When should I buy a new MBP?

I'm leaving for college in the fall and I would like some help deciding when it makes sense to buy a new computer.  I'm planning on buying a new MBP with Retina display, but I'm not sure if it's totally worth updating yet.  I currently have a Late (October) 2009 White Macbook (2.26Ghz, 8GB RAM, 250GB HD), that works decently, but isn't wonderful--it's slowing down.  I would appreciate some ideas and thoughts on when it makes sense to upgrade:  now, before I leave for college; sometime during the fall semester, after I really know my computing needs (my least preferred option); or, this Christmastime?  If anyone has some advice, it would be much appreciated.
Cheers!

ccshaw wrote:
Wouldn't it just make sense to put the money for the 7200rpm drive towards one more upgrade on the MBP?  I could just cut that up front cost.
You can choose to forgo the hard drive upgrade, however 250GB is quite small, meaning your likely using a great portion of the second 50% of the drive, which the read/wrire performance is substancially reduced.
7,200 RPM doesn't make that much of a battery life dent that one will notice it, but one will notice the speedier response.
S0 by incrreasing the RPM's and the storage size, plus newer drive with better read/write speeds through technology improvments combined with a zero erase + fresh install of 10.6.1 (your original disks) and Software Updated to 10.6.8 (10.7 is slow) should make a dramatic improvement on that model.
However a erase + fresh install of 10.6 on that present 250GB can do the job well too, 10.7 is slow and you likely have other problems the 10.6 install will also cure.
How to erase and install Snow Leopard 10.6
How to revert your Mac to Snow Leopard
I'm not sure where I can get a copy of 10.6.8.  Do you know where I could obtain that?
Your computer came with 10.6.1 install disks, hold c or option key down and boot off the disks, use Disk Utility to erase the entire drive (select the drive makers name and size on the left) with Security Option > Zero all data, wait, then when finished quit and install 10.6.1 and Software Update fully to 10.6.8.
If you no longer have the 10.6.1 disks, call Apple for a machine specific replacement disks for your 2009 Late 13" White MacBook.
You can also use the $29 10.6.3 white Snow Leopard retail disks sold here
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC573Z/A
f it turns out that I do need Windows for class applications, do I install it on a partition by using disk utility and partitioning my HD (also, how big does that partition for windows need to be)?
There are two methods to use Windows on a Mac.
1: Apple's Bootcamp, which takes the bottom free space on your boot drive (250GB isn't much if you have a lot of OSX data) and allows you to direct install Windows 7 (only) there.
2: Virtual machine software, which allows one to run Windows (any flavor and Linux's) in a window in OS X.
You can read about both (pro's and cons) here:
Windows in BootCamp or Virtual Machine?

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