Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

nathanxu · Oct 24, 2006, 10:03 AM

Believe it or not, after I've given my nice iMac to my mother, I am relying on a very old second hand IBM P4 Note book. Sometime the PC just make me

It is finally the time that I could really get something just work. But I thought since the semester is almost over and aren't starting until next Jan, should I just wait bit longer for the next revised version of MacBook Pro which might have 10.5 and Sant Raso?
10.5 is surely looks like the dream operating system at this stage. But I am not too sure what Sant Raso really do. What is the current rumours about the relase date for 10.5 and Sant Raso?
Any suggestion guys?
Cheers
Nathan

DevNine · Oct 24, 2006, 10:04 AM

Jesus, just buy the thing. It will be another 9 months before the next mac book. When you eventually get one there will be another one after it.

PBFan · Oct 24, 2006, 10:37 AM

Or for a more polite response, I would suggest you get the current MBP. 10.5 might be out by Jan., but probably not. Might not be until Feb or March for all we know now. Same thing with Santa Rosa. So if January is your deadline, this is the model for you, the one introduced today.

The only thing you might want to do, since you say you can afford to wait a bit, is give it a few weeks to make sure things shake out with these new models and that there are no critical issues. This is not too likely since the case is the same and the components are roughly the same. But still, you could let the Merom chip get tested for a few weeks to make sure things are fine in the C2D MBP. Then buy it and upgrade to 10.5 when it comes out.

meta87 · Oct 24, 2006, 10:38 AM

Wow that didn't take long for people to start waiting for the next revision!

DevNine · Oct 24, 2006, 10:43 AM

PBFan you are indeed correct. I was waiting for the last two months hanging on every rumor. When my dream laptop finally appeared and I saw the above post I got slightly excited. My bad

Sorry.

Tuoder · Oct 24, 2006, 10:46 AM

Even when Santa Rosa does come out, it may not get adopted for a while. Remember how long it has taken Apple to put C2Ds in MBPs? If you can wait until Jan, then wait. Maybe you will get Leopard, and you won't have to spend the cash on that, but I wouldn't hold my breath on Santa Rosa yet.

aehaas · Oct 24, 2006, 10:55 AM

Santa Rosa will require a new motherboard. It will be a rev. A all over again. I would wait later for the rev. B version. I ordered a new one today.

aehaas

greenamp · Oct 24, 2006, 11:42 AM

You should wait indefinitely. It's not worth the risk buying something that will be obsolete in 9 months. You'll feel better.

workerbee · Oct 24, 2006, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by greenamp

You should wait indefinitely. It's not worth the risk buying something that will be obsolete in 9 months. You'll feel better.

Wise words, well spoken.
Actually, I happen to know womeone who has a Macintosh Portable for sale. This might just do the trick, no?

Tuoder · Oct 24, 2006, 12:28 PM

The way I see it, that Macintosh Portable is proven technology. I take it over a C2D MBP for sure. I mean, I'd hate to waste my money.

Eriamjh · Oct 24, 2006, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by workerbee

Wise words, well spoken.
Actually, I happen to know womeone who has a Macintosh Portable for sale. This might just do the trick, no?

iomatic · Oct 24, 2006, 01:19 PM

What would be the gain in Santa Rosa vs. C2D? I mean, performance, heat-wise, and battery power?

Tuoder · Oct 24, 2006, 01:53 PM

Originally Posted by iomatic

What would be the gain in Santa Rosa vs. C2D? I mean, performance, heat-wise, and battery power?

Santa Rosa is C2D. Santa Rosa is a new chipset. There should be significant performance gains. It is my understanding that Meroms are limited by their bus speeds. It is hard to feed the beast.

houstonmacbro · Oct 24, 2006, 01:54 PM

here we go again ... are we NEVER satisfied. i am starting to agree with many people that say "buy the best machine you can afford WHEN you NEED it."

iomatic · Oct 24, 2006, 02:10 PM

Erm, so Santa Rosa is C2D; Merom is the older CD, yeah? So this essentially Version 1.0?

(STOP perpetuating bad grammar; it's not frickin' "Rev. A" fercrissakes!)

houstonmacbro · Oct 24, 2006, 02:18 PM

i thought santa rose was actually different from c2d...? in fact, i heard that it is natively 64-bit? but then so is c2d?

PBFan · Oct 24, 2006, 02:53 PM

Merom is the code name for the Core 2 Duo chip that has just been introduced into the MacBookPro line today. So Merom is already here. Santa Rosa is the Intel code name for their future (April '07) generation Centrino platform, which is separate from the chip itself. Santa Rosa will work with the Merom (C2D) chips, not replace them. It adds a faster front side bus and NAND flash-memory caching (think instant on).

So you can expect by Q2 '07 or maybe Q3 '07 that MBPs will have the same C2D chips (perhaps clocked faster by then), but with the Santa Rosa platform added to the hardware to add those new features.

iomatic · Oct 24, 2006, 02:59 PM

Ah. Thanks.

I wonder if it would be worth the wait. Probably the second version of Santa Rosa would be the best, I would think.

Mrjinglesusa · Oct 24, 2006, 03:04 PM

[RANT]

You know, these "Should I buy now or wait" threads are starting to border on the laughable.

A) They JUST released a new revision TODAY.

B) No one knows when the next revision will come.

C) When the next revision does come, there will be something else to wait 6-9 months for too.

D) What are you all, 12? Why do you need advice on what and when to purchase something? If you want it and have the money, freakin' buy it already. Asking anononymous people on the internet whether you should buy a computer now or wait indefinitely is, frankly, stupid.

[/RANT]

Velocity211 · Oct 24, 2006, 03:06 PM

You should wait. I got my PowerBook G4 on Dec. 19, just a couple weeks before the MBP was announced. Now my PB is obsolete as ever, probably because its PowerPC. You'll be glad if you wait.

edit: lol sry, i didn't see the new mbps, not santa rosa though.

iomatic · Oct 24, 2006, 03:26 PM

Don't be such a contentious poster; some people are just fielding their own desires, or in my case, wondering about speed/technology vs. value.

Personally, I know I could care less if I output an image 5 seconds faster, I don't lose money either way. 30 seconds for hundreds? Yes, I would start considering it. My "worth the wait" post was rhetorical.

Generalizing about people is frankly, stupid.

Originally Posted by Mrjinglesusa

[RANT]

You know, these "Should I buy now or wait" threads are starting to border on the laughable.

A) They JUST released a new revision TODAY.

B) No one knows when the next revision will come.

C) When the next revision does come, there will be something else to wait 6-9 months for too.

D) What are you all, 12? Why do you need advice on what and when to purchase something? If you want it and have the money, freakin' buy it already. Asking anononymous people on the internet whether you should buy a computer now or wait indefinitely is, frankly, stupid.

[/RANT]

Gossamer · Oct 24, 2006, 04:01 PM

Personally, I'm waiting for Leopard to get my MBP. What I have now works fine and will hold me over until then. No need to buy a new computer now and shell out another $130 when Leopard gets here.

Kenstee · Oct 24, 2006, 04:14 PM

Originally Posted by Velocity211

You should wait. I got my PowerBook G4 on Dec. 19, just a couple weeks before the MBP was announced. Now my PB is obsolete as ever, probably because its PowerPC. You'll be glad if you wait.

edit: lol sry, i didn't see the new mbps, not santa rosa though.

Funny, I've got the same PB G4 and it doesn't feel obsolete at all. Does all I need just fine.

Me? I'm holding out for a universal version of Office and PSE before I take the plunge.

iomatic · Oct 24, 2006, 04:14 PM

Yeah, and if I'm reading this correctly (who knows?), there is a gap for a long while before a mobile processor comes out after this one. It may be the time to buy.

Processor Report

PBFan · Oct 24, 2006, 04:34 PM

Everyone has their own circumstances for buying now or not, we're not all the same. I just bought my MBP nine days ago. Am I sorry? No, I knew this update was likely to come out soon, in fact I figured late October was the most likely time for it. But my four-year-old Powerbook was dead enough to not be worth repairing, I had to get something quickly, so I bought a MBP. I was really hoping for the C2D update before I bought, but even there I wondered if I should wait until the C2D machines shake out a bit. And then if I wait for that I might as well wait for Leopard and further optimizations and Santa Rosa.

OK, my crash forced my hand. So as I stood in the store nine days ago I told myself I would get a machine and keep it for only 6-9 months, then EBay it. I would then buy the Santa Rosa, optimized, fully checked out MBP at that time, and I would load it up. So it would still be an upgrade for me, and it would be the machine I really wanted all along.

Could I return my nine-day-old MBP, swallow the restocking fee, and get today's release instead? Sure. But I don't think I want to. Today's release is nice, but it's not a night-and-day upgrade from what I just got. Faster this, bigger that, but basically the same overall machine. I'll stick with my last-release-of-the-old machine instead of the brand-new-hope-it-works-well new machine. In six-to-nine months, when Leopard is out and even upgraded a point or two and installed on the machine you order, and optimizations are really taking advantages of C2D features and Santa Rosa goodness, and every software app is now Universal, then I'll get my permament machine and keep it another four years.

Everyone has a different set of circumstances and those are mine. I'm happy today despite the release. Your mileage may vary.

shabbasuraj · Oct 24, 2006, 04:45 PM

Any computer you buy today will be obsolete tomorrow. This is life. LIVE with it.

So why not NEVER buy a computer and just keep hoping that computers will freeze with regards to development, so that way you and all of us can all feel better.

..or until that day comes... buy a computer, use it, enjoy it, sell it if you can when something new comes out, and then buy again.

nathanxu · Oct 24, 2006, 06:24 PM

Would 10.5 come out around Feb or March to fit on the MBP? If it is out no later then March, I would wait for it. When is MS Vista coming out, is 10.5 waiting for Vista?

Velocity211 · Oct 24, 2006, 06:34 PM

Originally Posted by Kenstee

Funny, I've got the same PB G4 and it doesn't feel obsolete at all. Does all I need just fine.

Me? I'm holding out for a universal version of Office and PSE before I take the plunge.

I mean obsolete with current technology. It runs fine for me too.

shabbasuraj · Oct 24, 2006, 07:26 PM

10.5 is not waiting for Vista.

PBFan · Oct 24, 2006, 08:18 PM

10.5 could be out by March, but it might not be. Steve said Spring, and that could be April or May. That said, I think it will be talked about a lot at MWSF and announced as coming out in Feb or Mar, just to be early. But I could be wrong.

Vista is coming out in November for businesses, who will avoid it like the plague, and then for everyone else early in 07, who will have no choice in the matter when computer makers start shipping it to them like it or not.