Trying to choose between two laptops

[Crow47]

Hey, everybody, I have a bit of a first world problem right now. I currently am the happy owner of two very nice laptops. However, it simply just makes no sense to now keep both of them. I'd like your input in trying to decide which one I should hang on to... and which one I put up on eBay. Interestingly, they're both worth about $1200-ish on the used market. So here goes:

 

Laptop 1:

Macbook Pro 15" Mid-2012. Specs are in my signature. I love this laptop, the overall power in the portable package and superb battery life make this a pretty good college laptop. However, switching between OS's is a pain, and I'm going into IT, so I don't "need" the Mac OS. As much as I may like it. 

 

Laptop 2:

HP Elitebook Workstation 15.6" 8570w. I just bought this thing from a buddy who needed to sell it to get his car payment in. This thing is loaded. 2.6GHz Core i7 3720QM, 16GB RAM (4 DIMMS), 256GB Micron SSD (it puts the SSD's in my desktop and Macbook Pro to shame), 1080p LED LCD (such DPI), and a AMD FirePro M4000 1GB GDDR5 GPU. 

 

I love the Macbook Pro, but the raw power of the HP has me thinking twice. The gaming performance, as well as the screen real estate of the HP are very good. It just makes no sense to have 3 ivy-bridge i7 computers in my life, so one of the laptops has to go. I'm fairly OS-agnostic, and I like things about both Windows 7/8 and Mac OS, which makes this harder. So OCC, which one is it?

 

TL;DR :Should I keep the Macbook Pro in my sig, or a loaded HP workstation laptop?

Edited December 7, 2013 by Crow47

[IVIYTH0S]

What's the battery life difference??

 

I value you that as one of the most important traits of a laptop, unless that doesn't bother you

[Crow47]

What's the battery life difference??

 

I value you that as one of the most important traits of a laptop, unless that doesn't bother you

 

There's a difference, honestly. Under OS X, I can get 6 hours pretty easily on the Macbook Pro.

 

For having a 6-cell battery, the HP does remarkably well at about 3.5 hours.

 

For me, it's a consideration, but not a deal-breaker. 9-cell batteries are available for the HP.

[IVIYTH0S]

I knew the macbook'd be better, and personally I hate Apple and Mac OSX but objectively it really comes down to:

Portability(as I'm assuming the MB weighs less before and after the HP were to get its 9cell upgrade)/Battery Life vs. Raw Performance

 

Do you value one over the other? What's good about the HP is it's windows all the time, which is more useful/versatile lol

Edited December 8, 2013 by IVIYTH0S

[Crow47]

The Mac is more portable, for sure. Yeah, the battery life in OS X is better, but the Windows battery life is BARELY 2.5 hours. I've found myself using Windows a little more because a lot of the programs I've been using in class have been either Windows-only or the Windows versions are vastly superior. I use OS X for web-surfing, note-taking, and Netflix. 

 

I'm guessing your vote is for the HP?

[SpikeSoprano]

The Mac is more portable, for sure. Yeah, the battery life in OS X is better, but the Windows battery life is BARELY 2.5 hours. I've found myself using Windows a little more because a lot of the programs I've been using in class have been either Windows-only or the Windows versions are vastly superior. I use OS X for web-surfing, note-taking, and Netflix. 

 

I'm guessing your vote is for the HP?

I think you just answered your own question, the one you use the most is the hp, it runs the programs you use the most. Sell the Mac !

[Crow47]

 

The Mac is more portable, for sure. Yeah, the battery life in OS X is better, but the Windows battery life is BARELY 2.5 hours. I've found myself using Windows a little more because a lot of the programs I've been using in class have been either Windows-only or the Windows versions are vastly superior. I use OS X for web-surfing, note-taking, and Netflix. 

 

I'm guessing your vote is for the HP?

I think you just answered your own question, the one you use the most is the hp, it runs the programs you use the most. Sell the Mac !

 

 

Almost sounds like it. I get attached to stuff, though. :\ 

[SpikeSoprano]

So keep them both,lol .

[IVIYTH0S]

The Mac is more portable, for sure. Yeah, the battery life in OS X is better, but the Windows battery life is BARELY 2.5 hours. I've found myself using Windows a little more because a lot of the programs I've been using in class have been either Windows-only or the Windows versions are vastly superior. I use OS X for web-surfing, note-taking, and Netflix. 

 

I'm guessing your vote is for the HP?

 

For having a 6-cell battery, the HP does remarkably well at about 3.5 hours.

 

For me, it's a consideration, but not a deal-breaker. 9-cell batteries are available for the HP.

 

Which is it lol

Buy yeah, considering the HP does it all and better. You have your answer.

 

 

Almost sounds like it. I get attached to stuff, though. :\ 

Why not, with the newly acquired money, just buy a tablet with a detachable keyboard. Your battery life will be even better, it will do all your macbook does, and it will take up less space doing it.

[Crow47]

So keep them both,lol .

 

I'd so want to! But what on earth do I do with all these computers??

 

And Ivy, I'm actually highly contemplating the tablet with keyboard route. I like the idea of the portability. Probably what I will do at this point. 

[IVIYTH0S]

And Ivy, I'm actually highly contemplating the tablet with keyboard route. I like the idea of the portability. Probably what I will do at this point. 

 

Should you go the tablet route....get Android, screw Apple

 

I'm actually not real big on the tablets yet myself, but if I got one it'd have to be the ASUS Transformer TF700T

Edited December 8, 2013 by IVIYTH0S

[Crow47]

 

And Ivy, I'm actually highly contemplating the tablet with keyboard route. I like the idea of the portability. Probably what I will do at this point. 

 

Should you go the tablet route....get Android, screw Apple

 

I'm actually not real big on the tablets yet myself, but if I got one it'd have to be the ASUS Transformer TF700T

 

 

What about the Nexus tablets? Stock android + routine updates straight from Google sounds like a pretty good combination for me.

 

Of course, for the prices I'm seeing some of these tablets go for, I could probably snag a gently used ultrabook on CL for not too much and save myself the hassle of trying to do work on a tablet altogether.