I’ll be off to Uni for my degree in Oct 09 and am planning on buying a laptop. Should I buy a Windows based PC or a Macbook? I’ve been usng windows all my life(never tried a Mac) and I do have a desktop at home which runs xp pro. What I need on the laptop, word, excel, powerpoint, pdfs, email, wireless for surfing and access Uni intra net, soundless keyboard + a resonably light weight portable one would be great. Whilst my budget is very flexible, I will not be using it for gaming, watching dvds, trendy style to show off or attract theives, extra features which runs programs ‘nano’ secs faster but obviously won’t help me getting a 1st.(class honour) As far as I know there will not be any special degree related software which I need to install. However I’ll need to transfer files to and thro my home desktop and laptop. What is Vista like compared to XP? Should I get one with XP? And is Mac OS Leopard(?) easy to pickup? Acer and Fujitsu ones are really reasonably priced(from £350) and Dell ones seemed to be very attractive too. Why are Mac relatively expensive?(from £670?) Are they better?(for students) What about battery life? Some people say you don’t get viruses on Mac’s, is that true? Please share your experience/opinion, esp those who are studying/teachin/reasearching at Uni’s. Thank you for reading.
windows, since u nvr tried mac
windows:
better for gaming
better for work eg. ms word and others
better for customizing (if u get a good mobo, motherboard, u can upgrade it when it gets to slow, with macs u gots to buy new)
macs:
better for "creative" things , like photoshop, animation, and commercials things, like in a mac commercial.
can do some games, like 10% of the not as resource hungry game, like warcraft 3 (2001 or so)
i major downside is the fact that u cant cusomize them (things like ram install) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwbA4f1O93s this comp is a little harder (things are to close) it is the same idea with a laptop
Macs are more expensive because they are much more technologically advanced, have better graphics, and are ahead of Windows by far. I have a MacBook right now (the new one) and I love it! I have never had any issues with it, it’s really fast, and definately lightweight. The battery life is also very long and it never gets any viruses, no need to buy a virus protection. If you have a flexible budget, I would get a Macbook Pro because although they are larger in size, they are amazing computers from what I have heard about them, but you might not need all of the features it has on there , so do a little research before buying or take a trip to the Apple store and they would be happy to answer your questions. Also I heard Vista sucks compared to XP, so if you choose to get a PC, get an XP. I would say stick to Sony and HP, as they are the top competetors with Macs. Although they are completely different from PC’s, you will get used to this transition and will be happy in the end with your Mac. But just beware that you might have to spend more on buying programs for the Mac such as Microsoft Office if you need to.
!
Hope this helped and Good Luck
I’ve had a Macbook for a couple of months now and its been great! Most people consider macs to be terrible computers for many reasons but it just depends on what you want to use it for. For general work such as essays, powerpoint and internet surfing, both do a great job at it. Macs tend to be on the expensive side but they work and are low maintenance. When you look at the specs of an entry level macbook and compare it to another laptop, it may seem like a rip off. However, Mac OSX utilizes ram much more effectively and therefore doesn’t need as much to run smoothly. The operating system is very easy to use and I’m sure you’ll get used to it. It didn’t take me very long only because I researched a little beforehand.
"Do Macs get Viruses?" Yes, they do get viruses but your chances of getting them are very low.
I would also like to add that Apple has excellent customer service and will be willing to help you whenever there is a problem.
I’m not trying to force you to buy a Mac but definitely put it into consideration when buying a new computer.
EDIT: If you ever need windows, you can always dual boot it using Boot Camp. Some people say Macs can run Windows better than a normal PC.
Good luck in finding the right one for you
Nevvvvvvvvvvvver a Mac.
Stick with PC.
PC!
PC PC PC PC
I agree – stick with windows – it is much more affordable, fixable, flexible, non-elitist.
WINDOWS PC
Mac stink.
But they are really easy to shut down. All you need to do is download something and BAM. No buttons.
Windows. Please dont get a mac they are terrible.
You should only buy PC.
MAC is not good as compare to PC
Go for a laptop with microsoft xp, its better than vista. Make sure you install some anti viruses on your laptop. Dont get a mac because it’ll be easier using xp since youve used it all your life.
I would say go with a Dell… They are good looking and they work excellently too. Mac’s are expensive because they are just brand name designer product. Mac’s don’t get viruses because they have limited features. Go with Window Vista (that’s what all the Dells come with anyway) its really easy to use and use and has some awsome features. And overall if your going to Uni you really don’t need to spend an extra 600$ on Apple products, when you could be getting even better features for a lot less.
Whoa,
If you are going to ask 20 questions, you should use the "enter" key to separate them so we can actually keep track.
I work with both at the college I contract for.
The only reason you should spend the extra money on a Mac is if you are going into a program that requires it.
Speak to your school adviser, they can tell you better than we can if a Mac is going to be better suited for your studies than a PC.
PC will be cheaper, more readily serviceable in the area and be more compatible with the rest of the world.
Mac will be more expensive, a bit more stable, harder to find service for and cause minor headaches in transferring files from your Mac to your home PC.
As far as Viruses go, Macs are less vulnerable, but that is only due to their relatively small market share.
If you get a PC, stick with XP for now. It does everything you need, and is much more stable, and a better performer than Vista.
As far as brands of PC’s, find one that has a service center in your area. There is no point in buying a Dell if when it breaks you need to spend hours on the phone just to get it serviced.
It is always better to speak to someone face to face when you have computer problems.
Macs are more expensive because they can be. Sure they spend more to make their computers a bit more stable, but is that really worth 30% more?
I would get the PC of one of the choices you have mentioned or a Toshiba L305
Macs cost more because of 1)People see them as different 2)Status Symbol 3) People think they lack viruses/spyware
4) Apple Marketing is higher percentage of budget.
I would get Open Office 3.0 since it is free and can work on word excel, powerpoint, pdfs, etc..
PC=Variety of specs, options, quality, prices, vendors, support
Mac=One vendor, limited options, still more expensive. Look below for more information..
Contrary to belief, Macs are not better quality. Apple also has been changing suppliers to try to "lower the price" and thus lowering quality. Even with the lower prices, Macs still cost more, they spend a higher percent of budget trying to make it look pretty, and marketing.
Today, Macs use the same hardware as PCs. Why spend extra to get the same CPU chips, graphics cards and OS X isn’t as secure as you think.. Look below.
WINDOWS ADVANTAGES:
Aprox 90% of the market is Windows. Most PCs include windows already pre-installed.
1) A number of websites still require Internet Explorer to view and IE for Mac Stinks (it is really ies4osx which is the Windows IE version running really buggy on OS X and illegal if you don’t have a legitimate copy of Windows, too many problems with it).
2) More supported peripherals (printers and other things you hook into the computer) on Windows.
3) Many more games
4) Like the Dock on OS X (Mac)? google/yahoo rocketdock, objectdoc.
Install at least Free Versions of Avira AntiVir, Avast, Comodo Firewall on the Vista.
LINUX ADVANTAGES:
1) Install Linux, and then get tons of software for free.Update software easily and automatically. (Checking a checkbox in either two ways to install (Add/Remove or Synaptic Package Manager), search for something you want, check a box and click apply)
2) Like the Mac OS X effects? go yahoo/google COMPIZ FUSION. It can do just about any cool effect a Mac can do and more…
3) Like the Mac OS X Doc? google/yahoo Cairo Dock, avant window navigator.
4) It is faster/MORE SECURE. Surf the internet and even run some windows programs with Wnehq/Crossover..
LINUX OS
If you are worried about viruses, spyware, security, Try Linux (it is free), I have included some information about Linux and links so you are not lost if you decide to try it.
Easily turn your system into a Dual booting computer with Linux, fast, safe and secure, easy to use (contrary to belief). You then get the best of both worlds (Windows with all of its supported products, freely go online without the worry)
My Recommendation would be either Ubuntu (Most popular and well supported linux), Kubuntu (KDE version of Ubuntu),
Freespire (has all windows codecs for watching videos, dvds out of the box),
PCLINUXOS (very nice Linux, easy to use and polished),
There are so many good versions of linux besides these.
PLEASE NOTE: In linux there are many forms of Windows Environments, the two main ones are KDE (K Desktop) and GNOME. Ubuntu uses GNOME, KUBUNTU is a KDE version of Ubuntu, PCLINUXOS, Freespire use KDE… The differences in the window environments (DESKTOPS) control how you configure, open close the windows, the appearances of the windows… linuxfoundation.org/en/OpenPrinting helps with printer support. ScreenCasts.ubuntu.com shows video and non-video help with learning to work with Ubuntu.
There are many good Linux distributions for different reasons, distrowatch.com, polishlinux.org, desktoplinux.com are good websites for overall understanding linux.
Installing Linux in general is very simple and much more secure than OS X(Macintosh) and free.
Also, most Linux distributions have a LiveCD which means you can try without installing…
UBUNTU, KUBUNTU, FREESPIRE, PCLINUXOS, etc.. all have live CDS.
All you have to do is..
A) to download .iso file off the internet from the Linux website
B) burn the .iso file to a CD or DVD (Make sure your burning software can burn an ISO or get InfraRecorder http://infrarecorder.org/ )
C) restart the computer with the CD in the drive
D) As computer is restarting, press on F12 Key a bunch of times to get a boot menu
E) Select the option to boot from CD or DVD.
Click on this link and follow instructions up to the point of "Once the system has started up…", (the rest is how to backup windows) for an easy picture guide for steps A-E above http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/use-ubuntu-live-cd-to-backup-files-from-your-dead-windows-computer/
For easy instructions on setting up Dual Boot http://apcmag.com/how_to_dual_boot_windows_xp_and_linux_xp_installed_first.htm
ANOTHER QUICK NOTE: People have been able to run OS X on a PC since the PC and Mac use the same hardware. This is not legal and I would not recommend it for security and legal reasons, the purpose is to show that there is nothing special about the MAC.
A)Price…
A similar equipped PC is much cheaper to purchase than Mac. Lets use Dell (but you can compare with another PC Brand if you like)
**(LAPTOP)
Dell Inspiron Laptop $849 dropped to $799
15" Screen
CPU: (upgrade to) 2.1GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Graphics: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100
Memory: 3GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM
Hard Drive: 320GB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm
Optical Drive: Blu-ray Disc Combo (DVD+/-RW + BD-ROM) – WRITES DVDS,CDS, READS Blue-Ray Disks
Macbook $1349 just dropped to $1224
13" Screen (SMALLER)
CPU: 2.1GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (SAME)
Graphics: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 (SAME)
Memory: (upgrade to) 2GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (LESS RAM)
Hard Drive (upgrade to) 250GBSerial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm (SMALLER HARD DRIVE)
Optical Drive: (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) – (Writes CDs, DVDs, cannot read Blue-Ray) (WORSE AND 1/2 SPEED)
**(DESKTOP)
PLEASE NOTE: I’m comparing Apple Mac’s vs Dells best deal. If you decide that you must have an all-in one. The Dell all-in-one has more ram, wireless keyboard and mouse and equivalent to $400 for free making the Imac still more expensive when you upgrade the Imac to try to match. Personally I don’t think the All-in-Ones are a good choice, and consider them overpriced, lack expandability and repairs both more expensive and require the entire computer.
PS: Apple knows that they must make Macintosh look different than PC so all Macs except the Mac Pro will not have a tower option. Apple’s low end lacks expandability but it makes the Mac "look different", if Mac had a tower for low-end, more people would realize the similarities between the two.
Dell: (Right Now) Specs Below costs $809
CPU: 2.4 GHZ Dell Inspiron QUAD (4 Processor) CORE
SCREEN: 20inch Screen
MEMORY: 3GB Ram
HARD DRIVE: 500 GB hard Drive
OPTICAL DRIVE: 16x DVD/CD Read/Writer
GRAPHICS: (upgrade to ) ATI Radeon HD 2400 PRO 128MB
The Best Deal Mac is not the Mac Mini since it has no monitor, keyboard, mouse, very skimpy on options and setup… IMac is better price than the Mac Mini.
IMac ($1400)
CPU: 2.4 GHZ DUAL (2 Processor) CORE (SLOWER CPU)
SCREEN: 20inch Screen
MEMORY: (upgrade to) 2GB Ram (LESS RAM)
HARD DRIVE: (upgrade to ) 500 GB hard Drive
OPTICAL DRIVE: 8x DVD Reader/Writer (1/2 speed)
GRAPHICS: ATI Radeon HD 2400 PRO 128MB
**END OF DESKTOP
B) SECURITY:
Mac OS X was hacked in 2006 under 30 minutes, and hacked within 2 minutes in a contest in 2008. Linux and Vista were not able to be hacked until another day when restrictions were lowered.
All macs are standardized with Cameras, if your system gets hacked, the hacker would more likely be able to turn on your camera.
Please Note: All OS’s have vulnerabilities.
C) VIRUSES
Mac OS X has viruses (now on a significant rise although still significantly less than Windows), a friend of mine has a virused Mac. As more users use Macs, more viruses will come out for it. Especially when users think "they are safe".
Google/Yahoo Mac Viruses
D) WINDOWS LICENSE is discounted with PCs
You do not pay the full price, for instance Dell -> you pay $50 or less for Vista Home Premium If you buy a Mac and want Vista, you pay full price.
D) EXPANDABILITY & REPAIR…
Repairs are more expensive than PCs since the IMac, Mac Mini are compact units, and Apple charges a premium for their services. Some repairs can be done by another repair service but the compact design of the computer causes problems.
With an IMac, if the problem is with the monitor, the whole computer would have to be brought in.
IMac and Mac mini lack expansion.
E) PROBLEMS
Sample of problems: Overheating Macbooks, OS X- not responding to keyboard, some units with 16bit screens, etc. Apple statistics are misleading since Mac users with problem machines are more likely to go out and buy a new computer than PC users. Apple is lowering prices which means you can expect lower quality than in the past. Apple had switched the manufacturers producing parts. OS X also has problems slowing down.
http://www.tuaw.com/2008/08/01/apples-quality-dwindling-my-macbook-pro-sob-story/
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Finds-Irony-in-Mac-OS-X-Getting-Hacked-Before-Vista-SP1-82135.shtml
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-10020263-17.html
http://infosecurity.us/?p=4005
http://blogs.chron.com/techblog/archives/2008/07/malware_authors_take_aim_at_growing_number_of_1.html
http://www.macsimumnews.com/index.php/archive/poll_have_you_noticed_an_increase_in_malware_viruses_etc_on_your_mac/
http://www.ubuntu.com/
http://www.kubuntu.org/
http://www.freespire.org/
http://www.pclinuxos.com/
http://distrowatch.com/
http://polishlinux.org/
http://www.desktoplinux.com/
http://xwinman.org/gnome.php
http://xwinman.org/kde.php
http://www.linuxalt.com/
http://screencasts.ubuntu.com/
http://www.linuxfoundation.org/en/OpenPrinting/
http://www.avast.com/
http://www.free-av.com/
http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/
https://h