MacBook - Which To Go For?

Legacy_user

Hi, I've been looking at MacBooks recently, and with there being so many options just wandered if you have one already which would you recommend - I've listed a few of them below that I have looked at and the prices range from approx £900-£1500. Would welcome your thoughts and opinions please..


(1) The New MacBook 2.4GHz : 250GB (£867)

http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook?mco=MTM3NDcyODY
2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
2GB DDR3 memory
250GB hard drive1
8x double-layer SuperDrive
NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics
Built-in 10-hour battery2
Polycarbonate unibody enclosure

Also at John Lewis with a 2 year warranty http://www.johnlewis.com/230967929/Product.aspx

(2) MacBook Air 13-inch : 128GB (£1,122.00)

1.86GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor
2GB memory
128GB flash storage1
NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics


(3) MacBook Pro 15-inch (£1,530.00)

http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook_pro?mco=MTM3NDc0NDI

2.4GHz Intel Core i5
4GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x2GB
320GB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm
SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
MacBook Pro 15-inch Glossy Widescreen Display
None
Backlit Keyboard (British) & User's Guide (English)


(4) Alternatives such as :-

http://www.lenovo.com/uk/en/index.html

jayme1

first read this: http://www.macrumors.com/2011/02/18/new-macbook-pros-likely-to-launch-on-thursday/ and this

though it is very likely (because it is apple and because of currency) the UK prices will be going up for the new models

Hammyman

Go for the Pro or Air. Whatever you do don't go for a plastic one. However I'd wait until they announce a refresh. When they do, the current model is usually discounted heavily. I paid £850 for a 13" Macbook Pro which was due to be replaced within 8 weeks. The only changes were a faster processor, double the RAM at 4GB and a bigger HDD at 250GB but I could double the RAM for £40 and as the original drive was 160GB, it'd be a while before I needed anything bigger and you can buy 500GB ones for under £50.

If you're going for Lenovo, go for the business class professional grade ones, not the consumer class ones. There's a world of difference in build quality.

ANewBeginning

Hi

I'm wanting to get my daughter a Macbook( she needs one for film and tv editing for her uni course. (the one at £867 price tag - ouch!) But after reading the post about a new one being launched on Thursday, would it be worth waiting a couple of days?

Also - and this is the pain - I am tied to buying it from Comet as I have £500 in vouchers. I have already asked in our local store if they will match the Apple student discount offer, but they said they wouldn't - even though the website pricematches....

Any help to get us some money off is most welcome!! If I order from Comet online I can get about £25 cashback through topcashback.....

Thanks to anyone that can offer some advice

Hammyman

Other than the student discount and refurbs from Apple direct, there's little wriggle room. Apple control prices extremely tightly.

CoolHotCold

Hammyman wrote: »

Other than the student discount and refurbs from Apple direct, there's little wriggle room. Apple control prices extremely tightly.

Thats balls, there is a ton of wiggle room. Mac's have 12 to 20 % margin when brought from PcWorld or Curries or Comet whereas a laptop has 3 or 4% margin. It gives the Customer Advisor more discount room and still make a ton of margin compared to normal laptops. (But if your just buying it on its own don't expect many favours.)

But its all down to how the shops doing on the day and the way you ask.

ANewBeginning

CoolHotCold wrote: »

Thats balls, there is a ton of wiggle room. Mac's have 12 to 20 % margin when brought from PcWorld or Curries or Comet whereas a laptop has 3 or 4% margin. It gives the Customer Advisor more discount room and still make a ton of margin compared to normal laptops. (But if your just buying it on its own don't expect many favours.)

But its all down to how the shops doing on the day and the way you ask.

Please do tell more....

Also I know the new ones are coming out tomorrow, and Amazon are selling the current ones (as of today) for £775, does that mean that the current model will be reduced?

System

Thanks jayme1 andy hammyman (especially for the links - will have a read).

Another suggestion made is the Sony VAIO laptop which is I'm told similar in price to an Apple Mac.
I was told that the menu structure is a lot different on Macs from a PC and it takes a long time to get used to the programmes and Microsoft office lay out is different from other PCs. But on the plus side MAC tends to be virus free, it has basic security built in and does not need any antivirus programmes.

Still need to read up some more I think. Thank you again..

Hammyman

CoolHotCold wrote: »

Thats balls, there is a ton of wiggle room. Mac's have 12 to 20 % margin when brought from PcWorld or Curries or Comet

...on their prices and typically only with the outgoing model.