Discussion about
Still Availible?
I was wondering if you can still find this version of the MBP used or refurbished for alot less than the current ones.
Apple has a few in their refurbished store. I didn't compare them to the new version, but I don't think they're much cheaper.
I'd rather have the new unibody style than the mulit-piece that I have. The area above the disc drive on mine is bent because of the pressure put on it by my arm when typing, something that I assume wouldn't happen with the stronger material.
There's a 2.6GHz 15" for $1799, and a 2.5GHz 17" for the same price.
I'd rather have the new unibody style than the mulit-piece that I have. The area above the disc drive on mine is bent because of the pressure put on it by my arm when typing, something that I assume wouldn't happen with the stronger material.
There's a 2.6GHz 15" for $1799, and a 2.5GHz 17" for the same price.
I'm going to agree with pohatu771, if you're thinking of spending the money on a new MBP, go with the unibody. There are a ton of upgrades on it, namely that DDR at 1066 clock speed. It beats the pants off the old MBP's DDR2 667. Plus the case on it feels much much more solid, and it's a better build quality, therefore will probably last you longer. If you're thinking of getting a 15 inch though, i'd go with the 2k dollar one, seeing as how it comes with the discrete graphics.
Not to sound like a jerk, but if you really wanted to know if refurb Macs are still available, why not just check out the Refurb section on store.apple.com. That would be the ultimate source of knowledge for whether or not you could get a refurb Mac.
And why do some say that the refurb macbooks aren't that much cheaper? They certainly are. You can get a refurb MBP C2D 2.66 4GB 320GB HD, 9400+9600 512MB for $1,699. Brand new, that one is $1,999 but you only get 256MB dedicated video. Stepping up to the $2,299 one gets you the 512MB video (500 GB HD too). Since the HD's are easily replaceable, that $1,699 saves you basically $600 over a brand new one of comparable specs. Spend $100 to upgrade that refurb HD to a 500GB drive and you've saved $500 over a new one, and now have a spare 320GB drive you can throw in a Firewire/USB enclosure. Maybe $500 isn't that much to you, but that is about 25% of the cost of the notebook, so I think that's not insignificant.
Or go cheaper. A refurb 2.4C2D, 2GB + 250GB HD 9400+9600 256 is $1,349. Compare that to the $1,699 new MBP with similar specs, except that one doesn't have the dedicated 9600GT graphics, which is critical if you're going to do any gaming (OSX, Parallels, or Bootcamp).
Sure, by going with an older previous-gen refurb MBP you miss out on the integrated SD slot. But you also get a user-replaceable battery. Which, given Apple's history with batteries, I'd much prefer that over the new one where it's going to have to go back to Apple *when* the battery eventually dies.
The refurb machines come with the same warranties as new, and the two refurb Macs I've purchased in my life have looked and performed as if they were brand new. No fingerprints, no crumbs in the keyboard, no scratches or dings. Looked absolutely brand new. Just cheaper. IMHO, the refurb store is a good place to buy a Mac, especially if you're not convinced that the "Apple Tax" is worth it.
And why do some say that the refurb macbooks aren't that much cheaper? They certainly are. You can get a refurb MBP C2D 2.66 4GB 320GB HD, 9400+9600 512MB for $1,699. Brand new, that one is $1,999 but you only get 256MB dedicated video. Stepping up to the $2,299 one gets you the 512MB video (500 GB HD too). Since the HD's are easily replaceable, that $1,699 saves you basically $600 over a brand new one of comparable specs. Spend $100 to upgrade that refurb HD to a 500GB drive and you've saved $500 over a new one, and now have a spare 320GB drive you can throw in a Firewire/USB enclosure. Maybe $500 isn't that much to you, but that is about 25% of the cost of the notebook, so I think that's not insignificant.
Or go cheaper. A refurb 2.4C2D, 2GB + 250GB HD 9400+9600 256 is $1,349. Compare that to the $1,699 new MBP with similar specs, except that one doesn't have the dedicated 9600GT graphics, which is critical if you're going to do any gaming (OSX, Parallels, or Bootcamp).
Sure, by going with an older previous-gen refurb MBP you miss out on the integrated SD slot. But you also get a user-replaceable battery. Which, given Apple's history with batteries, I'd much prefer that over the new one where it's going to have to go back to Apple *when* the battery eventually dies.
The refurb machines come with the same warranties as new, and the two refurb Macs I've purchased in my life have looked and performed as if they were brand new. No fingerprints, no crumbs in the keyboard, no scratches or dings. Looked absolutely brand new. Just cheaper. IMHO, the refurb store is a good place to buy a Mac, especially if you're not convinced that the "Apple Tax" is worth it.
The best site I've found is www.pbcentral.com for a central list of legit online MBP's.
Also www.dealmac.com for other sales.
Also www.dealmac.com for other sales.
