I know, just as it'll change again in the next 3 years.
> A new Macbook Pro (such as one he might buy) comes with...
Most of these things come with a standard MacBook, too, so why not buy a MacBook?
Some of the things that MacBook doesn't have that the MBP does:
> $1599 with Student Developer discount
Actually, it's $1799, but that doesn't factor in taxes, which bring it to about retail, or $2000, and that's without any configuration options (the one I bought, spec'ed out again, is still $3000).
(By the way, If you're looking to buy a Mac, look at the Amazon discount over Apple's store: with free shipping and no taxes, it's almost always cheaper.)
> LED Glossy options versus fluorescent matte
True.
> All of this means that his computer might last for more years than before, since the hardware is already top of the line compared not just to mac machines released a year prior, but to high end pc laptops, as well
I guess it's whether or not you're willing to make that bet or not.
> which means he might as well get the MacBook Pro.
Or, he could save a lot of money, get an equivalent machine for his needs, and buy a new one every year and still not spend as much.
>True.
False. The matte screen is LED and its unclear from the specs whether the glossy is LED or fluorescent.
From apple.com: "15.4-inch (diagonal) antiglare widescreen TFT LED backlit display with support for millions of colors; optional glossy widescreen display"
The Student Developer discount price is $1599, the student price is $1799.
You can still get a MacBook for half that, which has everything else you mentioned, so why not get a MacBook and upgrade twice as often? (With resale value, you'll be way on top.)
What ultimately caused me to return it was trying to run a 3D plugin of a scene in a drawing program. It was unbelievably slow, while I remembered how well a Dell m1330 ran, which has the same integrated video chipset, Intel's X3100. I researched that either Apple or Intel had crappy video drivers on the Mac for that chipset, which meant it was already behind the times out of the box, never mind in two years.
And with the discount, the MacBook Pro might even be sold for a profit after 3-6 months in the worst case scenario (since including taxes it's worth $2,100), but the same MacBook at either Student Developer or Student price would likely be sold for a loss.