new computer (notebook). dell or mac book?
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my old laptop is braking down in the moment so i need to get a new one. i don't need it for work. just for internet and writing texts. only thing i know i want is that it is supposed to be small (13" monitor). the two options i found was either a notebook from dell (xps tm 1330) or the smallest mac book. i don't have any exspirience with apple so far. does it take a lot of time to get used to the new system? is is worth it? or shall i stick to dell and windows if i don't need the mac book e.g. for design and photoshop?
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I have the 13" black Macbook, really tidy machine that will shit all over a PC for ease of use and speed.
peace.
Been a faithful Mac user for 10 yrs now. I now have 3 mac laptops in rotation. I was just checking out the 12 macbook. seems decent. might need to replace my old 12" powerbook- it's got alot more juice up in it. what a difference a couple years make... my vote is a mac. even if you are running the basics, you don't run into BS. I just updated to Leopard yesterday which is a major system change, and after it loaded, i was off and running in minutes. you don't run into viruses. the ease of the whole thing is just easier all around. i use a pc for work and have run into so many more problems. i keep hearing horrendous things about vista, which my IT dept is not even trying to mess with. i had one of the IT folks tell me that they wish we were all on Mac's cause of the longevity of the machines.
if i were to do it again, lenovo thinkpad x series. tiny computers, battery time is unbelievable like 7 hrs.
Also , If there are certain programs on the PC that you like to use and are comfortable with , the Macbook (models within the last couple of years) can be boot with Windows XP (get a program called BootCamp to do this) , so basically you have a PC when you buy the macbook.. the chips are made by Intel , which makes this possible.
PC =
BootCamp is built into OS X Leopard, which is installed in all new Macs.
what's the hell??
Used to go with PC until a year ago. Purchased the black MacBook then liked it so much, gave it to my girlfriend and bought the MacBook Pro 15". Yes, pricer than most PC's but the shit is worth the investment.
My .02
it's really easy to switch over to macs, especially now with osx.
It's good to wait on buying anything Apple related until after that keynote, because even if you're not trying to get newest Apple products, they usually announce any upgrades to their existing product lines during or immediately after that keynote. Those upgrades can include anything from subtle-to-major improvements to the hardware specs or small-to-big pricing changes.
Also, the idea that Macs are only beneficial to designers and Photoshop users is very out-dated. As far as everyday consumers are concerned, Macs and PCs both serve the same crowd now. You can easily do pretty much anything on a Mac (especially with Boot Camp/Parallels/VMWare) that you can do on a PC. It's mostly just about personal preference now.
Base your decision on ease-of-use (which imho favors Mac. The learning curve for new users is very small) and security issues. Viruses are virtually non-existent on Macs and you don't have anywhere near the nuisance with spyware/adware on Macs that you do on PCs.
Unless you're doing some hardcore upper-level nerdery on your computer, the only significant difference between PCs and Macs is user experience and price. Even on the price issue, when you compare specs, Macs are actually a decent value for what you get. Remember, you can buy a cheap ass PC laptop and save a lot of loot, but you're gonna end up with a cheap ass PC laptop that will need to be replaced or upgraded much more quickly, so the cost difference is really deferred, unless you're satisfied with something cheap and very bare-bones.
Seriously though, you do not want to touch Vista. One of the biggest things that people overlook when making this decision is that with PCs, there are dozens of different motherboards, interfaces, graphics cards, etc. Much harder for developers to work with and make drivers for. So if you're planning on using Microwave or other audio interfaces, it's pretty much a no brainer.
I'm ready to through mine out the window as soon as I can afford a new iMac. I've been using a PC for years and I'm fed up with all the bullshit problems, if I had dime for every minute wasted trying to problem solve/clean, I'd be able to buy a few dozen Mac's. I've been using one at work and it's years ahead of windows.
You'll find working with audio will be so much smoother on Mac as well...... when you make the change it will be a permanent one!
My only cautionary advice (if you decide to get a Mac) is to not jump at every OS X update when they come out. I had router compatibility problems that led me to finally just re-install version 4.8. Basically, if new OS updates don't address anything that concerns you, you're better off just sticking with what you have (if it ain't broke ...). If you do want to update, at least wait a few weeks. They'll sometimes fix bugs in the weeks after a new version is released and just replace the download file without saying anything (it definitely happened with 4.9).
In general, I think the company is great and is quite responsive to the needs of users. But unforeseen problems can arise when you're using third party hardware (routers, audio interfaces, microwave). When updates come out, wait a bit, read forums to see if others with similar setups are having problems, etc before installing.
I guess I'll be the voice of reason.
I like Macs, they're alright, however IMO they're way too expensive for what you get.
When you guys talk about computer getting bogged down with this and this all I'm hearing is user error. So assuming you're a complete novice to the big scary world of computers Mac is your way to go. However if you got a bit of a brain, and would rather get more bang for your buck. Consider a PC.
What's the biggest difference between macs and pc's? Operating system. Mac's are using the same components as a PC so speaking hardware wise you're getting the same thing. No magic crystals in the cute white box that make it work with graphics better.
Mac
13"
2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
1GB memory
80GB hard drive
Combo drive
Free Shipping
$1,099.00
Acer
14.1" WXGA
1GB Memory
80GB hard drive
DVD/CD-RW Combo
3 Business Day Shipping $13.99
$699.99
What' makes the equivelant computer 400 dollars more expensive?
Fashion, brand name, bragging rights.
Sorry Mac dudes, but I'm constantly using my time fixing computers, and from experience. Mac aint all that.
- spidey
So only the OS explains the difference?
There must be other factors why Macs get so much more praise then PCs, can anyone explain without letting Mac bias creep in?
Also, who here has used the MacBook for gigs -- DJing, Ableton etc? Seriously tempted to get one for live performance use. Especially interested in hearing thoughts from those who've used both PC notebooks and Macbooks and can make an objective comparison in terms of stability, speed, sound, etc. Gracias.
Well, the OS is a pretty big difference in my opinion (well worth $400, considering how often you use your computer). OS X comes with free multi track audio software, dvd creator, etc which is worth something.
But, of course, there are the aesthetic touches as well. I like that my power cord is attached with a magnet so if someone tugs on it it just pops out with no harm done. I like the backlit keys on my MacBook Pro. I like the tiny remote that can run iTunes from across the room. The design is unfuckwitable.
Though, I also like that Apache Webserver comes built-in so I can test database driven websites I'm working right off of my computer. I like the simple Unix interface. Smart folks can like Macs too, ya know ... snicker snicker.
In general, the difference in money isn't that significant. But I, and many others, find the difference in experience to be quite significant.
Mac has a stronghold over Logic, Final Cut pro, Garage band, and some other software companys. That is honestly the main advantage over a PC. Sorry dude. In fact they're lauding now over the fact that Parallels runs Windows so well now. If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck..
Alright, just to be a hater. I'm going to reccomend he checks out this computer.
Lenovo ThinkPad X61
Processor: Intel?? Core™ 2 Duo T7250 NV (2.0GHz, 2MB L2, 800MHz FSB)
Display: 12.1" XGA TFT
Total memory: 1 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM
Hard Drive: 80GB Hard Disk Drive
$1,025.00
- spidey
You sound like you need a Mac.
I was an all-PC guy until a couple of years when I saw the light. With Macs... no viruses, no spyware, no anti-virus program bugging you all the time... and most importantly NO VISTA... which I have been told requires atleast 2 GIgs of ram to run smoothly... My Mac experience is clean and inspiring... My graphic design skills have improved significantly since my first mac. The time and energy you spend worrying about viruses, cryptic error messages, and drivers is well worth the extra dough. Not too mention the cool extra software and fonts bundled with the Mac. Sorry but PC loses.
That computer is just not cool. also not a great bargain... so far your arguments have been less than compelling.
Human error, sorry buddy. Cool Fonts? LOL. Come on Raj.
- spidey
What makes it not cooler than the Mac alternative? Cause it aint white?
- spidey
My Mac homies and I can applaud what's been known to us as Lucida Grande.