Apple unveiled their next generation of laptops today, based, for the first time, on Intel processors. The new “MacBook Pro” looks pretty slick. Upgraded features: 1.67 or 1.83 Ghz Intel “Core Duo” (what a dumb name) processor, dual core, 667 MHz FSB with matching DDR2, SATA hard drive, ATI X1600 Graphics chipset. New features: built-in iSight in the top bezel, Apple Front Row (think Windows Media Center Edition) with a builtin (infrared, i think) remote, iLife ’06. Very impressive package all around. Makes me wish I would have waited before buying this PowerBook.

So I had a dilemma tonight: I could drive down to Madison tomorrow and return this PowerBook, receiving back $1615 of the $1900 it cost me (15% restocking fee). Tomorrow’s the 30th day since I purchased this laptop. I could then wait until February, when the new laptops begin shipping from apple.com and buy a new one with Apple’s standard 10% education discount, at $1800. The net cost to me would then be $185 and a trip to Madison to upgrade my laptop in a couple weeks. (Also leaving me without laptop for a few weeks.) So I thought about it and bounced ideas off my roommate, and decided it wasn’t worth it. The rationale: A) This is definitely not the last word on Apple/Intel laptops. There will be more, and they’ll be even better later. B) Seeing as the Intel architecture is a major transistion for Apple, there’s bound to be hiccoughs in the next few months, as third-party developers have to start testing their applications against x86 and ppc. C) The primary purpose for my laptop is to be an “always-works” machine that I don’t ever have to mess with to use. That was a major headache for me with my desktop: I reinstalled OS’s so often that nothing ever just worked. So, though I have every confidence in Apple to release x86 software on par with their PPC versions, I don’t want to have to deal with third-party software issues while they work out their bugs. (Not on my laptop anyway.) Plus, for $185 I can buy some cool electronics stuff like a better soldering iron and multimeter. That and I probably shouldn’t spend the $185 anyway. And finally, there’s nothing wrong with the laptop I have.

So, tip of the hat to Apple for their Intel switch- from what I hear, Intel dominates the mobile chip market while AMD is leading the desktop. Now if they would just work together again, as I just learned from Tim tonight that they did once, long ago…