Leopard and Macs

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theDreamer

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So this past month I have been very close to pushing the buy button at getting a Macbook, but with everyone saying wait for Leopard another month I have held off.

A few questions about it:
~What will Leopard improve on overall?
~If I buy now, will I have to pay a huge price to get Leopard? Also how is the upgrade process?

I am looking at getting a Macbook since I need something quick and on the go. I do not wish to spend over 1200 dollars, which means I can get the 1.83GHz with 2gigs of RAM.
~Will this be good enough to run Leopard at?
~Should I just save up and get the 2.0GHz?
~What performance hits will I be gaining/losing between the two? I have a great gaming laptop already so all I will be using this Macbook for is taking it to class, maybe chatting on a messenger, taking/writing notes for class, other minor things (web browsing type stuff).

Any other comments on Leopard, and other Macs that you want to add?

Edit: Also, I get a student discount, but would I get a better deal in refurb Macbook? I am a bit skeptical about buying refurb, I have read numerous good things about the Apple refurb store.
 
theDreamer said:
So this past month I have been very close to pushing the buy button at getting a Macbook, but with everyone saying wait for Leopard another month I have held off.

A few questions about it:
~What will Leopard improve on overall?
~If I buy now, will I have to pay a huge price to get Leopard? Also how is the upgrade process?

I am looking at getting a Macbook since I need something quick and on the go. I do not wish to spend over 1200 dollars, which means I can get the 1.83GHz with 2gigs of RAM.
~Will this be good enough to run Leopard at?
~Should I just save up and get the 2.0GHz?
~What performance hits will I be gaining/losing between the two? I have a great gaming laptop already so all I will be using this Macbook for is taking it to class, maybe chatting on a messenger, taking/writing notes for class, other minor things (web browsing type stuff).

Any other comments on Leopard, and other Macs that you want to add?

Edit: Also, I get a student discount, but would I get a better deal in refurb Macbook? I am a bit skeptical about buying refurb, I have read numerous good things about the Apple refurb store.
Click to expand...

Well. . .let me start by saying you're asking about software that hasn't been released yet - and currently has no solid release date yet. If you go to Apple's web site, you can see the enhanced feature set that they've announced so far.

As to your other question, as it stands right now if you purchased a new machine today you would have to pony up for full price (or full educational price) on Leopard - just like the rest of us. When Apple gives a firm release date for a new version of OSX, they usually announce something like "If you bought between X day and Y day, you get the new OSX for free - well, plus $10 shipping". Until then, don't count on anything.

The MacBook will be fine for the purposes you described. Get the 2GHz. The price for ordinary folks is $1299 - so if you get an educational discount it should be within your price range. Get the RAM somewhere else. There are other threads which give you some options here.
 
theDreamer said:
~What will Leopard improve on overall?
Click to expand...
The usual: Performance, stability, and features. There are never any real downsides to upgrading.

~If I buy now, will I have to pay a huge price to get Leopard? Also how is the upgrade process?
Click to expand...
If you think $129 is "a huge price," then yeah.


~Will this be good enough to run Leopard at?
Click to expand...
Yes. Leopard will run just fine on any Mac sold the last five years. Possibly longer.

~Should I just save up and get the 2.0GHz?
Click to expand...
Only if you really need it.


Also, I get a student discount, but would I get a better deal in refurb Macbook? I am a bit skeptical about buying refurb, I have read numerous good things about the Apple refurb store.
Click to expand...
Refurbs are usually great.
 
I know, it's killer waiting for Leopard. I'm in the same situation. I'd like to buy a Macbook now but don't want to shell out the money only to have Apple release the new OS a month down the road.

Then again, I could be waiting until June.
 
Since you said earlier that you get a student discount, you will be able to pick up Leopard for $69 (assuming Apple doesn't change their pricing scheme) when it's released. I don't think $69 is that much to pay, considering that it's not an "upgrade" and you'll always own your license to Tiger as well.
 
^That is one thing I am a bit worried about. Say in a week or so they announce the date and it is not until mid summer, well then I will not want to wait. Yet I know it would be best so I got the upgraded OS.

Thanks for the replies, yes I know you can not compare how well it runs, I was just wondering if there are any major changes going to happen to the OS that is worth waiting for. It seems many people are just saying wait for Leopard, but if I am to wait a few months I usually need a reason.

I guess I still have some time to think between the two. I do not think I will need 2GHz, but it might just be safe and get it.
 
How does the student discount work? I am not in school anymore but my girlfiend is.... how does she prove she's a student since I may have her buy it for me?
 
I kinda know/do not know.

If you go into a store I know you have to present a student ID, but when I am online.
I just find my school, and it takes me to an Apple site with my school logo and never ask for anything else.

~I believe someone said in another thread they sometimes flag some to verify, but I do not know.
 
theDreamer said:
^That is one thing I am a bit worried about. Say in a week or so they announce the date and it is not until mid summer, well then I will not want to wait. Yet I know it would be best so I got the upgraded OS.

Thanks for the replies, yes I know you can not compare how well it runs, I was just wondering if there are any major changes going to happen to the OS that is worth waiting for. It seems many people are just saying wait for Leopard, but if I am to wait a few months I usually need a reason.

I guess I still have some time to think between the two. I do not think I will need 2GHz, but it might just be safe and get it.
Click to expand...

As for the 1.83 vs. 2GHz, look at it this way - ask yourself what you get for the difference in price. For regular non-educational customers, the price difference is $200. For that $200 you get -
- slightly faster processor
- extra 512MB RAM - since you're popping to 2GB RAM, this is much less relavent
- extra 20GB HD space (60GB in the 1.83 vs 80GB in the 2GHz)
- and a SuperDrive in the 2GHz vs. just a Combo Drive in the 1.83

I think those things are well worth the extra $200, but everyone must decide for themselves.

Now why Apple still sells anything with just a Combo Drive and not a SuperDrive is a different question for a different day.
 
Yeah, I've found the student discount rates for her school but I don't see how they can verify it online. Maybe ask for a ID scan or a current class schedule? At the store, of course they can just ask for ID.
 
Buying online is a trust that they have, Apple that is.
Plus if you buy online how would they verify it?

~Take your student number?
Then they would have to get the student numbers of ALL the schools, etc., etc.
To much work.
 
Like I said before, I was just thinking they could require a scan of ID or schedule as a deterent. Not that people couldn't fake that, but it would deter people away that don't have the technical expertise. I was assuming it was something along those lines.
 
sn2op said:
Like I said before, I was just thinking they could require a scan of ID or schedule as a deterent. Not that people couldn't fake that, but it would deter people away that don't have the technical expertise. I was assuming it was something along those lines.
Click to expand...

They don't really ask for anything. When I bought my MBP they just asked for my student ID and a drivers license.
 
holybonkers said:
They don't really ask for anything. When I bought my MBP they just asked for my student ID and a drivers license.
Click to expand...

And that's in stores only, online I've never heard of somebody having to prove their elegibility.
 
sn2op said:
I could see that at the store, but how did you do that on the internet?
Click to expand...

It doesn't ask you for anything to input, all schools have different ways of identifying their students, so Apple can't like... check them all...

They just trust you're buying it for educational purposes.

I like that they don't incriminate me for purchasing their product.
 
Yeah, it's pretty cool. I admire the trust system but i'm sure it gets abused.
 
sn2op said:
Yeah, it's pretty cool. I admire the trust system but i'm sure it gets abused.
Click to expand...

Most people who even know about it only know about it because they have a family member that works for some sort of educational department.

I certainly wouldn't let my dad buy a machine using my discount, he wouldn't want to either, we have money, we can afford to pay for his machine in full.

He likes the MacBook's like I have, he knows he doesn't need graphics power, but the bigger screen of the MBP appeals to his lesser eyesight. He does say he doesn't have any trouble reading off my MacBook though, but I'm sure he'd also like the lighted keyboard on the MBP.

I'm sure he'll make ther right choice when the time comes.
 
Optional87 said:
Yup, and so far they haven't had to make it necesarry to prove elegibility because it's not that big of a deal.
Click to expand...

Nope, it's not a big deal. It probably was when they offered discounts to anyone that went to school, any school. They got rid of that a few years ago and less people know about the college discount since it's not really advertised other than a little education store button.
 
I see. Not like it's a huge discount anyway and they typically have much larger margins on their hardware anyway.
 
Thanks for all the input everyone.
Does anyone, rumors of course, if/when they are going to announce a date for Leopard?

I want to wait, but I do not know if waiting until mid-summer or if later would be worth it to just buy say at the end of this month.
 
theDreamer said:
Thanks for all the input everyone.
Does anyone, rumors of course, if/when they are going to announce a date for Leopard?

I want to wait, but I do not know if waiting until mid-summer or if later would be worth it to just buy say at the end of this month.
Click to expand...

Rumors peg it anywhere from the end of March to at the WWDC in June. No one knows, so if you need/want your Mac now, get it now.
 
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