Resale value 13 inch MBP

Hi everyone,

I really need a new notebook for university and am debating whether I should buy a 13 inch MBP. However, seeing as it doesn't have USB 3 and is still a Core2Duo I just feel a bit queasy about spending that much money on it for good. I was wondering if it would be worth it to just buy it during the Back to School promotion and with a university discount (16% on the MBP, 27% on the AppleCare) and resell it once the refresh takes place and buy the refreshed one then. Does anyone know how much it would lose in worth approximately? Or would it be better to just buy some cheap netbook or something in the meantime and use that in the meantime with an external monitor.
Any tips from anyone?

Thanks in advance -
chris

 

Buying a notebook with the plan to sell it doesn't make a lot of sense.

Oh, and a tip for school, its "once" not ones.

Seriously, though, have you considered buying a used last generation macbook pro? That might hold you over for a while and help you better determine if a 13inch MBP is for you.

 

Don't ever buy a notebook with plans to sell it. The only thing that depreciates with use faster than a notebook, is toilet paper.

 

The current MBP will do everything you need to do fine. With normal usage it will be impossible to notice any difference between Core 2 Duo and Core i3/i5.

Resale value has been handled quite well in this topic:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/app...reciation-figures-apple-macbook-pro-13-a.html

 

Mac2Sell - Guide to used Mac & iPod - Evaluation - Argus Mac, iPod, iPhone Occasion

 

True, not a good idea to be thinking about resale value for a laptop that only becomes better and faster every two years for about the same price.

What you can probably think about is that you will probably still find a buyer who will want to buy a MBP...albeit not near what you originally paid for it. You get to enjoy a system that is above and beyond a netbook in performance and quality. Nobody will want to buy a cheap/used netbook by the time you decide to replace it with something newer.

 

The discount on the MBP might be worthwhile, the discount on the AppleCare probably not.

AppleCare is usually cheaper on Ebay.

In my experience used netbooks sell fine.

 

Thanks everyone for your replies - looks like it would be best to just buy it and be happy with what I've got. Truth is, I probably wouldn't even really need the better processor/newer ports but as a geek I just wanted to have the newest and best tech possible.

@Rogue Monk
Since I can get the university discount (€ 965 + free IPod + cheap printer instead of € 1150) there really is no difference between the prices of a used one and the new one with a discount - and I get a free IPod and a cheap printer too.

@PopRoxMimo3
Right now I wouldn't really need USB3, but since I would like to keep this notebook for 3-4 years it would just be a good investment for the future (external hard disk, thumb drives, ...).

@n640nec
I would just have bought the netbook for the time till the next MBP refresh, not as a real alternative to the MBP. I just thought, that I could maybe buy one for $250, use it till the MBPs got updated with USB 3 and then just give the netbook to one of my relatives.