Laptop Recommendations :)

[compleks]

Hello.

I'm getting sick of my clunky old PC and all its problems. I'm also away from home a fair bit and would like to be able to take my 'work' with me.

I'm thinking of opting for a MAC, but have no idea why I really feel that way.

So, I was hoping to get some input on the subject.

What do you use?
What would you like to be using?
What would you recommend?

Basically I'm after a complete system. Something I can use all the time to store photos, run editing programs (PS etc...), access the internet, edit movies etc... Something that will help me organise my life basically.

Cherers!

[sdphil]

Absolutely go for a MAC I made the switch about 8 months ago to a Mac Book Pro and I love it.
No more anti virus updated to download, no more freezing up no more waiting forever for the start up.
The Iphoto program that comes with it is pretty good for organizing, editing and making projects.
It is fast It is light weight It has a backlight keyboard which is awesome when using it at night.
I am no computer nerd and I was pretty familiar with it within a day.
I highly recommend a Mac.
Even if you need to use windows for work you can run it on a Mac!
They cost a bit more but once you have one you'll appreciate why.
Good luck
Phil

[bearly]

once you go mac, you never go back!!

i have a MBP thats a couple years old now, and i've never had any issues with it at all. all my friends with PCs are always getting viruses and at least one of their computers is nearly always suffering from some problem or another.

yeah macs do cost more in general, but you pay for what you get. if you want a really intuitive, easy-to-use computer and is actually a pleasure to use and won't give you headaches, definitely go for the mac. it incredible what a difference it makes having the hardware and software made by the same company. everything is integrated seamlessly and if you ever have an issue, there is only one place you need to go--apple. it doesn't matter if its a problem with the OS or some part of the hardware inside, you ask apple and you'll get your answer quickly, and it will actually work because they know how everything interacts with every other part.

you won't regret it

[OsmosisStudios]

Here's the long and short of it.

if you have the money for one, get a Macbook Pro.

Now, for the long of it.

I've been a PC user my entire life and got a laptop for school work a few years ago. It ran XP, it worked well. It eventually died. I wanted to avoid vista, so I went with Mac and will never have a PC again. It's that simple.

Yes, theyre more expensive and take some getting used to (but thats about it), but they have much better workflow, are faster and (I find) easier to use. They also dont become obsolete every 7 minutes.

Oh, and you dont have to deal with a single Micro$oft product. Ever.

[dcclark]

Another vote for a Mac (it's Mac, short for Macintosh, not MAC -- no acronyms here). I use a very old PowerBook (predecessor to the MacBook Pro), and I've been enormously happy with it over the past 5+ years. Some will say that Macs are overpriced, but you get:

1. A very high quality item (no cheap build quality here)
2. Tons of awesome software included (gotta factor that into the cost, too)
3. Amazing technical support and repair, if you ever need it.
4. The "it just works" quality -- you can plug in essentially any peripheral (camera, phone, external drive, whatever) and it will connect and work correctly, with no fuss. In comparison, I can't tell you how frustrating Windows' system tray is in that regard -- "New device detected... looking for drivers... no drivers found..." -- it's trying to "just work", but it rarely does.
5. A good interface which is easy to use -- although if you're coming from windows, there are differences that you'll find yourself having trouble with. For example, the close box on each window is on the left, not the right.
6. Built in, standardized color management.
7. The ability to also, easily run Windows and/or Linux on the same machine -- Apple even has free software to set it up for you.

Those are my thoughts. It's worth the apparent extra cost.

[compleks]

Mac it is!

Are there any significant difference in their range of laptops? Or should you just go for the most expensive machine for your budget?

[bearly]

Originally Posted by dcclark

5. A good interface which is easy to use -- although if you're coming from windows, there are differences that you'll find yourself having trouble with. For example, the close box on each window is on the left, not the right.

not to mention just hitting the little red button doesn't actually quit the application, just closes that window. but i personally like that aspect better... makes less clutter because you don't have to have a ton of windows, yet you don't have to relaunch the app if you plan on using it again soon

[dcclark]

OK, names first: there are MacBooks (mostly plastic, cheaper) and there are MacMook Pros (aluminum, higher-end). The names are unfortunately similar.

The two models are getting closer and closer, so the main differences nowadays are in some pretty particular areas. For one, build materials -- MacBooks are plastic, they will not last as long as the aluminum MacBook Pros -- especially the newer Pros, which are made from a single piece of aluminum, which should wear a bit better.

Another difference is graphics cards. This colud really matter to you. The MacBooks have a single, midrange graphics card. The Pros have TWO high-end graphics cards, and you can switch among them. Rumor is that the newest version of OS X (due sometime this year) is going to take much more advantage of these cards as well. For anyone interested in graphics and image editing, this colud be an important item.

Third, battery life. The additional cards, processor speed, etc. of the Pros really eats at the battery. You can get 2-3 hours of normal use on a Pro, whereas I've seen MacBooks get up to 5-6 hours. However, the new 17" Pro has a new battery that's supposed to get 8 hours -- and that is likely to make its way into the other Pros soon. So, it is hard to tell what will happen and whether it will matter in the future.

Finally, size -- the Pros come in larger sizes, which you may or may not care about.

[compleks]

Thanks dcclark, I really appreciate the help.

Going to do some research now.

[jagoble25]

i want a mac.