An Upgrade or a Check?
If you’ve been following along, you know that I bought a new MacBook Pro two weeks ago. You may also know that yesterday, Apple announced that it had updated their MacBook Pro line, making their laptops faster than ever before.
I saw this coming, of course—I knew an update was probably coming, but I didn’t know exactly when, and I had to buy a new laptop right then because I wouldn’t have had a computer to get any work done.
Luckily, I’m on the last day of my 14-day return period, and when I called the Apple store yesterday to ask if I could exchange my laptop for a new version, I was told I could do that today, or get a check for $100.
The Macbook I have does everything I need. I don’t need a faster a computer. I could take the $100 and be perfectly happy (note: I have the 13-inch, so I wouldn’t be getting the 15-inch with the new retina display, which starts at $2,200 and is crazy expensive). Or I could trade my laptop in for one that’s slightly faster, and be happy that I have an updated model.
Would you take the upgrade, or the check?
What the heck are you TALKING ABOUT, GET DOWN THERE AND SWAP IN YOUR COMPUTER.
@Choire Sicha@facebook Ahhhhh! The same thing happened to Logan, and she took the check!
Upgrade. You’ll have the computer for a lot longer than you’ll have the $100, and you aren’t in dire need of fast cash.
Take the check! It sounds like you don’t NEED the swap and the only reason for it would be to combat the irrational panic we all feel when we worry that we don’t have the shiniest and newest bang for our bucks. (I can relate!)
Take the check! For me, the trouble of changing my laptop for a new one and starting all over again with the settings, the files, the everything wouldn’t be worth the trouble, seeing as this computer you already have has everything you need.
I say take the computer. It’s better and you’ll get more money if you end up selling it back to Apple in a couple of years.
Take the upgrade! You’re less likely to get left in the dust by future software/OS if you have the newer hardware.
Get the computer! If you take good care of it you’ll be able to resell it in a few years for more money, and if you have the old one it’s worth a lot less.
take the upgrade…$100 isn’t enough of an incentive
@Jake Reinhardt I pretty much agree. If Logan were asking, I’d say take the check, because $100 would be huge for her right now. But since Mike is pretty financially comfortable, I think the upgraded computer is worth it, based on the little information I know about the upgrades.
Upgrade! By getting the upgrade, you should also get Mountain Lion for free when it comes out, which, if you would have paid for it, is another $20
@djbsquared Ooh, I hadn’t thought about that! Definitely should be in your calculus.
The only difference between the 13-incher and old one is a speed bump, right? I’d say take the check, and I’m a super hardcore Mac nerd! Maybe you could use the money to max out your RAM, if you didn’t already.
There’s no uniform answer to this question! I don’t endorse drinking the “upgrade or die!” Kool-Aid. Be yourself.
If you’re mostly a word processor and/or plan to keep the computer until it completely runs out of gas, then keep what you have and take the $100. It’s like an ex post facto discount! That’s a wonderful thing!
If you’re a power user and will be using Creative Suite, etc., or you’re the kind of person who trades up in a couple of years, then take the newer one now.
I am the first kind of user and have had the same MacBook for four and a half years. It’s finally starting to slow down but is still fine for regular browsing and word processing.
Upgrade! For one reason: the new one also has USB 3. It may not make a difference right now but if you keep your laptops a long time, it may be an issue down the road.
I would take the check!
Definitely take the check! Your laptop’s only a few weeks old, its not as if it needs replacing or upgrading! Having the shiniest of shinies is not all its cracked up to be.
This is a wonderful discounting experiment Apple are running, I hope they publish the data (haha yeah right).
One way to look at it is to compare the “depreciation” of US currency versus Apple technology. Imagine that you have a choice between a hundred dollar bill and $100 worth of brand new Apple tech. In a year, the hundred dollar bill will be worth ~$98.50 in today’s dollars (because of inflation). What will the Apple tech be worth?
Of course, this assumes that the new tech is worth exactly $100, which it probably isn’t. (You could compare the price of near-new used pre-upgrade Macbooks to near-new used post-upgrade ones, but since the upgrade has just come out you won’t have reliable data on that for a good while.)
Since you’re so responsible, Mike, I would advise you to use that $100 as the foundation of a savings account where you can accumulate money towards your next upgrade. Me, I would buy whiskey with it.
ETA: Plus, thanks to the miracle of compound interest, in 3 years you would have a whopping $104.40!
@stuffisthings i’d like for you to be my new financial advisor.
@wearitcounts All my financial planning advice is based on the ABW system: Always Buy Whiskey.
@stuffisthings HIRED.
Upgrade!
You’re happy with your current laptop. Take the check!!
take the money and run!
I would take the upgrade, because given Apple’s willingness to leave older models/OSes in the dust, it will effectively extend the life of your computer for at least a year. That’s worth more than $100.
Upgrade. You’re leaving $200 on the table if you accept the $100 check. The MBP is $1,200, your MBP is now worth $929 (See Apple Refurb Section).
Take the cheque. I learned the hard way not to buy version 1.0 of anything (even Apple stuff). The new MBP has a lot of changes, and it’s going to take a bit to iron them out.
//someone who is still running Snow Leopard on a year-old MBP because she doesn’t want to pay out for a full Adobe CS upgrade