Ok so heres the rub, i have roughly $950 and could possibly squeeze out a lil over a grand. I'm wondering how i could maximize this seemingly small amount in the world of macs. What im looking for is either a desktop or laptop with enough power to handle regular tasks (ie web surfing) and some minor work in final cut pro. Whatever i end up with needs to be reliable and will most likely have to last me through college (im a senior in HS now).
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What to do with $950?
- Thread starter sasmokeout
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a refurbished MacBook or a MacBook with the student discount?
Or wait for the rumored MacBook mini...
Or wait for the rumored MacBook mini...
Right now im just using a toshiba laptop. i only use it for regular tasks and i use final cut pro at school on a 2.0 ghz 160 gb iMac.
i was considering buying the mac mini and a 22' monitor. But then today at Best Buy i was very surprised to see that i could buy a Sony Vaio with far superior specs for just $949. However it would not have mac OS
You're going to want a laptop in your situation. I would save a few hundred dollars more and pickup a Macbook. I think that will work out better for you than a Mac Mini.
I really like the Macbooks but dont like the whites ones and i cant quite afford an alu. What i was thinking was to buy a base model mini and add the 2 gb of memory and then get a 22" lcd monitor, and have some money left over.
So i've decided to buy a mac mini with my student discount and add the additional ram. But i'm not quite sure about what monitor to get. It needs to be in the sub-$200 market.
If you're planning on taking it to university, get the white MacBook. Trust me - the ability to work on essays and assignments in the library, between classes, etc. is well worth the extra money.
Not liking the white MacBook is a poor, poor reason. It's the same machine in nearly every respect as the Mini, but it's portable. Add an external display later and you're set.
Not liking the white MacBook is a poor, poor reason. It's the same machine in nearly every respect as the Mini, but it's portable. Add an external display later and you're set.
Its not that i just dont "like" the white macbook, its just that it doesn't seem as sturdy as the aluminum one, which i cant afford.
They sold plenty of the polycarbonate MacBooks over the years, and I've never heard anyone say they're not sturdy. My first-generation BlackBook is going on 30 months with zero problems.Aluminium MacBook doesn't have FireWire, anyway, so it's useless if you want to work with Final Cut.
Why don't you just save up a little longer and get an aluminium MacBook with the Educational discount? I don't know what the discount's like in the states but its probably 10% if you get the University discount. How long is it really going to take you to save up that extra amount? It would be worth it for the portability while at Uni.
BTW, I just checked and you can currently get a refurbished 2.0GHz Aluminium MacBook for $1099. Surely you can save up just that little bit extra? Link.
BTW, I just checked and you can currently get a refurbished 2.0GHz Aluminium MacBook for $1099. Surely you can save up just that little bit extra? Link.
Some people have complained about cracking. But nobody I've met has had any trouble. Think about how long they've been selling plastic laptops, and how many other manufacturers still use plastic. In fact, loads of stuff you use every day is probably made from plastic. If cracking was some huge epidemic, don't you think everyone would have stopped using it?
A few people on the internet have reported problems with the plastic. A few people on the internet have reported problems with the unibody MacBooks construction: there were incidents of loose battery covers, crooked keys, etc. Are you going to not buy one of them because some people have reported that problem?
The plastic MacBook is a phenomenal machine (remember, same specs as the unibody MacBook) and is very well priced. If price is a concern for you, it's really a no-brainer.
Great value in the unibody MBs in the refurb store. But no Firewire means unless the OP has a HDD or SD based video camera, it's no good since they plan to run Final Cut on it. I would buy the new MacBook tomorrow if it had Firewire! :/
The macbook is definitely the way to go. I used mine for college, and upgraded the RAM/HDD. I bought a nice, sturdy Samsonite case to carry it around campus in. It's nice to bring up your notes within 30 seconds, have about 4-5 hours of battery life, and a fairly light notebook compared to others who have a 15.4" notebook that weighs a ton.
There was an issue with the plastic cracking on one of the palm rests. If the laptop is within warranty or you have Apple Care on it, Apple will replace it without question. You can also do what I did and use an Invisible Shield. I have the IS on my palm rests, touch pad/button, and top of the laptop. It's a little dirty, but I've had no cracks so far.
Firewire is definitely a must since you plan on using Final Cut. Good luck with your decision.
There was an issue with the plastic cracking on one of the palm rests. If the laptop is within warranty or you have Apple Care on it, Apple will replace it without question. You can also do what I did and use an Invisible Shield. I have the IS on my palm rests, touch pad/button, and top of the laptop. It's a little dirty, but I've had no cracks so far.
Firewire is definitely a must since you plan on using Final Cut. Good luck with your decision.
I've thought over my options and i've finally come up with what i think is a good game plan. Since i dont need a laptop right away and also since this is my own money and not my dads, ive decided to purchase a refurb iMac 20". Then as a graduation present i'll receive the macbook. Thanks for all of your suggestions.