Where do you recommend I buy my first Apple Computer?

[saves the day]

So i'm hoping to get a MacBook or even a MacBook pro if i can afford one in March. This will be my first Computer and I really want the transition to go smooth. Apple stores in Ohio are no where near where i live so my best option to look at them in person is best buy.

Have any of you purchased your mac from them? I'm trying to find the best deal and to save as much money as possible seeing that i am probably barely going to be able to afford to get a mac. Should I just order from the Apple store online? Is Apple Care worth the $$ ?

I forgot to mention that i am also a student. Does best buy offer student discount also>?
thnx

 

[1rottenapple]

Amazon offers discounts so thats a good place. Or you can wait during the summer and buy from apple and get a printer and an ipod.

 

[gothiquegirrl]

Depending on what the student discount is at the online apple store...
i'd get a refurb from the online store.

I bought my iMac as a refurb and It been great. It cost me about $800 a year ago and was a current gen product a year ago when i purchased it.

 

[DENZIE]

Hi,

Check with your university's campus store if they have a special deal on macs. Because apple focus massively on the education market you can get some pretty sweet deals at your uni.

I bought my first mac at uni and it came with the 3 year extended warranty (aka AppleCare usually around 400 bucks) but was still cheaper than buying it through other resellers even with a student discount.

Now that I am no longer a student I always buy from the apple online store (and you can get a student discount there aswell). If it ships in 24hrs I always get it the next day and because it's direct from apple you know it isn't old stock and is probably fresh from the factory.