Should I buy an Apple laptop?

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

dodgy comp shop

ask apple first

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

This isn't true. All the MacBook Pros (apart from the Retina display one) have CD/DVD drives.

Also PC World in Moorgate are selling the just-replaced models for £350 off, Lex.

actually yeah, apple has a record for being nice

xxp true, the current 13s and 15s still have the drive built in

ha oh shit lex's brain is going to melt

i just looked at http://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs/13-and-15-inch/. they don't even mention the drives.

just noticed that

sigh

if you order a retina mbp, it offers you the external superdrive as an optional extra. if you order a standard mbp, it doesn't. assuming that means the std mbps come with the built-in drive, and apple just doesn't want to make a big deal of it.

lol the whitewashing of history

also lol optical media

this year I have used an optical drive to:

- rip chinese soap operas to .m4v
- rip mandopop to .mp3
- copy chinese breeze .mp3s to my ipod
- nothing else

i'm even more confused than i was to start with now

also i think i want a 13" one cuz that's what i have now

so get a 13" mbp, either the current one or the previous model or a refurb (you will get a cd/dvd drive whatever you do)

just check for the cd slot before you buy it

basically you can't go wrong, unless you're expecting two usb slots or something

is this one ok? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Apple-MacBook-Dual-Core-1-7GHz-Graphics/dp/B005DYB9GC/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1340100429&sr=8-7

HANG ON i need two USB slots

i don't think i can cope with this

that's a macbook air, no cd drive xxp

looool

only the 15" mbp has two usb slots built in

the cheapest one here is what you apparently want http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook_pro/select

pretty sure the 13" mbp has two usbs. even the 13" mba has two usbs.

yeah, it's go two usb ports

the refurb caek linked upthread has two USB slots

i should really just get that refurb

it's 13", it has two USB slots and it has a CD drive

brilliant

lex, get it

lex: the new laptops aren't on sale on amazon yet, and you won't save any money by buying with them once they are. get it from apple. and get applecare.

yeah get the refurb. and get applecare.

i am genuinely physically shaking through sheer panicky meltdown here