When to commit...?

[dh2005]

Hello everyone,

I need an affordable, portable computer with more grunt that a netbook. I figured the MacBook was the way to go... but given that this current iteration is almost five months old, and that the Core2Duo now only features in the utmost bottom-of-the-range Macs, do we think that a move to the i3 is likely in the next couple of months? I could wait that long, if I had to.

I note from the history of the MacBook range that Apple introduced notable redesigns in the Octobers of 2008 and 2009. Is there anything to that, do we think?

 

[miles01110]

Until the 13" MBPs get the i3 I doubt the Macbooks will.

 

[MacDawg]

According to the Buyer's Guide it is in mid-product cycle and the buy recommendation is neutral

 

[dh2005]

Until the 13" MBPs get the i3 I doubt the Macbooks will.

Sure. I suppose what I meant was that the 13" MBP, the Mini and the MacBook would all switch to the i3 at pretty much the same time.

 

[dh2005]

According to the Buyer's Guide it is in mid-product cycle and the buy recommendation is neutral

Ah. Thanks for that. Lots of useful info in there... including that the MBP is due almost for an update, itself.

I see from the commentary that October/November is a likely update point. I'll certainly sit tight for a few weeks and see what happens.

Thanks again.


EDIT: Hang on. I'm supposed to merge those two posts, aren't I? Can someone show me how, please?

 

[akhbhaat]

Same boat I was in. I bought my MB 13 two weeks ago. Under normal circumstances, you would expect a refresh in October or November--but these aren't normal circumstances. On one hand, the Core 2 Duo is nearing EOL, and at the same time Intel is poised to release a new chip architecture at the beginning of next year (Sandy Bridge, due Q1 2011).

I went ahead and took the plunge, and my reasoning was this: look around a bit and you'll find the base MB brand new for $850 after rebate. At that price, you can probably resell it in the spring at a very minimal loss and purchase the refreshed model at that time, given that Macs actually seem to retain a good deal of residual value.

Moreover, while the C2D is getting pretty long in the tooth, it's still a perfectly viable processor for virtually any day to day task, and even moderate gaming (which is far more GPU dependent these days). I have a very powerful homebuilt desktop which would shame even the top of the line MBP with its i7M, and this machine feels just as snappy in day-to-day use as that one does. You'd be hard pressed to notice any difference unless you were doing extensive video encoding or something of that sort. I have to imagine that most people looking at 13" notebooks are more concerned with battery life, weight and general portability than they are with finding an all-in-one replacement for a proper desktop machine. That was certainly true of me.

Finally, technology evolves so quickly these days that if you always sit around waiting for the next best thing, you'll be waiting a long time.

 

[dh2005]

Yep. Excellent points, all of those.

I guess the reason I'm waiting is because October starts tomorrow! If I bought a MacBook and it was then superseded in two weeks' time, I'd not be delighted.

You're right about Macs retaining their value. I bought a 2009 Mini for £600 in February, and in July I sold it for £475 immediately after the 2010 Mini has been released. That £125 allowed me to have an operational computer for the remainder of the academic year, and the dude I sold it to was very happy with the deal.

Can I ask what you mean by rebate? Do Apple have an update rebate policy that I have been hitherto unaware of...?