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$499 PC > $1800 Macbook Pro (performance wise)??
- Thread starter eddiehaskell
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From what I've read, GMA HD is comparable to 9400M - can't really ask for much more in a $500 lappy.
I've been tempted by a 13" MBP for some while. This is in the moment in my subjective opinion the only notebook where price and performance in hardware are competitive.
For all other MacBook Pro's you either get better hardware for less money or you have to make only a minor compromise (weight, screen, battery life, touchpad) and get something comparable for much less money. Of course if the MBP offer a key feature important to you then this calculation is different.
For me it's really stuff like this example: When we give presentations at work it's always a disaster. the notebooks either don't recognize the projector or the screen resolution is off. or they don't recognize the network. or they need to be rebooted. When you're back at your desk and dock the notebook it doesn't recognize the external monitor and you have to reconfigure the screen resolutions and the network. then you have to reboot.
On the Mac: click "detect displays" or "choose recent screen resolution". done.
That is why I still pay the premium price.
For all other MacBook Pro's you either get better hardware for less money or you have to make only a minor compromise (weight, screen, battery life, touchpad) and get something comparable for much less money. Of course if the MBP offer a key feature important to you then this calculation is different.
For me it's really stuff like this example: When we give presentations at work it's always a disaster. the notebooks either don't recognize the projector or the screen resolution is off. or they don't recognize the network. or they need to be rebooted. When you're back at your desk and dock the notebook it doesn't recognize the external monitor and you have to reconfigure the screen resolutions and the network. then you have to reboot.
On the Mac: click "detect displays" or "choose recent screen resolution". done.
That is why I still pay the premium price.
People who say "you can't compare this computer to the MacBook Pro" are a certain group of people. There are another group of people, including myself, who do make these comparisons. I have been waiting for Apple to update their MacBook Pro line. I wanted a 13 Macbook Pro with an i5. Apple probably had access to these in late November and could have released a product update in January at Intel's news event. Apple has other priorities, or they may just be worried about rampant hackintoshing with the gpu built in to the cpu. Whatever their reasoning, it does not benefit the consumer like me who does compare different computers.
I picked up one of these at best buy, it is an i5, has 4 gig ddr3 ram, and a blu-ray drive. Now my aesthetic preferences are for a MacBook Pro, but my point, as well as the original poster's point, is, if an i5 and blu-ray drive can be included in a $499 consumer laptop, then Apple has plenty of room in their fat profit margin to include these items in a $1,499 laptop.
I don't have a big investment in this laptop, and now I will be waiting even longer for a MacBook Pro since it is unlikely I get one until it has better specs than this $499 laptop. So if an Arrandale i7 comes out in the Macbook Pro in the next few months, I might make the switch, if not, then I'll wait longer.
The computer has been Apple's bread and butter since the start. I understand they want to grow with ipods, iphones, and ipads, but I get the feeling their computer products are suffering because of this growth.
I picked up one of these at best buy, it is an i5, has 4 gig ddr3 ram, and a blu-ray drive. Now my aesthetic preferences are for a MacBook Pro, but my point, as well as the original poster's point, is, if an i5 and blu-ray drive can be included in a $499 consumer laptop, then Apple has plenty of room in their fat profit margin to include these items in a $1,499 laptop.
I don't have a big investment in this laptop, and now I will be waiting even longer for a MacBook Pro since it is unlikely I get one until it has better specs than this $499 laptop. So if an Arrandale i7 comes out in the Macbook Pro in the next few months, I might make the switch, if not, then I'll wait longer.
The computer has been Apple's bread and butter since the start. I understand they want to grow with ipods, iphones, and ipads, but I get the feeling their computer products are suffering because of this growth.
backlit keyboard
I'm surprised that no one mentioned the ultimate importance of a backlit keyboard and I'm even more surprised that no other laptop company ever integrated it into their machines. It's a killer feature in my opinion. Once you use it, you can't lose it. By the way, I'm writing this post on my 2005 PowerBook G4 in pitch black darkness (it's night in Sydney).
I'm surprised that no one mentioned the ultimate importance of a backlit keyboard and I'm even more surprised that no other laptop company ever integrated it into their machines. It's a killer feature in my opinion. Once you use it, you can't lose it. By the way, I'm writing this post on my 2005 PowerBook G4 in pitch black darkness (it's night in Sydney).
Its not an i5 - its an i3. But still, for $499 that's a nice machine.
Windows 7 ain't half bad (though I'd still rather have Snow Leopard). My only beef with that system (for the price, again) is the thickness and weight. I bought my Acer 5534 because it was thin (about an inch) and light (right at 5 lbs). It feels thinner than my wife's white Macbook, and actually a touch lighter.
But I've got a slow low-voltage AMD Neo... that thing has an i3... the extra weight may be worth it.
I still stand by saying that's a dandy machine for $499.
Can't you still get Bing cashback with BestBuy? I did when I bought mine (10%) but I can't find BB under the cashback stores list now...
Windows 7 ain't half bad (though I'd still rather have Snow Leopard). My only beef with that system (for the price, again) is the thickness and weight. I bought my Acer 5534 because it was thin (about an inch) and light (right at 5 lbs). It feels thinner than my wife's white Macbook, and actually a touch lighter.
But I've got a slow low-voltage AMD Neo... that thing has an i3... the extra weight may be worth it.
I still stand by saying that's a dandy machine for $499.
Can't you still get Bing cashback with BestBuy? I did when I bought mine (10%) but I can't find BB under the cashback stores list now...
There are some Dell and Sony laptops that have backlit keyboards, I'm sure there are others too, that was just off the top of my head.
The sticker and packaging say i3 but it is most definitely an i5. This has been verified by looking at system information in win 7 and also in the bios. It has also been verified by many others at the slickdeals website.
I am in agreement about a lit keyboard, it would be really nice to have. Having to choose though, I much prefer an i5 and a $499 price tag. Consumerism is largely about choices and I'd prefer more competitive ones coming from Apple with regards to updated cpus.
I am in agreement about a lit keyboard, it would be really nice to have. Having to choose though, I much prefer an i5 and a $499 price tag. Consumerism is largely about choices and I'd prefer more competitive ones coming from Apple with regards to updated cpus.
Install Ubuntu
Perhaps it would be a good idea to uninstall Windows and install Ubuntu. That would make the money well spent.
Perhaps it would be a good idea to uninstall Windows and install Ubuntu. That would make the money well spent.
The 9400m is a much better graphics chipset. NVIDIA is the originator of this particular tech for these chips, and they do it the best. I wasn't so fond of the old Intel Integated chips. The NVIDIA ones are a lot better.
As a Linux machine, this would be a great buy. I am not sure that Ubuntu has the drivers for the Video card integrated, but I'm sure you could find them online.
The performance of the macbook pro is so poor it's a joke. The fact that they actually label these machines with the word "pro" is an insult, they're not even capable of streaming more than about fifteen minutes of video. Apple's crummy QC prevents the machine from "just working" the way its supposed to and their service department is just a big denial machine refusing to accept responsibility for selling broken computers.
What are you talking about?!
I think someone got up on the wrong side of the bed.
If you like Windows, this seems like a really good deal. Some people (me included) prefer OS X and are willing to pay more for it.
And I *still* dont get the point of this thread.
Windows PCs are cheaper than Macs even with better specs. Duh. Have been for a long time.
Who here *doesnt* know that? Raise your hand.
In other "who knew news": the sky remains blue; water still wet.
Windows PCs are cheaper than Macs even with better specs. Duh. Have been for a long time.
Who here *doesnt* know that? Raise your hand.
In other "who knew news": the sky remains blue; water still wet.
if u think about it, macs are really different from PC's. after buying a pc you would get bored and treat it as a normal computer in about a month.
getting a mac is like buying a new laptop every week.. seriously
getting a mac is like buying a new laptop every week.. seriously
Bet that was a nice little surprise freebie to the first guy or gal to discover that!
As much as it pains me to say it, me too. I love my Macs, but $499 for all that up-to-date tech is awfully sweet, and Win7 ain't bad at all. Besides, questions aside, you could always try to hackintosh it...
getting a mac is like buying a new laptop every week.. seriously
Come back on that?
so its either this or a 8gb iPad oh man thats a tough one
well if you want a computer, I guess that's not really such a tough decision
Wow I was just playing with the Alienware customize your own.
I7-620m 2.66 CPU
512mb Geforce GT 240m
15.6" Hi Def Screen 1920x1080 (2MP Webcam)
8 GB Ram DDR 3 1333mz
500 GB 7200 RPM HD
Backlit Keyboard/Trackpad (Choice of 12 colors)
Cost was right at $2000
Thats what the high end 15" mac needs right there.... of course it would be $5000 but...