 years of undergraduate studies.

Also, I never said "need" in my post. I simply told him what I thought. I have had three macbooks so far and they are fine for what they are. I have had one macbookpro and have not needed to upgrade for three years. Now if he already has a kick ass desktop then by all means go for the macbook. I have learned my lesson the hard way---never by apple's consumer products.

 

[yoyomaster]

He is young you know he will want to play some video games watch some movies etc. The macbook does those things ok not great. So why not save up and get a better computer for the next four years. Hell he might even use the thing if he goes into math or science. Macbook is a great secondary computer.

He never mentioned games if I do recall correctly, and during your undergraduate studies you will not need or use any programs for either math or science, only in graduate school. The macbook is not designed as a secondary computer, and I was just stating that there are only a few students who would need it for their undergraduate work, and in 4 years would want a new computer anyways. OP if I were you, I'd just be happy that my parents are buying a computer for you and just work off the difference if you really want the macbook pro.

 

[Shiner]

He never mentioned games if I do recall correctly, and during your undergraduate studies you will not need or use any programs for either math or science, only in graduate school. The macbook is not designed as a secondary computer, and I was just stating that there are only a few students who would need it for their undergraduate work, and in 4 years would want a new computer anyways. OP if I were you, I'd just be happy that my parents are buying a computer for you and just work off the difference if you really want the macbook pro.

OP save up and get the macbook pro. It will better serve your needs for the next 4 years. Then get a new computer. The macbook is NOT a primary computer unless you are a teenager.

 

[Eric S.]

I figured...

You figured right. Ask your parents to give you the money they would pay for the laptop they have in mind, then ask them if they'll loan you the rest and promise to pay them back. (If it were my dad he would have charged me interest, but maybe your parents would give you better terms. )

 

[yoyomaster]

OP save up and get the macbook pro. It will better serve your needs for the next 4 years. Then get a new computer. The macbook is NOT a primary computer unless you are a teenager.

I'm really not going to sit here and bicker with you about it, so this is my last reply to you, I am not a teenager I am a college grad, and stating my opinion. If the OP really wants a macbook pro then they may not ever be happy getting a macbook, but a macbook will serve almost every college student and work fantastically. A macbook is my primary computer and I'm sure it is for a lot of other people that aren't teenagers.

 

[ucfgrad93]

It sounds like the MBP is just too expensive for your situation. Like others, I would recommend getting a MacBook instead.

 

[natebookpro]

Anyone listen to Howard Stern? WAAAAAAAAHHHHH

 

[Shiner]

Wait till WWDC and see if they announce anything new. If not, do what a lot of people have been forced to do lately and buy a windows PC with better specs than the macbook and get a powerful yet heavy laptop. Believe me you will thank me for the screen real estate later in life. 13" screen is to small to be the only computer you work on. 15" does not seem huge, but believe me, it will be worth it in the end. The macbook still weighs 4.5 pounds and the pro weighs 5.5 pounds so it is not like you are saving a bunch in the weight department.

Compare the specs of the low end for each system-

Macbook
2.0Ghz
160GB hard rive
integrated graphics
13" screen

Macbook pro
2.4Ghz
250 GB hard drive
Decent separate video card
Illuminated keyboard
15" screen

$600 difference is totally worth saving for. The macbook is a bad buy tech wise.

 

[Eric S.]

Wait till WWDC and see if they announce anything new. If not, do what a lot of people have been forced to do lately and buy a windows PC with better specs than the macbook and get a powerful yet heavy laptop. Believe me you will thank me for the screen real estate later in life. 13" screen is to small to be the only computer you work on. 15" does not seem huge, but believe me, it will be worth it in the end. The macbook still weighs 4.5 pounds and the pro weighs 5.5 pounds so it is not like you are saving a bunch in the weight department.

Compare the specs of the low end for each system-

Macbook
2.0Ghz
160GB hard rive
integrated graphics
13" screen

Macbook pro
2.4Ghz
250 GB hard drive
Decent separate video card
Illuminated keyboard
15" screen

$600 difference is totally worth saving for. The macbook is a bad buy tech wise.

And I have a completely different take on it. My Macbook has:
2.4Ghz
250 GB hard drive
integrated graphics
Illuminated keyboard
13" screen

I specifically wanted a 13" because I consider a 15" too big and bulky to always carry around. So unless the additional graphics capability is a must have (and for me it isn't), then the $400 I saved by buying the Macbook is extremely well worth it - it paid for going to 4GB memory and a bunch of other stuff.

 

[mamcx]

Do something simple. Start lean & low and growth at your own.

My first computer was *very* bad. At that time, I can't even buy a mouse pad (seriously!). I must save to buy the mouse pad. Some familiar give me a crappy computer (how bad? If I want to play the ONLY 3D game I have, I need to uninstall Office (for the disk space) install it, play, uninstall it, install office. SERIOUSLY!).

With time, I start to buy better parts, upgrade, sell, buy, upgrade, sell...

From 3 years ago I have the rutine to have the best computers (in comparision to my peers) and I don't have more or less money than my friends.

My advice:

- Buy the machine that could do the work *now* as little as you can, add any reasonable thing you can (memory) and stop worry.
- With the new SSD disk you will have a free performance upgrade soon. Maybe in some months you could get a decent one for enough litte.
- Sell your machines as fast as you can, and buy better ones shortly.

I try to no let the market put my machines with a difference bigger than 20% between old & new.

- With some luck, you can get better machines at lower prices (like refurbished money) and still rock on!

This plan let me to have top-noch computers all the time, and never expend from my own pocket more than US 300 each time (some times, I even get new at lower prices than old!).

 

[DeusInvictus7]

And I have a completely different take on it. My Macbook has:
2.4Ghz
250 GB hard drive
integrated graphics
Illuminated keyboard
13" screen

I specifically wanted a 13" because I consider a 15" too big and bulky to always carry around. So unless the additional graphics capability is a must have (and for me it isn't), then the $400 I saved by buying the Macbook is extremely well worth it - it paid for going to 4GB memory and a bunch of other stuff.

I have to totally agree with you. I bought the 13" solely because of the size, but I wanted the power of the base 15". Saved a lot of money, and it ended up paying for 4GB of ram and my 27" monitor for work at the desk. Best of both worlds right there.

 

[Aboo]

He never mentioned games if I do recall correctly, and during your undergraduate studies you will not need or use any programs for either math or science, only in graduate school.

Uhhh, I am not sure where you did your undergrad, but I have had to use several math/science programs including Mathematica, Matlab, Hyperchem, Chem3D, Gausian, etc. as an undergrad. Some of those programs, especially when performing Hartree-Fock Computational Chemical Analyses can tax the system pretty well. Some of the programs like Mathematica/Matlab were required for general classes like Calculus that everyone, regardless of their major, had to take.

Moreover, if he is going into science, many schools will expect him to undertake an independent research project, during which time he will have to use advanced and more demanding software.

In my opinion, go with the best you can afford OP. If your parents aren't willing to pitch in the entire amount for the MBP, ask them to pitch in what they can afford and try to fill the remaining gap by working, selling stuff that you don't want/have use for, etc. Also since you are graduating, you may have friends and relatives who may ask you what you would like as your gift, and if you are comfortable, you could just ask for cash and let them know that you are saving up for an MBP (again, I am not sure what's appropriate and not in your particular culture/system of beliefs, so do as appropriate).

 

[yoyomaster]

Uhhh, I am not sure where you did your undergrad, but I have had to use several math/science programs including Mathematica, Matlab, Hyperchem, Chem3D, Gausian, etc. as an undergrad. Some of those programs, especially when performing Hartree-Fock Computational Chemical Analyses can tax the system pretty well. Some of the programs like Mathematica/Matlab were required for general classes like Calculus that everyone, regardless of their major, had to take.

Moreover, if he is going into science, many schools will expect him to undertake an independent research project, during which time he will have to use advanced and more demanding software.

Are you serious? I have never heard of anyone using matlab in a general calc course, I never even got to use a calculator let alone a computer program in those classes. And I don't know where you are hearing all this because anyone I know that majored in math, chemistry or bio don't/didn't need to use any programs as an undergraduate, and major projects are more geared toward graduate studies.

 

[Capt Crunch]

Are you serious? I have never heard of anyone using matlab in a general calc course, I never even got to use a calculator let alone a computer program in those classes. And I don't know where you are hearing all this because anyone I know that majored in math, chemistry or bio don't/didn't need to use any programs as an undergraduate, and major projects are more geared toward graduate studies.

We teach matlab here at UMD for basic PDE classes, but just because you use matlab doesn't mean you need a scream Core2Duo processor. Unless one is doing research in undergrad (which one should!) there is no need for a macbook Pro.

Hell, I'm in grad school and my last project had running times getting close to a day, and I'm still going for a macbook (or even MB air!)

 

[Aboo]

Are you serious? I have never heard of anyone using matlab in a general calc course, I never even got to use a calculator let alone a computer program in those classes. And I don't know where you are hearing all this because anyone I know that majored in math, chemistry or bio don't/didn't need to use any programs as an undergraduate, and major projects are more geared toward graduate studies.

Oh yeah its a required component of the Calculus Lab at my undergrad (at least it was). On the calculator front, we were allowed to use anything up until a Ti-86. Nothing higher though since the Ti-89 and higher can solve differentials and integrals. I was a biophysical chemistry and theoretical physics major as an undergrad and had to use all of those programs. Most universities now actually require many students to do at least one semester of independent research (on a unique/novel scientific question under the mentorship of a research advisor) if they are majoring in a science field. When did you complete your undergrad? By the sounds of it, it may have been some time ago (please don't take offense if this is not the case!), so I guess things have changed since.

Nowadays if you want to get into a competitive PhD program in science you need to have at least a couple of publications and at least a year or more of research in a lab.

 

[Bill Gates]

OP save up and get the macbook pro. It will better serve your needs for the next 4 years. Then get a new computer. The macbook is NOT a primary computer unless you are a teenager.

You're talking out your ass...nothing I have heard from yours posts so far has been in the least bit factual or informative. The current MacBook offerings are fine machines, capable of much the same work as the MacBook Pro. The MBP may do certain tasks slightly faster/better but that's not to say that the current MB cannot do almost everything that the MBP can. The previous MacBooks weren't so capable, but the current offerings with decent graphics chips and capable stock configurations are very good machines. Perhaps the OP would be much better served saving up and putting that money aside for something else, even beer money. Of course that may very well be moot if the OP doesn't get a job since he lacks the funds to purchase a MBP in the first place. Also, just for your information, chances are good that if the OP just graduated from high school, he is a teenager, so essentially you said that the MacBook would function as a primary computer for the OP in your post.

 

[miles01110]

Fairly capable is not worth it at the macbook price point. It is not a good buy, period.

Um, it's $1000. If it's outdated, buy another one in 2 years- you're still paying the same amount as one Macbook Pro.

Uhhh, I am not sure where you did your undergrad, but I have had to use several math/science programs including Mathematica, Matlab, Hyperchem, Chem3D, Gausian, etc. as an undergrad. Some of those programs, especially when performing Hartree-Fock Computational Chemical Analyses can tax the system pretty well. Some of the programs like Mathematica/Matlab were required for general classes like Calculus that everyone, regardless of their major, had to take.

Intro calculus requiring Mathematica? Haha. Anyone who needs mathematica for calculus isn't learning it the proper way in the first place.

Moreover, if he is going into science, many schools will expect him to undertake an independent research project, during which time he will have to use advanced and more demanding software.

Depends. Usually all you need is a C++ compiler these days.

 

[yoyomaster]

When did you complete your undergrad? By the sounds of it, it may have been some time ago (please don't take offense if this is not the case!), so I guess things have changed since.

No it was not long ago, I majored in Economics, the only program I used was SAS for econometrics for one semester for one problem set assignment, most of the big data set analysis is only done in graduate school. All the friends that I have talked to never mentioned doing a research project as an undergraduate, although I see that it is not 100% the case now.

 

[Aboo]

Intro calculus requiring Mathematica? Haha. Anyone who needs mathematica for calculus isn't learning it the proper way in the first place.

In my case we had a Calculus Lab in addition to the General Calculus sequence (i.e. Calc 1, 2, and 3 each with their own section of Lab). During this time, several "projects" to accomplish specifically using Mathematica and Matlab. Granted that after reading some of the comments on here, my undergrad experience was a lot different from many of the others. I still don't completely agree with the latter part of your statement - learning calculus and mathematica are two completely different things, at least in the way I was referring to them. I never stated that you need mathematica to learn calculus lol.

 

[Shiner]

I have to totally agree with you. I bought the 13" solely because of the size, but I wanted the power of the base 15". Saved a lot of money, and it ended up paying for 4GB of ram and my 27" monitor for work at the desk. Best of both worlds right there.

I agree a separate monitor is required to make it a primary computer. Additionally, I bought the macbook 13" for the exact same reasons as you both mention but the size argument fails soon after you realize the macbook is not that small. It only weighs one pound less than the MBP. If the extra screen size is too much for you to fit in your bag their might be something else wrong with you.

 

[Shiner]

You're talking out your ass...nothing I have heard from yours posts so far has been in the least bit factual or informative. The current MacBook offerings are fine machines, capable of much the same work as the MacBook Pro. The MBP may do certain tasks slightly faster/better but that's not to say that the current MB cannot do almost everything that the MBP can. The previous MacBooks weren't so capable, but the current offerings with decent graphics chips and capable stock configurations are very good machines. Perhaps the OP would be much better served saving up and putting that money aside for something else, even beer money. Of course that may very well be moot if the OP doesn't get a job since he lacks the funds to purchase a MBP in the first place. Also, just for your information, chances are good that if the OP just graduated from high school, he is a teenager, so essentially you said that the MacBook would function as a primary computer for the OP in your post.

Actually you are talking out of your ass. Have you owned the most recent macbook? Never say decent graphics card with an integrated video card again. The 94000m is bad, great on a budget, but still bad. I wonder if the OP will remain a teenager after 4 years in college. You own a pro, would you trade it for a macbook and cash back?

Save money buy a dell mini 9 load mac and spend the rest on booze. It will fit your needs.