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When to buy Macbook for college?

B

bananazebra

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 17, 2008
1
0
Hi,
I'm going to be a freshman in college in September and would like to buy a Macbook, but I need help figuring out when is the best time to buy it.

These are the factors that are making my decision difficult:

1) Free printer offer ($100 rebate on a printer) ends July 21 (a.k.a. this Monday!).
2) According to the Buyer's Guide here, the iPod touch (which comes free with a Macbook for college) should update soon.
3) The free iPod touch offer ends September 15.
4) Some sources (https://www.macrumors.com/2008/07/18/apple-prepping-for-notebook-refresh/, etc) say the the next Macbook should be coming back somewhere in the next couple of months.

So, my options are
1) Buy the MB before Monday and get a free printer, a free, non-updated iPod touch, and a non-updated MB.
2) Wait until the iPod touch is updated, but then not get the free printer.
3) Wait until the iPod touch and the MB are updated, but this may very well not happen until after I start classes, which would not be ideal (I start classes September 2).

Another concern: does anyone know whether Apple tends to wait until their offers are over before they release their new products? In other words, is it a likely possibility that they will purposely release the new MB after the free iPod touch offer is over (Sept 15)?

And the last thing to think about: is it more worth it to wait until the MB comes out and not get the free iPod, or to get the non-updated MB along with the iPod touch?

Thanks a lot for all your help in advance!
 
The printer deal always immediately restarts. It's year-round and for everyone, not just students.

The iPod touch will NOT update during the iPod promotion. The promotion exists solely to get iPods out the door for the new ones in September (always in September).

Montevina MacBook Pros and MacBooks could very well be out before the promotion ends.

It's better, in my opinion, to not get the free iPod and get a Montevina MacBook with a printer.
 
I would buy the macbook now, as the new ipod touch will most likely not be included in the back to school deal, this normally happens when a new ipod is released during the back to school deal. You should get all the free stuff you can get as you are starting collage and the printer rebate deal runs out on monday. Is the possibility of a new macbook design worth an ipod touch and printer for free?
 
Definitely go for the free printer. Plus, you can always get better specs on your MB and make it so that the update will not make yours "obsolete".
 
muldul said:
Is the possibility of a new macbook design worth an ipod touch and printer for free?
Click to expand...

If before September 15th, a new computer is not released, you can buy a computer and get a free iPod and printer.
 
If you look at the free iPod deal, the iPods you can use it for are actually listed by product number, so even if there is an update before the promotion is over you won't be able to get the updated iPods (because they will have serial numbers not covered in the promotion). I think this happened a year or two ago.

I would say get the printer and iPod Touch with the Macbook and sell them if you won't need them (for example you will probably be able to print out things at school for cheap and not have to worry about stocking ink and paper for your own printer). The money you get from that could be used for upgrading your Macbook. If what happened last year is any indication, the Macbook itself won't be updated until after school starts, so I wouldn't wait for it to be updated. If it really bothers you, you can sell after the update and use the money you got from selling the iPod Touch and printer to purchase a new one.
 
Tallest Skil said:
The printer deal always immediately restarts. It's year-round and for everyone, not just students.

The iPod touch will NOT update during the iPod promotion. The promotion exists solely to get iPods out the door for the new ones in September (always in September).

Montevina MacBook Pros and MacBooks could very well be out before the promotion ends.

It's better, in my opinion, to not get the free iPod and get a Montevina MacBook with a printer.
Click to expand...

this are my thoughts exactly as well as what i intend on doing as i am getting ready to get a mbp for college
 
I would wait until a few days before you start school*. Hopefully the new MB will be out by then, and you'll still be able to get the free iPod and (probably) the free printer.

Honestly, unless it's an awesome redesign, your MacBook will still be the envy of your friends years from now. I bought mine September 2006 and it's still great. I would love it to have a better video card, but other than that, I have no desire to upgrade.

Also, if new iPods come out, and you absolutely have to have one, you can always sell it and pay in the difference.

*I say to get it a few days earlier, unless you've been using Macs before, so you won't look like a n00b to all your new college friends. Have fun with your new Mac!!
 
davidg4781 said:
I

*I say to get it a few days earlier, unless you've been using Macs before, so you won't look like a n00b to all your new college friends. Have fun with your new Mac!!
Click to expand...


haha great advice. I would advise the same, as I have looked noobish with my various macs...and still do. Just got a MBP though, so I hope to learn more and more!
 
Honestly, I'm of the opinion that the new revision to the MB won't be much if it comes before September and I personally doubt that there will be a revision before September.

If there is a revision it would incorporate Montevina which isn't much of a change. It's not a new processor, just a new chipset, so all you get is a faster bus speed and somewhat upgraded graphics. These are marginal improvements at best. The actual speed of the processor is unlikely to change IMHO. Really, the only thing you might get out of the deal is a case design, but I've only seen rumors relating to an MBP case redesign.

If it were me, I'd say but a MacBook now, get the printer of your choice and the iPod touch. Like everyone else said, you will definitely not be getting a new iPod touch from the promo, and as I said any new MacBook would most likely be a modest revision (not to mention the fact that many people believe no revision will come before Mac World in January 2009).

Finally, I'm of the opinion that Apple is just going to ride the iPhone 3G for a while. Undoubtedly, many of their resources were tied up in that launch, so it seems unlikely that anything big is coming along on their other product lines.
 
Now seems to be a good time since Apple most likely will pull away the deal when new MB/P or iPods make their way in!:)
 
davidg4781 said:
your MacBook will still be the envy of your friends years from now. I bought mine September 2006 and it's still great. I would love it to have a better video card, but other than that, I have no desire to upgrade.

*I say to get it a few days earlier, unless you've been using Macs before, so you won't look like a n00b to all your new college friends.
Click to expand...

Lol, your friends must still think you're a n00b when you mention you'd like to have a better 'video card' in your MB ;)
 
DarkRevenant said:
I'm pretty sure you don't have a video card to begin with...the macbook uses integrated graphics.
Click to expand...

Yes, I'm aware (unfortunately) that it uses integrated graphics. Video card just came out, because, back when I would build my own computes, you bought video cards...not integrated graphic chipsets.
 
davidg4781 said:
Yes, I'm aware (unfortunately) that it uses integrated graphics. Video card just came out, because, back when I would build my own computes, you bought video cards...not integrated graphic chipsets.
Click to expand...

You still don't buy integrated graphics chipsets.

They are a chip on the motherboard.

A graphics card will override the integrated graphics chip.
 
illidian said:
You still don't buy integrated graphics chipsets.

They are a chip on the motherboard.

A graphics card will override the integrated graphics chip.
Click to expand...

They do sell motherboards with graphic chips built on. Unless you're stealing them, you're buying them

And yes, I know how all this works. I used to build my own computer way back when. Back before Michael Dell set up shop in Austin, Texas.
 
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