Planning on buying a MBP, wait for an update or not?

I'm planning on buying a MBP soon. I am going to university right now. I do have a windows PC to use for now, but I'm wondering if I should wait for an update or not. If I wait I won't get the free iPod.

If I get one now will I be able to return the MBP for a new model if they come out with one in the next couple weeks?

Also how much of a difference is there between the video card with 256mb of memory and the one with 128mb?

 

Well whether you wat or not is up to you. It could be a short wait or a long one, no one really knows. What I woud say is try to decide whether you would rather have an iPod or a 5-10% increase in real world performance (tops).

As for the difference in video card, there is about a 300 point difference in 3dMark05. That would translate to a couple of frames in most games. Not really a huge difference but if you will be playing a lot of games, it may be worth it.

 

Ok thanks for the help, I think I'll just go with the 128mb video card and get the notebook now then.

 

Good call on the MBP. I had the same decision. I too still had a windows laptop, and struggled with the idea of waiting for merom or not. Then I read the various articles about Merom and realized it doesn't appear to be a great laptop chip in my point of view. I mean the core duo can push the limits of heat give off as it is, and now the core 2 duo's are going to run hotter and actually use more power (at least while using the old core duo chipset). Not a great thing in my view. Save the hot, power hunger, chips for desktops.

 

How much of a difference is there between 1.5gb of ram and 2 gb?

What I'm trying to decide now is if I should get the

15.4-inch widescreen display
2.0GHz Intel Core Duo
512MB (single SODIMM) 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM
80GB 5400-rpm Serial ATA hard drive
4x SuperDrive
ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 with 128MB GDDR3 memory

for $2000

or the refurbished

15.4-inch widescreen display (1440x900 resolution)
2.0GHz Intel Core Duo
1GB (single SODIMM) 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM
100GB 5400-rpm Serial ATA hard drive
Slot-load SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW)
ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 with 256MB GDDR3 memory

for $2250

I'm going to add 1gb to the one I get and that is $140.

These are all Canadian prices by the way.

 

Well, if u need it, just buy it.

Anyway, i hav a belief, that the MBP in spring sports the Santa Rosa, C2D, and the nVidia Geforce 7700 (not the x1600)

 

Yeah, we'll probably see Santa Rose in the early spring (march or april).
Not sure which vid card they'll go with but I'm hoping it's nvidia (all my ATI cards go bad...)
I'd probably go with the refurbished. I've heard apple does a great job with their refurbished units, and many of them, from what I've heard, aren't really used or damaged. Some poeple only buy apple refurbished products.

Now, I was in the same position you are. I've waited my time already (was hoping for C2D to have been released this week) and went ahead and ordered it and 2 gigs of ram from newegg. I sold the 2gig ipod I got for free and will buy a new 4 gig one. Remember, the rebate only applies to the old ipods, not the brand spanking new ones.
I'll be buying the extended warranty next spring (when I get more loan money hehe)

 

They'll go Nvidia since ATI is going to be an AMD thing now. The refurbished gets my vote.

 

I would probably vote refurb'd unless you really like the idea of buying new.

 

i have the same question about apples refurbished macbook pros do they come with the same warentty and can you add apple care like on the new ones. the refurbs are considerabually cheaper.

 

what do u mean by refurbished? more features are added to the laptop?? or something??

 

I'm in the same boat, starting grad school and I NEED a laptop. I'm going to pull the trigger on a new Macbook Pro this weekend I think. I've already signed up for the Apple Developer discount. I'm buying the Applecare protection plan and I'll just wait until Santa Rosa comes out and see if a "problem" happens (whine or overheating) so I may return the laptop and get a newer model.

 

Yes the refurbished have the same warranties and you can purchase AppleCare. They sometimes even come with little extras like RAM or bigger hard drive!

 

mdub83.... You should be able to get a student discount if your a grad student. It actually ends up being same price or cheaper with that discount if you're getting the warranty (you get a discount on all part & warranty with student discount).
It was more expensive for me to use the developer account (including the $99) with warranty and better HD on the MBP. At least, that was my experience.

Santa Rose won't be out for about 6 months or so, but merom may be out by the end of the month, or could be the middle of october.
As I won't receive mine till wed, i'll return it if merom comes out within 14 days.

 

it seems that the MBP merom will be release the 25 september (macscoop)

 

Not so. It's $2,979.90 for a 17" MBP with the Education discount, Applecare plan, and tax. $2,714.40 with the developer discount, Applecare, and tax. Same spec notebooks, but you must also include $99 for the Developer membership. Still $166.50 saved though.

 

If I got it right, you actually doesn't know what a refurbished laptop is. It is a notebook that has been returned to the company, fixed if broken, and is being reselled. It might have scratches or other cosmetic annoyances, and so it is sold cheaper. Sometimes it might have been just opened and returned without any use, if you get lucky.

 

I mean refurbish is excellent from Apple, I mean full warranty with refurbished, most computer companies don't do that! There are only a few out there that do, I mean yeah most do but they dont offer the option of extended warranty or a full year usually.

Plus if something is wrong with it, you might just get swapped a new one.