When is the best time to get a MacBook?

[Azxster]

Is there a new MacBook coming out? Right now the deal is 5% off (Education Discount) + $130 off a printer. If I wait until September, would they offer a free iPod & a printer?

Is Core 2 Duo worth it compared to Core Duo? Apple claims it is 50% faster. There is no sense to go refurbished as the discount is 13%... whereas I can get 5% off + $130 off a printer which I could use.

My main concerns are:

Is there a new model coming out in the near future? I remember buying the 2G Nano 3 weeks before they launched 3G... that sucked.

Will the MB Air reduce the price of MB?

Will there be a better offer than now?

[al3x89]

Is there a new MacBook coming out? Right now the deal is 5% off (Education Discount) + $130 off a printer. If I wait until September, would they offer a free iPod & a printer?

Is Core 2 Duo worth it compared to Core Duo? Apple claims it is 50% faster. There is no sense to go refurbished as the discount is 13%... whereas I can get 5% off + $130 off a printer which I could use.

My main concerns are:

Is there a new model coming out in the near future? I remember buying the 2G Nano 3 weeks before they launched 3G... that sucked.

Will the MB Air reduce the price of MB?

Will there be a better offer than now?

There are updates every 6 months, May and November.

There was just an update in November which updated the chips to SantaRosa, and uped the highest model to 2.2GHz

The Macbook Air will not reduce the price of the Macbook.

You can wait till May if you want, but in May there will probably be a really small update again (speed, hdd, etc. Nothing big.

[fitbrit]

11:19 a.m.

[Spliffy]

If you want a Macbook, but it now. It was just upgraded in Nov.

MBP will be updated soon so that is a model I would hold off purchasing for now. Macbook Air is the newest model announced yesterday that is in a totally different market than the two mentioned above.

[mrl14]

The next update to the Macbooks will be a Penryn processor. 45nm.

Apple no longer follows their past releases of a new model every 6 months. If you need one now, buy it now. The new macs all run on intel processors so you are using the latest technology. If you keep waiting you'll never buy one...or buy from Costco.

[robertalan]

MacRumors Buyer's Guide: Know When to Buy Your Mac, iPod or iPhone

[kgeorge78]

buy mine!

[Moebiwankenobi]

MacRumors Buyer's Guide: Know When to Buy Your Mac, iPod or iPhone

Great link! I'm also looking for a MBP so I think I will be waiting for a bit to see if there's any worthy updates.

[Starkicker]

What's the consensus from those of you who have an idea of the MacBook upgrade cycle as to when the MacBook will be next upgraded?

I'm looking for a new laptop, I've been waiting to buy a MacBook; I was going to buy it after the Air was released, just incase the specs were updates, but I was hoping to have a MacBook with LED backlighting and some touch features.

I've decided that I'm going to wait until the next product update in hopes that I buy an upgraded MacBook.

I hope I don't have to wait so long. I know someone mentioned that they usually get upgraded in Nov and May, but according to the MacRumours guide the MacBook Pro should have already been upgraded by now.

Anyone have any ideas?

[HowEver]

Wait a few weeks, at least.

Apple announces new products at the big keynotes, and often provides speedbumps on existing products a few weeks later.

But you never know for sure.

See also

www.ehmac.ca

.

[myapple]

This is not a huge discount or anything, but I noticed in this weekend's futureshop flyer (paper version)...they're selling the macbook pro for $100 off ($2099 for 2.2ghz model, $2699 for 2.4ghz model).

If you need it RIGHT NOW, then might as well get it from F.S. and save a little bit of money. If you don't need it right now, hold off and wait for an update. I really hope they fix that stupid magsafe connection problem soon.

[robertalan]

This is not a huge discount or anything, but I noticed in this weekend's futureshop flyer (paper version)...they're selling the macbook pro for $100 off ($2099 for 2.2ghz model, $2699 for 2.4ghz model).

If you need it RIGHT NOW, then might as well get it from F.S. and save a little bit of money. If you don't need it right now, hold off and wait for an update. I really hope they fix that stupid magsafe connection problem soon.

Best Buy is $200 off for the base model of the MacBook Pro ($1999), a very nice deal, though also probably a sign that the updates are nearing. (If I were looking to spend all that extra money on a MacBook Pro over a regular MacBook, I think I'd wait and pony up the extra $$$ for the latest and greatest in a few weeks.)

However, it is definitely a great time to buy a regular MacBook, with both the system and the hardware recently upgraded. Future Shop has all three models on sale for $50 off and you can get a copy of Office 2008 for Mac for $50 off with the purchase of a Mac ($179 - $50 = $129) with licenses for three computers. Your also eligible to buy an HP all-in-one printer for $19.99 (when you buy any computer at FS), and if you like you can just throw it away after you finish the ink.

Also, if you buy one now, it'll be three years old in January 2011, so you can choose your next computer from the ultra cool offerings of that year's just completed MacWorld.

[Moebiwankenobi]

Best Buy is $200 off for the base model of the MacBook Pro ($1999), a very nice deal, though also probably a sign that the updates are nearing. (If I were looking to spend all that extra money on a MacBook Pro over a regular MacBook, I think I'd wait and pony up the extra $$$ for the latest and greatest in a few weeks.)

However, it is definitely a great time to buy a regular MacBook, with both the system and the hardware recently upgraded. Future Shop has all three models on sale for $50 off and you can get a copy of Office 2008 for Mac for $50 off with the purchase of a Mac ($179 - $50 = $129) with licenses for three computers. Your also eligible to buy an HP all-in-one printer for $19.99 (when you buy any computer at FS), and if you like you can just throw it away after you finish the ink.

Also, if you buy one now, it'll be three years old in January 2011, so you can choose your next computer from the ultra cool offerings of that year's just completed MacWorld.

Their current prices at BB/FS makes them on par with educational discounts, which is good for those that can't buy one at that price. I will personally wait until the pro is refreshed. I don't think prices will increase, Apple tends to just replace the current model but keep the price the same.

There's also the Refurbed ones on sale on their website and the base MBP is going for $1870 on there right now (under educational pricing).

[the_fm]

are you a student? if yes, september would be the best time if you don't mind the "old" version before the big update. they usually have that free ipod nano promo

[JAC]