When is the best time to buy a refurbished MacBook Pro?

Question

I'm a new college student, and I'm looking to buy a Mac that will last me throughout college, at the best possible price.
I'm completely fine with purchasing a refurbished model, and right now I can get a large (for Apple, anyway) discount on a refurbished MacBook Pro, 13", 500GB, i5, with 4GB RAM. But I'm not sure if this will be able to suit my needs, or if I should opt for something a bit more expensive, even if that means I should wait.
I plan on installing Windows 7, with a 25% partition (I'll use Mac for my own personal things, but Windows for some functions).
I own an iPhone 5 and iPad 3 (WiFi), so I don't plan on taking it with me every day.
I live in Arizona, so the summer heat can be an issue.
I plan on using this MacBook Pro for at least 5 years.
So, I'd like to know:
Should I buy the AppleCare now, later, or not at all? I want to make sure it's covered in the event of damage or defects:
Should I wait to buy a refurbished model until after the new MacBook Pros are released later this year?
Should I opt for an i7 processor, since I plan on dual-booting with Windows 7? Does it make a noticeable difference, compared to the i5?
Will 500GB be enough space? I feel like it should be more than enough.
Should I wait until the new MacBook Prod are released, or should I take advantage of the college sale that's being offered?
Thank you for taking the time to help me out. :)

Answer 1

That's a perfect computer for your uses, and you won't have any problem. Also, if you need, you can add more RAM (looking at your specs, 16 GB of memory) and a hard drive (HDD or SSD, or even replace the optical drive to put a second HDD). I think it will be useful for 5 years or more.
ChungLing wrote:
Should I buy the AppleCare now, later, or not at all? I want to make sure it's covered in the event of damage or defects:
It's important to buy AppleCare with a portable Mac. Near everything is soldered and repairs are expensive, so it's better to get it. You can get it at any moment during the first year of warranty, but note that accidental damages will void your warranty.
ChungLing wrote:
Should I wait to buy a refurbished model until after the new MacBook Pros are released later this year?
There's no need to wait for new MacBooks Pro, more when we don't know when they will be released. I don't think the refurbished MacBook Pro you want will be cheaper then.
ChungLing wrote:
Should I opt for an i7 processor, since I plan on dual-booting with Windows 7? Does it make a noticeable difference, compared to the i5?
There's a difference between an Intel Core i5 and a i7, but you will only note it if you have special needs, like using heavy apps that require a high CPU load. Most users are not going to use this type of applications. Also, if you need to use this type of apps, the 15-inch MacBook Pro is better.
ChungLing wrote:
Will 500GB be enough space? I feel like it should be more than enough.
For most users, 500 GB are enough and you will have hundreds of free GBs. If you don't have enough space, get an external drive. It's recommended to get one at least to make backups of your files.
ChungLing wrote:
Should I wait until the new MacBook Prod are released, or should I take advantage of the college sale that's being offered?
The college sale will expire soon (the Back to School program), so buy it now