Macbook Pro - Being Updated Soon?

chrislad

Going to the states in November, and I'm considering getting a Macbook Pro.

I've a 16 month old Macbook at the moment, but I'd like to get a machine with a bigger memory, hard drive and screen (currently using a 13" screen, 60gig HD and 2gigs of RAM). Main thing I want to do is to be able to use XP, as while I do prefer Tiger, sometimes, it's just handy to use Windows for some things.

My main query is "Is the Macbook due an update?". I know the iMac was redone lately (and in fact, I may just pick up one of these instead and keep the Macbook), but is the Pro due one?

440Hz

15" models were recently updated. 17" is due a screen change sometime soon. No likely hardware updates for a while.

Oriel

Yeah, nothing upcoming. Good time to buy.

chrislad

Glad to hear. Will be waiting until Leopard and iLife 08 are included though so that'll be November, hopefully.

K.O.Kiki

Just a quick note, but you could always upgrade the RAM & HDD yourself, and add an external screen.

chrislad

I actually can't. The maximum RAM in this Macbook is 2Gb, which I'm already at. Yes, I could get an external screen, but that's no good to me when I bring the Mac with me, plus from what I hear the Pro has a much better screen than the Macbook. I could upgrade the HD, no issues at all, but I can get around 5-600 euro for this Macbook, plus 200euro off the 1900price, plus my girlfriends staff discount, so it's work out more expensive for me to buy a decent screen and a HD

ZENER

chrislad wrote:

Main thing I want to do is to be able to use XP, as while I do prefer Tiger, sometimes, it's just handy to use Windows for some things.

It'd be a hell of a lot cheaper to just buy a new hard disk and more RAM. The drive on the MacBook is a doddle to replace compared to the MBP and the MacBook will take up to 3GB of RAM. Plenty to run Fusion or Parallel Desktop or of course BootCamp.
As suggested above - an external 19" monitor will only set you back about 200 euro.

ZEN

440Hz

chrislad wrote:

...plus 200euro off the 1900price, plus my girlfriends staff discount,...

is that student discount + apple staff??

Not sure they allow both to be used at the same time, have you checked this out?

Makes sense, if you are getting a staff discount (which is supposed to be yours) then how could you be a student - in their eyes im saying.

ZENER

. . . and whatever about getting all that together here in Ireland, will it work when you try to buy it in the States ?

ZEN

chrislad

440Hz wrote:

is that student discount + apple staff??

Not sure they allow both to be used at the same time, have you checked this out?

Makes sense, if you are getting a staff discount (which is supposed to be yours) then how could you be a student - in their eyes im saying.

It's not a student discount. It's an instore offer with O2. 200euro off the price of a Pro, plus here 10% (or is it 15%) discount, which brings the retail to about 1500, less the price of selling my old Macbook, and I should be paying around 800euro for it, most of which will be my Christmas present also

It'd work out cheaper getting the HD and LCD, but it wouldn't be a shiny new Macbook Pro then. I got this Macbook off my gf as she had gotten a new one and I love it.

Plus at the moment, as I'm renting, I don't have the room for a external monitor.

chrislad

ZENER wrote:

. . . and whatever about getting all that together here in Ireland, will it work when you try to buy it in the States ?

ZEN

It definitely won't work in the States [discounts], but a Macbook Pro over there is 1450euro, compared to 1900euro, with the current exchange rates., so it works out the same regardless.

dubmick

See here http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/