Macbook Pro, Where to Buy?

[Pardus]

If you were to buy a macbook pro today, where would you get it from?

Apple
Amazon
MacMall
Ebay
Craigslist
Microcenter
BestBuy

Been considering a laptop for 6-months now and the fact that the macbook can handle windows and apple is a huge plus for me, Not impressed by Dell or HP even though i can run mac os in vmware.

Several people on craigslist emailed me back saying they have no idea how much ram or hard drive is installed.. dunno if there scammers or just stupid.

 

[Oil]

I bought my Mac from Amazon to save a couple hundred bucks on tax. The money saved was able to pay for 16gb ram

 

[Zen0]

Buy in store from a non-tax state with a student discount.

 

[Reliant]

I just buy from Apple because I have several friends that work in Cupertino, so I can finagle a 15% discount out of them. If I weren't to do that, I'd probably either Amazon it to save on tax or Best Buy if I could get 0% financing, but I don't particularly like the idea of financing a laptop purchase. While some people might have had good experiences with buying used, (Ebay/CL), the idea itself doesn't sit too well with me and I enjoy the peace of mind of knowing it's new with no issues.

 

[Chess]

I agree with Reliant on the BestBuy thing....

My thing is this... if you can get 0% financing and you are guarenteed to pay it off in those 18 months or less its free

why pay X amount of dollars up front when they are allowing you to pay the amount it would take to pay off in 18 months every month... to me its a no brainer but thats my opinion

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

MacConnection sells for below retail and has free shipping. That's where I bought my MBP.

 

[gpse]

I bought mine from a big box store (futureshop in canada)

 

[dclive]

ABT.com after (1 time only, apparently) pricematching Microcenter's $999 MBP13" i5 pricing. Otherwise I'd get it from Microcenter directly, even after tax it's far better than everyone else's price.

 

[Sid59]

Best Buy for me and their 18 months financing. Bought my MBP 2009 and my 2011 iMac. Auto-pay!

 

[Chess]

I forgot to add using rewardzone membership points as well

Even tho bestbuy is a rip off.. Its worth it if its only 200 bucks more... especially with the interest free promotions they run

 

[dclive]

I forgot to add using rewardzone membership points as well

Even tho bestbuy is a rip off.. Its worth it if its only 200 bucks more... especially with the interest free promotions they run

$200 more money, and the only benefit is you get no interest for a little while?

Sorry ... how is that a deal? Microcenter has the 13" MBP for $999, around $1075 after tax. That's a deal.

 

[basslover1]

I would do Best Buy if they ever offer it with their really good financing offer.

I bought a Nikon D90 kit + 50mm prime from them ($1100ish) and they offered 3 years 0% interest. for 40 bucks a month, that isn't bad at all.

Plus I like reward zone points.

 

[Tegeril]

I get that paying off your purchases over a period of time gives you the benefit of inflation against your money and potentially options to invest the money until such a time as it is needed, but if you have the money now, saving on the overall final price and not having the burden of carrying debt for a consumer electronic is way more important to me than 0% interest.

 

[silverpig]

I just go to the Apple Store. *shrug*

 

[Chess]

$200 more money, and the only benefit is you get no interest for a little while?

Sorry ... how is that a deal? Microcenter has the 13" MBP for $999, around $1075 after tax. That's a deal.

18 months 0% interest is worth it IMO

if you think a year and a half is a little while, well i guess we have different thoughts on time.....

if the same MBP is 1275 compared to 1075 after tax at microcenter id go witht he best buy one why not ? you dont have to come out 1grand of your pocket right away and you can pay it off in 18 months no brainer

 

[Chess]

I get that paying off your purchases over a period of time gives you the benefit of inflation against your money and potentially options to invest the money until such a time as it is needed, but if you have the money now, saving on the overall final price and not having the burden of carrying debt for a consumer electronic is way more important to me than 0% interest.

I agree with you on that as well.... the 0% or putting it on a credit card or debit card or whatever isnt the best solution for anything....

Its just a thought, and to me if someone is going to put it on a credit card might as well take advantage full advantage of a 0% financing

 

[dclive]

18 months 0% interest is worth it IMO

if you think a year and a half is a little while, well i guess we have different thoughts on time.....

if the same MBP is 1275 compared to 1075 after tax at microcenter id go witht he best buy one why not ? you dont have to come out 1grand of your pocket right away and you can pay it off in 18 months no brainer

At the current rate of inflation, that 18 months might save you $30. You're paying a significant premium just to put off payments by a sliding 18 month period. By your math that's $200 extra (by mine it's a little more, but factor in the opportunity costs there and $200 looks reasonable) - that's almost 20% more money just to slow down your payments.

That's crazy.

 

[Chess]

At the current rate of inflation, that 18 months might save you $30. You're paying a significant premium just to put off payments by a sliding 18 month period. By your math that's $200 extra (by mine it's a little more, but factor in the opportunity costs there and $200 looks reasonable) - that's almost 20% more money just to slow down your payments.

That's crazy.

I was giving an example of 200 dollars... I wouldnt do it for 200 dollars...


But if we are talking a 65" LCD that you can buy everywhere for say 3500 and bestbuy has it for say 3800 to me its a no brainer... but that is me...

Its not for everyone....I agree... If it was 1000 dollars I pay for it in cash


Prime example for me is, i have season tickets for a NFL team, and they give you benefits of paying early the whole amount early... alot of people dont have 5k just sitting around for tickets and parking passes.... They offer a credit card and ez payment plans for 0% some people use it some dont etc

check your pm

 

[dclive]

I was giving an example of 200 dollars... I wouldnt do it for 200 dollars...


But if we are talking a 65" LCD that you can buy everywhere for say 3500 and bestbuy has it for say 3800 to me its a no brainer... but that is me...

Its not for everyone....I agree... If it was 1000 dollars I pay for it in cash


Prime example for me is, i have season tickets for a NFL team, and they give you benefits of paying early the whole amount early... alot of people dont have 5k just sitting around for tickets and parking passes.... They offer a credit card and ez payment plans for 0% some people use it some dont etc

check your pm

Yes, the problem is people stop saving, and they assume their financial situation in X months (12 months, 36 months, or just 2 months) will be the same as it is now (ie they'll be able to afford all those monthly payments). Especially given the economy today, that's a bad thing to do.

I believe it's wise to simply save up for what you want, and if you can't afford it, don't buy it. Interest and financing is for houses. For everything else, financing is too risky.

 

[dclive]

To follow up on my own post - you're paying 10% more (in your example, plus assumedly another 7-10% in local tax) - just so you can delay payments. That's a massive premium that you wouldn't need to pay if you simply used cash and/or saved appropriately.

Don't buy a few of those 17-20% premium items, and before long you will be able to afford cash payments again.

 

[mike2fix]

B&H Photo

 

[KeithP]

I get that paying off your purchases over a period of time gives you the benefit of inflation against your money and potentially options to invest the money until such a time as it is needed, but if you have the money now, saving on the overall final price and not having the burden of carrying debt for a consumer electronic is way more important to me than 0% interest.

Not to mention the fact that most of those 0% offers have steep penalty clauses if you are ever late with a payment. Frankly, with current interest rates, if you have the money now there is no reason not to pay it in full up front and be done with it.

-KeithP

 

[Emulex]

used with applecare (from a business). mine was all dented up so they replaced everything but the battery,ram,hard drives with new parts and even upgraded me from that nasty gloss to matte 17".

lots of crack babies and stolen mac's on craigslist and YES they will jack your cracker-azz up in a heartbeat. easy pickings if you know what i mean.

 

[BarneyFife]

I got mine from microcenter. Even with the 6% sales tax, nobody could touch the price.

 

[wantedSpidy]

If you were to buy a macbook pro today, where would you get it from?

Apple
Amazon
MacMall
Ebay
Craigslist
Microcenter
BestBuy

Been considering a laptop for 6-months now and the fact that the macbook can handle windows and apple is a huge plus for me, Not impressed by Dell or HP even though i can run mac os in vmware.

Several people on craigslist emailed me back saying they have no idea how much ram or hard drive is installed.. dunno if there scammers or just stupid.

There are many scammers on craigslist so be careful. If they don't know how much RAM is installed, or other basic stuff don't even bother. Most of the time you can google their email address and figure out if they are legit or not.

As for where to buy from, it really doesn't matter. Just get it from the cheapest source. There was a macmall deal of ebay for $940 a few weeks back, similar stuff will pop up, just keep an eye out.