Should I buy an Apple laptop?

you should definitely buy a new laptop

the new ones just got released last week.

they don't make laptops for 650 quid. they never have iirc.

the cheapest current model is the 11" macbook air for 849. that's probably about 700 with a student discount, which you can get if you have a pulse. that's fine for your purposes. a+ recommended.

if you need a disc drive for cds/dvds (lol old) then you'll need to buy an old model second hand or get an external drive. they don't sell them any more.

hang on what laptops don't have cd drives any more? you can't play dvds on them?

but...

I AM CONFUSED

i need to rip CDs to the hard drive all the time! and also i want to watch DVDs on the laptop!

apple don't make laptops with cd/dvd drives since last week.

no one except music journalists and my dad use them any more. you can buy an external one like an external hard drive for < 100£.

i don't know what to do now

http://store.apple.com/uk/product/MD564ZM/A?fnode=MTY1NDA0Nw&s=topSellers

buy an 11" MBA and one of these http://store.apple.com/uk/product/MD564ZM/A?fnode=MTY1NDA0Nw&s=topSellers

so is it just the new models that don't have CD drives? aargh i should have done this the other week

WHY don't they have CD drives? I JUST WANT A LAPTOP THAT IS THE SAME AS THE ONE I HAVE

you can still get the old models refurbished though http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/specialdeals/mac they are cheaper and have optical drives. they are repaired ones, but they come with some sort of guarantee

e.g. this would suit you fine http://store.apple.com/uk/product/FD313B/A

also what do people watch if not DVDs these days? i knew CDs were obsolete but i didn't think DVDs were?

people download movies from the internet

the cheapest current model is the 11" macbook air for 849.

is this one of the new ones that just got released last week?

i find everything about this so stressful

people download movies from the internet

i thought that was just illegal torrents though? i tried to work out how to do torrents once and EVERYTHING CRASHED and i've been too frightened to try again since

also there's nowhere enough room on laptops for more than a few films?

yes, all the laptops are new ones that got released last week

you can rent/buy movies using itunes.

a film takes up the same amount of space as 10 albums

and if you rent it you delete it anyway

my current laptop won't even let me watch youtube without skipping or freezing

ok these new models, in what ways are they better than the old ones? like is there something to actually make up for lacking a function i need to use regularly?

they are not creaky

no i mean the macbooks that were available two weeks ago that have been taken off the market

they weigh less because they got rid of something most people don't use

they didn't exactly weigh a ton to start with. what else have they made better. if there's nothing else i may as well get a refurbished one.

they are a bit faster, but tbh the refurbs will be so much faster than your 6 yr old one the difference between the new ones and the two week old ones will be marginal to you

i would get a refurb

if i were you i mean

lex, having read many of your angry posts about your current creaky model, you will be absolutely fine with last year's model. also, get applecare.

my mbp is two years old and it's still superb

and are refurbished ones actually...likely to last long? given that they are 2nd hand/repaired/whatever? that makes me a bit uncomfortable.

ugh so if i hadn't dithered and had just done this two weeks ago i could've got a new model that actually had what i want? ugh

make sure you look at http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/specialdeals/refurbfaq_popup

also no education discount on refurbs

and yes, get applecare

they are fine. you are guaranteed for 12 months + you are sensible so you get applecare for any apple laptop refurb or not, which extends cover for 2 more years.

i'm not a student so don't get discount anyway (but i save a similar amount cuz i get to claim tax back)

old refurb vs new model + external CD drive aargh. also aware that old models can become obsolete in annoying ways when it comes to software programs and stuff, like i haven't been able to use google chrome on my current one

you get a student discount by having a pulse. you would get it on a new laptop. in the uk it is 15% + free applecare, so it's worth ~300 quid.

actually applecare for uk students is not free, but it's something totally nominal like 50 quid

but like i say, i recommend that refurb for you

+ applecare

they don't check you're a student?!

you find someone with anything to do with a university and you place the order from a computer on their campus

otherwise there is no check

lex, is your company in on apple's employee purchase programme? my wife is entitled to that, so all our apple stuff is something % off

i don't think i know anyone at university any more :/

xp i'm freelance/self-employed

bugger

+1 for the refurb btw, apple's refurbs are incredible

Small business discount in that case!

my old imac died (i think maybe the power supply blew a fuse?) it's the old 17 inch non widescreen ones.

should i bother fixing it? do i take it to apple or to the dodgy computer shop round the corner?

it's deffo out of warrenty