MacBook vs Laptop... NEED HELP!!!...

[Whaaaazuuuuup]

I'm trying to decided if I if I want to get rid of my laptop (lenovo) for a MacBook. I've had my iPhone 3Gs since July (typing on it now) and I absolutely LOOOVE iT!!! I've heard the MacBook is much easier to use, more powerful, and less issues than the pc/laptop. Feel free to chirp in and give ya opinion...

[devilsjaw]

Re: MacBook vs Laptop... NEED HELP!!!...

As long as you don't play a lot of games on your laptop, I say go with a Macbook. I've had mine now for 2 years, and haven't had any issues at all.

[Bornindamecca]

Re: MacBook vs Laptop... NEED HELP!!!...

Knock on wood, but in almost three years, my macbook has been the most beautiful computer experience I've ever had. As was said, throw any idea of gaming out of the window, but for art, music, video, editing...it's an excellent machine.

[adice15]

Re: MacBook vs Laptop... NEED HELP!!!...

I have a macbook pro, and I love it! And you can still play games on it using bootcamp with windows. Although if you're gonna use a pc, lenovo is the best.

[elgreazy1]

Re: MacBook vs Laptop... NEED HELP!!!...

Just got a MacBook Pro last week and all I can say is it's very nice. I had to switch from PC to Mac's due to school (graphic design major) and honestly I will no longer stick up for PCs ever again, but I'm not going to become one of those Mac people.

[Pokes]

Re: MacBook vs Laptop... NEED HELP!!!...

I have a new MacBook Pro and a new Toshiba laptop and the only complaint I have about the Mac is the internet browser, Safari, flat out sucks.

[thmst30]

Re: MacBook vs Laptop... NEED HELP!!!...

I have a new MacBook Pro and a new Toshiba laptop and the only complaint I have about the Mac is the internet browser, Safari, flat out sucks.

? You don't have to use it. IE sucks and Safari sucks IMO. That's why Firefox and Chrome exist. Options are good.

[clivo1050]

Re: MacBook vs Laptop... NEED HELP!!!...

If price is an issue, go with PC. You can get a much faster PC for less money than a mac in most cases.

If price is not an issue, go with a mac. Quality hardware and great software.

[DocHolliday]

Re: MacBook vs Laptop... NEED HELP!!!...

If you don't game on your Comp, go Mac and don't even think about it.

[lasthour]

Re: MacBook vs Laptop... NEED HELP!!!...

Are Macs good for students in general? Are there any problems like compatibility for the average student?

[Matt Diesel]

Re: MacBook vs Laptop... NEED HELP!!!...

If price is an issue, go with PC. You can get a much faster PC for less money than a mac in most cases.

If price is not an issue, go with a mac. Quality hardware and great software.

True you can get a PC cheaper than a mac, of course, but not necessarily leaps and bounds better if you are matching prices.


<table class="spip"><caption>Apple vs. Dell Price Comparison</caption> <thead><tr class="row_first"><th scope="col">$1999 MacBook Pro</th><th scope="col">$1999 Dell XPS M1730</th></tr></thead> <tbody> <tr class="row_even"><td>2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo
</td><td>2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo</td></tr> <tr class="row_odd"><td>2 GB of RAM</td><td>2 GB of Shared RAM</td></tr> <tr class="row_even"><td>NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT with 256 MB</td><td>NVIDIA GeForce 8700M GT with Shared MB</td></tr> <tr class="row_odd"><td>200 GB HDD</td><td>200 GB HDD</td></tr> <tr class="row_even"><td>15.4-inch LED LCD</td><td>17-inch LCD</td></tr> <tr class="row_odd"><td>1440x900</td><td>1920x1200</td></tr> <tr class="row_even"><td>Dual-Layer DVD Burner</td><td>Dual-Layer DVD Burner</td></tr> <tr class="row_odd"><td>802.11n Wi-Fi</td><td>802.11g Wi-Fi</td></tr> <tr class="row_even"><td>Bluetooth</td><td>
</td></tr> <tr class="row_odd"><td>Built in Webcam</td><td>Built in Webcam</td></tr> <tr class="row_even"><td>Backlit KB with Ambient Sensor</td><td>
</td></tr> <tr class="row_odd"><td>Optical Audio Output/Input</td><td>SPDIF through Dongle</td></tr> <tr class="row_even"><td>Dual-Link DVI Output</td><td>Dual-Link DVI Output</td></tr> <tr class="row_odd"><td>Remote</td><td>
</td></tr> <tr class="row_even"><td>MagSafe Power</td><td>Standard female/male Jack</td></tr> <tr class="row_odd"><td>5.4 lbs</td><td>10.6 lbs</td></tr> <tr class="row_even"><td>1 inch thick</td><td>2 inch thick</td></tr></tbody></table>
The bonus for the XPS is the bigger screen. But the mac has descrete graphics while the XPS uses shared memory for its graphics.

I would also like to add that the build quality of the macbook pro is unmatched by its pc counterpart in the same price range.

Additionally, you can use windows 7 (best windows OS of all time) with boot camp on your mac.

Apple does inflate its upgrade options grossly so you want to not buy your base system and get the upgrade parts from third-party vendors.

[Pokes]

Re: MacBook vs Laptop... NEED HELP!!!...

? You don't have to use it. IE sucks and Safari sucks IMO. That's why Firefox and Chrome exist. Options are good.

I do use Chrome, its much better than Safari. I'm just throwin that out there.

[Taur3asi3]

Re: MacBook vs Laptop... NEED HELP!!!...

My year of using a MacBook has been the best computer experience of my life. There is absolutely no comparison. My Dell would take forever to start up, constantly freeze, and just generally drive me crazy and work like garbage but the MacBook has been the exact opposite. My advice to anyone who decides to go with a Mac is that you really have to take the time to learn everything, keyboard shortcuts, what will work, and wont work. It's the most important part.

[KENYON06]

Re: MacBook vs Laptop... NEED HELP!!!...

True you can get a PC cheaper than a mac, of course, but not necessarily leaps and bounds better if you are matching prices.


<table class="spip"><caption>Apple vs. Dell Price Comparison</caption> <thead><tr class="row_first"><th scope="col">$1999 MacBook Pro</th><th scope="col">$1999 Dell XPS M1730</th></tr></thead> <tbody> <tr class="row_even"><td>2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo
</td><td>2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo</td></tr> <tr class="row_odd"><td>2 GB of RAM</td><td>2 GB of Shared RAM</td></tr> <tr class="row_even"><td>NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT with 256 MB</td><td>NVIDIA GeForce 8700M GT with Shared MB</td></tr> <tr class="row_odd"><td>200 GB HDD</td><td>200 GB HDD</td></tr> <tr class="row_even"><td>15.4-inch LED LCD</td><td>17-inch LCD</td></tr> <tr class="row_odd"><td>1440x900</td><td>1920x1200</td></tr> <tr class="row_even"><td>Dual-Layer DVD Burner</td><td>Dual-Layer DVD Burner</td></tr> <tr class="row_odd"><td>802.11n Wi-Fi</td><td>802.11g Wi-Fi</td></tr> <tr class="row_even"><td>Bluetooth</td><td>
</td></tr> <tr class="row_odd"><td>Built in Webcam</td><td>Built in Webcam</td></tr> <tr class="row_even"><td>Backlit KB with Ambient Sensor</td><td>
</td></tr> <tr class="row_odd"><td>Optical Audio Output/Input</td><td>SPDIF through Dongle</td></tr> <tr class="row_even"><td>Dual-Link DVI Output</td><td>Dual-Link DVI Output</td></tr> <tr class="row_odd"><td>Remote</td><td>
</td></tr> <tr class="row_even"><td>MagSafe Power</td><td>Standard female/male Jack</td></tr> <tr class="row_odd"><td>5.4 lbs</td><td>10.6 lbs</td></tr> <tr class="row_even"><td>1 inch thick</td><td>2 inch thick</td></tr></tbody></table>
The bonus for the XPS is the bigger screen. But the mac has descrete graphics while the XPS uses shared memory for its graphics.

I would also like to add that the build quality of the macbook pro is unmatched by its pc counterpart in the same price range.

Additionally, you can use windows 7 (best windows OS of all time) with boot camp on your mac.

Apple does inflate its upgrade options grossly so you want to not buy your base system and get the upgrade parts from third-party vendors.

Well, at 2000 bucks you could get a laptop with an i7 and a GTX285M....and more RAM..and a bigger HD.

Either way it is up to preference. If I could afford a Mac, I would probably get one for music editing apps. Laptops are still ok for it, but I'd like to try a Mac.

[elgreazy1]

Re: MacBook vs Laptop... NEED HELP!!!...

Are Macs good for students in general? Are there any problems like compatibility for the average student?

If anything they're MORE people friendly than a PC it's just that the large majority of people have grown up using PCs over Macs. Installs of hardware, software, programs, drivers, etc are a complete breeze with a Mac and I have not had any errors loading up the plethora of software/hardware I had to put on it (iWorks, Adobe Creative Suite - BIG install -, new printer, wireless network, etc).

Case in point: installing my new printer. I had a couple errors on my PC with this, in fact, I had to do the lengthy install process 3 times before my PC finally recognized the drivers and even then it messed up my version of Adobe Photoshop to where I had to reinstall that. As for the Mac, I plugged it in, ran the disc and done.

My year of using a MacBook has been the best computer experience of my life. There is absolutely no comparison. My Dell would take forever to start up, constantly freeze, and just generally drive me crazy and work like garbage but the MacBook has been the exact opposite. My advice to anyone who decides to go with a Mac is that you really have to take the time to learn everything, keyboard shortcuts, what will work, and wont work. It's the most important part.

Same here and with a Dell. I actually have a beefed up XPS desktop that I got on the super cheap with a Dell employee discount. The thing, even in it's prime, has not even come close to running as smoothly as this little Macbook.