Whether to buy second hand or wait - cMBP

[Usernameisvalid]

Hi,

I found a 13" 2012 Macbook pro for sale. The guy wants $800 for it. It is an i7 with 8GB ram and 750GB HDD to the standard non-retina model. I was wondering whether it was wise to buy now upgrade the HDD (Maybe to this one: http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-830-Series-MZ-7PC256N-Internal/dp/B005T3GPXY) or wait for a MacBook Pro with Haswell and possibly even retina. I am a student so my needs are not too intensive and I do not need the latest and greatest. Also I am migrating to Apple so I want to make the switch as cost efficient and future proof as possible. I plan to run it with a larger moniter at home (possibly this one:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...tiveASIN=B00AAZ470Y&linkCode=as2&tag=su0ab-20).

Any advice on time to buy/upgrades to make/things for a migration into the apple ecosystem are more than welcome.

Thanks!

 

[007bond]

Hi,

I found a 13" 2012 Macbook pro for sale. The guy wants $800 for it. It is an i7 with 8GB ram and 750GB HDD to the standard non-retina model. I was wondering whether it was wise to buy now upgrade the HDD (Maybe to this one: http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-830-Series-MZ-7PC256N-Internal/dp/B005T3GPXY) or wait for a MacBook Pro with Haswell and possibly even retina. I am a student so my needs are not too intensive and I do not need the latest and greatest. Also I am migrating to Apple so I want to make the switch as cost efficient and future proof as possible. I plan to run it with a larger moniter at home (possibly this one:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...tiveASIN=B00AAZ470Y&linkCode=as2&tag=su0ab-20).

Any advice on time to buy/upgrades to make/things for a migration into the apple ecosystem are more than welcome.

Thanks!

Since you're a student, I would seriously consider waiting for a Haswell rMBP (or going with the Haswell MBA). The battery life difference is huge. That being said, if you're not going to be using your computer on-campus (or anywhere but your desk), I would go for the model that you mentioned.

 

[Usernameisvalid]

Since you're a student, I would seriously consider waiting for a Haswell rMBP (or going with the Haswell MBA). The battery life difference is huge. That being said, if you're not going to be using your computer on-campus (or anywhere but your desk), I would go for the model that you mentioned.

Thanks 007bond

I wouldn't use it much away from the desk buy I am looking for something that will last. Is only battery life that Haswell brings?

 

[007bond]

Thanks 007bond

I wouldn't use it much away from the desk buy I am looking for something that will last. Is only battery life that Haswell brings?

I know that on the MBA there was a very, very slight performance dip (I believe the AnandTech Review mentioned that, though I could be wrong). Power consumption would be less, I guess. You may see performance upgrades on the cMBP. That being said, if you're looking for a good machine on a budget, go for the one you mentioned.

 

[Usernameisvalid]

I know that on the MBA there was a very, very slight performance dip (I believe the AnandTech Review mentioned that, though I could be wrong). Power consumption would be less, I guess. You may see performance upgrades on the cMBP. That being said, if you're looking for a good machine on a budget, go for the one you mentioned.

Do you think upgrading the HDD from 5400rpm to the SSD linked is a good move. And are there many compelling advantages to going for retina display? Also (sorry for the bombarding of questions) how long do you think my proposed modded Macbook Pro will last before it needs an upgrade to keep up with HD movies, running a 27" display and general uni activities including a little x code?

Thanks!

 

[youKnow]

Do you think upgrading the HDD from 5400rpm to the SSD linked is a good move. And are there many compelling advantages to going for retina display? Also (sorry for the bombarding of questions) how long do you think my proposed modded Macbook Pro will last before it needs an upgrade to keep up with HD movies, running a 27" display and general uni activities including a little x code?

Thanks!

1080p is a walk in the park for an i7 with intel 4000, no need for upgrading. The retina display will give you more work space. 1280x800 is a fairly low resolution, but I find that OS X uses the space well and the screen is high quality. Use the macbook for awhile and see if you want applications to open faster. I have found that the 5400 drives in macs are pretty reliable, and I don't need faster speeds. You may get better battery life with the SSD, but you'll probably average around 5 hours or more as is. How much more do you need?

 

[dpace32]

What exactly does cMBP mean? I know rMBP is retina but I dont get what C is?

 

[MacVibe]

What exactly does cMBP mean? I know rMBP is retina but I dont get what C is?

c is for "cludgy" since it is bigger, heavier, and lower resolution than the retina MBP. (or maybe the c is for conventional)

 

[aixporter]

c is for "cludgy" since it is bigger, heavier, and lower resolution than the retina MBP. (or maybe the c is for conventional)

To be exact, c is meant to be "classic" macbook pro - also meaning pre-Retina.
They are expected to be phased out this October (rumor).

 

[designs216]

I know that on the MBA there was a very, very slight performance dip (I believe the AnandTech Review mentioned that, though I could be wrong). Power consumption would be less, I guess. You may see performance upgrades on the cMBP. That being said, if you're looking for a good machine on a budget, go for the one you mentioned.

Seems like a good deal but get it checked. The Genius bar is a good bet -- nice public place (w/ cameras) and the fee, if any, is justified for peace of mind.

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Do you think upgrading the HDD from 5400rpm to the SSD linked is a good move. And are there many compelling advantages to going for retina display? Also (sorry for the bombarding of questions) how long do you think my proposed modded Macbook Pro will last before it needs an upgrade to keep up with HD movies, running a 27" display and general uni activities including a little x code?

Thanks!

That Samsung was the best of that generation and I believe the model that Apple OEMs. The cool thing about the cMBP is that you can buy as is and save up to do the upgrades yourself later. The platter drive you removed can be re-purposed as Time Machine drive.

As for Retina, it is stunning but to me not worth the cost.