Alienware custom built vs. Macbook Pro

[ProFont]

I would get Alienware cause of gaming/specs. I could care less about the OS.

So you could care a little if you wanted to?

He wants to do actual work with the machine. The OS does matter. Even more so if he wants to use programs like the Final Cut Studio suite, which are all Mac-only.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

If all you're going to do is game on the thing, get the Alienware...just wear a paper bag over your head when in public so people don't see you surrounded by a crowd of pale-skinned, ponytail-and-trench coat-clad adolescent males drooling at your laptop.

If you are planning to do anything else, get the MacBook pro.

 

[weg]

Dell's don't run Mac OS X. 'nuff said.

A fact that results in better performance. We recently ran a benchmark on a Mac Pro DualCore Xeon (using a software-verification software that we develop at our university), comparing the Linux performance of our tool to the performance on Mac OS X. Unfortunately, the results were so clear that we're mainly running Linux now on this machine (the IO performance of Mac OS X is horrible).

 

[flopticalcube]

A fact that results in better performance. We recently ran a benchmark on a Mac Pro DualCore Xeon (using a software-verification software that we develop at our university), comparing the Linux performance of our tool to the performance on Mac OS X. Unfortunately, the results were so clear that we're mainly running Linux now on this machine (the IO performance of Mac OS X is horrible).

and is the OP, or anyone else here, interested in "your tool"?

 

[aussie_geek]

Anyone want to take a shot at this? Who thinks which is a better, faster, more usefull machine for video editing, graphics editing?

Alienware computers sport some pretty sexy specs, and they're very attractive. Would they be useful for video editing and graphics work? Are they faster than the best Macbook Pro's?

Please state your reasons.

I'll have a stab at this.

Specs wise, an custom alienware laptop is a superior machine than a Macbook pro - depending on what you put in it. You have to consider other factors when buying a portable computer, size and weight is important. The alienware is a behemoth compared to apple's portables.

Personally I would steer clear of portables for video work. Encoding videos can be done on portables but you will be cooking your new laptop. If you are mainly doing this, maybe a Mac Pro is in order. Do you really need the portability??

Another thing to be considered is the type of software you will be using. Is it windows software? Is it Apple software?

Finally, you are asking this question on a Mac forum - "get a mac" will be a common answer without any reasons.

Let us know what you decide.

aussie_geek