Wait for the MBP Core 2 Duos?...or buy now?

Well it depends if they are upgrading anything else along with going to Merom. The current graphics card option in the 17s is a little weak IMO.

Also depends if you want to go to 64 bit next year with the new OS.

I'm personally waiting for the new OS to come out. By then they should have the Core 2 Duos in their laptops. As far as the price I can't really speculate on that since I have no clue since this will be my first mac.

The timetable for the Merom Macbook Pros is the question of the century....
Seems they "should" be out already. Apple continues to play this secrecy card and I think it will eventually hurt them.
The current price for Macbook Pros seems like a "premium" since you are getting yesterdays technology for today's Core 2 Duo prices.
Apple needs to step back up to the plate and get this Merom show on the road! I've been waiting for the new release but I am growing impatient.
It seems that they may not release these until close to Thanksgiving or even wait until MacWorld San Francisco in 2007. (Now THAT would suck).
Maybe they'll even go as far as the Santa Rosa update before they make changes. I hope not, but the problem is Apple will never tell you ahead of time, so as a consumer you cannot make a well informed choice. It is agrevating to say the least...

It is the next in line Core 2 Duo update. I guess it is a low power core that will be released in Q1 2007. It has a dynamic 800MHz bus and complies with the new WiMax/WiFi integration of 80.11n. The bus can vary its speed as needed to conserve power. Makes me wonder if Apple will wait for this, but I highly doubt it. I think they will use it, but I can't imagine putting all other upgrades on hold for this. Even if on time for Q1 release, they won't see implementation before Q2 or Q3 I would bet...

i think apple will just skip over the core 2 duo merom's.

not much to gain, theyll go with SR for sure. they did a major screwup when core duo came out anyways (wih all the heat problems).

they do that again, and yike

im still buying another macbook, just question on when.

Do you like your Macbook Kgeier82? I'm thinking of getting one of the refurb models to hold me over until this update happens. Then I can sell it for not too much of a loss. I tend to take very good care of my lappys so it shouldn't be a big gamble... I was looking at the 2.0GHz model in white. I like the black look but I don't want to push the dollars up too high on an interim "fix" (my Mac fix that is)!
See ya...

I think that might probaby happen. As anadtech reports there isn't much to gain from core 2 duo vs, core duo. As far as 64-bit go, its mostly hype atleast for the next couple of years as 99% of the people still don't need more tha 4-GB of RAM. AMD released Athln64 such a long time back and 64 is still nowhere clse to being mainstream.

yea im liking it more and more every day. screen is just perfect for "out of the house". im still getting a 20-24in WS for home though.

its a great computer, a real pleasure.

Actually "Santa Rosa" is a platform specification. It is the code name for the upcoming 4th generation Centrino brand label. For a notebook to be a "Santa Rosa" or "Centrino Duo II" or whatever it ends up being called, it must include specifications that meet the "Santa Rosa" platform requirements and the manufacturer must pay licensing to Intel to use the Centrino marketing label.

Santa Rosa specifications thus far are expected to include:

1. Merom CPU (already available, faster chips coming in a few months)
2. Crestline chipset (available soon, supports more RAM and up to 800MHz FSB.
3. 802.11"N" WiFi - "N" draft WiFi is still not standardized
4. Bluetooth, Firewire400, USB2.0

Apple is *NOT* a member of Intel's registered "Santa Rosa" manufacturers. What this means is that Apple is probably not going to want the Centrino label associated with their products, nor will they want the Intel Centrino lable/badge stuck to their MB/MBP systems.

But a lot of us are hoping that since Intel has said the Crestline chipset would be shipping soon, to compliment the already available Merom, we'll see Crestline in the updated Mac notebooks within the next few weeks. If this is so, then we can expect to be able to install 4GB or more in a Macbook Pro and gain some other benefits. If Apple were to also include a WiFi chipset that supports a current "N" pre-version and support for update to the official version on approval, then the new MBP systems will be the equivalent of a "Santa Rosa" system.

What was posted above about the ntext Core 2 Duo update is essentially correct, but that isn't "Santa Rosa", although "Santa Rosa" can't exist without Merom. FWIW, there is already an "Ultra Low Voltage" version of Merom available, but few computer makers are using it. The next revision to the Merom CPU before Intel moves on to the next CPU model will hit sometime this spring and will bring the 800MHz FSB and should also have full SSE-4 instructions.

4gb of ram in a notebook, yike.

seems a little overload, but i dont do a lot.

i dont want a crappy intel sticker on my purty next revision of a macbook

and there will be a next, because my first experience with a mac has been GREAT