MacBook Pro: Hold off for now

A few things going on with the MacBook Pro add up to a wait-if-possible status right now. I never recommend waiting forever, but the first edition of the MacBook Pro is due for a revision soon, one which I hope will address a few outstanding issues.

The MacBook Pro has had its share of problems since it was introduced. The most highly-publicized would be the "whine" sound caused by its internal fans running constantly (they should only turn on in moments of very high internal heat). There's some controversy about the underlying cause. Is it just a bug in the fan controller? Or actual overheating caused by mis-applied thermal paste? It's difficult to distinguish all of these reports from other reports of high pitched noises.

Apple also recently announced a recall on certain 15" MacBook Pro batteries. None of these issues are a huge deal, but they are standard fare for the first model of a new product line. I advise waiting for version 1.1 of the MacBook Pro.

Apple will probably make an announcement very soon about using Intel's newest chips. The first round of Intel-based Apple computers used the Core Duo and Core Solo processors, but Intel's recent announcement of the Core 2 Duo has been met with widespread adulation, reports of blistering speed, and rumors of competitor AMD's demise. The Core 2 Duo is getting a lot of buzz right now and Apple will probably not miss the bandwagon on this one.

Apple's 2006 World Wide Developer Conference is beginning on August 7th, just a week away. This is one of the few times of the year you can almost count on a product announcement. OS 10.5 "Leopard" is on the bill this time around. It wouldn't be a bad time to announce a new edition of MacBook Pro (even if they don't include Core 2 Duos, perhaps a "speed bump" revision will help address some of the aforementioned quality problems).

Welcome to MacOClock, a blog dedicated to helping you decide whether now is the right time to buy that Apple Computer you've had your eye on.

I've been an Apple enthusiast and observer for years - since I first laid my hands on a IIe - and, once upon a time, I worked as a Mac tech. Folks are always asking me the same question: should I buy one now, or is Apple about to release a new one? Should I go ahead and spend the money? Or is a price drop on the way?

The real answer to "Is now the time?" will always depend on you. It depends on what you need the machine for, what your budget is, and whether you have the luxury of being able to wait. If you really need one for work, school, or an important gig, waiting isn't going to make a night-and-day difference. In general, you will always get good value on a Mac, and it's never a bad time to buy one.

However, some moments are better than others. I'm going to keep the pulse on Apple's MacBook Pro, MacBook, PowerMac, iMac and Mac Mini lines, and give you a heads up if now is a great time to pull the trigger, or if there's something on the radar that might cause you to wait.

Because the last thing anyone wants is to fall in love with a new Apple product... 3 weeks after you bought its predecessor! :*(