Karma Posted February 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Thank you everyone for your comments, I really appreciate them. I also heard alot of good things about Lenovo, Macbook pro and Toshiba. I think I will choose from those 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FMX Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Thank you everyone for your comments, I really appreciate them. I also heard alot of good things about Lenovo, Macbook pro and Toshiba. I think I will choose from those 3. DELL/ALIENWARE!! I would not go with any other brand (although lenovo has good quality laptops, I hate their design). Dell has some pretty spiffy designs with customizable faceplate sorta things, and I believe their new XPS version has an aluminum hardcase similar to the Macbook Pro. Awesome customer service support tech etc. Some bad apples in there that could probably account for some of the bad experience some people here have had, but overall my experience has been fantastic with them. Their computers are very well built, lots of new-tech fast stuff i7 processors like people were mentioning, which is similar to most other laptop brands out there I guess. My opinion on MacBookPro's Good: - aluminum uni-body .. very solid and sturdy, not like most other plastic cases out there - AMAZING battery life (6+ hrs with one charge.. awesome for school) - no need to carry power cord everywhere - software is pretty great I have to admit, very nicely streamlined - track pad is amazing! I wish windows notebooks had something similar - amazing screen.. some kind of new technology LCD thing..very few monitors have this.. I dont think any other laptop does have it (maybe the HP envy) Bad: - very old technology.. last I checked, when the i3,i5,i7 proceessors came out by intel, MBP's continued producing with the old school core2duos - macOS.. I know its a pro, but it takes a freaking week to learn how to use it - most of my IT friends hate it because its hard to manoeuver around it when tech glitches DO pop up.. - Expensive!!!! OVERALL: I think the whole virus-protected thing is a bad excuse to get a mac. If you are a good computer user and you know which websites are probably going to infect your computers (porn-sites for example), and your good with using the free-anti-virus programs available with free-firewalls etc. You'll be fine with a windows based OS any day. One more thing that's great with windows is that most games are still created for windows OS's.. for example starcraft. If you switch to a macOS to play this game, it will lag. Mainly because the game wasn't designed as well for the mac population, this is the same with a bunch of other software. If you are a general computer user, not heavy gamer, prefer battery life over anything else.. mac may be a good idea, I personally know LOTS of happy mac customers who say they'll never look at a windows computer again blah, theres so much more I could talk about, but I think I've already gone a bit overboard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
premed89 Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 I'm definitely a PC. I hate Mac. They are overpriced and have awful hardware. Don't even get me started on software compatibility... For example, a Dell precision comes with a 500 GB hard drive, 8 GB RAM, 1 GB dedicated graphics, 1900x1260 display (awesome), and an i7-840 series processor for around 2 grand. The same thing in a Mac would cost....wait a minute, those options aren't even available with Mac!....I guess you could get the MacBook air for the same price as the Dell though. After all, a low resolution screen, no memory, an archaic processor and a missing CD slot sound awesome for 2 grand. I will gladly continue to pay extra for a laptop that doesn't freeze up, no need to worry about viruses, and that can go the entire day on one battery charge. I've have at least a dozen friends who have windows laptops and I can guarantee you every single one of them were garbage. The battery life was terrible, they froze up, and the overall lifespan of the computer was also garbage. Many of them were saying they wanted a new computer after a year or less while I'm here with my macbook for over 3.5 years and I'm still pleased and do not feel the need to purchase a new one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jp.mylittlepwny Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Macbook Does everything I need a laptop to do with no hiccups. Haven't had a problem in the 2 years I've had it. Love the operating system and I haven't had an issue with compatibility for the software I use. No worries about whether or not my anti-virus is up to date when streaming online shows/movies. The design is great, nice and compact. Sure the hardware isn't as powerful but I don't need a laptop that is a powerhouse for gaming/graphics design etc. I'd like to trade in one day for a macbook air. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whodey Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Here is a website you should look at though which discusses the most reliable laptop brands: http://voyager8.blogspot.com/2010/04/most-reliable-laptop-brands-are.html Hah! HPs have the worst reliability. I knew it! And someone mentioned above that their battery life sucks. I concur! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
premed89 Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 I'm definitely a PC. I hate Mac. They are overpriced and have awful hardware. Don't even get me started on software compatibility... For example, a Dell precision comes with a 500 GB hard drive, 8 GB RAM, 1 GB dedicated graphics, 1900x1260 display (awesome), and an i7-840 series processor for around 2 grand. The same thing in a Mac would cost....wait a minute, those options aren't even available with Mac!....I guess you could get the MacBook air for the same price as the Dell though. After all, a low resolution screen, no memory, an archaic processor and a missing CD slot sound awesome for 2 grand. And by the way, you can get an i7 processor in the macbook pro with a 500 GB hard drive, 8 GB ram, 1920x1200 display for around 2 grand... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
osteon Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Not true. Highest resolution is 1680x1050 for the MacBook pro vs. The 1900 for Dell. The macbook can only do 1900 if connected to an external monitor, which is a) more money, and useless since we are discussing individual laptop capabilities. Also, the highest graphics memory is 512 MB vs. >1GB for Dell. Yes, you can get an i7 processor, but it is the lowest version of i7. In fact it is still a duo-core. The one I was referring to on Dell is a quad-core = way faster. Also, the quad is $250 more than the duo. Also, you are incorrect about the price. A new MacBook with 4GB RAM, and the low res display is 2 grand. It's an extra $550 to upgrade to the 8GB RAM, and "high display", which is still not as sharp as the Dell, still has a the relatively inferior i7 duo processor, with lower graphics capabilities. Sorry, but the two are not comparable in terms of price or value. Dell blows apple away. And by the way, you can get an i7 processor in the macbook pro with a 500 GB hard drive, 8 GB ram, 1920x1200 display for around 2 grand... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
osteon Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Not true. Highest resolution is 1680x1050 for the MacBook pro vs. The 1900 for Dell. The macbook can only do 1900 if connected to an external monitor, which is a) more money, and useless since we are discussing individual laptop capabilities. Also, the highest graphics memory is 512 MB vs. >1GB for Dell. Yes, you can get an i7 processor, but it is the lowest version of i7. In fact it is still a duo-core. The one I was referring to on Dell is a quad-core = way faster. Also, the quad is $250 more than the duo. Also, you are incorrect about the price. A new MacBook with 4GB RAM, and the low res display is 2 grand. It's an extra $550 to upgrade to the 8GB RAM, and "high display", which is still not as sharp as the Dell, still has a the relatively inferior i7 duo processor, with lower graphics capabilities. Sorry, but the two are not comparable in terms of price or value. Dell blows apple away. Note this is comparing the 15.4 inch Mac to the 15.4 inch Dell. The 17 inch Mac CAN do 1900 display, but the base cost is over 2 grand, still doesn't have the other features I mentioned, and is really too big to be used as a portable machine. Comparatively, the 17 inch Dell is still superior to the 17 inch Mac. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jp.mylittlepwny Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Note this is comparing the 15.4 inch Mac to the 15.4 inch Dell. The 17 inch Mac CAN do 1900 display, but the base cost is over 2 grand, still doesn't have the other features I mentioned, and is really too big to be used as a portable machine. Comparatively, the 17 inch Dell is still superior to the 17 inch Mac. On paper the specs for dell/windows laptops are superior without a question. How many people are satisfied with their purchase 2 years down the road? I know i'm only 1 person, but i use to have a dell and i hated it. Got a macbook and no complaints to date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cnb88 Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 My uncle (who is an IT guy) always says that if someone gave him a Dell for free, he wouldn't take it. He's also anti-windows, so I don't know if that has anything to do with it. As for Mac vs PC, I'm a PC all the way. I had my Panasonic toughbook (comparable in price to a Mac laptop) for 4.5 years and the only reason I got a new one was because I dropped something on the screen and it cracked and the one single black pixel that came of it, went BP oil spill on me and took over my entire screen. The toughbook was amazing- it weighed 3.5lbs (including battery), you could drop it from a height of 3 ft (never tried it), and pour water on it (again, never tried it) and it would apparently keep working. The lightweight thing was great on the days I needed to lug it around to class. Right now, my tank-Toshiba weighs about twice as much. A lot different. It was also great because the battery life was about 7 hours or so (4 years ago) even when it was getting old this year, the battery would last at least 3 hours. It's similarly priced to the Macs, and if it were between a Mac and a Panasonic Toughbook, I'd get the Toughbook. Why didn't I get another one? Price mostly. My Toshiba (including warranty) was around $750 or so, and it's got the new quad core i3, a 17'' screen, and... a helluva lot more memory and hard drive space than my Toughbook did. So far I really like it (minus the weight and crap battery life). It's got an insanely long power cord though, so it's not too bad. Why wouldn't I go with a Mac? Well, for the things I need my computer for (Excel, Word, Powerpoint) I prefer the Windows programs. If I decided to cut music and video for a living, I'd probably go with a Mac to start out with, because Garageband and iMovie actually come preloaded in a Mac, whereas I have yet to discover a similar program on my PC (but that could just be because I don't know what to look under). However, Garageband has its own limitations (trust me, I cut a lot of music) and it can be a huge pain in the ass. The only reason I use our Mac to cut music is that that software (good software) is expensive. If I move out I might have to get someone to pirate (yarr ) some for me. Yes Mac has all "equivalent" programs to Word, Excel, etc, but there are differences in shortcuts, etc that are a pain in the ass. The HUGE differences in Excel (I use Excel a lot) and its Mac equivalent were enough to turn me off a Mac. I've gotten so used to shortcuts and knowing exactly where things are, it'd just piss me off to find it on a Mac. That being said, if you don't use shortcuts, and are willing to pay to say you have a "Mac", have at it. My brother had one, and doesn't want to go back. Because of a glitch in one of the parts, his Mac wiped his hard drive (including all his pictures, music bought from iTunes, etc) and all the Mac people said was "too bad, nothing we can do". They wouldn't even give him back the music he had downloaded legally from iTunes because he should have burned a million CDs to back it up apparently:rolleyes:. He only had his computer for about a year and a half before it went. He also managed to get viruses on his Mac as well (I don't want to know how), and I've never (knock on wood) gotten one on my PCs (and for awhile I didn't even have any anti-virus software), so the "virus-immune" Mac is just an untrue rumour. Basically it's all about what you need, what you're used to, and what you're willing to pay for. For some people, Macs are great, for others, PCs are. Take a good long look at each one you're looking at, and don't let a salesperson convince you otherwise. Take each one for a "test drive" and see how it handles. It's all great and wonderful if they show you amazing stuff on the computer, but a) if you don't use it, what good is it and if you don't know how to use it, what good is it? Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cerena Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 Hah! HPs have the worst reliability. I knew it! And someone mentioned above that their battery life sucks. I concur! Ironically, I've had my HP laptop for nearly 5 years. I've never had to take in to get fixed, ever! Lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HBP Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 If you look at specs:cost you'll never be able to justify Apple over other brands (except maybe with the iPhone). Apple has the intangibles though. Screen quality (not just resolution, but quality), multitouch trackpad, OS, lack of bloatware, form factor... it's up to you if you decide these things are worth the $. To me, yes they are. The support from Apple takes the cake. I used Windows for >10 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
osteon Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 ..... The support from Apple takes the cake.... The high end Dell's and ThinkPads offer next day onsite customer support with and a special phone line for the high end computer purchasers. Meaning, if you have an issue you get through to them right away. And if they can't help over the phone, a representative shows up at your door the next day to fix it on the spot. If it can't be fixed, a brand new machine is sent to you. Better than sending it off to apple for 6 weeks only to hear back that there's nothing they can do. Or if there IS something they can do, better than the $200 bill they send because the issue at hand was not under their warrantee in the fine print. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HBP Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 Better than sending it off to apple for 6 weeks only to hear back that there's nothing they can do. Or if there IS something they can do, better than the $200 bill they send because the issue at hand was not under their warrantee in the fine print. You seem to be very passionate about this topic, but there's no point lying. 6 weeks? I walked into the Apple Store and had my hard drive + topcase replaced the same day while I roamed the mall. If a product is out of warranty (rare, Apple's warranty is quite inclusive except for things like water-damage, which ironically I've seen replaced as well), they'll let you know before performing the repair. I guess we should agree to disagree. Apple's growth speaks for itself. For a typical student, the 13" MBP is a great purchase (but it in the summer for your free iPod + updated MBP, though). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
premed89 Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 Not true. Highest resolution is 1680x1050 for the MacBook pro vs. The 1900 for Dell. The macbook can only do 1900 if connected to an external monitor, which is a) more money, and useless since we are discussing individual laptop capabilities. Also, the highest graphics memory is 512 MB vs. >1GB for Dell. Yes, you can get an i7 processor, but it is the lowest version of i7. In fact it is still a duo-core. The one I was referring to on Dell is a quad-core = way faster. Also, the quad is $250 more than the duo. Also, you are incorrect about the price. A new MacBook with 4GB RAM, and the low res display is 2 grand. It's an extra $550 to upgrade to the 8GB RAM, and "high display", which is still not as sharp as the Dell, still has a the relatively inferior i7 duo processor, with lower graphics capabilities. Sorry, but the two are not comparable in terms of price or value. Dell blows apple away. My point was that they do offer most of the specs you have listed if you really wanted them. 8GB of ram is only $400, but yes, I know it will be more than the dell. But, I also know that I would much rather have the apple product.. As already said and I agree, you will pay more for an apple. I said around 2 grand because it is around 2 grand lol... Anyways, enjoy your dell, I know I'll enjoy my mac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
osteon Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 As HBP alluded to, yes I am fairly passionate about the Mac-PC subject lol. I guess it stems from a mix of bad experiences (me and others - that six week thing I mentioned was no joke!), and the fact that Mac just doesn't have the capabilities that I need and want (engineering applications). Also, I don't really like how they overcharge for their products and that they aren't compatible with many MS programs. But, as many have suggested, if you think Mac is for you, and you like the look or feel or the things they offer etc then go for it. I just strongly recommend considering the PCs as well before any purchase is made; especially if you are in the engineering business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deeman101 Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 HP: slid in quality in the past few years. BIG TIME. Stay away. Toshiba: Pretty good. Although my screen started to get the flickers (because it was opened up on my bed and my sister pushed me backwards and I fell on it) and they replaced it under warranty. But it was the worst warranty experience ever. EVER. For 1 month I literally thought I lost my notebook because the company toshiba subcontracted in TO suddenly vanished (like they abandoned the damn building!) and no one at toshiba knew / cared where it was. Then one day I randomly get a call and was asked if I would like my laptop shipped back to me...from 250km away. LOL! Anyways, aside from that warranty experience they're pretty good. Lenovo (IBM): TANK! And IBM supports their product like no other. A bit expensive but if you want piece of mind this is where its at. Asus: Meh. More of a boutique laptop maker. Dell: Big name. Crappy support. Especially since their stuff is not that reliable. I may be Indian but even I hate it when I get an Indian from half way around the world trying to tell me its my fault, not the computers'. "Did you try turning it off and on?" So incompetent! Fujitsu: My current laptop. Its pretty good. Good construction, doesn't show its age (mine could still pass as like 2 mnths old but its 1.5yrs old) and good customer support so far. Acer: I generally hate on Acer cause they're so bargain priced, lol. They're like the Kias of laptops. I guess they do their jobs though. YMMV. Apple: Like pretty shiny things? Don't plan to keep it for long and willing to buy the next pretty shiny thing? Rollin' in $$$$? This is your laptop! Oh yea if anything breaks no one on the face of the earth can fix it. Not even apple. They'll give you a new one (if under warranty) or tell you to buy another macbook. Most other laptops you replace cause they're old and slow. Macs you replace cause they broke, or a newer mac caught your eye. EDIT: NEVER buy a mac because you think its more stable or will not get a virus. At my old physics lab out of a group of 40 computers one would crash beyond all hope (needs to be reformatted) randomly every month. And viruses DO exist for macs. They're only virus protection is that more people use windows, so most virus coders target windows. Theres nothing innately awesome about the mac OS that prevents viruses. Of course people will say "I've had a mac since I was a fetus and it never crashed, I never got a virus, etc." but I've been running and pushing windows machines to the limit since I was 12 and I've never had my own machine crash beyond all hope. The closest I got was a hard drive corruption and a blown CPU but that wasn't the OS's fault. And I think I've been infected with maybe 2 (easily contained/destroyed) viruses in all that time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curi0user Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 macpro, light, long battery life, and awesome note taking ability. i use garageband to record lecture and the pdf reader allow you to add notes and drawings to most pdf files. +1 except I use word to record lol. Works decent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylamonkey Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 Count me in as another Mac user. The last laptop laster 6 yrs before it finally kicked it. I bought my MacBook with a scholarship that I got, the scholarship was $1500 and the old laptop had died so I figured it was fate! It's 2 yrs old now and no problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhoenixFlare500 Posted February 15, 2011 Report Share Posted February 15, 2011 8GB of ram is only $400 What the heck are you guys doing with 8 GB of RAM? I'd also like to take this time to point out that my [brand left out to try to remain anonymous within my class, or as much as I can anyways] has 1920x1200 resolution on a 15" and I do not need an external monitor to use it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HBP Posted February 15, 2011 Report Share Posted February 15, 2011 8GB of ram is key! But never upgrade from Apple. If one thing is definitely a rip-off, it's Apple's prices for upgrading RAM/HDD. Only $400 lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
osteon Posted February 15, 2011 Report Share Posted February 15, 2011 What the heck are you guys doing with 8 GB of RAM?I'd also like to take this time to point out that my [brand left out to try to remain anonymous within my class, or as much as I can anyways] has 1920x1200 resolution on a 15" and I do not need an external monitor to use it. I think the bigger question is what aren't we doing with 8GB of RAM! When running multiple applications at once, with large file sizes, 8GB takes away the pain one gets from waiting while their computer "thinks" about what to do. Also, it helps avoid crashes when demanding processes are running. My computer (15.4") does 1920x1200 wihout a monitor as well, but typically it is not a standard option. Some brands don't offer it for 15 inch screens. I just built a MacBook Pro 15.4 inch on the Mac website with all the same options as mine minus the resolution, graphics card, and quad-core processor.....$3,348 US Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larrivee Posted February 15, 2011 Report Share Posted February 15, 2011 MacBook! Got it for recording music with Logic Pro and Apogee. They are expensive and a pain in the bum to buy stuff for... that said I have not had any problems and much prefer operating my computer to my sister's or parents' laptops. I hate that it is white though. it is much harder to keep it clean looking.. and I am kind of a perfectionist so it drives me up the wall! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
premed89 Posted February 15, 2011 Report Share Posted February 15, 2011 8GB of ram is key! But never upgrade from Apple. If one thing is definitely a rip-off, it's Apple's prices for upgrading RAM/HDD. Only $400 lol. I am aware that RAM is much much cheaper to buy from other companies than apple... I said , 'only 400' because the poster above put a higher value that isn't true... I agree that 400 is ridiculous, and I would never upgrade through my purchase with apple lol EDIT: osteon I have no idea where you are getting your numbers from.. Every price you've posted about apple has been wrong lol.. Anyways, I'm leaving it alone.. The thread is about what brand you prefer and why... I prefer mac because it is durable, long lasting, fast (even after 3.5 years), strong battery life, very hard to come across viruses, no need for purchasing virus software, and I like the operating system... I'm not someone who bought my mac because everyone started buying a mac... I bought mine because I knew someone personally who had one for a long period of time and was extremely impressed with his purchase.. So, I decided to dish out the extra cash and it turns out that it was well worth it... And for all you PC guys/girls, I am glad you haven't had any trouble and continue to purchase PCs.. I've had too many bad experiences and my experience with my mac has been the complete opposite of that... I hope the original poster has made a decision on what to buy if that was why the questions was posed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
osteon Posted February 15, 2011 Report Share Posted February 15, 2011 I am aware that RAM is much much cheaper to buy from other companies than apple... I said , 'only 400' because the poster above put a higher value that isn't true... I agree that 400 is ridiculous, and I would never upgrade through my purchase with apple lol EDIT: osteon I have no idea where you are getting your numbers from.. Every price you've posted about apple has been wrong lol.. If you look at my post more thoroughly, premed89, you'll see that my $550 estimate was for RAM AND upgraded resolution. If anything, my estimate is a low one. However, the $3348 price I gave is valid to the dollar. If you do not believe it, go to apple's website and use the "build" feature for yourself. Select the 15" MacBook Pro, then select all the top hardware options with the 3 year warante (don't add any software though), and voilà, you're out 3 grand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.