<p>Is anyone going to buy there new laptop or macbook from the UM store that was sent to your UM emails? The deals seem great and even better than the apple store discount. Has any previous students bought it through the UM store? how is it? is it reliable? new? same model as apple stores?</p>
<p>any feedback would be great because a new macbook is quite a big investment. i would like to know as much as possible before purchasing.</p>
<p>The computers at the U-M Computer Showcase are new and are the same model as the apple store. I think the pricing is the same as the student pricing at the on-line Apple store.</p>
<p>The software available at the U-M store is heavily discounted.</p>
<p>We purchased a macbook pro. The bonus is that they throw in the 3 year applecare for free – which makes for a substantial savings. Very reliable, great techs. Software is a steal!</p>
<p>Last time I checked the Applecare wasn’t free but it was included in the price at the same student price available on the Apple website. The U-M store won’t let you opt out of the Applecare.</p>
<p>While the software deals at the UM Computer Showcase are great, the notebooks and desktops aren’t discounted beyond the standard education pricing. It’s exactly what the standard 2.7 ghz 13’’ macbook pro costs with educations pricing ($1400) plus the cost of 3 years of applecare ($182). </p>
<p>If you’re a buying a notebook buy it directly from the manufacturer’s website. That way you can customize it on your own and take advantage of coupons. By the way, check out some other notebooks aside from the macbooks. While I can’t say that the macbook pros aren’t great, there are definitely laptops with similar build quality and better specs at a much lower price.</p>
<p>The foregoing comment notwithstanding, if you’re in a major with a required tech pack and you plan to use the acquisition against your COA for fin aid, it’s actually easier to put everything on one invoice through showcase – plus it’s all there for Fin Aid and all on the same invoice for taxes.</p>
<p>I’m not going to start the age old debate, because it depends on your usage, but this comment is highly highly debatable (especially “similar” quality part):
</p>
<p>Actually, the Showcase is $50 cheaper than online pricing at Apple for MacBook Pro 15" 2.0ghz: online, student pricing is $1699 + $239 for 3yr AppleCare, total $1938. UM Showcase is $1888. Hey, $50 will buy alot of pizza.</p>
<p>^ Michigan has a LOT of macs and pcs available for students. I wouldn’t recommend (unless you really, really need it) a computer beyond an okay labtop with which you can write and browse okay.</p>
<p>It looks like the U-M store just lowered the prices $50. Good catch snackyx.</p>
<p>^It might go even lower later in the summer. I know in 2009 the difference in price was the equivalent of Applecare. We own a design shop and purchase macs with reasonable regularity and no vendor could beat the price or specs of the special that was on at showcase that year.</p>