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+--- Thread: Best 'value' MacBook? (/showthread.php?tid=73916)
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Best 'value' MacBook? - St. Bernard - 03-08-2009
Unfortunately, due to a break-in, I need to get a MacBook to replace my wife's PB G4 12".
It'll mainly be for email, Word, the occasional game of SimCity or The Sims, and extended weeks-long web sessions with 50 tabs or so open (a bad practice that I can't wean her from).
Absolute tops of the budgetary scale is around $1100 based on the insurance money (which we actually did quite well on), but I'll gladly spend less.
Of course, I wouldn't be a true-blooded MRFer if I didn't want to get the best bang for the buck. I have not been keeping good track of the refurbs / MIR deals lately, though.
I see the 2.16GHz refurb for $849, with the AlMacBook sitting at a tempting but not-worth-the-$250-more $1099.
Anyone know what else has been out there recently that I should consider?
Re: Best 'value' MacBook? - Gareth - 03-08-2009
I'd go with the current white MacBook 2.0 (MB881LL/A) since it has the updated NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics for $1,000.
Re: Best 'value' MacBook? - vicrock - 03-08-2009
Dell mini 9 -
(running very, very fast and dodging the bullets!!) :devil:
Re: Best 'value' MacBook? - gabester - 03-08-2009
I'd also suggest a Mini 9 for these purposes. Conjoin that with a Mac mini when home for access to more powerful apps... you wouldn't even have to put OS X on the mini 9, you could just use Ubuntu, OpenOffice, there's even an open source clone of SimCity. The Sims is another matter - but probably a bad habit that should be weaned regardless!
Actually, I am compelled to recommend the Lenovo IdeaPad S10 over the Dell Mini 9 at this point - almost identical hardware to support except the S10 has an ExpressCard slot and a SATA hard drive making it less expensive to upgrade and easier to install OS X out of the box should you choose to go that route.
g=
Re: Best 'value' MacBook? - anonymouse1 - 03-08-2009
Either the new white one, or a refurb 2.4Ghz prior generation.
Re: Best 'value' MacBook? - Wailer - 03-08-2009
Sorry to hear about your break-in. I know that "violated" feeling.
But $1100 in insurance for a 12" G4 PB?! The street value of that is probably $250. You should be very happy about that if your premiums aren't jacked!
If you must get new/refurb, get a white macbook. It's great value if you aren't doing anything 3d that would require a dedicated GPU. If you are willing to buy used, get any of the C2D macbooks. If you look hard, you can probably find one in the $500 range.
Re: Best 'value' MacBook? - St. Bernard - 03-08-2009
Gareth, thanks for the note on the 9400 graphics in the latest whiteBook. I hadn't looked at this upon product launch and assumed they had stuck with the X3100. That might be worth another $100 (assuming a refurb drops to that price)....
A Mini 9 is tempting...but I (actually she) would definitely need to see one in person. I can definitely see the benefit of something that small and light as a second computer, and I have definitely thought about the benefits of pairing it with a MacMini...but this is her primary computer and I just can't imagine having a bunch of junk open on the Mini 9. Even the 12" PB G4 felt too small for that. The 1280x800 seems like the bare minimum for screen resolution these days.
Re: Best 'value' MacBook? - St. Bernard - 03-08-2009
Yeah, Wailer, the break-in has been a real bummer. I'm pleased as punch about the amount of insurance money for the PB G4 (I told the insurance company as explicitly as possible what it was--down to the model number--and even gave an approximate price range ($300-$350 with 1GB stick and larger hard drive, but didn't argue much further).
I'd trade the extra moola in a heartbeat if it could erase the fact that the break-in ever happened.
Re: Best 'value' MacBook? - Wailer - 03-08-2009
The new/dedicated GPU in the new Macbooks (unibody and current white one) are good, but they still share memory with the system.
I grappled with this dilemma; I didn't want to pay more money and not get full usage of a dedicated GPU. So it was either 1) save money and get the macbook with the GMA X3100 or 2) get a macbook pro with a dedicated GPU.
I choose to save the money and got the $900 2.4ghz macbook that macconnection was selling a month ago w/no tax for me.
Re: Best 'value' MacBook? - sekker - 03-08-2009
I think the latest white macbooks are perhaps the best bang for the buck right now from Apple.
I believe in Apple Care for laptops, however, so would add that to your purchasing plan.