Why I’m Still Holding On To My Old MacBook Pro

October 25th, 2010 by jeff

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Posted in Apple, Laptops, MacBook | 12 comments

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  • http://www.chromasia.com/iblog/ David J. Nightingale

    I recently had much the same dilemma but decided to upgrade to the new 2.66GHz Core i7 15″ Macbook Pro. I couldn’t afford a decent sized SSD, so went with the 500GB conventional drive instead. However, I did go for 8GB of RAM which has made a huge difference for me, mostly because I can now reap the benefits of running Photoshop in 64 bit mode – it’s massively faster with more memory. So, I feel your pain – it’s an expensive upgrade – but I do think it’s worth the money. As for the battery, I guess I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it, but I’m not looking forward to the additional expense.

  • http://methodphoto.com Richard Earney

    Actually cracking open a new MacBook Pro is dead simple, and it goes back together nicely too, unlike older models. Once your warranty is over then replacing the battery is pretty simple too, http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Repair/Installing-MacBook-Pro-15-Inch-Unibody-Mid-2010-Battery/3024/1

    You can fit more RAM in too (up to 8GB). Yes it is an investment and a more durable one!

  • Bill

    Check Apple’s refurb section for MBP’s. As of this morning (10/25/10 0855) 4 core i7′s are listed ranging in price from $1869 to $2549 (w/SSD). There is a MBP Core i7 2.66GHZ 4GB RAM 500 GB HD non-glossy screen for $1999. Occasionally with a refurbished Mac, I’ve received a ‘silent upgrade’ … i.e. more RAM or larger HD.

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  • skooker reid

    What I do: identify the model I like, wait for Apple to issue its replacement, then swoop in and buy a refurbished unit of the old model at Apple.

  • http://williambeem.com William Beem

    You don’t have to imagine how much it will cost to replace your battery. Apple posts the prices here: http://www.apple.com/support/macbookpro/service/battery/

  • Steve Kalman

    My Desktop philosophy: Buy with room to upgrade, and buy upgradeable parts (e.g., my motherboard maxed out at 8GB RAM, I started with 4, and will upgrade soon)

    My Laptop philosophy: Buy the best I can find/afford, then keep it until I can’t stand it any more. The only thing I’ve ever upgraded on a laptop is to get a larger hard drive.

    If Mac had a tablet PC, I’d buy it today. I’m currently using a Fujitsu tablet with Win 7/64. The tablet screen/interface is built by Wacom and is pressure sensitive in PS/LR. I do preliminary edits while traveling (saving all layers, etc.) and then finish it at home.

  • Arthur Agin

    Jeff,

    Two comments.

    Samsung makes a hybrid drive that combines a HD with SSD. I think it’s the Momentus XT and is available up to 500GB. I think they’re only $50 more and performs in between HD and SSD.

    I would also wait until Apple catches up on screen resolution. The best they offer is a 1600×1050 while the high end standard is now 1920×1080.

    Art

    • Jared Chapin

      Morning Jeff. 2007 Macbook Pro here. Express Card 34. I use it so that I have eSATA. I like the what they got. I just Find it missing. USB 3.0—eSATA—what about FW 1600 or 3200. I really want the express card back in the 15”…getting greedy here a 1gig graphics card. & cheeper SSD drives.