Buy old rev Macbook Pro instead?

Question

My 4-yr-old G4 Powerbook has led a full & venerable life, but now--since I can't tell the "I' key from the "O" key anymore, they're so effaced--it's time to upgrade. And so I awaited the Oct. 14th date with bated breath, But now, having read scores of reviews slamming the glossy display (I do do digital photography) and the lack of a 400-firewire (less of a concern, IMHO), I'm wondering if purchasing the "old," previous-rev MacBook Pro might be the way to go?
However--the reason I've waited so long, actually: I'm an audio-GarageBand-LogicPro person who has read many rants about the audio glitches/"hisses"/et al. in the old Penryn architecture. I'm was hoping/assuming that the new MBP would remedy that.(But that may be wishful thinking, too.)
But then, I've also read testimonials from many "old" MBP music-recorder users who haven't had any problems. So I'm weighing all that, against this apparently god-awful glossy display.
(But frankly, it seems I heading towards talking myself into the new one, though?)
At last, I do have the real option of buying the old rev MBP: my local university Computer Store tells me that they won't be getting the new MBP's for "a couple weeks." (Huh?!) But they still have 10 "old" MPB's in stock.
--dazed & confused in MacLand--
--tcg

Answer 1

tgannon wrote:
My 4-yr-old G4 Powerbook has led a full & venerable life, but now--since I can't tell the "I' key from the "O" key anymore, they're so effaced--it's time to upgrade.
Are you a hunt and peck or touch typer? If you're the latter, this shouldn't matter.
And so I awaited the Oct. 14th date with bated breath, But now, having read scores of reviews slamming the glossy display (I do do digital photography) and the lack of a 400-firewire (less of a concern, IMHO), I'm wondering if purchasing the "old," previous-rev MacBook Pro might be the way to go?
Only you can decide that. If you're adamantly against glossy displays, and/or you absolutely need Firewire 400, then maybe an older generation MBP is the way to go. Early benchmarks suggest that there isn't any significant CPU performance difference between old and new.
At last, I do have the real option of buying the old rev MBP: my local university Computer Store tells me that they won't be getting the new MBP's for "a couple weeks." (Huh?!) But they still have 10 "old" MPB's in stock.
Stocks of the new machines will be scarce at 3rd party resellers, since Apple is more concerned with filling internet orders from their website and stocking their retail stores with the new models until supply can keep up with demand. Also remember that the "old" 17" MBP is still for sale directly from Apple for the time being.