Advice for getting a new mac

omnibahumut · Mar 26, 2007

Hello, I was considering getting my first mac pretty soon, but I'd like to make the best possible choic, because money doesn't grow on trees

Not so important stuff, skippable:
After a bit of thinking, I've pretty much decided on getting the "low end" macbook pro. I based my decision that despite my aging PC which may soon need a near-complete overhaul, that a laptop would be more useful because I travel between my dorm, class, and home a lot, and being able to just have everything with me would be very convienent.

I need something kinda powerful because I will be doing a lot of graphic design work on it. Odds are I'll also be dual-booting windows vista, but I'll worry about that after I get the mac.

The main questions:
Leopard is coming out soon; supposedly spring... but I recall 2 years ago when Sony was saying Spring for PS3 until the 11th hour. How likely is apple to hold its word? I don't wanna keep putting off getting a mac book because of a phantom release date for leopard.
If I do jump the gun, do you think they'd offer some kind of discounted upgrade option?
How often do they update thier hardware? with the new OS coming out soon, could I expect them to change thier hardware offerings (optimized for leopard)?.

Thanks in advance

Sachsr1 · Mar 26, 2007

I just bought the "low end" mbp and it's the fastest laptop I've ever owned. It's almost as fast as my iMac desktop. I also recently switched to apple in January, and I love it. With apple you live and die by the sword when you buy one. They do not tell you when the new macs are coming out they just release them. As for Leopard the rumors are all over the board on that, some say soon, but others say we will get a release date at WWDC. Remember spring ends in late June. The core 2 duo's are 64 bit chips so they will run Leopard just fine. I would recommend you buy one when you need one, and also take a look at the refurbished mac at the apple store.

Smell The Glove · Mar 26, 2007

Nobody really knows but Apple (and even they might not know. It's a need-to-know situation).

Apple has said Leopard should be out in the "Spring," but that's as long as a few months until mid-June. There are rumors of upgrades to some Mac lines by then, but they're just rumors and we won't really know a thing until Apple announces them. Check out http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/
and you'll find that it's getting late in the Macbook Pro cycle and that based on historical line upgrades, one is due in the not-too-distant future. Just remember that nothing is certain until Apple announces it.

As for Leopard, odds are we'll see it by June. There are no discounts for upgrades. If you buy a Mac after Leopard's release is officially announced, you may get a coupon for a copy of Leopard. If you buy it before Leopard's release is announced, you probably won't get anything and will have to upgrade on your own.

It all comes down to this:
Can you wait to see about Leopard and/or a MBP line upgrade?
Do you need a computer now...or at least sooner than later?

If you can hold off until June at least, I'd guess that it will be worth waiting until then to see what happens.

powermacj7 · Mar 26, 2007

The college semester is almost over. By mid summer Apple will have Leopard out and any new updates to the Mac line up. If you could wait, why not. Remember as a student you get the discounts from Apple, so take advantage of them.

Alexis · Mar 26, 2007

be more useful because I travel between my dorm, class, and home a lot, and being able to just have everything with me would be very convienent.

I need something kinda powerful because I will be doing a lot of graphic design work on it

I'd buy now. If you're serious about graphic design work and want a job in the field, you can't start soon enough on a Mac.

It's only really worth waiting for Leopard if you need to have the latest and greatest, not because Tiger is inadequate or Leopard will be revolutionary, which is won't be.

bobtomay · Mar 26, 2007

For me personally, when you are at the point of needing a new computer, there is only one item that really justifies waiting. That is the imminent release of processors that would render the existing CPU line up basically obsolete. This would typically mean that they have already fallen into the hands of reviewers and we have testing and ratings available.

There is no word on the streets at this time of some new hardware from the big three which would relate to the existing hardware becoming obsolete: Intel, ATI/AMD, nVidia. This is as safe a time as any in the computer industry for buying new hardware.

At this time I don't really see what Apple could do to upgrade the MacBook or the MacBook Pro line. They are already including higher end processors than the windows notebook manufacturers at similar price points. Any upgrading to the major hardware in the notebooks at this time would push them above and beyond the price point of the competing windows market, although I am sure some would like to see a dedicated graphics board in the MacBook.

It could be 3-4 months and maybe longer before Leopard is out. It will be at least another 6-12 months before 3rd party software makers are designing their software specifically for Leopard and possibly a must have upgrade.

If you are going to be doing major graphics work, would really recommend the 256 MB video card with your purchase. RAM is easily upgradeable down the road.

nemick · Mar 26, 2007

From my perspective, even if Leopard is released in the next few months, I would not be installing it until such times as I felt convinced that a) it was beneficial and b) that there were no bugs or other issues to be sorted out with it.

Just my take on it.

Neil M.

omnibahumut · Mar 26, 2007

From my perspective, even if Leopard is released in the next few months, I would not be installing it until such times as I felt convinced that a) it was beneficial and b) that there were no bugs or other issues to be sorted out with it.

Hmm, thats true. The geeky part of me wants to get leopard just for the "latest and greatest" feel, but I'd hate to have something buggy.

If you are going to be doing major graphics work, would really recommend the 256 MB video card with your purchase. RAM is easily upgradeable down the road.

The middle line mbp has the 256mb graphics card, but thats a $500 increase over the lower end one... Does the graphics card really affect the preformance of Illustrator and Photoshop? (ram seems to have the most impact)

you'll find that it's getting late in the Macbook Pro cycle and that based on historical line upgrades, one is due in the not-too-distant future.

Hm... any idea how that might affect the value of the lineup? (as in, might the $2000 I spend on a mbp gunna get me an even stronger mac if I wait a while, or is the price gunna go up across the board anyway?)

Thanks for the advice guys. Another question:

Any guesses as to how much Leopard might cost when its released?

AndieCZ · Mar 26, 2007

You can really buy a new MacBook right now. As Apple computers are not out-dated after 12 months, but many people still work on the hardware, which is several years old and they are fully satisfied.

The computer is not about the performance, the computer is about meeting your needs.

bobtomay · Mar 26, 2007

The middle line mbp has the 256mb graphics card, but thats a $500 increase over the lower end one... Does the graphics card really affect the preformance of Illustrator and Photoshop? (ram seems to have the most impact)

If none of your graphical endeavors require 3D, then the 128 MB card should be fine.

The computer is not about the performance, the computer is about meeting your needs.

Not true when time is money. I am in the process of putting a fence in the back yard and need to set the posts. I could use a shovel I already own, about 30 minutes per hole; go buy a post hole digger ($40), about 20 minutes per hole; or I can go rent an auger ($90 a day), less than 10 minutes per hole. So, the question is how many holes do I need and does the extra expense of the faster options warrant the additional cash outlay.

omnibahumut · Mar 26, 2007

AndieCZ said:
You can really buy a new MacBook right now. As Apple computers are not out-dated after 12 months, but many people still work on the hardware, which is several years old and they are fully satisfied.

The computer is not about the performance, the computer is about meeting your needs.

Well normally that might be the case, but if they're planning a major upgrade soon, then it'd be kinda premature to buy one now.

farmcock · Mar 26, 2007

A comment on 'waiting' from a switcher...

In late 2005 I began to look at Mac's - knowing zilch about them - only that I didn't want a PC again due to viruses. I came within a hair of buying the G-5 Imac which had just come out - it was beautiful and i wanted it badly-had to wait 1 month for a 401-k loan to come in. If it was not for that one fact- the wait - I would have missed the Intel iMac (which i bought when the loan money came).

I agree you cannot wait for every new this and every new that from Apple - I don't have 'core 2 duo' or '802.11 n', just 'core duo' & '802.11b/g', but if I had bought that G-5 and missed all the benefits the Intel chip has brought to the table, I would probably have been sold it out of anger and given up on computing altogether - I probably would have felt very cheated by that - and no doubt a lot of people who bought a G-5 may well be feeling the same way since it was only out three months when the Intel model was announced.

Stay abreast of the news through forums like this one - and if something is big enough to wait on, just hurry up and wait - otherwise don't sweat- don't worry about leopard - in 3 months you will learn so much about tha Mac and Tiger is great - you can at least purchase leopard when it arrives - you can't upgrade a G-5 to Intel though.