Mac Book Pro or No

[bleeb]

So I've been debating whether or not to buy a Mac Book Pro with a Grad Plus loan (8% interest yearly)...

This amounts to about 400-500 bucks of interest after 3 years.

I don't necessarily need it, but I'd like to have it.

so yay or nay?

Edit:

So I'm currently in dental school (1st year) This means I won't be making any income for 4 years (well... 3 years now that this year is almost over). Our school offers a "computer" education expense where I can tak on another 2G's to a Grad Plus loan (8% interest). Having this computer would be a luxury but at the same time, the expected ability to pay off the computer will probably be there in three years.

The projected education expense is ~200K, with loans and stuff, will probably be more. An additional 2K is (to me at least) a "drop in the bucket" in terms of financial costs.

Edit 2:

Actually, maybe a bit more of a drop in the bucket. =) Oh yeah, I forgot to say that I get double reward points for each dollar I spend AND I get an education discount from Apple.com.

 

[Injury]

Originally posted by: bleeb
I don't necessarily need it, but I'd like to have it.

I'd like to think you answered your own question.

Why would you take educational money to buy something that amounts to a toy? If you can't afford it without a long loan, you can't afford it PERIOD. Make the mature decision here.

 

[KeithTalent]

The answer is no.

KT

 

[Aharami]

no

 

[markgm]

Buying on credit? No.

 

[dabuddha]

Only chumps pay interest. I wouldn't get it unless it's interest free (and even then I wouldn't unless I had the money).

 

[SpunkyJones]

nope.

 

[bleeb]

Originally posted by: Injury

Originally posted by: bleeb
I don't necessarily need it, but I'd like to have it.

I'd like to think you answered your own question.

Why would you take educational money to buy something that amounts to a toy? If you can't afford it without a long loan, you can't afford it PERIOD. Make the mature decision here.

Yeah you're right... the only justification I can think of is to buy it when my current laptop breaks down.

 

[xanis]

If you were getting it without a loan I would say buy it because it's a pretty nice machine. However, despite a lot of practicality, it is mostly a toy, so I would just go save a bunch of money and buy a Windows laptop.

 

[Deeko]

A) Get a Dell, I just got a Dell XPS1530 with slightly higher specs than the $2200 Macbook pro, for $1600
B) Sign up for Dell's 12 months no interest
C) Get a better laptop for (factoring your interest into the equation) for $1000 less.

 

[poopaskoopa]

If you can get it without the loan, I'd say go for it. It's a sweet machine. I don't know how I lived without it for so long. :heart:

 

[bleeb]

Originally posted by: Deeko
A) Get a Dell, I just got a Dell XPS1530 with slightly higher specs than the $2200 Macbook pro, for $1600
B) Sign up for Dell's 12 months no interest
C) Get a better laptop for (factoring your interest into the equation) for $1000 less.

Apple has their 50 buck monthly payment financing, not sure if its interest free financing though (probably not)

 

[Dirigible]

Originally posted by: markgm
Buying on credit? No.

Borrowing to buy crap you don't need is a sure fire way to financial disaster.

 

[Anubis]

no even if it was free

 

[0roo0roo]

its worth it
but not on credit

 

[Bill Brasky]

Originally posted by: dabuddha
Only chumps pay interest. I wouldn't get it unless it's interest free (and even then I wouldn't unless I had the money).

:thumbsup:

 

[Baked]

Only if it's a gift.

 

[Pepsi90919]

it's not yay or nay

 

[Scarpozzi]

1. Laptops aren't good for gaming due to onboard graphics and power consumption restraints (generally the graphics cards share system memory) to save space and limit heat
2. Most people use them for word processing and web browsing at hotspots
3. They work great for clearing a digital memory card when you're on vacation
4. I suggest buying a cheap Dell ($700 range) and using XP or Linux (try SuSE or Ubuntu)
5. Don't go into debt on something like a computer. They depreciate way too fast and can easily be stolen or broken beyond what warranties will cover.

 

[XxPrOdiGyxX]

do it! you will help the economy.

 

[Throckmorton]

Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
1. Laptops aren't good for gaming due to onboard graphics and power consumption restraints (generally the graphics cards share system memory) to save space and limit heat
2. Most people use them for word processing and web browsing at hotspots
3. They work great for clearing a digital memory card when you're on vacation
4. I suggest buying a cheap Dell ($700 range) and using XP or Linux (try SuSE or Ubuntu)
5. Don't go into debt on something like a computer. They depreciate way too fast and can easily be stolen or broken beyond what warranties will cover.

Macbook Pro has an 8600M GT 256 or 512mb.

 

[sdifox]

Whiskey Tango Bravo... so you are the target audience of subprime mortgage. Even worse, a mac...

 

[Baked]

Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
1. Laptops aren't good for gaming due to onboard graphics and power consumption restraints (generally the graphics cards share system memory) to save space and limit heat
2. Most people use them for word processing and web browsing at hotspots
3. They work great for clearing a digital memory card when you're on vacation
4. I suggest buying a cheap Dell ($700 range) and using XP or Linux (try SuSE or Ubuntu)
5. Don't go into debt on something like a computer. They depreciate way too fast and can easily be stolen or broken beyond what warranties will cover.

You can raid in WoW perfectly fine w/ the spec on the MacBook Pro.

 

[hanoverphist]

Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
1. Laptops aren't good for gaming due to onboard graphics and power consumption restraints (generally the graphics cards share system memory) to save space and limit heat
2. Most people use them for word processing and web browsing at hotspots
.

these two points are... pointless. i play all kinds of games on my laptop, like wow, half life 2 and others like it. there is no graphics lag, and no integrated video. i have many laptops in our company that are used as desktop replacements the guys take home with them to catch up on work. they arent used for wireless hotspot web surfing, since the wireless either isnt installed or is disabled. some (like mine) are used for real time programming of PLCs and scada systems. lots of people do real work on their laotops, assuming they are all just toys for surfing the web, light emails and some word processing is ridiculous.

 

[Chiropteran]

Originally posted by: Baked

Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
1. Laptops aren't good for gaming due to onboard graphics and power consumption restraints (generally the graphics cards share system memory) to save space and limit heat

You can raid in WoW perfectly fine w/ the spec on the MacBook Pro.

He said it's not good for gaming. Raiding in WoW is no game.