Would you recommend a MacBook Pro?

[Aatos.1]

One can tell all the warm and fuzzy stories they want.

It's a flippin computer!

I use both, as I work in a cross platform environment.

My new MBP, is my 15th Apple laptop, and my new ThinkPad is my 16th one of those.

The Point? Both are premium products and do excellent work.

Me? Personally I have a certain preference for Mac, and have for a long time.

But I will never bash a PC especially now with Windows 7, as they are very good machines.

 

[ragu]

A US billing address is required to purchase anything from the US Apple store. Yours best bet is either Amazon or "fingers crossed" Ebay. They are both much cheaper and don't care if you have a US debit/credit card or not

No reason why your dad can not buy in an Apple Store and bring it back to you.

 

[RedElectro]

I used to have Macs years ago, but lost interest in the mid 90's. After buying an iPhone 4, I was looking for a new laptop and thought "the phone's pretty good, let's go back to Mac" - I bought a 15" MacBook Pro i7 and I can't really fault it! It's fast, reliable, easy to use and looks good!

If you can afford it - then do it... takes a bit of getting used to, but well worth it in the end.

 

[Miss Terri]

you don't really need a macbook pro tbh, the white macbook would be fine and it's cheaper too. the only plus the MBP has is the backlit keyboard and the external design...If you get the white macbook and add 2 gb of ram , the price is still lower than the MBP and you have the same processor-ram-gpu, everything.

You're forgetting the aluminum unibody, the backlit keyboard, the SD card slot and the ability to go up to 8GB of RAM if you so desire (a nice "cheap" future upgrade). Those are all the reasons that I bought a 13" MBP, and I'm glad I got it instead of the 13" MacBook. The differences are small, but so is the price difference (IMO of course).

Yes, and in addition the MBP has a Firewire port, an external battery monitor, an infrared port (for using a remote control), and slightly better speakers (I think there is an added subwoofer).

So it's more than just the metal case, and the extra 2g RAM.

I actually prefer plastic Macs, but I did not want to give up Firewire or the external battery monitor (which previously were on the plastic MB but were taken away). The other additional items were nice bonuses (I had always wanted to try that backlit keyboard!).

Just a tip, the aluminium kinda "cuts" your hands if you spend a lot of time on the macbook, although most people get used to it.

That is a point; sadly the new unibody plastic MB also has a sharp edge. That is my one beef with all my Mac laptops since my iBook. I hope that changes soon.

No reason why your dad can not buy in an Apple Store and bring it back to you.

Yes, but the OP was talking about a re-furb and I don't think they sell re-furbs anywhere except online, do they?

OP, you might check to see if there is a Micro Center store in Chicago; they have had new MBP 13"ers on special for $999 and they are an authorized Apple Reseller

 

[DarkVinda]

i've been working with macs for years and love em - but i also work with laptops either software or hardware due to my work...

i wont ever bash one over the other

but i love my macbook pro

i get people asking all the time - i want a mac - and my response is what for...if its f/book and email then i tell most of them to get any crappy laptop from pc world...

but if someone is going to 1/2 use it for something decent then i tell em the extra ££ might be worth it...

i've had a g3 g4 ibookg4 and my left arm (sorry macbook pro) and also was given off a mac loving customer a powerbook 520...thats in work open on the desk just to see customers faces... LOL