The Case of Buying a MacBook Pro

Wimps on 23/06/2018 - 15:16
Last edited 23/06/2018 - 17:27 by 1 other user

Hello Ozbargainers,

I'm planning to buy a MacBook Pro in the next few weeks/months and I need some help.

So here is the thing, I'm planning to buy the 13" pro version with at least 256GB of storage and I need it before the 1st of September, but the current generation is getting old as the release was more than a year ago.

As far as I know, there only is a leak of the next processor for the 2018 version but no release date whatsoever.

The usage will be mainly programming/web browsing, iOS development among other things.
My budget is stretchy, I would like to stay around $2k and the earlier I got it the better.

I wasn't able to find a good deal on this version lately the best I was able to get is 2k for the 2017 13" 266gb on eBay with the last code. So far, I'm trying to decide between these options:

• Waiting for the 2018 version, even if I have to buy 2017 at the high price in August
• Buying a brand new with the best discount I can find at the moment.
• Waiting for a better discount in the next weeks (I'm new to Australia and I'm not really aware of your special discount days)
• Buying a refurbished 2016 version
• Buying a refurbished 2017 version

Any help is more than welcome.
Thanks a lot!

Poll Options

• 0
  Buying a refurbished 2016 version
• 1
  Buying a refurbished 2017 version
• 4
  Waiting for better discount
• 1
  Buying now with the best discount available
• 11
  Waiting for Apple to release the new gen (or buying at the high price in August)

• 

  smuggler on 23/06/2018 - 15:56

  The usage will be mainly programming / web browsing, iOS development among other things

  None of those tasks are demanding. You could do that on a 5 year old laptop.

  Just buy.

  • 

    D C on 23/06/2018 - 16:08

    on a 5 year old laptop

    And with VirtualBox who needs a Mac?

    • 

      smuggler on 23/06/2018 - 16:22

      I hate working on VMs.

      Software and Verification engineers at my workplace get macbooks and windows laptops, because we can afford it.

      • 

        D C on 23/06/2018 - 16:32

        +1

        at my workplace get macbooks and windows laptops, because we can afford it.

        That's nice. However this is OzBargain, not OzMyEmployerIsFootingTheBill.

• 

  Chewiebacca on 23/06/2018 - 17:01

  +1

  If you can find something greater than the standard 10% discounts and are in urgent need, go ahead and bite the bullet.

  The next gen models will have the 8th-gen processors which IMO alone are worth the 10% difference in cost, amongst whatever other upgrades the laptops will have.

• 

  holdenmg on 23/06/2018 - 17:14

  Wait, surely you mean 256GB of Storage, not 256GB of Memory.

  • 

    Wimps on 23/06/2018 - 17:28

    +1

    Yeah thx !

    • 

      Kangal on 23/06/2018 - 19:06

      +1

      I got the "Early 2015" MacBook Pro 13in-Retina, with 8GB RAM, and 256GB SSD back in November 2015 for $1,600. This is currently the best laptop Apple makes. Why?

      The good.
      It has the best keyboard mechanism. Has a longer battery life than the new ones. It has the innovative MagSafe charger. The build quality, 3D touchpad, speakers, and screen is very high quality. Still gets routine Apple updates for free. Not to mention it has all the ports you need*.

      The bad!
      Slightly thicker and slightly heavier than current MacBook Pros. Uses older components such as 2x ThunderBolt 2 instead of TB3. Slightly slower SSD and RAM modules. And uses a 14nm Intel Core i7, that's 2 core and 4 thread… which is basically on-par with current MacBooks (but behind Windows laptops toting i7-5650U, 4core/8thread).

      The ugly?
      No Ethernet port. Horrible webcam. Doesn't have a GTX 1050 Ti, can't drive modern games at 1080p/60fps/Medium Settings… however the iOS Apps/Indie titles/Web Games run fine with the integrated Intel Iris Pro graphics.

• 

  blonky on 23/06/2018 - 18:28

  Pretty sure the current gen 256gb was around $1800 not too long ago

  Current model did come out a year ago but not due to a refresh, unlike the MBP15 which is getting old