Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
I think of MIT as a prestigious standard, and certainly not implying that I'm attending 2 colleges at once. I was just trying to point out the tech specs for MIT Macs. Sorry if I offended anyone.

Anyway, I think I can get Autocad at a much lower price, 'cos my uncle distributed software, --->cheaper price. Problem solved.

No offense taken! Just confused :)

Their computer offerings are not terribly good deals. Although, they are considerably better than Singapore's!
 
No offense taken! Just confused :)

Their computer offerings are not terribly good deals. Although, they are considerably better than Singapore's!
S$=/=$

base price of 13" is S$1648 from apple, then add the software and applecare and the singapore deal also isn't that bad.
 
S$=/=$

base price of 13" is S$1648 from apple, then add the software and applecare and the singapore deal also isn't that bad.

Base 13" for Malaysia is RM3399(edu discount), S$1648=RM4035, edu price S$1498=RM3668. Malaysia's price is still cheaper.

Edit: This post was totally BS. Ignore this, read the next one.
 
Last edited:
prices are not the same around the world... and now looking back on it those are S$, not USD so you would need to look on apples singapore site to determine how much more it actually is costing.

Most unis offer very good deals when you buy through them.

Indeed. Prices vary considerably. In my case, I probably ended up paying a couple of hundred more than I would have in the States because of exchange rates. But, I didn't have much choice. A conversion of Singapore into USD yields an awfully expensive computer, without much cost savings.

I disagree about offering very good deals. In my experience, it varies. I think it is a complex process involving multiple entities (administrations, university stores, computer services, etc.). Universities have deals with manufacturers that they negotiate, and they also finance the purchases, so that a university with a solid endowment (financial stability) will probably be able to support tech initiatives more than one with a weaker endowment.

My primary university is strong in the humanities, and in general, there are a whole lot of Macs on campus. I think it is at least partly because they are priced almost the same as the Dells :)

I am spending a year at another one where I have seen very few students with computers, and almost no Macs at all. The university has no wifi, and although I have not looked into computer prices (if they sell them at all), the electronic gadgetry in the campus store is surprisingly expensive.
 
Base 13" for Malaysia is RM3399(edu discount), S$1648=RM4035, edu price S$1498=RM3668. Malaysia's price is still cheaper.
I never said their price wasn't cheaper, it probably is. In fact, the US tends to have the cheapest prices on apple products if you calculate exchange rates. The problem is getting international shipping.

What I was comparing was the base singapore prices to the prices from the university. People were thinking the uni page you linked was in US prices, which would make that computer VERY expensive, even a rip-off, however if you compare it to apple store prices in the same currency, it's not a bad deal (maybe when compared to other countries, again i'm comparing it within the same currency.)
 
S$=/=$

base price of 13" is S$1648 from apple, then add the software and applecare and the singapore deal also isn't that bad.

I have to disagree.

The university price for the base Apple (an outdated model, but we won't mark them down for that here) is 2632 SD. That is 2119 USD.

The base price for the Apple (new model) is 1648 SD. That is 1327 USD. So, that is a difference of approximately 1000 SD. Yet, apple care costs only 548 SD.

I don't know the cost of Adobe and Office, but if student prices are marked down as they are in the states, I don't see how the university is passing on any savings to the students. There might be an element of convenience (although I doubt it in a small place like Singapore), but that is about it. I stand by my assertion that university deals vary considerably by institution, and you have to carefully consider whether it is really worth it.

Unless they offer some really sweet software packages (MIT didn't seem to have much of anything, but I didn't read it closely either), I have found it better to purchase on my own. Software purchased separately at the university can sometimes be a good deal (different prices negotiated?), and I usually take that option.
 
I have to disagree.

The university price for the base Apple (an outdated model, but we won't mark them down for that here) is 2632 SD. That is 2119 USD.

The base price for the Apple (new model) is 1648 SD. That is 1327 USD. So, that is a difference of approximately 1000 SD. Yet, apple care costs only 548 SD.

I don't know the cost of Adobe and Office, but if student prices are marked down as they are in the states, I don't see how the university is passing on any savings to the students. There might be an element of convenience (although I doubt it in a small place like Singapore), but that is about it. I stand by my assertion that university deals vary considerably by institution, and you have to carefully consider whether it is really worth it.
First of all, you can't try to exchange the currency to USD, we have much better prices than most other places, just keep it in singapore dollars (whatever they are called) for the comparrison.

Second, it is not an outdated model, 2.3ghz dual core i5 is the exact same processor in the latest (2011) mbp models here in the states

Price of base 13" at singapore apple store is S$1648, Uni price is S$2,129

Difference of S$481 for Office, Apple Care, and CS5 Web.They also include GST (which i'm sure you would need to add to apples offering, not quite sure what it is gen. sales tax?)

edit-The price of apple care alone from singapore apple store is S$388 so you are spending S$100 for office and cs5 web, not exactly a bad deal at all.
 
I am getting tired. Gotta go to bed. I totally forgot to mention the whole basis of my complaint about the Singapore price! I should have added that with the student discount you can save about 300 USD (well, that is what I saved purchasing in Japan) and that works out to about 372 SD, so I think it would be far cheaper to purchase someplace besides that university store.
 
I am getting tired. Gotta go to bed. I totally forgot to mention the whole basis of my complaint about the Singapore price! I should have added that with the student discount you can save about 300 USD (well, that is what I saved purchasing in Japan) and that works out to about 372 SD, so I think it would be far cheaper to purchase someplace besides that university store.
depends where he has access to buying the computer from, he can't buy it from the US apple store with the US student discount and expect apple to ship it to singapore, so your advice is useless unless he knows someone in the states that can get him the computer for US prices.
 
First of all, you can't try to exchange the currency to USD, we have much better prices than most other places, just keep it in singapore dollars (whatever they are called) for the comparrison.

Second, it is not an outdated model, 2.3ghz dual core i5 is the exact same processor in the latest (2011) mbp models here in the states

Price of base 13" at singapore apple store is S$1648, Uni price is S$2,129

Difference of S$481 for Office, Apple Care, and CS5 Web.They also include GST (which i'm sure you would need to add to apples offering, not quite sure what it is gen. sales tax?)

edit-The price of apple care alone from singapore apple store is S$388 so you are spending S$100 for office and cs5 web, not exactly a bad deal at all.

*sigh*
My tired brain is all messed up. I converted to show that I am not talking about a USD v SD price difference. But, of course, that was made totally irrelevant by the fact that I was using the MBA price and specs. I don't know why my brain latched onto that. Maybe it represents a repressed desire for one of those machines.

OK. You win :) I can't even keep my eyes open now...

edit--stop refuting me! i have to sleep. he is a student in singapore. i assume singapore (like japan) has an equivalent b2s program (although i got to purchase an ipod instead of a nano). hence, the savings. my advice is not useless... sleep. see your response tomorrow.
 
*sigh*
My tired brain is all messed up. I converted to show that I am not talking about a USD v SD price difference. But, of course, that was made totally irrelevant by the fact that I was using the MBA price and specs. I don't know why my brain latched onto that. Maybe it represents a repressed desire for one of those machines.

OK. You win :) I can't even keep my eyes open now...
haha it's all good, and yeah of course if you convert it to USD it will look like a ripoff, problem is if the OP can't get it from the US, US prices are meaningless to him. I was just showing that, compared to apple store prices in the SAME country, the uni is actually a good deal.
 
This is lol. I was lol'ng all the way, reading your posts. Well I have relatives in the States, Canada, as well as Singapore, and I'm currently living in Malaysia, so I don't think there's a problem with shipping and stuff. Anyway, we totally forgot about the main question here, it's getting late, and I'm tired as well. Thanks for the entertainment(LOL). Good night people.

And yes, Singapore has a B2S programme.
http://store.apple.com/sg/browse/campaigns/back_to_school
 
Last edited:
This is lol. I was lol'ng all the way, reading your posts. Well I have relatives in the States, Canada, as well as Singapore, and I'm currently living in Malaysia, so I don't think there's a problem with shipping and stuff. Anyway, we totally forgot about the main question here, it's getting late, and I'm tired as well. Thanks for the entertainment(LOL). Good night people.

And yes, Singapore has a B2S programme.
http://store.apple.com/sg/browse/campaigns/back_to_school

all of that math for nothing! jeez. that is a year's worth of mistaken math for me. now you owe me :)

if you can pick up the mac in kl, that'd obviously be easiest and apparently affordable. anyhow, back to your original post, ask someone at your university, particularly current students. nothing like firsthand knowledge.
 
I think I'll go with the MIT's base 13" with the i7 processor. Plus an iPad 2. Plus an iTouch. A few cases here and there. Apps. External monitor. Magic mouse. Pens. Paper. Okay.

Question aside, how/where do you learn to typre without looking at the keyboard?
 
i would pick the 13 inch, the others are just too big and their benefits don't really make up for the extra weight/size. My MBP 13 inch serves me quite well for my workload and i carry it everywhere. It hasnt failed me yet :D
 
I think I'll go with the MIT's base 13" with the i7 processor. Plus an iPad 2. Plus an iTouch. A few cases here and there. Apps. External monitor. Magic mouse. Pens. Paper. Okay.

Question aside, how/where do you learn to typre without looking at the keyboard?

you practice a LOT; when i was in 4th grade i couldnt type for ***** but after a year of skyping, blogging, and playing Call of Duty online i can type with my eyes closed. literally.
 
Wow. I wish I could do that.:eek:

It's actually really easy. As the previous poster said, practice is the key (so to speak!).

I asked for a typewriter for my birthday when I was an elementary school student. I outgrew it, though. I would type so fast it would jam. I took classes in high school. By then, everything was electric and I could avoid jamming things up. Computers with their super nice keyboards and speedy programs are wonderful! I've always loved typing, LOL.

Now they have great programs for learning. I have bought a few over the years, but I get plenty of practice with work and so forth, so I haven't used any of them for a long, long time.

Here is a link to some typing software. Give it a try. It only takes a few minutes a day. Once you get the keyboard down your speed will improve in leaps and bounds.

http://macinmind.com/?pid=2&progid=2&subpid=1
 
I have a question.

Do you like nice things?

If the answer is yes and can afford it, get the 17 and never look back :)

I like nice things and i can afford it but still wouldn't want a 17''. I don't see how 13'' or 15'' is less nice than 17''.

You must be an idiot to have this thought.
 
I still think you should look into what programs you are going to need. If you are running autocad you are going to be much happier with the 15" and it's not that much more expensive than the high end 13" and you will be getting a quad core instead of dual core processor, much better GPU, and the option for hi-res AG screen.

Just my .02
 
base 15"

Only reason to get the high 13 would be if you needed extra processing power, which if you do you may as well upgrade to the base 15 where you can get a quad core, better gpu, bigger screen and the option for hi-res AG screen.
 
You should be aware that there is a $300 difference between the two machines, right?
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.