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ironlung posted:I am in the market for a MacBook Air and would like a little advice on when to buy. Assuming the new models will be released in June, I should wait until then, correct? I don't have an immediate need and this will be my first Mac. Star War Sex Parrot fucked around with this message at 21:32 on Apr 2, 2014 |
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Apr 2, 2014 21:26
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ironlung posted:I am in the market for a MacBook Air and would like a little advice on when to buy. Assuming the new models will be released in June, I should wait until then, correct? I don't have an immediate need and this will be my first Mac.  edit ^^ beaten But, Broadwell is supposedly going to be delayed until late 2014 so the real question is do you want an Air or rMBP?
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Apr 2, 2014 21:40
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ironlung posted:I am in the market for a MacBook Air and would like a little advice on when to buy. Assuming the new models will be released in June, I should wait until then, correct? I don't have an immediate need and this will be my first Mac. June or July- and the rumor mill suggests that there might be a major rejiggering of the lineup (some rumblings of a fanless 12" that combines the dimensions of the current two models and maybe adds a retina display), which makes some sense given the chassis' age. But any reason why you aren't looking at the 13" retina MacBook Pro? At the trim level worth buying it's only ~$60 more than the equivalent 13" MBA. The display makes the tiny trade-offs in weight, minimum thickness, and battery life totally worth it. Edit: also what they^ said. trilobite terror fucked around with this message at 22:08 on Apr 2, 2014 |
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Apr 2, 2014 22:06
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Retina display is pretty much amazing. I'd prioritize that #1 for shopping criteria.
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Apr 2, 2014 22:08
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I've been staring at too many retina displays lately, so I've just pulled the trigger on a 256GB/16GB 13" rMBP. Should be a nice replacement for my 2009 MBP.
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Apr 2, 2014 22:11
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Electric Bugaloo posted:But any reason why you aren't looking at the 13" retina MacBook Pro? No, not really. I was eyeing the MBA just because of the portability and battery life but it appears I was wrong in my assumption that those two things were much better on the MBA vs MBP. You'll have to excuse my ignorance, I haven't bought a new computer since 2008. quote:At the trim level worth buying it's only ~$60 more than the equivalent 13" MBA. Can you elaborate a little more on this? What are the minimum specs that would make the computer worth buying at this point?
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Apr 2, 2014 22:42
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8 gigs RAM and 256 gig SSD.
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Apr 2, 2014 22:59
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ironlung posted:Can you elaborate a little more on this? What are the minimum specs that would make the computer worth buying at this point? At minimum, I would get any new Macbook with 8gb of RAM and 256gb of storage space. The RAM is soldered in and the SSD is a proprietary design which is a massive pain in the rear end to replace, so for all intents and purposes you're gonna have to get comfy with whatever specs you buy the computer with. 8gb of RAM will ensure that the computer is future-proof enough to stay competitive for at least the next few years and I'm convinced that no normal human being can make do with only 128gb of drive space unless it's for a dedicated second computer (and even then, I've found that it's way better to just spring for the extra gigs and peace of mind than run into a wall a year or two into owning the thing). You'll lose ~7gb to the OS alone and probably another 20 getting all of your software in order before you even put a single media file or document on it, and you'll want at least ~10gb of free space for the computer to work properly. At normal retail pricing, the 8/256 13" MBA comes out to $1400 while the equivalent rMBP runs at $1500. With an education discount (all you need is access to a .edu email account), the MBA costs $1340, while the pro comes down to $1400. Edit: Also, cool kids don't use the retina display at the native resolution, which makes things kinda big on the 13" rmbp. They bump the "screen space" slider up a notch and take advantage of all that schweet real estate while still rolling in them knife-sharp graphics 
trilobite terror fucked around with this message at 23:09 on Apr 2, 2014 |
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Apr 2, 2014 23:06
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Electric Bugaloo posted:At normal retail pricing, the 8/256 13" MBA comes out to $1400 while the equivalent rMBP runs at $1500. With an education discount (all you need is access to a .edu email account), the MBA costs $1340, while the pro comes down to $1400. Late-2013 13" rMBP (2.4GHz i5, 8GB, 256GB): $1269 Set up an alert here and snap it up when it becomes available.
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Apr 2, 2014 23:16
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Star War Sex Parrot posted:Late-2013 13" rMBP (2.4GHz i5, 8GB, 256GB): $1269 
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Apr 2, 2014 23:30
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God drat that's cheap.
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Apr 2, 2014 23:35
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Caged posted:God drat that's cheap. I got my 2013 15" rMBP refurb for like $600 off retail and it was indistinguishable from a new one.
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Apr 2, 2014 23:36
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I'd be careful about relying on Refurb.me right now - they recently redid the site and I didn't get an email notification for the restock yesterday. It shows I signed up for the alert, but I didn't get one. In related news, I have an rMBP in that exact configuration on its way to me right now. UPS originally scheduled it for delivery tomorrow but then revised it to say it would be here today - of course it's still ~100 miles away. I'm suing for psychological trauma.
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Apr 2, 2014 23:39
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Ok, I have been hit with the knowledge. rMBP it is.Star War Sex Parrot posted:Late-2013 13" rMBP (2.4GHz i5, 8GB, 256GB): $1269 Done. Thanks a ton. How long does it typically take the refurbs to restock?
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Apr 3, 2014 00:38
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Pretty frequently these days, I think. It depends on the model, but that one is pretty common. I imagine you'll be able to snag it within a week or so.
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Apr 3, 2014 00:51
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I have a mid-2012 MacBook Air, which according to Apple, is able to drive two thunderbolt displays from its thunderbolt port. I don't have the cash for two thunderbolt displays, but I do have room to buy two Dell P2414H monitors (has VGA, DVI, and Displayport connectors). I have one on the way, and want to consider my options of wanting to hook up another P2414H. I asked over in the Monitor/Display Megathread for some suggestions, and I was told an option is to get a display port hub (seeing as how the P2414H cannot daisy chain). I found this on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/EVGA-Complian...isplayport+hub. Would that work?
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Apr 3, 2014 06:51
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teagone posted:I have a mid-2012 MacBook Air, which according to Apple, is able to drive two thunderbolt displays from its thunderbolt port. I don't have the cash for two thunderbolt displays, but I do have room to buy two Dell P2414H monitors (has VGA, DVI, and Displayport connectors). I have one on the way, and want to consider my options of wanting to hook up another P2414H. I asked over in the Monitor/Display Megathread for some suggestions, and I was told an option is to get a display port hub (seeing as how the P2414H cannot daisy chain). I found this on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/EVGA-Complian...isplayport+hub. Would that work? Looks like it wouldn't work if you bought one today, thanks to a lack of OS X driver support for Multi-Stream Transport. It might work in the future... because Apple is definitely working on MST to support 60 Hz 4K monitors. https://discussions.apple.com/message/25210287 No way to tell whether the 2012 Air would be included when that eventually shows up, or whether Apple's driver will enable multiple monitors as well as 4K displays. If you don't need full performance on one display, and you need something now, look into USB monitor adapters. Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BPEV1XK?gclid=CKqqvJDTw70CFc9AMgodi2gAMw Whatever you get, make sure it's USB 3.0 and verify that Mac compatibility is good. (I haven't done that, that's basically one of the first things I found on google)
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Apr 3, 2014 07:11
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BobHoward posted:Looks like it wouldn't work if you bought one today, thanks to a lack of OS X driver support for Multi-Stream Transport. It might work in the future... because Apple is definitely working on MST to support 60 Hz 4K monitors. Appreciate the info. Guess I'll hold off on that displayport hub for now. Came across this device, also from EVGA: http://www.amazon.com/EVGA-Supporting-1920x1200-Resolutions-100-U3-UV39-KR/dp/B008BUIKD0/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top which does have recent OS X driver support. Might pick that up in the event Apple doesn't fix the whole mirroring thing by the time I get another monitor. Thanks again!
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Apr 3, 2014 07:52
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Caged posted:God drat that's cheap.  Don't let the PC guys hear you call a $1269 laptop 'cheap'
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Apr 3, 2014 13:29
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What do you guys think a good price I'd be able to get for a Mid 2011 13" Air? 1.7 i5, 4GB, 128HD, in perfect condition. Right now I've got it connected to a Dell U2410 Ultrasharp monitor which used to be one of the best monitors you could buy, I think. Thinking I'd like to get rid of both and get a nice rMBP.
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Apr 3, 2014 13:49
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ironlung posted:No, not really. I was eyeing the MBA just because of the portability and battery life but it appears I was wrong in my assumption that those two things were much better on the MBA vs MBP. You'll have to excuse my ignorance, I haven't bought a new computer since 2008. The biggest reason to get an MBA, if any, is if you're in the market for the 11 inch (like I am). I travel a lot for work and quite lightly. The 11 inch fits in a very small Timbuk2 bag which goes with me most everywhere (think of it like a Murse). I love my MBA 11in to death. I use for coding, web surfing, and gaming (Diablo 3, Civ 5). Other than that, listen to what everyone else says and stick with the rMBP.
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Apr 3, 2014 14:57
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Bob Morales posted:
Well the same spec as that but with 16GB just cost me £1212.
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Apr 3, 2014 19:16
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Bob Morales posted:
My brother asked me for advice on buying a new laptop last year.  I know you're a Mac guy but I don't want a Mac.  Get a Mac. Haha so like what PC should I get? Seriously, get a Mac. PC laptops tend to cheap heavy plastic garbage with poo poo for battery life. I think there's some decent high end ones out there but I'm no expert on PCs so I can't point you in the right direction there. And if you're going to spend that much, you can just get a Mac. The extra investment is totally worth it, you'll get better battery life, a well-built, solid, light computer, and the resale value will be way higher. ... Hey bro, I bought this awesome Lenovo for $1100. Thanks for your help!... One year later ... So my laptop can't connect to wifi half the time, can you look at it? I'd take it back to Best Buy and have them fix it under warranty but every time they replace some hardware I'm without it for weeks. "Every time"? How often does it need repair? I've brought it in three times so far. The warranty is great! Oh, and while you're fixing the wifi can you see if you can make the battery last longer? It's supposed to be a three hour battery but it barely gets me through a single class worth of notetaking. They already shipped me one replacement battery but it didn't help. ... I finally see this wonder, and it's an inch-thick eight pound brick with a display that is so lovely that looking at it from even the slightest incorrect angle results in half the colors washing out and disappearing. I spend two days installing Windows updates (because gently caress being able to update everything at once... No, you have to install these 32 patches and reboot before you can see the next 56... And so on SIXTEEN loving TIMES), uninstalling all the crapware, and discovering his wifi simply can't connect to certain wifi channels ... So isn't this thing awesome??! And all this because he owned an iBook in the late 90's that "couldn't do anything" (translation: couldn't install the PC games my friends lent me). e/n TL:DR: I hate PCs.
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Apr 4, 2014 17:11
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Choadmaster posted:e/n TL:DR: I hate PCs. I had a Dell from work that was pretty awesome. It had a top of the line i7 and had a poo poo-ton of hardware in it, like dual hard drives and a Quadro video card. Very high resolution monitor, fairly long battery life considering what it was packing. Trackpad sucked but what could you do. It was insanely heavy and huge but it was a desktop replacement, not an ultraportable. I priced it out on their website as having cost $3k prior to discounts though. Should have bought me a Macbook Pro guys.
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Apr 4, 2014 17:31
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Except your company has a deal with Dell to get those laptops at 60% off the list price, which makes it cheaper than a MBP.
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Apr 4, 2014 17:46
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FlashBangBob posted:Except your company has a deal with Dell to get those laptops at 60% off the list price, which makes it cheaper than a MBP. Eh we had about 50 employees, I doubt Dell was giving us that great a deal.
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Apr 4, 2014 18:04
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Pivo posted:I had a Dell from work that was pretty awesome. It had a top of the line i7 and had a poo poo-ton of hardware in it, like dual hard drives and a Quadro video card. Very high resolution monitor, fairly long battery life considering what it was packing. Trackpad sucked but what could you do. It was insanely heavy and huge but it was a desktop replacement, not an ultraportable. Yes, if you NEED a giant brick, obviously a Mac will not fit your use case.
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Apr 4, 2014 18:06
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Bob Morales posted:
All the Dell laptops at my office are $300, but sturdy ugly bricks like the honourable ThinkPad.
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Apr 4, 2014 18:55
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Choadmaster posted:Yes, if you NEED a giant brick, obviously a Mac will not fit your use case. Just carry a 21 inch iMac around with a big old 24v truck battery and inverter.
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Apr 4, 2014 21:03
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One of the rubber feet came off the bottom of my 2008-era aluminum Macbook. Is there any adhesive I can use to stick it back into place or should I take it to the Apple Store and get a whole new foot installed?
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Apr 5, 2014 03:17
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Apple Store is usually pretty cool about replacing the feet if you're also cool. Even the "Apple Authorized Repair Centre" place near where I used to live would just give me screws and random poo poo if I asked nicely. You could always superglue it on though. *shrug* It'll eat into the rubber so don't use too much but it'll work.
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Apr 5, 2014 03:59
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cyberia posted:One of the rubber feet came off the bottom of my 2008-era aluminum Macbook. Is there any adhesive I can use to stick it back into place or should I take it to the Apple Store and get a whole new foot installed? Glue dots or gorilla glue will do the trick.
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Apr 5, 2014 04:14
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So I'm thinking it's time to replace my old Macbook Pro, and I'm thinking I want a 15". I'm leaning towards going refurb and getting one of the previous gen models because a) it's cheaper and b) I can get a dedicated graphics card without having to get the super expensive model. My biggest question right now is about how necessary it is to spend the extra cash for 16GB of RAM. Seems like there are some pretty good deals to be had on refurb 15" MBPs with 8GB, and at 15 or 1600 I could probably afford to spring for AppleCare on top of that. From what I've seen so far, a used 15" with 16GB of RAM is back up at 18 or 1900 bucks, at which point I'd probably have to forego AppleCare. I mostly use my laptop for normal web browsing stuff, GuitarPro, and some moderate gaming - mostly stuff like Diablo, XCOM, and Civ which tend to be less demanding. Am I really shooting myself in the foot 2 or 3 years down the line by not getting the extra ram, or should 8GB be fine?
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Apr 5, 2014 06:32
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Pivo posted:Apple Store is usually pretty cool about replacing the feet if you're also cool. Even the "Apple Authorized Repair Centre" place near where I used to live would just give me screws and random poo poo if I asked nicely. Super glue is what Apple uses.
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Apr 5, 2014 07:08
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I just bought my first ever Macbook Pro, I decided to get the one with a Retina Display and 8gb of ram. So far i'm loving it, the screen is really nice. I was a little bit worried about the performance as I'm a 3D Designer and I like to play games too, and honestly I was a little disappointed at its gaming performance. Luckily, I have a super high spec desktop PC and with Steams Home Streaming service, I've been able to play all my PC games on my Mac, so actually the 3D performance hasn't been a problem at all. If i need to do heavy 3D work I can use my desktop, if i want to play games, most of the time the streaming service is more than capable and for photoshop, internet browsing, etc the Macbook is more than capable and is actually a really nice experience.
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Apr 5, 2014 07:35
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Hulk Krogan posted:Am I really shooting myself in the foot 2 or 3 years down the line by not getting the extra ram, or should 8GB be fine? Nobody can tell you that. It'll depend on your needs at that point. It's certainly mainstream now to have 8GB, and usually developers will support what has been mainstream up to five years back or so, so it's not going to be a doorstop based on that.
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Apr 5, 2014 10:35
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Hulk Krogan posted:
Get the first year rMBP 15 in the min spec. It cost right around 2k when new so you should be able to get it for a decent bit less now. Is for 8 GB but that will be fine. Your going to get better battery life better screen lighter thinner incredible disk speed and only give up some disk space and useless optical drive. If the rMBP doesn't work for you 8 GB is fine. Don't waste the money.
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Apr 5, 2014 13:58
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Shaocaholica posted:Back to my 2008 MBP 4.1. So I have a spare 240G Samsung 840 Pro laying around. Wasted on the MBP 4.1? Other options would be a 1T hybrid drive or 2T standard drive (both $100 options I'm willing to go for). An SSD was the best upgrade when I did it on a MBP 2,1. They're always worth it compared to HDDs.
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Apr 5, 2014 17:48
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Hulk Krogan posted:I mostly use my laptop for normal web browsing stuff, GuitarPro, and some moderate gaming - mostly stuff like Diablo, XCOM, and Civ which tend to be less demanding. Am I really shooting myself in the foot 2 or 3 years down the line by not getting the extra ram, or should 8GB be fine? With the exception of Guitar Pro, I do all that with 8Gb without issue. As others have said, go for an SSD instead of you can afford it. Unless you're doing rendering or something, that will probably give you the better performance increase.
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Apr 6, 2014 01:48
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I am looking to buy either a 13" MBA or rMBP. But I can't decide which one and which configuration is right for me. Things I'm concerned with: 1. Resale value 2. I know future proofing isn't a thing, but would be great if this thing lasted 4 years 3. I want to play games on Steam 4. Battery life (so I excluded the i7 MBA) 5. I like the retina screen Which option would you recommend at 256GB? code:code:
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Apr 6, 2014 19:06
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