Macbook Pro : buy now or wait for a possible refresh?

[ewvaname]

Anyone in the know mind giving me some advice on when I should purchase my Macbook Pro? I'm not desperate by any means and I can afford to wait a few months. I'm just curious if anyone knows about a possible summer refresh of the form factor, chipset, etc.

Thanks

 

[jpeyton]

They are going to be refreshing the MacBook and MacBook Pro lineup very soon; I would wait as long as possible. At minimum, expect newer chipsets and CPUs from Intel; it's rumored they will shift the MacBook casings from plastic to aluminum like the Pros.

Apple seems to be shifting all their products from plastic to aluminum (iMacs, iPods, etc.).

 

[ewvaname]

Thanks JP, I appreciate the response.

 

[HarryP]

I would just buy one now or wait until the latest penryn models hit the apple refurb store. the 15 inch MBPs have penryn, LED backlighting, etc. I don't think it's worth waiting for an incremental update.

 

[TheStu]

Originally posted by: HarryP
I would just buy one now or wait until the latest penryn models hit the apple refurb store. the 15 inch MBPs have penryn, LED backlighting, etc. I don't think it's worth waiting for an incremental update.

Right, but the next update will most likely be a 9600GT (or ATi equivalent), montevina chipset, a possible case redesign, and of course, incremental everything else.

 

[Phylox]

Didn't they just do one like 2 months ago?

 

[onlyCOpunk]

9600m GT isn't out yet. The new ones would most likely have a 9500m GS. Unless they choose to go with ATI in which case they would have 3650's.

 

[JackBurton]

Originally posted by: TheStu

Originally posted by: HarryP
I would just buy one now or wait until the latest penryn models hit the apple refurb store. the 15 inch MBPs have penryn, LED backlighting, etc. I don't think it's worth waiting for an incremental update.

Right, but the next update will most likely be a 9600GT (or ATi equivalent), montevina chipset, a possible case redesign, and of course, incremental everything else.

I'm in the same boat, and I'm waiting until June 9-13 for the announcement of the new MacBook Pros. The thing is, the new MacBook Pros are rumored to be using the new Montevina platform.

The cool things about the new platform: mobile WiMax, mentions of Blu-Ray support (It would be AWESOME if Apple introduced Blu-Ray drives on the new MacBook Pros), higher FSB 1066MHz, faster processor option (dual core 2.8 GHz).

The REAL bad things about the new platform: It will use DDR3. I don't know if you've kept up with the pricing, but I can get 4GB (2x2GB) of OCZ DDR2-800 memory for the current gen MacBook Pros for $65. 4GB of DDR3-1066 is now selling for $530. Now I'm sure the prices will drop, but it ain't gonna get close to $65 for awhile.

Anyway, I'm waiting on the new Macs, but those memory prices are going to be brutal.

 

[Koing]

jackburton the memory price is SICK

what i want is hdmi output and not dvi. that would suit me better so i can hook the macbook pro to the receiver and then out to the plasma screen.

koing

 

[TheStu]

Originally posted by: Koing
jackburton the memory price is SICK

what i want is hdmi output and not dvi. that would suit me better so i can hook the macbook pro to the receiver and then out to the plasma screen.

koing

DVI is much more versatile than HDMI though, simply get an DVI-HDMI cable (same cost and picture quality as HDMI) and call it a day. Only difference is that DVI doesn't carry audio, which people seem to care about, however, MacBook Pro does digital optical out.

 

[JackBurton]

Originally posted by: TheStu

Originally posted by: Koing
jackburton the memory price is SICK

what i want is hdmi output and not dvi. that would suit me better so i can hook the macbook pro to the receiver and then out to the plasma screen.

koing

DVI is much more versatile than HDMI though, simply get an DVI-HDMI cable (same cost and picture quality as HDMI) and call it a day. Only difference is that DVI doesn't carry audio, which people seem to care about, however, MacBook Pro does digital optical out.

Apple is all about keeping a clean look, and HDMI is definitely the way to go for outputting to an HDTV. I'd say the perfect solution would be a dual link DVI connection (which MBPs already have), AND an HDMI. Here's to hoping. :beer:

 

[JackBurton]

Originally posted by: Koing
jackburton the memory price is SICK

what i want is hdmi output and not dvi. that would suit me better so i can hook the macbook pro to the receiver and then out to the plasma screen.

koing

Did I say the prices would come down? Well Crucial is now selling their 4GB (2x2GB) SO-DIMM DDR3-1066 memory for $739.99! :Q

 

[Throckmorton]

Originally posted by: JackBurton

Originally posted by: TheStu

Originally posted by: Koing
jackburton the memory price is SICK

what i want is hdmi output and not dvi. that would suit me better so i can hook the macbook pro to the receiver and then out to the plasma screen.

koing

DVI is much more versatile than HDMI though, simply get an DVI-HDMI cable (same cost and picture quality as HDMI) and call it a day. Only difference is that DVI doesn't carry audio, which people seem to care about, however, MacBook Pro does digital optical out.

Apple is all about keeping a clean look, and HDMI is definitely the way to go for outputting to an HDTV. I'd say the perfect solution would be a dual link DVI connection (which MBPs already have), AND an HDMI. Here's to hoping. :beer:

Isn't HDMI capable of dual link?

 

[JackBurton]

Originally posted by: Throckmorton

Originally posted by: JackBurton

Originally posted by: TheStu

Originally posted by: Koing
jackburton the memory price is SICK

what i want is hdmi output and not dvi. that would suit me better so i can hook the macbook pro to the receiver and then out to the plasma screen.

koing

DVI is much more versatile than HDMI though, simply get an DVI-HDMI cable (same cost and picture quality as HDMI) and call it a day. Only difference is that DVI doesn't carry audio, which people seem to care about, however, MacBook Pro does digital optical out.

Apple is all about keeping a clean look, and HDMI is definitely the way to go for outputting to an HDTV. I'd say the perfect solution would be a dual link DVI connection (which MBPs already have), AND an HDMI. Here's to hoping. :beer:

Isn't HDMI capable of dual link?

HDMI 1.3 supports up to 1440p or WQXGA (2560x1600), but I don't know of any 30" display (2560x1600) that can accept the full res through HDMI. Apple's 30" is still one single dual link DVI connection. Anyone have a 9800GX2 and a Dell 3008 WFP LCD that they can test with?