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Time for a new computer, Need Help!

aphex

aphex

Moderator<br>All Things Apple
Moderator
Ok, so I sold my mac mini, 20" LCD and lenovo is allowing me to return my 7 month old x60 tablet which was a lemon- so in total I ended up with no computers and $2900 in my pocket.

Ideally I would like to have a desktop & a laptop, but since I can only use 1 at a time I am thinking of just using a laptop and plug in a nice LCD when I'm home.

I already picked up a clearance Acer 24" for $299 but haven't decided if I will keep it.

Is the MacBook a viable option to use in a desktop situation at home? I already have the new BT keyboard and a BT mouse.

MacBook ($1025) + 200gb 7200rpm ($150) + dvdrw ($70) + 4gb ram ($70) + 24" LCD ($300) = $1615

So I would pocket about $1200 after all is said and done.

Good idea?
 
If that DVD-RW is an external, then yes that sounds like a really good idea. But if you are planning on dropping that into the MacBook, then you have to make sure that it is a 9.5mm drive, otherwise it won't fit.
 
Originally posted by: TheStu
If that DVD-RW is an external, then yes that sounds like a really good idea. But if you are planning on dropping that into the MacBook, then you have to make sure that it is a 9.5mm drive, otherwise it won't fit.
Click to expand...

It dosen't take the same one as the mini?
 
ooo, your right. Ok... so maybe i'll just get the higher level white model then...

$130 more;

200mhz faster
DVD-RW preinstalled
40gb larger hd to sell
 
I think thats a good option. I actually really like the Apple keyboard (wired one), the mighty mouse is bad though. I think you should get the additional warranty. Apple laptops are great, but it still a laptop and if anything goes bad after the first year it will be pricey to fix. If it was me I would sell it before the year ends anyways, because Macbook's hold their resale value pretty well. Make sure you get the faster cpu as some one mentioned.
 
Originally posted by: aphex
Originally posted by: TheStu
If that DVD-RW is an external, then yes that sounds like a really good idea. But if you are planning on dropping that into the MacBook, then you have to make sure that it is a 9.5mm drive, otherwise it won't fit.
Click to expand...

It dosen't take the same one as the mini?
Click to expand...

No, both it and the MacBook Pro use a 9.5mm drive. That is how they were able to make the pro so thin, the whole thing closed is 1"... its no Air of course, but still thinner than almost any other 15" machine with an 8600.

Anyway, back to the MacBook, as a test, I put my ibook's optical drive into my system, the topcase will not fit. I cannot put the machine back together with a 12mm drive in there, which is what the Mini uses.

I say go for the mid-range one (see if you can get it refurbed to lessen the blow).
 
I have a MBP that is my primary computer. Plugging in the external monitor is great. I do have one suggestion though: get the fastest internal hard drive you can. On my MBP, I have an eSATA expresscard that I plug an external HD into, and the speed difference is significant between my internal 5400rpm and my external. My internal drive seems to top out about 30 MB/s and my external about 57 MB/s (from Activity Monitor). One of the nice things about the MBP is the expresscard slot. I won't call my internal drive slow, but it could be faster.
 
Think about a refurbished MacBook or MacBook Pro from Apple's online store.
You can save hundreds of $$, and the only real difference between that & new is a brown box.
 
They have a MBP refurb for $1499 right now, but its last gen w/o the LED screen... I'll hold out to see how much the MB refurbs come back in at...

The only issue is that ill be paying $65 in tax on 1k, while the new ones at Amazon have a $75 rebate and no tax.
 
Originally posted by: umrigar
Think about a refurbished MacBook or MacBook Pro from Apple's online store.
You can save hundreds of $$, and the only real difference between that & new is a brown box.
Click to expand...

Yup! Just got me a Macbook (Blakbook!) this morning. Under $1000, plus I bought the $100 printer, which has a $100 rebate, which I will sell on ebay (they are going for about $40-50).

My MB is coming with C2D 2.0Ghz, 120GB HDD and 1GB of ram. I already have a 2GB stick coming from Newegg, and will likely order another 1GB stick soon for a total of 3GB...

Although, I have been thinking about another 2GB stick as well, even though it can't use it all (Not a Santa Rosa MB).

I almost felt bad for it not being a Santa Rosa... but at that price, and for what I do, the Intel 950 will be fine.

Now, I need to sell my MB Pro! FS/FT forums, here I come!
 
pastor: they had a blackbook for under 1k??? Dang, i would have totally jumped...

Can't be that much of a speed diff from the santa rosa, the only downside as you said is the Intel 950 instead of the newer graphics...
 
It is like the 4th one I have seen in the last three days... they are out there... just gotta get them early!

Yes, the speed difference is not that much... downfall is the graphics (which as I said will not be that big a deal to me) and the ability to run 4GB of ram... That I was hoping for, but for under a G, totally worth it!
 
Originally posted by: pastorjay
It is like the 4th one I have seen in the last three days... they are out there... just gotta get them early!

Yes, the speed difference is not that much... downfall is the graphics (which as I said will not be that big a deal to me) and the ability to run 4GB of ram... That I was hoping for, but for under a G, totally worth it!
Click to expand...

So is that from the previous gen? (right before the rosa), or from two steps back?

Either way, sounds like a great deal.

I have 4gb of ram on the way ($60), so i could always just sell the 2nd stick and use the spare 1gb i have laying around. hmmmmm.
 
Yes, it was previous gen... I am going to try the 2.5 GB first and see if it is enough. If I only ran OSX it would be fine, but I have to run windows in a VM... thankfully it is still XP that I am running, not near the memory hog that Vista is... although, I did just get a 64bit copy of Vista... HMMM!
 
well I ran XP on my mini in parallels with only 2gb and it ran perfectly fine...
 
Heck, I ran Vista on my MacBook when I only had 1GB total, I was only running 1-2 things at a time in Vista, but it did run admirably smoothly.

Also, about the really fast drive issue.... My basic understanding is that a higher capacity, lower speed drive is just as fast, if not faster than a lower capacity, higher speed drive. So, those new 320GB 5400RPM drive are probably as fast as the 200GB 7200RPM drives.
 
I went from a 80 gig 5400 hard drive to a Hitachi 200 GB 7200 RPM drive and it was literally night and day difference. The 200 gig loads so much faster and feels more consistent. Especially while multitasking, loading up dashboard, running VMware etc...
 
Originally posted by: pastorjay
Originally posted by: umrigar
Think about a refurbished MacBook or MacBook Pro from Apple's online store.
You can save hundreds of $$, and the only real difference between that & new is a brown box.
Click to expand...

Yup! Just got me a Macbook (Blakbook!) this morning. Under $1000, plus I bought the $100 printer, which has a $100 rebate, which I will sell on ebay (they are going for about $40-50).

My MB is coming with C2D 2.0Ghz, 120GB HDD and 1GB of ram. I already have a 2GB stick coming from Newegg, and will likely order another 1GB stick soon for a total of 3GB...

Although, I have been thinking about another 2GB stick as well, even though it can't use it all (Not a Santa Rosa MB).

I almost felt bad for it not being a Santa Rosa... but at that price, and for what I do, the Intel 950 will be fine.

Now, I need to sell my MB Pro! FS/FT forums, here I come!
Click to expand...

hey man i ordered a refurb too, mine was 800 though. white C2D 2.0Ghz, 60GB HDD and 512GB of ram & superdrive


didnt need the hardrive space since i have my desktop as a file server with 1TB.

oh and i ordered 2x1gb sticks from new egg, 17 bucks each.

Still waiting for fedex to deliver it today, very excited
 
You might also want to consider getting a higher-end iMac for your home and just carry around an Eee PC. Weight/form factor make a big difference as a student if you carry it to class to browse around and just take notes. Besides, it would probably suit you more to have fun on at home than having to hookup and power the macbook every time.
 
Originally posted by: aphex
anyone know if the refurbs include iLife '08?
Click to expand...

From what I understand they do... My MBP refurb had iLife 06

I will know for sure some time next week when mine arrives... I know it has Leopard.
 
cool, thanks!

Think I'm gonna refuse delivery on my $60 4gb ram as it seems the max on most of these refurbs is only 2gb
 
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