<p>Can someone tell me exactly the benefits of buying from them? A lot of the programs they have installed are free/already included. What's the $300 difference for? lol </p>
<p>In my case I'm looking at the Macbook pro, which isn't even the model that Mac is selling right now...the one Mac sells has a faster processer and starts at $1700; Princeton's is $2000+</p>
<p>For the first question I know you’d have to buy the Microsoft software, more info on reasons to buy here: [Why</a> buy through SCI - Student Computer Initiative (SCI) - Why buy through SCI](<a href=“http://www.princeton.edu/sci/whysci/]Why”>http://www.princeton.edu/sci/whysci/)</p>
<p>But as for the Macbook Pro the site says a new price will be available soon…</p>
<p>Apple Computer announced new Macbook Pro models on June 8. This will affect the SCI Macbook Pro offering. We are working with Apple to get the new configuration and price, but this can take several days. We will update this page as soon as we get new information. We recommend waiting to place an order for the Macbook Pro until the new SCI model is available.
-SCI Website</p>
<p>if we buy macbook from princeton SCI, does the apple back to school promotion not apply :(?</p>
<p>Wait to purchase the laptops (with new pricing). I highly recommend purchasing SCI because then you get free laptop service at the student center no matter what happens. It’s saved my life more than once.</p>
<p>oh ok thanks!</p>
<p>I think a lot of the price difference comes from AppleCare (and Microsoft Office is also included) so you do end up saving a bit with SCI. Also, it does mean you’ll have an easier time with OIT if you have any problems with your computer.</p>
<p>Buy through SCI! At least with Apple computers (which I infinitely recommend…I’ve seen enough of my friend’s Dell’s bite the dust), you get 3 years of AppleCare, which basically gets you through college. Also, you have to worry about way less (like Microsoft Word), the printer, the network, etc.</p>
<p>And, if you have more than enough enough outside scholarship money to replace your work-study and summer-savings requirements (assuming you’re on FA), you can apply the excess money toward a one-time purchase of an SCI computer! I got a bunch of scholarship money, so the MacBook Pro I’m typing on right now was essentially free! (n.b.: Princeton will apply the remainder of the outside scholarship money to replace your “Grants” if you don’t use it…so if you are in the situation I was in GET A FREE COMPUTER!)</p>
<p>I just bought a Dell (I hate Macs enough to buy any PC regardless of the make–I would have preferred a Gateway but w/e), but the advantage for me was the Math/Science/Engineering suite–I mean, Matlab and Mathematica cost $300 each, and you’re getting them free.</p>
<p>you can get matlab and mathematica (i think mathematica, i know matlab), free through princeton on any computer, whether it is sci or not, you just need to have a netid</p>
<p>^I was looking on the SCI website, and I was led to believe that you have to buy a computer through SCI in order to get matlab and mathematica. Hopefully I am mistaken because I ordered my computer through Apple and not SCI. Mathematica and matlab would be nice to have.</p>
<p>Princeton has institutional licenses for those, so all you have to do it stop by the OIT office in Frist and I think they can give you copies.</p>
<p>you can dl matlab at least online, you don’t need to go to OIT for it</p>
<p>I don’t think Princeton just gives you copies of those programs, but you can definitely access them through the Princeton server through tombstone, etc.</p>
<p>you get a copy of matlab, you need to be on princeton wireless at least once a year to renew the license, otherwise it works fine. I don’t know about mathematica, since it wasn’t free until my senior year and I never got around to installing it.</p>
<p>edit: matlab and mathematica are both on your computer, so you have the local version. I’m not sure if you need to be connected to the princeton wireless to use the institutional license of mathematica, but you don’t for matlab. Either way, if you are at princeton chances are you are connected to the princeton network so it shouldn’t affect your life very much either way.</p>
<p>
The website has now been updated with a new Macbook Pro model.</p>
<p>when i log into the computer website, it says the macbook pro has a 5 hour battery life. is this a typo? doesn’t the new macbook pro have a 7 hour battery life? all the other specs seem to line up with the apple website but the battery life doesn’t</p>
<p>I think it’s just a typo because the previous models had up to 5 hours of battery life (I believe), so they just forgot to change that one detail.</p>
<p>Is there any way I can request they not “pre-install and pre-configure” my laptop? I want to set it up myself and I’d rather not bother reformatting…</p>
<p>I don’t think you can. If you don’t want it pre-installed and pre-configured, then don’t get it through SCI.</p>
<p>Yea, I don’t particularly want to, but they’re taking scholarship money away and I can’t warrant letting that go to waste. Oh well…</p>