Discounted MacBook Pro

Ant84 · 21 Dec 2011 at 12:51

Just been offered a brand new 2011 MBP (13in i5 2.3ghz) for £799 at a popular high street store.

If I got one, it'd be to replace my desktop as a general use and photo editing machine. I also plan to do a lot of travelling over the next few years. My concern is that it might be too heavy to carry around all day and night in a messenger bag or backpack. I wanted the MBA initially but the price was a little prohibitive. Any thoughts?

Is it too good to turn down at this price? I'm thinking I could recoup most of that figure if and when I came to sell it in the next 18 months or so?

Edit - I also have a Crucial M4 SSD that I could install in the MBP to improve performance. Does it make such a difference in Lion as it does in Windows?

Cursed · 21 Dec 2011 at 13:40

Based on my 13" Aluminum Macbook I'd say the size/weight shouldn't be too much of a problem. Plus it'll give you the chance to upgrade RAM and put an SSD in yourself unlike the Macbook Air. As for selling it on, you might have noticed that Macs hold their value very well so that shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Dunks · 21 Dec 2011 at 13:46

The 13" is not heavy at all, and the SSD will make a massive difference.

Westyfield2 · 21 Dec 2011 at 13:53

Which 2011 one is it? The one released February 24th, or the one released October 24th? http://appleinformer.org/2011/10/ne...ings-faster-processor-and-bigger-hard-drives/

EDIT: There's nowt wrong with the February-October model, just don't go buying it thinking it's the current post-October model

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Ant84 said:
I wanted the MBA initially but the price was a little prohibitive. Any thoughts?

I found my 15" MacBook Pro too heavy so went and bought a 13" MacBook Air. Just looking at the specs one thing I see about the 13" MacBook Pro is that it's screen resolution is lower (1,280 × 800) than the 13" MacBook Air (1,440 x 900). Bit disappointing for something with "Pro" in the name!

Ant84 · 21 Dec 2011 at 14:19

I think it's the early 2011 model, as it's advertised with Snow Leopard.

Is it still a bargain at £799 or not such a good deal after all?

MikeHunt79 · 21 Dec 2011 at 14:40

Ant84 said:
I think it's the early 2011 model, as it's advertised with Snow Leopard.

Is it still a bargain at £799 or not such a good deal after all?

I've seen 2nd hand ones which are older go for a similar amount of money, so that's a good deal IMO.

icedbullet · 21 Dec 2011 at 15:05

That's a good deal. As said above, 2nd hand ones sell for more!

DangerMoose · 21 Dec 2011 at 15:52

Sounds like a pretty good deal to me and they are very nice machines. Not too heavy at all imho. That should offer near identical performance to the late 2011 model and as long as it is actually new and not registered before, it should be possible to get the free upgrade to Lion.

Ant84 · 21 Dec 2011 at 15:55

Cheers for the replies.

DangerMoose said:
Sounds like a pretty good deal to me and they are very nice machines. Not too heavy at all imho. That should offer near identical performance to the late 2011 model and as long as it is actually new and not registered before, it should be possible to get the free upgrade to Lion.

How would the free upgrade work? Through the app store or would I have to push for it in the shop?

DangerMoose · 21 Dec 2011 at 16:04

http://www.apple.com/uk/macosx/uptodate/

Basically you register for it through their website and they give you a code to redeem in the Mac App Store.

Qu3 · 21 Dec 2011 at 16:47

DangerMoose said:
http://www.apple.com/uk/macosx/uptodate/

Basically you register for it through their website and they give you a code to redeem in the Mac App Store.

FYI, Got to do it within 30 days of purchase.

Ant84 · 21 Dec 2011 at 17:04

Excellent.

I guess the only remaining sticking point is whether it's worth getting a MBP when I already have an iPad 2. How easy would it be to connect it to an external 1080p display, close the lid and use it as a desktop from time to time?

pingwing · 21 Dec 2011 at 17:07

Ant84 said:
Excellent.

I guess the only remaining sticking point is whether it's worth getting a MBP when I already have an iPad 2. How easy would it be to connect it to an external 1080p display, close the lid and use it as a desktop from time to time?

£15 for a display port to dvi adaptor is all you'll need

Running it with the lid closed can make it a bit hot but it'll be fine to drive a 1080p display.

Good deal too, my 13" pro for uni work comes tomorrow to, very excited as it should be a fun little machine!

DangerMoose · 21 Dec 2011 at 18:05

Qu3 said:
FYI, Got to do it within 30 days of purchase.

Yeah, I neglected to mention that bit though it is on the Apple website. That was the reason I made a point of saying it would be eligible as long as it was actually a new model that had not been registered before.

DangerMoose · 21 Dec 2011 at 18:09

Ant84 said:
Excellent.

I guess the only remaining sticking point is whether it's worth getting a MBP when I already have an iPad 2.

Depends how you use the iPad but I have no trouble finding uses for both, though at the moment I am only really scratching the surface with the MBP. I tend to use the iPad lounging on the sofa, in bed and other more casual settings where a laptop would not be so easy to use. And quite frankly, I'd rather use the iPad for gaming than the MBP, even though the latter is technically more capable.

VaderDSL · 21 Dec 2011 at 18:13

Is it new or a demo? If it's come from a demo then you'll only get whatever warranty is left on it, not the 1 year from when you buy it.

jonny5859 · 27 Dec 2011 at 15:45

I'm sort of in the same boat, I'm looking to get a new laptop and don't know weather to go for the air or pro. I seen that 13" pro running snow for sale at £799 and now don't know weather to get it at that price or go for an air and get student discount on it hoping to get it cheaper from apple.

any one got student discount on an 13" Air before and could tell me how much it be working out at?

I just don't know what to do either use a pro or air. I use my pc for gaming so the laptop is just for browsing and watching videos lying in bed or in the hotel when I'm away working... :confused:

Amp34 · 27 Dec 2011 at 23:12

Putting the cat amongst the pigeons... How about an 11" air? If you are actually going to take it travelling then the smaller size will be very useful and I think it will have the same resolution as the 13" Pro?

Also when are you going travelling? If you end up somewhere high tech (US/Canada/Singapore/Hong Kong(??)) then I'd wait and buy there... International warranty and all that... I just saved a couple of hundred on the student price of the 13" Air buy buying it in an Apple store abroad...

pingwing · 28 Dec 2011 at 00:38

Amp34 said:
Putting the cat amongst the pigeons... How about an 11" air? If you are actually going to take it travelling then the smaller size will be very useful and I think it will have the same resolution as the 13" Pro?

Also when are you going travelling? If you end up somewhere high tech (US/Canada/Singapore/Hong Kong(??)) then I'd wait and buy there... International warranty and all that... I just saved a couple of hundred on the student price of the 13" Air buy buying it in an Apple store abroad...

11" air is only 1336x768

It's a good screen and a very light laptop (mates mum has one which I was teaching her how to use last summer) but it could be too small for lots of usage (depending on things like hand size, screen preference and so on)

Amp34 · 28 Dec 2011 at 02:32

Yeah, i'll admit, it wouldn't be too useful as a desktop replacement but superb if you're doing lots of travelling*.

*I guess it depends on what you class as "travelling"... Living out of a small backpack or driving round in a car with a large suitcase!