adrivit

So, I am going to Duke this fall and like most people I am drawn between two laptops.

Here's the scenario.

Duke University gives out Apple laptops under a banner called TAP which over and above the AppleCare warranty of three years gives an extra warranty called Devil's Pledge Warranty that gives the following benefits:

* Provide the parts and labor to repair any electronic failure.
* Provide the parts and labor to repair accidental damage to a TAP notebook. This includes broken or cracked screens, broken or cracked case parts and malfunctioning hinges.
* Provide the parts and labor to repair any damage resulting from accidental liquid spills.
* If any of the above repairs cannot be accomplished within 3 business days, a loaner notebook will be coordinated and provided through The Link.

The notebook configuration is given below:

MacBook Pro, 15.4"
Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz
2 Gigabytes RAM
250 Gigabyte Hard Drive, 5400 rpm
NVIDIA 256 Meg video RAM
Microsoft Office Professional
25' Ethernet Cable
Fellows Mighty 8 Surge Protector
Notebook Security Cable Lock
Protective Notebook Sleeve
Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Macintosh

Price: $1979 (including $130 for an extra 2GB of RAM)

So, the good point here is the accidental damage cover. The not-so-good point is settling for the older Macbook Pro model without the increase in RAM, battery life.


The second part of the scene:

This is what I get from the Apple store, plus a new iPod. I already have an iPod, so that's not much of a concern.

Macbook Pro 15.4"
Intel Core 2 Duo 2.53GHz
4GB Memory
250GB hard drive
SD card slot
Built-in 7-hour battery
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M 256MB
AppleCare for three years

Price: $1787

Good: New Macbook Pro, increased RAM, better battery life, SD card slot.
Bad: No extra goodies, no accidental damage cover.

So, here's the question. Is accidental damage cover an overriding factor over the features of the New Macbook Pro? I am very careful and all, but still accidents and accidents. Which one should I go with?

Momwaitingfornew

"Gives out," as in "free"? I'd take any free laptop.

adrivit

Not free. "Gives out" at a price of $1979.

Momwaitingfornew

Ah. "Gives out" as in "sells."

With the first bundle, you get Microsoft Office 2008, a must for students, especially since I don't think Open Office can handle .docx files yet, and Parallels, software that is only useful if you also buy a copy of Windows. Since you are unlikely to need a full-featured Office, I suggest that you price the student version on Amazon, so you know its value. And try to figure out if you need the rest.

The new MacBook Pros are supposed to run more efficiently, meaning that they are cooler and the batteries last longer. The screen and graphics are supposedly better as well. Add on the extras you know you'll need to see whether this purchase makes sense for you financially.

I used to buy computers that were just discontinued because the price was lower for a currently good machine, but I've revised that philosophy over the years. I now try to buy the latest versions because they tend to stay relevant for longer. If I can save buying a new one for a year or two, it generally pays for itself.

adrivit

Isn't the cover of accidental damage very important? That is the only thing that concerns me. I know I will be ultra-careful and all with it, but you never know. I just don't want to landed with a $750 bill for a cracked screen when Duke will do it for free. What say?

aforautumn

macs generally hold up well. if you trust yourself to not break it, i'd go for the cheaper option.
and you can sell the ipod if you dont want it

Momwaitingfornew

The freebie is an iPod Touch.

As for breaking it, it depends on how careful you are. My D has had her MacBook for three years now, and hasn't broken it. But anyone can drop his the first day.

athenos

You are aware that the 1st one you list has a dedicated graphics card but the 2nd one doesn't, right?

Chipmoney

The second macbook pro has a much weaker graphics card.

you said it was $130 more for 2 GB of RAM, is that on top of 2 GB that's already in there?

aforautumn

4 gb is included in the price

Chipmoney

It could be much cheaper to upgrade the RAM your self.

AMB2005

If the first one really has a 2.4 GHz processor, then it is the last generation MBP, with a dedicated graphics card, Nvidia 9600M, and had an original sale price of $2000.

The second one has a poorer graphics card. (That's how Apple dropped the price from $2000 to $1700, they dropped the dedicated graphics)

I would go with the first one- it seems to be a much better deal.

Edit: However, the first one has a shorter battery life.

adrivit

Thank you everybody for the replies!

@Chipmoney: Yes, if I buy it from Duke then I will upgrade the RAM. Though I can upgrade it myself also, will be a lot cheaper.

So, talking practically, how much of a leap is the new Macbook Pro from the last generation Macbook Pro? I know there is a better battery life deal, for an hour (practically) and an SD slot. But all the talks about better colors on screen and better efficiency, are they all legitimate?

If I at all buy from Apple (that is, decide on letting go of the accidental damage cover warranty offer from Duke) I would go with the 2.66 GHz model with the dedicated graphics card, which will cost me around $2100, with an iPod and three year AppleCare. But the only thing that's stopping me is the accidental damage cover. I was checking Laptop, Desktop, Tablet PC and PDA/Smartphone insurance from Safeware Insurance Agency, Inc. Anybody has an idea about it? Are insurance policies like these for notebooks popular and feasible?

Bottom-line, if the new Pros aren't a huge leap from the older ones I would stick with the Duke offer, upgrade the RAM and be happy. Or, if they are, I might buy the new model and go for the insurance or something.

Help!

silence_kit

Do you use your computer for anything more than writing papers and surfing the web? If not, then probably a macbook will suffice (unless you like spending money)

aforautumn

it sounds like your much more worried about it breaking than you are about performace.
both of them will do everything you need to do, and they'll both it well. get the one with the insurance.