Advice on buying a 13" MacBook Pro

Hey everybody!
I am currently getting ready to buy my wife and I our first Mac. But I need some advice in making sure I'm picking the right one.
I'll give you the rundown:
I'm looking at the 13" MacBook Pro because I'm double majoring in communications and advertising so I would like something relatively portable as I spend a lot of time going from class to class and going to the library. I've been doing a lot of presentations with graphics and writing papers.
My wife is getting ready to start (finally) her own photography business and she is the one that pointed me towards Macs.
Money is somewhat of an issue, I have been saving but my PC just died on me a little bit earlier than what I would have liked, so a new computer is needed rather quickly.
So I was thinking of either of the 13" models (for portability sake) and maxing the RAM out. I would also be buying her, her very own external hard drive for her pictures.
And then later on this summer grab her a Thunderbolt Display so she has a bigger monitor.
So I guess my biggest question is, which one would be best for the next year until we get on our feet and I graduate? Or should I just man up and buy a 15"? After I graduate, the laptop will go right to her or I'll buy her a new bigger one after I find a job. Thank you for any and all advice you all can give me.

Yes, go with what you can afford, but don't be scared to buy refurbished from Apple directly. Sometimes you can pick up a refurbished unit that's the higher-spec'd one for much less or the same price as a new lower spec'd one. The refurbished Apple products are like new ones and come with the same warranty as a new one. It's almost a win win if you ask me. Also, save your money that you'd spend on maxing out the RAM. If you buy a refurb 13" MacBook (2012 model), you can add this CORSAIR Vengeance 16GB (2 x 8G) 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Laptop Memory Model CMSX16GX3M2A1600C10 CORSAIR Vengeance 16GB (2 x 8G) 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Laptop Memory Model CMSX16GX3M2A1600C10 and max it out at a much lesser cost than Apple would charge.
Here's the link for all currently available MacBook Pro's in the refurb store. MacBook Pro

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Advice on buying Used/New Macbook Pro

I'm giving some serious thought to buying a macbook pro unibody and I'm trying to decide on whether to buy a near-perfect used machine as opposed to a new one. I'm after a 13" and have no interest in anything larger... actually wish there was a netbook-sized mackbook. And truth be known, if the iPad had a iSight camera built in, I would probably be heading down that pad. The macbook will mainly be used around the house and occasionally at wi-fi enabled off-site locations. We're also eligible for a educational discount, so if I buy new... that comes into play.
If I buy used, I would have to see the machine in person locally, watch it run, use it... and know that it's hopefully still eligible for AppleCare if ownership is transferred? I'd also want the original sales receipt and I might like to opt for one on one because even though I've had my iMac for over a year... I'm still learning.
Having only owned a couple of IBM ThinkPads and a WinBook way back when... I was just curious about whether the mackbooks are reliable and sturdy (my ThinkPad has a titanium frame), and whether its worth it to score a great deal on a gently used one that is loaded with more memory and/or larger HDD and possibly a bunch of apps or spend the same for a base model?

"... whether its worth it to score a great deal on a gently used one that is loaded with more memory and/or larger HDD and possibly a bunch of apps or spend the same for a base model? "
1. What do you feel is a great deal and where have you seen one?
2. Anyone who sells you a machine with third party apps needs to give you the original disks or you are both in violation of SLA's. Keep that in mind.
3. If you buy a used machine and the owner touts it has Applecare you need to make sure he/she purchased the AppleCare from Apple or AASP. Otherwise it's not transferable to you.

I want to buy a refurbished Macbook Pro solely to use 'protools 8' on-nothing else. I am being told there are only certain year Macbooks Pro that will run this programme. I know I need 8gb, can anyone give me advice on what to buy/look for?

I want to buy a refurbished 'Macbook Pro' solely to use 'protools 8' on-nothing else!.
I am being told there are only certain year Macbook Pro that will run this programme.
I know I need 8gb, can anyone give me advice on what to buy/look for please?

It appears to depend upon the version you will be using:
http://avid.force.com/pkb/articles/en_US/Compatibility/en352429
Based on what I can tell, you may have to go to the second hand market in order to get a MBP that will run a compatible OSX.
Ciao.

Do I buy a 13" MacBook Pro or an Air?

Okay, I am having a dilemma and need some advice. I am looking to buy a new laptop to serve as my only computer. I currently have a 15" MacBook Pro with an i5 Processor. I bought the 15" last year because I thought I NEEDED an anti-glare display and since it was my first laptop, I was worried about losing screen real estate. Also, I didn't want to get a core 2 duo and to get an i5 or better I had to get atleast a 15" I have since learned I am fine with glossy (actually, I PREFER it) and also prefer portability over power. I feel like I bought a Ferrari to handle a 2 block commute. The 13" screen does not seem much smaller. I am a student so I like bringing my computer to class and on trips or even to a friend's house. However, I find the size of the 15" to be a little too bulky and I find I only bring laptop around with me "when I absolutely have to". It's heavy and also does not fit well in a bag. It feels too big to bring to a coffee shop or to friend's houses, and I hate carting it around campus. I see a lot of people with 13" MBP's and they take them around, no problem.
I am planning on selling my 15" MacBook Pro and then buying a 13" MacBook Pro or a 13" MacBook Air. It will be my only computer. I mainly use it for browsing the web, e-mail, writing, watching movies, MS Office, skyype, itunes, and then I also do light editing with imovie. Also, I want something that will serve me well for the next 4 or 5 years. Since the AIr cannot be upgraded once you buy it, will it be too poorly equiped to handle typical tasks within a few years? Would I be better off buying a pro? The 13" Pro feels A LOT smaller than the 15". However, are the going to revamp the 13" Pro next year and eliminate the optical drive? Which one serves me better for the future? If I had a MacBook Pro 13" I could always upgrade the ram and swap in a SSD in a couple of years. Also, which machine is more fragile?
I am sure many people are having this dilemma now that the new airs feature the newer processors. What do you think my ideal set-up should be? I have about 20 Gigs of media on my computer as of now, and obviously the number will grow. Like I said, I want this computer to last me atleast the next 4 years.
Should I get a 13" MBP or an Air? If so, which specs should I make sure are included on the machine?

I was in the same position.. debating between the beautiful lightweight Air or the Pro. There were many pros in both aspects I had to consider.. the power the Pro has is crazy.. and honestly, I'll probably never use all of the power it comes with. The air was great for being so lightweight and portable.. and I travel with my computer all the time.
I went with the Macbook Pro and couldn't be happier with my choice. I know the Air boots up lighting fast.. but the Pro is super fast itself.. the Air, as beautiful as it is.. I felt like with one wrong move could snap right in half.. the Pro feels so sturdy and strong. The Pro also has the SD slot which the 11inch air doesnt.. so that was important to me too since I love taking a lot of pictures. Being able to watch DVD's on my laptop is a huge plus too .. and burning DVD's and CD's.
I feel like I completely got my monies worth with my Pro.. no problems at all and just seems so advanced.

I am about to buy a 13" MacBook Pro with 256 GB SSD drive. I want a i am about to buy a MacBook Pro Windows partition set up. How large should it be, and can I use XP Pro or does it need to be Win 7 or 8?

I am about to buy a 13" MacBook Pro with 256 GB SSD. I want a Windows partition set up. What size should it be, and can I load Win XP Pro or does it need to be Win 7 or 8?

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if you're not in a big rush - why not hold off until Adobe and Microsoft releases an update to support the Retina Screen.
Don't get me wrong - the Macbook Retina is a good and videos look great - but when it comes to Photoshop, it's a little blurry and the fonts in Excel and Word is pretty blurry too.....I own one....
In any event, if it's something you can live with - then by all means - go for it.....
Otherwise - get the non Retina Macbook Pro - it's cheaper, and it's user upgradeable in both RAM and Hard Drive.
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Hi,
I was wondering if I should buy the new Macbook pro 13 inch, or keep my old 2010 1.4 C2D Macbook Air. I am not satisfied with the tiny 64GB SSD that my current Macbook Air has, because just a few weeks after I had done a clean reinstall of OSX Lion, the whole disk almost filled up. The one thing I do like about the Macbook Air, however is the speed of the SSD. Its really quick, and it boots in under 20 seconds. The Air didn't have many performance issues (other than overheating like crazy after playing a few graphics-intensive games).
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I went through this same thing when I purchased my first Mac 3 days ago, also between the 13 inch MBA and MBP. I ended up deicding with the 13inch MBP, here's why:
1. More hard drive space, yes it may not be an SSD but more space is more space. I have also heard about people taking out the disc drive and adding an SSD in its place, so there would be an option.
2. The disc drive, I rarely do use it but just in case it's there and easier than carrying around an external.
3. Upgradability, I plan on keeping this Mac for a while because I spent so much on it. On a MBP I can upgrade the internal parts such as the hard drive and RAM. On a MBA everything is soldered together so what you buy is what you stick with.
4. Ethernet port, this is one that could be gotten around by an adapter but I still took it into consideration. Not everywhere has wifi yet including my work where every computer is hard wired.
5. Bootcamp, as well I plan to run Windows 7 on mine and Windows 7 takes a good amount of space so this is another spot where the larger hard drive of the MBP comes in handy. You could always have an external hard drive and run Windows 7 off of that on an Air but then you would have to have it always plugged in when you wanted to run Windows 7.
About me, I am a student so I had a lot to think about and read a lot of reviews online before I decided on my MBP but I am glad I decided on this over an Air. It may be a few pounds heavier also but in the long run for me I think the Pro will be better, I do plan on adding more RAM in the future as software becomes more memory intensive. With you're pricerange being 1200-1500 the 13inch MBP with the i7 processor may be one to look at. From Apple with their student discount, if you are one, you get $100 of plus a $100 giftcard. At BestBuy (where I got mine) the price of the i7 13inch MBP is 1,424.99 and if you're a student you get $100 off but no giftcard. I got the i5 13inch MBP because I don't need an i7.
In the end it all comes down to what works for you, but I hope I was able to help you some.

I am going to buy a new macbook pro..but i am new to mac..so i have one question...does mac os supports "java,mainframe,dot net...and etc developer programs..."....??? thanx in advance....:)

thanx

mohan2see wrote:
oh thanx for the reply....actually i was worked in information technology sector company...i worked on java and mainframe platform....so if i buy an apple macbook pro and if it doesn't supports those developer programs i need to buy an pc......so i need to be confirmed....if u know abt this please explain me detailed...thanx again...:)
Are you being serious?
If you've done any programming in Java then I'd really have hoped you already realised it is a platform independent programming language, that was Sun's original intention when they created it , to be able to run compiled code on any Java Virtual Machine regardless of the platform:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java_%28programming_language%29
And as for "dot net" - do you not realise that this is purely a MS Windows development framework?!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.NET_Framework
Just to be clear, (and I realise I'm being picky here, given that English isn't likely to be your first language), they are not "developer programs", they are programming languages or frameworks.
And for further clarification, the Mac operating system does support Java development, and does not support .Net (unless you install Windows on it!)
I can't comment on the 'mainframe' bit you're referring to without more detail.

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You are allowed to have two activated installations so there should not be a problem having working installations on the two machines. If by chance you have somehow tied up two activations for the one machine you can have Adobe support help resolve that thru chat.
Serial number and activation chat support (non-CC)
http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/global/service1.html ( http://adobe.ly/1aYjbSC )

Questions about buying a new MacBook pro with SSD

Hello, I am about to buy a new MacBook pro. I'm going to get the 13 inch 2.8 dual core i7. I want a solid state drive also. I was going back and forth between the 128 gig or the 256 but I will probably get the 256. My computer will ship with lion but i am so confused about the TRIM support. Does lion take care of this? Dop I have to do anything like run a command or program to take care of TRIM? Also, are solid states reliable? Should I get apple care? ( i really don't want to. Lol)

I suggest you buy the notebook with the standard drive and the standard RAM, if you were thinking about upgrading the RAM.
You can replace the original drive with a SSD at a lower cost then what Apple charges You can also buy RAM for a MUCH lower price.
TRIM:
Lion only supports TRIM natively when used with a Apple SSD. BUT, REALLY BUT, You can enable TRIM support yourself on the SSD you install. I have a SSD in my MBP that I installed and I have enabled TRIM support on it.
Are SSDs reliable? As far as I can tell Yes they are. I have one in my Win 7 desktop PC for the last 9 months, No Problems. I have a SSD installed in my Dell Win 7 Notebook for the last 1.5 months, No Problems. I have a SSD installed in my MBP for the last month+, No problems. There are reports of SSDs failing but there are also report of standard hard drive failing all the time.
I used Intel 320 series SSDs in my 2 Windows PCs and a Kingston V200 SSD in my MBP. I switched to the Kingston because of the price and it runs on the higher SATA III bus speed, 6GB, where as the Intel 320 series only run at the 3GB speed, SATA II.

Should i buy the 13" macbook pro?

I am a college student and am looking to upgrade from my mac mini to a more portable and powerful mac. I have £1000 to spend.... for now and i obviously want a macbook of some kind to upgrade to. I will be using it for word documents, itunes ect but also the biggy- Adobe CS6 for my media. So... do i buy the base macbook pro, the 13" macbook air or wait and see if they bring out a retina 13" which would give me time to save a bit for it. I have no use for a larger screen and the CD drive is relitively unneccisary but I do wish for something future proof! that will run things like cs6 smoothly... I am aware the macbook air has the smaller processor but it also has the ssd making it faster hence my uncertainty. Any ideas what to do? I would see no use for buying the retina if the other macbooks could run with ease using such software and would keep that kind of speed for a bit through my education.

I would wait a week and see what features the new one will have.
http://www.macrumors.com/2012/10/15/more-claims-of-13-inch-retina-macbook-pro-co ming-at-next-weeks-media-event/

I'm about to buy my first MacBook Pro and I need a little help

Hi everybody!
I'm about to buy my first MacBook pro and I have no experience on mac so I would be really thankfull if someone guides me to get an appropriate Notebook
Here are some imformations about what I want from a MacBook Pro:
1) I have a limited budget so the price can not go anywhere upper than 2,000 dollars
2) I'm a graphic designer working with photoshop, 3ds max and maya so I need strong CPU and VGA card
3) 15 inches and high resolution
4) Absolutly Lion OS
5) weight doesn't matter!
6) Ram doesn't matter cause I can upgrade it myself later when I got enogh money
7) Hard capacity doesn't matter (I can upgrade it later too)
8) It would be much better if it got HDMI port
That's all
Thanks for reading and answering

Except for #8, you're talking about the new entry-level MacBook Pro for $1,799.00 (see at http://store.apple.com/us/configure/MD103LL/A). It's a little less expensive at Amazon and you won't have to pay tax on it until you file next year instead of up-front.
It will do everything you need and, yes, you can upgrade it yourself when you get more cash. In fact, if you're willing to spend another $160 (still under your $2K limit) you can go ahead and upgrade the RAM to 16 GB. Later, spend $400 and put in a 512GB SSD.
Now to item #8. From monoprice, you can get a Thunderbolt-to-HDMI adapter for under $7 - click here.
You'll have exactly what you need for under $2K. Go for it...
Clinton

I'm buying a new Macbook Pro this week and am wondering what is the best way to copy over the software I have from my existing Macbook Pro to the new one? eg. Photoshop and Office etc. I no longer have the CDs.

I'm buying a new Macbook Pro this week and am wondering what is the best way to copy over the software I have from my existing Macbook Pro to the new one? eg. Photoshop and Office etc. I no longer have the CDs.

Ya know what I'm on a brand new MBP just about 24 hours old and you know whats been working amazingly for me. I have a 27inch iMac as well and i've just connected it to my network and been dragging files and apps across the network onto my new MBP. Its really working fast and its flawless. You could always do that option, Just go into sharing options and turn them on for both Macs. Then just click and drag. Of course they have to both be on the same network for this to be possible.
Look at my network.
Shared is what your looking at. I click on there see all my computers files and then drag the ones i want form its folder to my MBP folders. Hope that helps if your looking for a very simple way on a wireless network.

Need some advice about possibly getting a MacBook Pro

I have been offered retail price for my 3 month old PB 17" (see description below). If I decided to do it, I would turn around and buy the new MacBook Pro. I love my PB and really hadn't thought about getting the MacBook Pro because I just got this laptop. I do have some accessories that I wouldn't be able to use on the new latop (FW800 2.5" hard drive and EVDO broadband internet pccard to name a couple). A couple of reasons that I can think of that I wouldn't like to switch are reduced screen size (although due to the better brightness, I could probably deal with it), reduced DVD Drive (although I have yet to burn using Dual Layer), etc. I have been reading about how some people like this or that about the MacBook Pro, but I was curious to get everyone's opinion on a switch from a very new laptop. I am leaning against doing the deal, but would love the input. I don't use it for major video editing, although I do a little, but only for home/family movies. Mainly, it is used for my everyday portable workstation. I do make a living using my computer (I repair computers, mac and pc) so something speedy is a must, but it seems to me that I have suffcient speed already. Well, enough of my rambling, any input would be great.
Thanks in advance,
GeNomeZ

Well, I have a 15" PowerBook G4 as well, the recent high res one that came out in October. I'm taking the plunge but as you can see below I haven't received mine yet so I can't give you too much of my opinion. I did it more for the processor, iSight, the ir for Front Row, the video card, the faster ram, the faster fsb, uhhhh, I could go on. I'll probably notice the 60 pixel loss but I'll deal, I can deal w/o dual layer, ***** about the speed drop, I never used fw800 or the pc card slot. And dial up doesn't exist to me

Advice on buying a 13" MacBook Pro

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