Anyone recommend where to get a macbook pro?

[Jayy]

I've been having a mooch around the last few days as I want to buy one next week (brand new, not 2nd hand) and wondering if anyone knows anywhere doing a deal?

Also any advice would be welcomed as I know feck all about macs

[Seb]

Don't tend to get my many deals on Apple stuff unless it's either old stock, outgoing or refurbished. Got a student card? That'll get you something at least.

If you can deal with refurbished stuff https://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/specialdeals/mac is worth a browse, you still get a solid warranty at least.
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2010 Triumph 1050 Sprint ST

[J.M.]

Just a note: before anyone starts the Win>Apple argument, OP has already had a thread about that

Being a student does make it a lot cheaper, so if you've got any mates at University (that makes it the cheapest) then see if they'll help you out for a pint.

+1 for refurbishment laptops as well though. I bought my laptop as a refurbishment model; it was hundreds cheaper purely for a little scratch on the lid. After the damage I've done to the thing I could never notice that scratch ever again
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2004 R1 & 2018 XSR900

[Jayy]

Is that all those refurbished models are? Someone's bought one new, something wrong with it... they send it back, Apple sends them a brand new one and they "refurbish" it by replacing whatever was faulty?

What would you suggest then because I don't know anyone at Uni

[Seb]

It'll be either a warranty return, ex display or damaged box. Personally I've got no issues with Apple refurbs, I've got a 'new' MBP in stock at the moment that is a complete motherboard up repair by Apple, you'd never know if it wasn't for the history sheet with it.
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2010 Triumph 1050 Sprint ST

[J.M.]

Discount works for people in college/sixth form as well I believe, they just don't get as much of one.

Seb's covered the refurbishment. A warranty return will have been faulty, Apple will repair it to as good as new and then sell it as a refurbished laptop. Ex-display models go cheaper too and there is nothing wrong with them except "other people have touched them". Damaged box is exactly that - the actual computer should still be fine.
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2004 R1 & 2018 XSR900

[herulach]

NHS Discount isn't half bad either.
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YBR 125>FZS600

[Redoko]

I imagine the student discount goes through the NUS card.
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"Let's face it, this is not the worst thing you've caught me doing."
Sudika Sportsman SK50QT > Gilera DNA50 > Honda CBR125 RW7 > Kawasaki Zephyr750 > Suzuki GSXR600 > Honda Hornet CB600F '51

[t121anf]

eduction discount works by ip address

i can access my uni education store on campus but doesn't work at home, so must be ip

never tried to buy anything to validate if you need a .ac.uk email address, if not just walk in to any uni use their pcs as a guest and hey presto

(unless your uni is more strict with its guests than ours, ours is way to lax)

[t121anf]

education store is here

https://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/education_routing

[Redoko]

I stand corrected.

Can I have a discount on refurbished?
____________________
"Let's face it, this is not the worst thing you've caught me doing."
Sudika Sportsman SK50QT > Gilera DNA50 > Honda CBR125 RW7 > Kawasaki Zephyr750 > Suzuki GSXR600 > Honda Hornet CB600F '51

[t121anf]

no idea.

reason it won't be NUS is loads of uni's/colleges aren't part of the NUS as its too expensive

[Jayy]

I didn't realise my mum's friends son goes to Manchester Uni and he's logged in on the uni network and the price for a Macbook Pro 13" goes down from £999 to £859.

13-inch: 2.4 GHz
2.4GHz dual-core
Intel Core i5
4GB 1333MHz
500GB 5400-rpm1
Intel HD Graphics 3000
Built-in battery (7 hours)

I will get him to order it at uni for me and get it delivered to me. The refurbed models are around that price anyway, so would rather do it like that brand new.

Have the option to replace the 500GB HDD with an SSD, is this a wise or un-wise choice? Especially after my SSD gave up the ghost a little over a year after buying it, there would be no back up drive on the Mac unless I kept plugging in externals and doing full backups all the time.

As per the other thread, this is mainly going to be used for building iOS mobile apps and general everyday stuff, as well as the odd time to take to a meeting.

[J.M.]

[Redoko]

Just read up on the education discount.

If you use it, you have to wait a year before using that Uni email address again.

Also it doesn't' apply to iPads.
____________________
"Let's face it, this is not the worst thing you've caught me doing."
Sudika Sportsman SK50QT > Gilera DNA50 > Honda CBR125 RW7 > Kawasaki Zephyr750 > Suzuki GSXR600 > Honda Hornet CB600F '51

[Jayy]

[Jayy]

[Redoko]

[t121anf]

[Seb]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ktpUF7sQuk&feature=player_embedded#!

If backups are a concern, get a WHS or Time Capsule.

Personally, if you are not worried about speed, why are you spending that much money on the machine?
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2010 Triumph 1050 Sprint ST