When to Buy a Mac?
Hello All,
I am verry new and this question could be posted all over the forum and I wouldn`t know it.
Anywhoo,
I am going to buy a Mac. Now, my dilema is wheather to buy a Mac NOW or wait until the next ùpdate`.
What I would like to know is everyone`s speculations to what the next ùpdate`or `refresh`might include. I hear rumours of taking out the optical drive etc.. but I haven`t heard from anyone that really knows their stuff. I realize none of us can tell for sure however.
I will need the laptop for University next year, but would loove to get one now. However, I would wait until April for the update if it would be significant. I heard that someone speculates September, and that is too long haha.
Please let me know what you would do!
I am verry new and this question could be posted all over the forum and I wouldn`t know it.
Anywhoo,
I am going to buy a Mac. Now, my dilema is wheather to buy a Mac NOW or wait until the next ùpdate`.
What I would like to know is everyone`s speculations to what the next ùpdate`or `refresh`might include. I hear rumours of taking out the optical drive etc.. but I haven`t heard from anyone that really knows their stuff. I realize none of us can tell for sure however.
I will need the laptop for University next year, but would loove to get one now. However, I would wait until April for the update if it would be significant. I heard that someone speculates September, and that is too long haha.
Please let me know what you would do!
Comments
You don't need one. Wait until June and get a free iPod with it.
Yeah, I guess I didn't specifically mention I wanted to buy the Macbook Pro. I want some speculation to what the next Macbook Pro line will offer.
Personally, I would think that the Macs would be updated in April or so, but idk how significant the update will be, or if it's worth waiting for.
GPU? Er... do any of the nVidia 400 series chips fall into Apple's self-set TDP limit? If not, a Radeon chip.
LightPeak? WAY too soon.
No optical drives? Maybe.
Built-in SSD instead of a hard drive? Maybe.
Better battery? Probably; it's Apple.
Everything else should be identical. Maybe Apple'll up the resolution on the 13 and 15, but don't count on it. I certainly don't expect it.
Sandy Bridge chips, probably.
I'd say pretty likely and given that Ivy Bridge is due in October, the SB update would be best in January.
GPU? Er... do any of the nVidia 400 series chips fall into Apple's self-set TDP limit? If not, a Radeon chip.
NVidia put a spanner in the works saying they aren't doing IGPs for Intel chipsets any more as this means there's a major problem with the low-end. Apple could use LLano but not until July. Their only real option is to put a 330M or equivalent into the low-end. They've used dedicated GPUs in the PPC laptops before so it should be fine. With the graphics switching, battery life isn't such a big problem but cost might be.
LightPeak? WAY too soon.
I actually think they should get on Light Peak as soon as they can. It's the last physical connection type that needs to be built. Once you go optical, there's no other transfer that will better it. It supposedly ramps up to 100Gbps, which is as fast as PCI express.
AMD already have something like this using external PCI:
http://www.maximumpc.com/article/new..._gpu_enclosure
You could buy a Macbook Air with a core-i chip and Intel IGP and then plug into a dedicated desktop card that is tethered to an electrical socket (a port won't provide enough power) and the cost would be fairly low.
Built-in SSD instead of a hard drive? Maybe.
I'd say it's likely and Apple can have both the built-in SSD on the motherboard and a 2.5" HDD.
Everything else should be identical. Maybe Apple'll up the resolution on the 13 and 15, but don't count on it. I certainly don't expect it.
I expect 1680 x 1050 on the 15".
Please let me know what you would do!
Wait until CES 2011 on January 6th. Apple won't announce anything there but Intel will and NVidia/AMD will have some things too. The Macbook Pros are due an update and just after CES would be the ideal time.
Given the situation with Intel, I think now is the right time to drop the MB and 13" MBP. If they can't put in core-i chips + dedicated GPUs, they need a selling point and all-metal + SSD + light with the 320M at that price is enough. When the 25nm SSD arrives, they will get up to 512GB in the Air.
I will need the laptop for University next year, but would loove to get one now.
Check with your university to see if they'll have a special purchase program. Most do, but I doubt they'll offer more than the usual educational discount.
Wait until CES 2011 on January 6th. Apple won't announce anything there but Intel will and NVidia/AMD will have some things too. The Macbook Pros are due an update and just after CES would be the ideal time.
Given the situation with Intel, I think now is the right time to drop the MB and 13" MBP. If they can't put in core-i chips + dedicated GPUs, they need a selling point and all-metal + SSD + light with the 320M at that price is enough. When the 25nm SSD arrives, they will get up to 512GB in the Air.
Wow! This is a lot of help, thanks! It seems this next refresh will be a big one. I will hold off until then to see what's up.
You don't have a Mac? Seriously? Think of the years you've lost without one. Tragic.
Check with your university to see if they'll have a special purchase program. Most do, but I doubt they'll offer more than the usual educational discount.
Haha, yes! I know, stuck with Windows for a few more months -_- ..and my University just gives the regular educational discount.
The educational discount is quite intense. I can save more money than expected with Apple. The "Black Friday" sales were still almost doubled by the education discount.
THANKS GUYS FOR YOUR HELP!