Would you buy a MacBook Right Now?

[dmw16]

Right now I have a MacBook (Core2Duo) and the wife needs a new laptop and I am getting deeper into my graduate program. So I am thinking of getting a MacBook Pro and giving her my MacBook.

But are the new MacBooks close enough that it might be worth waiting?

 

[Eug]

Up here in Canada they have free iPod touch with an education MacBook purchase.

However, they're due for an update too.

http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/#MacBook
http://www.ipodnn.com/articles...ure.mac.ipod.shortage/

 

[Injury]

Define close. How long can you hold out?

Would you really be THAT upset if you buy the current model and the newer model has some new feature at a higher cost?

 

[dmw16]

Depends on the features and the higher cost. I would probably want it by the beginning of January.

 

[Kmax82]

I'm betting that there will be new Macbooks/Macbook Pros come October, so... unless you really need the computer... I would personally wait, mainly because I hate to be on that end, when I realize if I had just held out for 2 months I could've gotten more memory/HDD space/better screen, etc... Whatever the condition would be.

 

[JackBurton]

I would LOVE to see the MacBook Air updated to 4GB of memory and a SATA 120GB hard drive. That's all I need to buy one.

 

[manly]

If you really want or need an iPod touch and like the plastic MacBooks, now's a real good time if you can swing the Back to School deal.

Otherwise, you can wait until roughly early October for a redesigned model (according to rumors, metal casing is likely).

Umm, your reply mentioned January so I would just suggesting waiting it out.

 

[aphex]

I would wait till sept if you could. The last apple earnings call hinted at a lower price point for their computers, so there is a good shot the macbook prices will come down a bit.

 

[JC86]

I don't know if this would be what you're waiting for but I've heard rumors of a macbook touch that would integrate some of the intuitive touch features of the iphone into its new lineup. I'm really interested to see what that implementation will look like and am holding out to see if i wanna make the switch.

 

[Eug]

Originally posted by: Eug
Up here in Canada they have free iPod touch with an education MacBook purchase.

However, they're due for an update too.

http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/#MacBook
http://www.ipodnn.com/articles...ure.mac.ipod.shortage/

Too bad you're not up here in Canada. I'd sell you my MacBook.

P.S. I just picked up a (slow) G4 800 iBook to replace my MacBook 2.0 (and pick up a few bux on the way). Sounds strange, but I figure I can use this machine until some new MacBook model comes out with some sort of new-fangled must-have feature, whether it'd be this year or next year.

 

[randomlinh]

i'd almost say buy now... because it seems like they are getting a redesign the next refresh. And personally, I hate getting first generation major refreshes. and you can sell that ipod touch to compensate for some of the pain of not getting the new refreshes

 

[silverpig]

I just bit on the Canada education deal. The wife got a new macbook and I got a 16 GB touch. $1149 - $100 = $1049 for the macbook and $419 - $319 = $100 for the iPod.

 

[Eug]

Originally posted by: silverpig
I just bit on the Canada education deal. The wife got a new macbook and I got a 16 GB touch. $1149 - $100 = $1049 for the macbook and $419 - $319 = $100 for the iPod.

Yep. Awesome deal.

Even if a new machine comes out in October, the education deal won't be back until next spring (assuming it does come back).

 

[sourceninja]

I would stay away from anything with an nvidia video card in it right now. The fail rates on them are very high due to a manufacturing flaw and it is not clear yet how many noteboooks will be affected.

 

[dotcom173]

i bought my macbook pro last summer right around june-ish. i think i actually bought it a day after they upgraded from 2.13 to 2.2 ghz and 2.33 to 2.4 ghz, not knowing about the upgrade before-hand. however, im happy with the purchase, despite the fact that i THINK a newer macbook pro came out about 3 months later, with more hdd space, possibly faster/new cpu, and some other tweaks. because it wasnt anything drastic, like a complete model change, i didnt care too much

 

[dmw16]

Now that I want an ipod touch, I am thinking that it might be worth getting the macbook now. assuming it has a warranty I am not too worried about the nvidia issues (although I am not aware of what they are).

 

[Kmax82]

Yea.. I have an nVidia graphics card in my Macbook Pro, and I haven't had any issues, but it might just be on new models that are currently being produced.

 

[dmw16]

Also, with a student discount, the MacBook Pro is only $1400 and you still get the free iPod Touch.

 

[RESmonkey]

No. The GPU concerns.

 

[sourceninja]

Originally posted by: dmw16
Now that I want an ipod touch, I am thinking that it might be worth getting the macbook now. assuming it has a warranty I am not too worried about the nvidia issues (although I am not aware of what they are).

An estimated 18 million laptops with NVidia G84 and G86 graphics chips sold in the past one and a half years are experiencing high failure rates. Various laptop models from multiple manufacturers (Apple, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and others) are affected. NVidia blames it on bad chip packaging causing thermal failure. BIOS updates that turn the laptop fan on more frequently or permanently have been released by Dell and HP. The cynical interpretation is that this is likely to only delay the problem until the warranty has expired.

I'm not sure how bad it really is, but some sites are saying it's like the RROD only for your laptop.

 

[Kmax82]

Originally posted by: sourceninja

Originally posted by: dmw16
Now that I want an ipod touch, I am thinking that it might be worth getting the macbook now. assuming it has a warranty I am not too worried about the nvidia issues (although I am not aware of what they are).

An estimated 18 million laptops with NVidia G84 and G86 graphics chips sold in the past one and a half years are experiencing high failure rates. Various laptop models from multiple manufacturers (Apple, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and others) are affected. NVidia blames it on bad chip packaging causing thermal failure. BIOS updates that turn the laptop fan on more frequently or permanently have been released by Dell and HP. The cynical interpretation is that this is likely to only delay the problem until the warranty has expired.

I'm not sure how bad it really is, but some sites are saying it's like the RROD only for your laptop.

Wow.. well that puts my GPU in the affected range. I haven't experienced any issues yet, but I do have the 3 yr Applecare incase something does happen.

That's really crappy though...

 

[sourceninja]

Yea, I'm crossing my fingers as well. I have applecare so I'm not too worried, but it will such if it burns up.

 

[Gooberlx2]

I thought updated macbooks were going to inherit the multitouch thing that macbook pros have....or did that already happen? Or was it a false rumor? I'm going to get a new macbook some time too.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: Gooberlx2
I thought updated macbooks were going to inherit the multitouch thing that macbook pros have....or did that already happen? Or was it a false rumor? I'm going to get a new macbook some time too.

The new ones will have it. They don't have it now. They will also have LED screens. IMO the new 13" Macbook will be the laptop to get...13" compact size, LED screen, multitouch pad, CD/DVD burner, 802.11n, Bluetooth, Firewire, etc.

 

[Agentbolt]

I just got my Macbook a month or so before the refreshes started getting leaked. Frankly I don't think you'd be missing much. You'll be dealing with a refresh (the first gen Macbooks are the exception, rather than the rule, when it comes to reliability with Apple), bad wi-fi signal with the metal body, etc...

Unless some killer feature is announced, I don't think I'd wait even knowing what I know now. I got this laptop assuming I'd use it for two years and I think it'll still be very viable by then.