When, what to buy

[rajanr]

I was wondering when to buy a MacBook/MacBook Pro. I'm in Singapore, and on July 1st, a 2-point increase of the sales tax starts. On the other hand, the savings made from avoiding that rise in sales tax would be less than the cost of a new Mac OS X license. Should I wait for Leopard? It would be my first Mac.

I also would prefer to buy before September, where there would be a mail-in rebate for the purchase of an iPod nano bought together with any Mac.

I would prefer to have my laptop before the year starts (third week August). But it isn't pressing; my current laptop is just not very portable.

Also, should I buy a MacBook Pro? I want a DirectX 10-compatible laptop (yes, I will run Vista on occasion on the laptop, mostly for play but also for work - a lot of pretty expensive software I use comes from the school Windows-only, like SPSS).

On the other hand, MacBook Pro seems like an overkill considering I am a student. Considering that I'm not desperate for a new laptop (I want to, not need to - my current laptop can live another year or so), should I wait for a MacBook that comes with Santa Rosa? Or is the new Intel graphics thingamajig in Santa Rosa not that great?

I mean, if I get a MacBook Pro, it wouldn't go all to waste, just that I don't exactly do heavy-duty stuff on a daily basis. I know I would use Keynote a lot though -- I come from a pretty presentations-heavy university. And Pages would come in handy for creating good handouts. But I don't need MacBook Pro for that.

Money is an issue, too. I'm taking out an S$2000 loan (I'll pay it off with next year's summer job - its interest-free while I'm studying), and use what I have for the rest, and if need be, my parents would top up the rest.

But the bit is that if I don't get a MacBook Pro now, I'll rather wait for a MacBook with Santa Rosa... which would be, oh, 8 months from now?

 

[wyatt23]

if you want to game, and you're using expensive (perhaps heavy load programs), you want directX 10 compatibility, you don't want to wait fot santa rosa macbook,

but you want to buy before the tax increase and the new nano...

get the macbook pro.

 

[richard4339]

Ok, if you look at this logically, you want to buy before September. Leopard doesn't come out until October. That makes your first objection to buying now moot. If your reason for not buying before the sales tax hike is to wait for Leopard, but Leopard isn't coming out before your September deadline, go ahead. Its unlikely that we'll see another update to the MacBook (Pro) line of products before September.

 

[rajanr]

I guess what I'm asking is,

1) for what reason should I buy a MacBook Pro instead of a MacBook?
2) if I buy a MacBook, is Santa Rosa worth waiting for in a MacBook?
3) usually, about when would new Macs come with a free upgrade to Leopard?

I'm not a hardcore gamer (I would blow money on a desktop if I am), just I want the laptop be able to play games 3-4 years down the road. If Santa Rosa would fit the bill, I won't mind waiting for the next MacBook a few months down with Santa Rosa.

Though, I would prefer a MacBook Pro, I just aren't sure it would be worth it.

 

[ktbubster]

I guess what I'm asking is,

1) for what reason should I buy a MacBook Pro instead of a MacBook?
2) if I buy a MacBook, is Santa Rosa worth waiting for in a MacBook?
3) usually, about when would new Macs come with a free upgrade to Leopard?

I'm not a hardcore gamer (I would blow money on a desktop if I am), just I want the laptop be able to play games 3-4 years down the road. If Santa Rosa would fit the bill, I won't mind waiting for the next MacBook a few months down with Santa Rosa.

Though, I would prefer a MacBook Pro, I just aren't sure it would be worth it.

You are in singapore so I am not sure about the prices there, but you can get a macbook pro base model with student discount for 1799 here... tack on apple care and that's JUST above your 2000 line with student discounts. You could look at the refurb store and save a bit more if you don't mind getting a 2.16 instead of a 2.2 etc, but not sure how that works overseas either.

Anyway, I don't game, but I have friends that do. Do you have an external monitor? Because... what you should be thinking is... do you want to game on a 13inch screen???

Every thread i've read here, if you are doing any gaming you probably would be better off going for the macbook pro anyway because of the video card and such. They have already been upgraded as well and have more ram and vram upgradability it seems (sorry if this isn't the case anymore) Not to mention, while working on presentations and such... the extra screen realstate would be nice I bet... not to mention you have the option for matte or glossy screens and more ports.


Long story short. I have a macbook pro 15inch and I love it. The newer ones I've heard are even more amazing. If you can afford it (which it seems you can...) go with the macbook pro.

Also, can you get the free ipod nano? If so you can save more money if you don't want it. Sell the nano and make back a bit over 100 from the sale and save even more so to be able to buy leopard with that later!

 

[iW00t]

You are in singapore so I am not sure about the prices there, but you can get a macbook pro base model with student discount for 1799 here... tack on apple care and that's JUST above your 2000 line with student discounts. You could look at the refurb store and save a bit more if you don't mind getting a 2.16 instead of a 2.2 etc, but not sure how that works overseas either.

Singapore is actually amongst the cheapest place to get a Mac after the states, but strangely there are not very many Mac users there hence the refurb store is virtually never stocked.

I would buy the Pro now. If you want to play games 3-4 years down the road on Intel graphics you are crazy. I do not care what various other posters on MR say about how so-and-so game is playable at 20 fps with minimum settings. Get this. Intel graphics is as good as no graphics. It is the very worst graphics card out in the market today. If games are a consideration just keep that tidbit in mind.

 

[rajanr]

ktbubster: Yeah, 15" sounds better. Actually, I would rather not having widescreen, considering I usually need more vertical space than horizontal.

And I wouldn't mind a iPod nano Though to be honest, it isn't free - its a mail-in rebate. Though I hope the Nano line gets refreshed before the end of August.

iW00t: I'll keep that in mind and push for a MacBook Pro. BTW, Singapore isn't very cheap. In the States, US$1,999 for the lowest-end MacBook Pro, for example. In Singapore, its US$2,206.