Would like experienced opinion about MBP vs new MBP

[840quadra]

Dude, your picture looks off center. Can you please take one that is not at an angle that favors the new MBP? Also, are both brightness settings at maximum? Thanks.

To the OP, you should get back $500 or an upgrade to the new MBP. It's your right. PS, in the future, buy from apple.com

I won't speculate on the angle of the photo, however in my experience with having a new MBP and comparing it to the previous model, you have more useable viewing angles with the new model than the outgoing. I am not thrilled with only having Glass (read glossy), but the panel itself appears to be superior in this regard on the new model. Would be nice to see someone make a quicktime VR with two Macbook models side-by-side for comparison.

I don't really have a recommendation for the OP, but I don't agree with ggjstudios observation of only cosmetic changes. Having solid aluminum with no plastic gasket framing it, makes the new model far superior in overall structural rigidity. The old MBP was far superior to any Dell or HP in this regard, however it does not match the new unibody models. There are also more and more benchmarks showing that the new models have superior graphics cores, and offer some features (offload of h.264 decoding) that currently is only supported by the new models. CPU to CPU the differences are not worth mentioning, but if you do graphics intensive work, the new model may be better equipped to make your work time shorter overall.

 

[MrJingles]

By searching the forums, you'll find dozens of threads on this topic, filled with hundreds of opinions and recommendations. The bottom line is, there's not enough of a difference between the new MBP and the previous version to worry about. In fact, I'm very happy I still have my early 2008 model, instead of the new "GlassBook" with the black keyboard and glossy screen. It all depends on what you prefer, but there's not enough of a difference to feel "cheated" by buying an earlier model. While you could get a discount by buying a refurbished model from Apple, you wouldn't get the 2 years same as cash, as you did.

Tried it out for myself, didn't like the 'glassbook' (nice catch word by the way) even bumped up to 100% brightness didn't cut the glare/reflections BUT BUT BUT the build, hardware is excellent and even though the gesture pad takes some training (I kept accidentally hitting two fingers and opening stuff like the finder, expose') so if you don't mind the super gloss then by all means get the new one, but if you want matte you shouldn't lose any sleep because there is such a small difference in hardware under the hood.

 

[DoNoHarm]

I won't speculate on the angle of the photo, however in my experience with having a new MBP and comparing it to the previous model, you have more useable viewing angles with the new model than the outgoing.

The other KEY factor when comparing screens is whether or not BOTH are matte or glossy. Matte will of course seem a little less bright at an extreme angle.

 

[840quadra]

The other KEY factor when comparing screens is whether or not BOTH are matte or glossy. Matte will of course seem a little less bright at an extreme angle.

That is a good point but the coating shouldn't really effect the overall viewing angle unless the matte coating is polarized. Also, the angle in the picture above is hardly what one should consider extreme. Anyway, does anyone know if the matte screen on the previous MBP was polarized?

If it was, that would likely cause that picture to be even more in question, however I don't think the angle used for that photograph should make too much of a difference. (but that is only my opinion)

 

[MowingDevil]

Hey All,

I have a small dilemma and I'm driving my husband crazy. I'm sure some of you are more educated than I, so here it is. Last Saturday, we kinda jumped in and made the decision to buy a new Macbook Pro because Best Buy was offering 2 years same as cash and my darling hubby had said if we could ever do it with 2 years same as cash, he would buy me my snazzy new macbook.

I have used macs alot in the past, but I've currently been using more PC's just from the price/work aspect of things. Anyway, we didn't over analyze our purchase or research it, we just bought it. The next day, we learned that the new ones were coming out Tuesday, just 2 days after we bought ours. The guy who helped us in the store was very helpful, if a little pushy. Constantly warning us how the 2 year financing could end at any point maybe even tomorrow (it didn't). Never once did he mention the new models and certainly not the price reduction.

Aside from the obvious price reduction that took place this week, I'm feeling a little shorted and unhappy with my purchase, even though I like my new MBP. I went in today and talked to them, not a manager though. They said I could return it within 14 days, but they would charge me a restocking fee because the laptop was opened. I understand restocking fees and open merchandise, I own my own retail business and deal with those issues every day. At the same time, if my clerk had failed to mention, hey there are new models coming out next week, I would make it right.

Here's my question to you guys, is there enough of a difference, should I be content or should I pitch a fit and see if they'll exchange the system? They did say they would refund the price drop just by bringing my receipt in, should I just enjoy the extra $200 and be happy?

Thanks for any advice,
Priscilla

Enjoy your new computer but definitely go back and get the price drop difference refunded to you.

 

[MowingDevil]

I'm very torn at this point. If I can't get the restocking fee waived, I'm pretty sure I'll just go with the price adjustment (which they did offer me AFTER we asked). I know they are motivated to move the old models, but honesty was circumvented in this transaction. IF I had went to the Apple store, they would have tried to sell me the old one as well, BUT they would have mentioned the new models. If they were in my store, I would mention "Hey, the new model comes out next week or are announced next week." I want my customers to be informed, even if they're like me and are too lazy to do the leg work.

And, I guess that's mostly what it comes down to, I'm mad at myself. I had 3 different people I could have called that would have said that the new ones were being released and I didn't even do that

Hey Priscilla, keep in mind it might not have been dishonesty. BB employees aren't necessarily up to speed on Apple products to begin w/ let alone updated (which Apple keeps a tight lip on). Sure we knew there was an event coming here on the boards but thats an obsession here. I don't think your average BB employee was put in the loop until the day OF the announcement. Who knows but there's a very high probability the person who you dealt w/ didn't know.