Buy new MBP?

[dotVIBE]

Yo.

The time has come to upgrade my mom's PC. As she is pretty into her DSLR & photoshop, I have decided it's probably a good idea for her to go mac. Don't know too much about OSX, but supposedly it's pretty user friendly, and photoshop remains the same, so she should be fine.

Right. I WAS going to get her a 17" MBP, but that would have been too heavy to lug around on weekend shoots. So the 15.4 is just a little too small for every day work. So the compromise was going to a standard 13.3 macbook with a 24" ACD, which cost wise would work out about the same. Not ideal, because of the 13.3's crappy display, but people assured me the performance would be up to par.

Now, happy days, the new MBP is out- better performance at a lower price. no express card blah blah yackity schmackity don't care. Dollar's taken a nice dive too.

So. I need some advice.
Option 1: I can wait for local suppliers to get them in, but I don't know how long it will take and what it will cost.
Option 2: I can order from bhphotovideo.com. (when they get stock)

Now, I know they won't ship internationally, but i can get past that. I'm just worried that something goes wrong with the stupid laptop and then I have a drama. Or I get it and it's got a mark on it or a ding or something. I'd also really like to import the 24" ACD, they're like $700 over there, and R13000.00 here. How do you explain that?

Anyways, recommendations?

 

[PeterCH]

Now, I know they won't ship internationally, but i can get past that. I'm just worried that something goes wrong with the stupid laptop and then I have a drama. Or I get it and it's got a mark on it or a ding or something. I'd also really like to import the 24" ACD, they're like $700 over there, and R13000.00 here. How do you explain that?

Anyways, recommendations?

BhPV ships internationally. They don't take orders on Sabbath but as long as you fax em your cc they will ship you anything.

Apple Mac laptops have Int'l Warranty.
The ACD won't but why not buy a Superior NEC monitor from NEC, a bit more expensive. www.wantitall.co.za otherwise a superior S-IPS Dell 30 inch
or HP 30 inch.

 

[Sapphiron]

Remember with the Macbook 13", make sure you get the Displayport to DVI adapter if the display you are getting does not have Displayport

 

[bwana]

Remember with the Macbook 13", make sure you get the Displayport to DVI adapter if the display you are getting does not have Displayport

I think he's interested in the 13" MBP - but that probably also comes with the Mini DisplayPort like everything else these days.

 

[dotVIBE]

Might go for a 15.4, price difference is minimal, can't confirm whether the 13.3's screen has been updated to the macbook pro spec either.

BhPV ships internationally. They don't take orders on Sabbath but as long as you fax em your cc they will ship you anything.

Apple Mac laptops have Int'l Warranty.
The ACD won't but why not buy a Superior NEC monitor from NEC, a bit more expensive. www.wantitall.co.za otherwise a superior S-IPS Dell 30 inch
or HP 30 inch.

They do ship internationally, but they won't ship apple laptops internaionally apparently. I had no idea that Dell now sold S-IPS panels, thanks for the heads up!

 

[undefined]

Just to mention I've had four or five 17" PowerBooks / MacBook Pros now. My last one I got a 15" - and gotta say I'm preferring the size. It is a secondary machine though, but I do work on it often, Photoshop etc. and it does the trick perfectly.

The 13" is too small if you ask me for anything besides Email / Internet.

I'd get a 15" and a second monitor.

And a suggestion from a designer, if she's into Photoshop on the go, try get a matte finish to the screen, the new glossy screens can't be great for image work / reflections.

Dell do make good monitors from what I've seen, at a fraction of the price of an Apple Display.

 

[PeterCH]

I had no idea that Dell now sold S-IPS panels, thanks for the heads up!

They've been using S-IPS panels from LG-Philips since 2005, but in 30 inch monitors. HP has a similar panel. Both are wide color gamut (92% NTSC vs ACD which is 72%) and do full 8 bit colour - ie 16.7 million colours.

In contrast ACDs look pretty, but that's all. I was willing to buy an ACD but was sold by Dell UltraSharp 3007WFP-HC's display quality and HDCP support.
The current version is the 3008WFP-HC. There's also more height adjustment and tilt with the Dell than the ACD.

There are even better monitors around, such as 10bit HP (cheapest) at 24 inches and LaCie and NECs but they cost a major premium.

Anyway out of HP, Samsung, ACD and Dell, the WFP-HC scored the highest marks at MacWorld UK:
http://www.macworld.co.uk/procreative/reviews/index.cfm?reviewid=2306&pagtype=allchandate

 

[PeterCH]

They do ship internationally, but they won't ship apple laptops internaionally apparently.

When I do a calculate shipping for South Africa for an Apple Laptop I get:

Shipping Cost To SOUTH AFRICA

Other Shipping Locations

To get a shipping price for another location, please enter your zip code. If you are shipping to anywhere outside of the USA please select a country.
Zip Code

Shipping Method

Shipping Cost
UPS Worldwide Saver

3-5 Business Days Delivery

$198.70
FedEx Priority

3-5 Business Day Delivery

$304.50
International Express Mail

5-7 Days Delivery

$139.75

The shipping price is for quantity 1 of item APMBP2415354 . To calculate the total shipping charge for multiple items, please add all items to the shopping cart.

(The total shipping charge for multiple items is calculated by adding a minimal amount, which is based on weight and value).

Close Window

Maybe it won't let me check out. I'm suprised they don't ship these out of the US, maybe they have an agreement with Apple. Well thank Cupertino then.

Try also:
http://www.google.com/products?q=macbook+pro&aq=f

 

[bwana]

As a photographer I cant imagine having to use anything smaller than a 17" - esp out in the field. That said my plastic 13" fits neatly inside the specially designed compartment of my Kata bag.

 

[Synaesthesia]

The new 13" has a much improved display.

 

[undefined]

As a photographer I cant imagine having to use anything smaller than a 17" - esp out in the field. That said my plastic 13" fits neatly inside the specially designed compartment of my Kata bag.

I thought the same, but you'd be surprised, it's not that much smaller, if my MacBook Pro was my primary machine without a secondary monitor though, I'd go 17".

I prefer the size of the 15", it goes with me everywhere.

 

[PaulMark]

BhPV ships internationally. They don't take orders on Sabbath but as long as you fax em your cc they will ship you anything.

When I tried to order from them it gave me a price for shipping but when I proceeded to checkout I got a message saying they cannot ship Apple products internationally. I then sent them an e-mail and they confirmed they cannot ship any Apple products internationally. Are you saying that if you register a CC they will ship to SA?

 

[bwana]

When I tried to order from them it gave me a price for shipping but when I proceeded to checkout I got a message saying they cannot ship Apple products internationally. I then sent them an e-mail and they confirmed they cannot ship any Apple products internationally. Are you saying that if you register a CC they will ship to SA?

I think by CC he means credit card in this case.

 

[PaulMark]

I think by CC he means credit card in this case.

Ah, okay. So then is the official line: "We wont ship to SA" but if you order by phone they can be convinced?

 

[bwana]

Ah, okay. So then is the official line: "We wont ship to SA" but if you order by phone they can be convinced?

I dont know - I've only bought camera gear from them - my Apple stuff comes via Amazon (but they wont ship directly to SA).

 

[PeterCH]

When I tried to order from them it gave me a price for shipping but when I proceeded to checkout I got a message saying they cannot ship Apple products internationally. I then sent them an e-mail and they confirmed they cannot ship any Apple products internationally. Are you saying that if you register a CC they will ship to SA?

I guess their system is a bit messed up or else they'd mention it when calculating the shipping.

It seems as if Apple has pressed them into not shipping outside of the USA. Note that they can and will ship you a Panasonic VariCam HD for $100,000 to SA but can't ship a lousy Macbook. Thank you Mr Jobs.