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Bang for the buck

F

Fasailmac

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 20, 2009
71
0
hey guys, im in quite a little dillemma. I had originally purchased an hp envy whose palm rest started to creak so i returned it and bought a refurb 2.53 pro for 1499, leaving 400 left over. In canada The Z has been released and will be shipping out on the 12th. Im a first year university student and i need something that will last me until my first year in grad school. The Z can be bought with the following specs
2 64 gb ssd in raid
nvidia 330m gt
2.4 i5 processor
1600*900 Display
4gb of ram
windows 7
for 1899 canadian
What would be better for me in the long run. My needs are as follows, i do a little bit of gaming, word,office, need 4 hours of battery, multiple browsers open, itunes. Thanks a lot
 
spinnerlys said:
Then the MBP should more than suffice. You don't need the i5 to do what you want to do,
Click to expand...

except he needs it for the next 4-5 years. except the mbp is using technology that came out 4 years ago. except the total performance of the computer relies on more than just the processor (better SSD, better screen resolution, better GPU, etc)

don't go with the MBP. its a ripoff for the hardware you get for the price
 
LesQQmorePewPew said:
except he needs it for the next 4-5 years. except the mbp is using technology that came out 4 years ago. except the total performance of the computer relies on more than just the processor (better SSD, better screen resolution, better GPU, etc)

don't go with the MBP. its a ripoff for the hardware you get for the price
Click to expand...

So the current MBP is using components that came out four years ago?

I know where you come from, but in the end it comes down to what OS the OP likes to use for the next four years, as even the MBP should hold that long with the needs the OP informed us about.

One does not have to have the latest technology to get things done, it's a nice plus sometimes, but not necessary.

Up until 7 months ago I worked on a G4 PowerMac that was used for broadcast television shows. It was slow in some ways, but it got the work done.
 
elpmas said:
His title says it all, no need to argue over something unnecessary and unrelated.
Click to expand...

So the OS is unnecessary and unrelated? How?

The best bang for the buck does not always come down to the "best" technical specs.

But what the hell, I don't want to start some kind of "what is better than that" discussion.
 
If you want OSX, keep the MBP.

If you want bang for the buck, incredibly fast performance and cutting edge gaming capability, get the Sony Vaio Z.

Between the i5, the dual solid state drive, and the much better GPU, the Vaio Z is going to blow the MBP performance wise out of the water.

Honestly, thanks to the SSD and that processor, you're going to have close to instantanous boot times.
 
I don't trust Vaios nor their "High specs" I remember i bought like 4 years ago a vaio with a 2.8 GHz Processor, lots of ram and everything, my netbook with a 1.6GHz Atom is faster.
I gave vaio's another chance with a work computer, it ran well, but you're paying for the design, Vaio's are nice, but On a mac you pay for the design, and also for the OS, customer support, and a great overall quality, which is the most important part, get the mac, it will run well for 4 years, Core2Duos will last some time, The mac is the bang for the buck, Games like GTA:IV and others run well on the MacBook Pro, just search for it on youtube, apple doesn't kill previous users that fast, you can have a 2006 Core2Duo Mac, and you have the same advantages as a current one
 
wikoogle said:
If you want OSX, keep the MBP.

If you want bang for the buck, incredibly fast performance and cutting edge gaming capability, get the Sony Vaio Z.

Between the i5, the dual solid state drive, and the much better GPU, the Vaio Z is going to blow the MBP performance wise out of the water.

Honestly, thanks to the SSD and that processor, you're going to have close to instantanous boot times.
Click to expand...

Except if you are using Mac OS, you don't shut down your computer.

Sometimes you'll need to restart, like when you're doing OS updates. Well by that time the brand new Z will need a OS reinstall.

Use the Mac if you want to use it for another four years.
Switch to PC if you don't mind buying a new computer every year.
 
A colleague of mine has a 1080p vaio with 4gb of ram and a 7200rpm disk. Even when I had only 2gb i remember comparing the performance of a debian virtual machine on my mac (13.3) and her VAIO. Hers was almost inoperable with the same amount of RAM allocated to it.

VAIO's come with a ******** of preistalled software that loads at startup and in some cases they don't allow virtualization software to use the full virtualization capabilities of the CPU.

The CF models are indeed nice but I'd rather have a mac for less
 
If you like OS X more than Windows 7, there's your answer. But as far as "Bang for Buck" there's no question it's the Sony that wins here. In my honest opinion, I would take the Windows one unless you like the look and feel of the MBP more. But pound for pound, dollar for dollar, the Z trumps the outdated MBP.

Now if you want to wait it out for the next MBP revision that's a whole new can of worms :p
 
cwwilson said:
If you like OS X more than Windows 7, there's your answer. But as far as "Bang for Buck" there's no question it's the Sony that wins here. In my honest opinion, I would take the Windows one unless you like the look and feel of the MBP more. But pound for pound, dollar for dollar, the Z trumps the outdated MBP.

Now if you want to wait it out for the next MBP revision that's a whole new can of worms :p
Click to expand...

Even though I'm a big Apple fan boy, I completely agree. The Vaios are sexy beasts on their own and those are killer specs!

As I was selling my 17" uMBP, I was thinking about going Vaio as well (for school reasons as I need windows) BUT personally for me I just wanted OSX. I just gotten too used to OSX as to windows (even though windows 7 is pretty awesome). So I went with the ol 13" (I'm still so excited about its display! Looks so damn clean!) and does everything I want a general purpose computer should do!

Now I'm thinking about building or buying a Dell/Sony desktop gaming rig. Its been a LONG time since I've owned a PC desktop (and I'm starting to want one just because the hardware these days got some crazy performances!).

I was thinking, I'll use my 13" to carry around back and forth from campus (and use it as my "main" machine for all general purpose computing) but ever since I've sold my Mac Pro desktop and my 17" mbp, I do miss playing some games under windows.

Currently I'm looking at some Dell studio 8000/9000 around the $1100 range (you can get some incredible spec'd pcs with that much).
 
jungeliest said:
Except if you are using Mac OS, you don't shut down your computer.

Sometimes you'll need to restart, like when you're doing OS updates. Well by that time the brand new Z will need a OS reinstall.

Use the Mac if you want to use it for another four years.
Switch to PC if you don't mind buying a new computer every year.
Click to expand...

That's one of the most ignorant things I've read on this forum in a while.

So a Mac will last 4 years or so while a PC will just give you so many problems, headaches and hassles that you'll end up buying a new computer every year or so? LOL.

Some people here go on as if Macs are trouble free, perfect machines while Windows PCs are the scum of the technological world. Every machine has its problems, yes, even Apple ones.

Fanboys will see no wrong in Apple and no right in PCs.
 
Alvi said:
I don't trust Vaios nor their "High specs" I remember i bought like 4 years ago a vaio with a 2.8 GHz Processor, lots of ram and everything, my netbook with a 1.6GHz Atom is faster.
I gave vaio's another chance with a work computer, it ran well, but you're paying for the design, Vaio's are nice, but On a mac you pay for the design, and also for the OS, customer support, and a great overall quality, which is the most important part, get the mac, it will run well for 4 years, Core2Duos will last some time, The mac is the bang for the buck, Games like GTA:IV and others run well on the MacBook Pro, just search for it on youtube, apple doesn't kill previous users that fast, you can have a 2006 Core2Duo Mac, and you have the same advantages as a current one
Click to expand...

jungeliest said:
Except if you are using Mac OS, you don't shut down your computer.

Sometimes you'll need to restart, like when you're doing OS updates. Well by that time the brand new Z will need a OS reinstall.

Use the Mac if you want to use it for another four years.
Switch to PC if you don't mind buying a new computer every year.
Click to expand...

IntelliUser said:
A PC is a ripoff.
Click to expand...

rofl
 
Just wait a few weeks and get an i5 MacbookPro. You know the refresh is
coming. Then you will have good technology, with a robust design. And
of course the glory of OSX.
 
fud122 said:
That's one of the most ignorant things I've read on this forum in a while.
Click to expand...

I gotta agree somewhat here. Just before Xmas last year I helped an older lady replace an ancient Compaq PC running Win95/98. That thing was an old Presario 4500 series. I remember getting a laugh because I was running training classes on those things when they came out. We're talking circa '95-96.

The new system will probably last the rest of her life.
 
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