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Would it be stupid to buy a new Apple notebook now?

K

KevRC4130

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 1, 2004
278
0
Massachusetts
I have heard some talk of a g5 Powerbook, and iBook upgrades (with superdrives standard even) coming out very soon. I am going to be buying some sort of Apple notebook, but I dont want it to be out of date in a month. I checked the MacRumors Buying Guide, and both the iBook and Powerbook say it is mid production cycle. I really dont need a laptop right this minute, but I'd prefer if I had it by September, when school starts (which is the reason why I want one anyways). Should I wait, will something new be out by September, or close to September? One more thing, should I expect any back-to-school deals, or is the Cram and Jam deal the best I'll get?

Thanks!
 
KevRC4130 said:
I have heard some talk of a g5 Powerbook, and iBook upgrades (with superdrives standard even) coming out very soon. I am going to be buying some sort of Apple notebook, but I dont want it to be out of date in a month. I checked the MacRumors Buying Guide, and both the iBook and Powerbook say it is mid production cycle. I really dont need a laptop right this minute, but I'd prefer if I had it by September, when school starts (which is the reason why I want one anyways). Should I wait, will something new be out by September, or close to September? One more thing, should I expect any back-to-school deals, or is the Cram and Jam deal the best I'll get?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

i highly doubt they will be out this year..and i dont thing they will be out untill this time next year...they have to develop the chip to run cool enough in a small space they have to make it..put it in and make enough to get theem out...i dont thing that will be for ages yet....


i would buy now... enjoy...
 
i don't think you'll get anything better than cram and jam ($200 off is pretty much all you'll get). if you can wait, don't buy now. you never know what's going to happen in the near future. there may not be better specs, but maybe apple will reduce the prices like they did on the rev. b powerbooks. maybe wait for after the macworld paris thingy. even if you don't want to wait forever, it shouldn't be that much of a difference in waiting maybe until end of august or so.
 
do a thread search on this. it should help you out much more. believe me, youre the millionth person to wonder this. good luck looking for that apple notebook as well :p
 
KevRC4130 said:
I have heard some talk of a g5 Powerbook, and iBook upgrades (with superdrives standard even) coming out very soon.
Click to expand...

can you tell me where you've read this? G5 PB is not even rumored for coming out "very soon." and ditto for iBook update with SD standard "rumor." i don't know where you are getting these "rumors."

before sept., i think the $200 off iPod bundle is about as good as it gets for notebooks. next up in the revision is iMac in sept. if notebooks were meant to be updated for the back to school type of events, i imagine it would have happened by now.

do remember that even if a new machine is introduced before sept, it's shipping date will be later than the announcement. if you want a notebook in your hands by sept., then you might as well buy it now and get used to it.

i understand that you don't want newer ones to come out just a month after you buy one. but new ones usually come out (price drop or "real" update) usually within half a year. if you can't stomach your machine being replaced by something cheaper/better in matter of months, then you shouldn't buy one to begin with, ever.
 
I would buy it right now, or at least within the next few weeks or month. With your education discount, plus the Cram and Jam special, you can walk away with a sweet notebook and iPod for back to school, quite frugally. This way, you will have time to break ‘em in and get used to the keyboard, etc. and the overall feel of the machine.

If you choose the 15GB iPod, the price surfaces as only $69 for a $269 piece of equipment that is sure to please. If I weren’t planning to purchase a new iMac when they are announced at Mac Expo Paris come September, I would surely be hitting up this Cram and Jam deal.

Notebook updates aren’t expected for a while yet; and once they are updated, they won’t be too terribly better than the ones out right now. G5’s in notebooks are far in the future, my brother.
 
I dont know specifically where I heard these rumors, but I have been browsing the web alot looking for info on Powerbooks/iBooks, and some people have said that a G5 book will be out soon. I guess they were wrong.
 
Ya I doubt the next update will be huge as far as performance goes. But last year when they introduced the back to school special on notebooks and ipods, once the promotion was over they introduced new powerbooks and ibooks, though the ibooks were released later than the powerbooks. I look at the Cram & Jam special to be a really good way for Apple to get rid of all their extra stock of notebooks, in case they want to release new ones. Or do they do this every year? I only know of the one last year and this year. So, pretty much if you want a laptop before September go with the Cram & Jam special. If you don't need it before September and you don't care about the significant ipod discount, then you could wait and see if there are any new ones released (though it won't be a G5).
 
Seems like Apple portables get released either in March/April or October. But that's in a regular year; under the current conditions PowerBooks may not get updated until the G5 is ready for portables, and that may be sometime in 2005.

I think the current PowerBook and iBook lines are appealing, and the Cram & Jam promotion is too. Given the allure of these machines and the uncertain timing of upgrades, I don't think it would be stupid at all to buy now.


Crikey
 
Get one now. - If a current ibook or pb will do what you want it to do.

There will always be a newer, faster, machine available in the future. It's never ending...

I have just got a new powerbook and am very happy with it. I will of course be gutted when g5 powerbooks do arrive - but then again I don't like to buy 1st generation models. So i am happy with my g4 - mind you I might be stupid.... :D
 
Buy now! Without a doubt it's a great time to buy. Both lines have just been updated and G5's aren't expected until mid next year. When G5's do come out it's probably worth hanging on until rev b's anyway which is probably 18 to 24 months down the road!
 
Chaszmyr said:
Unless you can wait until January, buy now.
Click to expand...

Ugh... as much as I like to disagree, I have to give to him.

Its July... you're not going to get a g5 powerbook until the beginning of the year (March-April).. I mean seriously, you can't put your education on hold for 9 months because you want a g5 laptop.

The 12" powerbook is a great little machine, its cheap and effective... and I doubt that the 12" will even sport a g5 initially. I just don't know, but there are too many ifs and maybes to wait.... there won't be an update between now and September... so really, what are you waiting for?

Order it today and get it all ready for your first day of school. =)
 
In agreement

I kind of have to agree with the thread. The PB now seems very mature in its design cycle. I personally am waiting till mid september to purchase a new 12" PB. Mostly for financial reasons, and because I have a 15" TI on loan right now. Personally, I don't think the 12" will see anything but a speed bump to 1.5Ghz in the next revision. The 15 and 17 should see a G5 at maybe 1.8Ghz? It would be a miracle if they push it to 2Ghz. And even if they do announce which I forsee in October, anyone know if there is any events in October? This way they get a buying rush for the Christmas season. It still probably wouldn't ship until January at the earliest.
 
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