Macbook That Bad?

[Angry_Games]

I'm back in college and I'll be 35 tomorrow (28th).

 

I've owned a few laptops, from the old IBM T20 to right now a Dell Latitude D620 (T2300 dual-core 1.6Ghz, 4GB RAM though haha). I just installed Mac OSX on it over the weekend before school started to see if I can get used to it because I've been shopping for a MacBook for about 6 months. Actually just saving up some money for one, as they don't change in prices and they don't change in configuration much.

 

I'm going to use the same student discount thing at Apple.com but I'm going for the $999 ($1099 without student discount) and still get the free iPod. It's a 2.1Ghz Core2Duo, 1GB RAM (seriously...why spend for "Mac certified" memory that costs 3x to 5x as much as the SAME EXACT MEMORY we use in PC's? Just go to Crucial or talk to one of the OCZ/Corsair reps and upgrade for cheap...I upgraded my Dell from 1GB to 4GB for $85).

 

No need to spend $1700 on a Mac. The 2.4Ghz + 2GB versions aren't even that much (the ones right above the $999 2.1Ghz ones).

 

After using PC's my whole life, and rarely using a Mac, it might sound strange to shift gears and REALLY REALLY want a Mac. I REALLY do. Just about everyone my wife went to college with, as well as just about everyone I'm currently going to college with either has a Dell or a MacBook. Overall, I'd say the MacBook owners are MUCH more satisifed. After spending a weekend with OSX 10.5.4 on my Dell (and keep in mind not everything worked since it isn't a "true" macbook), I am definitely sold hardcore on getting a MacBook to last me all the way through college and beyond.

 

Especially for the fact that the only real game I would probably play on it would be World of Warcraft (and that would be rare since it's a school/work laptop and with school and work I don't have much time to game these days). But gaming aside, I'd say the stability and usefulness of a MacBook for college is an easy sell.

 

No offense everyone, but buying a desktop for college is almost foolish. You can't take a desktop anywhere with you, and unless you live off-campus, and have time to do more than pick up an Xbox360/Wii/PS3 controller once in a while, there's no reason to have a desktop, ESPECIALLY if you have a laptop.

[Kash]

AG, you're gonna LOVE the Macbook. I've had one since late 2006 and it's still going strong for me as I go into law school. I too use it primarily as a work machine and use my desktop for gaming/entertainment purposes. However, that's not to say my Macbook can't also be fun. I have my music, photos, and watch the occasional TV show/movie on it, as well as having some basic games.

 

The best part about the Macbook is that it's maintenance free. It's also hassle free. I know, there's no such thing as a perfect computer, but I've gotta admit, this comes pretty close. In the 21 months I've owned my Macbook, I have never had to format and install a fresh OS as I have to with Windows every once in a while (it runs just as fast as it did on day one). It's also far more intuitive and simpler to use. No, it's not an OS for idiots, it's for people who don't have the time or patience to tinker around anymore, or more realistically fiddle with the OS in an effort to coax it to work for you rather than against you. Sure, I can work to get Windows to work for me (I have my desktop as proof that I do), but when it comes down to turning it on and just working instead of figuring out why it didn't come back from standby or why it's so slow, I prefer my Mac.

 

It's not a fanboy issue, it's an issue of practicality. I don't have the time to tinker with my computer anymore and I need one that I can always depend on. Apple fills that need today. If Microsoft ever gets around to doing this better, you can bet I'll be switching sides in a heartbeat.

[Angry_Games]

I know you aren't a fanboy anymore than I am. In fact, you probably hate Apple as much as I do for their idiocy as well as their near-anti-trust nonsense (as well as all the jerkoff fanboys who scream as loud as they can until their vocal chords burst in a bloody mess about how they are "superior" to us Windows losers). A lot of guys like you (and me heh) have told me same thing and I tend to believe guys like you as you don't have to scream and insult to get your point across.

 

I don't mind tinkering with windows, but I'm 35 today and honestly, the joy of overclocking and tweaking is gone. I am now like you and want to just turn my . on and go go go without fooling around with it. One of the ONLY things I love about Linux is the same thing...no having to constantly fool with it...no having to uninstall something and then go and uninstall it multiple times by removing the remnants etc.

 

I've always envied Photoshop, Final Cut, Pro Tools, etc on the Mac, and how easy it is to get everything running. This is why I fooled around with OSX 10.5.4 on my Dell laptop all weekend before school...just to basically make sure my decision was a good one .

 

My biggest complaint that the Street dudes know from me is how I wish Apple would stop being stuck up dummies and start TRULY competing with Microsoft by releasing OSX into the marketplace for ALL computer users. #1 we'd find out that OSX isn't as great as mac dummies scream it is, but more importantly, we'd have a REAL alternative to Shitsta from Microsoft, and competition isn't just good, it is absolutely NECESSARY. But I'll stop here before I go into a super-rant haha. Find some of my threads from the Street around here for that.

 

Anyway, good comments. Always good to hear from a real owner (especially a real owner who is more experienced with Windows than most everyone else). Now I just got to figure out which model I want...the 2.1Ghz and upgrade my ram? or pay the extra and get the 2.4Ghz etc...

[neddamttocs]

I suggest getting the 2.1 and upgrade the ram.

 

I was basically in the same situation you are now and decided to get the, in my case, 1.83 macbook ... upgraded to 2GB ram and it is basically on par with a friends 15" MBP save the video card.

 

EDIT: I even run XP Pro on mine just in case there is a non-mac compliant program my school needs me to run

[swifty11212]

I would recommend Apple, HP, or Fujitsu, those seem to be pretty good to me. Hp is better than Dell since usually most of the time for Dell, YOU are tech support. Apple usually is maintenance free but sometimes you can run Onyx to help out with some performance issues. Overall I love how simple mobileme gets my laptop and iphone synchronized even though my windows pc syncs with it as well, mobileme is very worth it. Apple normally work trouble free out of the box, no need to worry about trial-ware or demos. I do have a gripe about my MBP hitting 77

[steve adams]

yep, im 32, a semi pro photographer, and im past all the overclocking crap. however, mac for me is not worth it as I have been told a few of my programs wont run on mac running vista. this is for my carreer not my photogrpahy. I have a program for designing and pricing pre eng. steel buildings, and another for doing fire and water restoration estimates. both thsese companies have told me that their programs may flake out on windows on a mac machine. that being said, my HP notebook runs flawlessly.