College Life

[Freyqq]

Hey guys, I'm thinking about getting my first Mac this year (very excited) before I go to college and I would like to get some opinions. This is directed mostly to college students, but feel free to post

First, the following will include my tasks:
Word processing
Using the internet
Watching movies
Maybe playing the occasional game (maybe WoW?)
Listening to tons of music
I also like to multi task a lot

Now, do you guys think this justifies buying a Macbook pro? I want one seeing as it will be updated soon and in my eye, apears more "Advanced" (especially since the macbook doesnt even have an led screen). But, I have also read that a smaller laptop is better for college since it takes up less desk space, a little lighter, and more portable.

I'd like some feed back from college students who bought a Macbook or Macbook pro, any things they liked or didnt like. (Btw, money wise, I can spend up to $2500, but I also don't want to waste money)

Finally, I have been reading tons of threads on the upcomming update of the MBP, yet I have seen very few (if any) that speak about a Macbook update. Is that coming before August or have there been no rumors up to this point?

Thanks guys and I apreciate any help.

buy a low-end mbp with educational discount (15") after the new ones come out, a 22" monitor from someone other than apple, and a nice keyboard and mouse for the dorm, and a laptop sleeve or a backpack with a laptop compartment and you should be set and will come out to be less than 2500.

that's basically what I have atm and I'm a Junior in college.

macbook v mbp - your budget is high enough that you can get a mbp and honestly, I have no issues carrying around the mbp to every class to take notes..and this is coming from someone who had a 12" powerbook freshman year. It's plenty portable.

 

[Freyqq]

Thank you all for your replies. I really apreciate it. Right now I'm leaning a little more for the MBP after reviewing your replies, especially since I forgot to mention I often like typing at night and I'm too lazy to turn on the lights (Backlit Keyboard). The weight issues and size have been resolved for me (thanks ktbubster and others) and I'm not worried. One last thing, I have read about the MBP getting kind of hot, yet people don't really mention which version they have specifically. Is the heat issue isolated to the MBP before June 2007, or do the Santa Rosa MBP (After June 2007) still get uncomfortably hot?
Thnaks again and keep posting, your feedback always helps

if you download fancontrol or smc fancontrol, you can control the fans yourself such that it won't get hot

 

[eddy64]

Hey guys. Thanks again for all the feedback. Been kind of busy since 4 of my colleges lost my Math Teacher Recomendations

From what I can gather, I've decided to go for the lower end Macbook Pro and upgrade to 4gigs of ram. I think I would be fine for now with the MB, but if the size isn't a problem, i would prefer the more powerful MBP (I kind of want the newest technology). I'm going to listen to your advice though and wait until the summer before I leave (July-August) in order to make sure I get the latest greatest (although i was pretty disapoted since I wanted a new mac for my birthday in February). Hopefully I can pick up the Monteniva MBP by then, or maybe a revised MB w/ non-integrated videocard (I think it's called discrete video card...not sure).
About having a desktop and a MB, I would rather only have a laptop, since it would gve me more desk space and would probably be cheaper.
Thanks again for all your help and feel free to continue posting your experiences (may help someone else)

PS I'm VERY excited about switching to Mac!!!!

 

[rsm5068]

Hey guys. Thanks again for all the feedback. Been kind of busy since 4 of my colleges lost my Math Teacher Recomendations

From what I can gather, I've decided to go for the lower end Macbook Pro and upgrade to 4gigs of ram. I think I would be fine for now with the MB, but if the size isn't a problem, i would prefer the more powerful MBP (I kind of want the newest technology). I'm going to listen to your advice though and wait until the summer before I leave (July-August) in order to make sure I get the latest greatest (although i was pretty disapoted since I wanted a new mac for my birthday in February). Hopefully I can pick up the Monteniva MBP by then, or maybe a revised MB w/ non-integrated videocard (I think it's called discrete video card...not sure).
About having a desktop and a MB, I would rather only have a laptop, since it would gve me more desk space and would probably be cheaper.
Thanks again for all your help and feel free to continue posting your experiences (may help someone else)

PS I'm VERY excited about switching to Mac!!!!

Good choice, but I want to make another recommendation. I too want a new MBP for my B-Day next month. If the MBP is updated in the next 2 months, it will not be updated again until October or November, so if you want it for your B-Day get it if they update, the small difference in hardware will not be noticeable.

 

[vchalupa]

SW Issues

I see that you're new to mac just like me. I'm thinking about making the switch myself and I've decided to go with the MBP. All the comments have been useful for my speculation between the MB and the MBP, and my consensus is the MBP because I plan to do some video editing and some light gaming myself.

I was wondering if there are any engineering majors who found difficulties with software installs. I'll be entering college as a freshman in the fall as an undecided engineering major with a Pre-med program on the side. I talked to a few of my college buddies (none who were engineering majors though) and some of them told me that I might run into software issues as everything is standard for windows. Is this true? I know I can always run vista or xp using boot camp but as a new mac user I'd like to stray away from that so that I don't end up using the windows more than mac OS X from shear habit.

Also, when is the best time to buy the MBP. I'll definitely buy it after the update but is sooner better than later? Once again, I'm new to mac so I'm worried about whether I'll need some time to learn the new OS. I really don't want to have to learn the OS while taking classes in college...I'd rather focus on one thing at a time. I can either wait till the week before I go off to college or right after the update...my other option is at the beginning of summer. Which is the best option? Oh and btw, I do need a iPod so Idk if that narrows my choices down.

 

[mbrydone]

I have a MacBook and I love it...but Im upgrading to a MBP because the screen size is too small to deal with docs or iLife very well, especially if ur used to a desktop

 

[TimeWaster101]

I see that you're new to mac just like me. I'm thinking about making the switch myself and I've decided to go with the MBP. All the comments have been useful for my speculation between the MB and the MBP, and my consensus is the MBP because I plan to do some video editing and some light gaming myself.

I was wondering if there are any engineering majors who found difficulties with software installs. I'll be entering college as a freshman in the fall as an undecided engineering major with a Pre-med program on the side. I talked to a few of my college buddies (none who were engineering majors though) and some of them told me that I might run into software issues as everything is standard for windows. Is this true? I know I can always run vista or xp using boot camp but as a new mac user I'd like to stray away from that so that I don't end up using the windows more than mac OS X from shear habit.

Also, when is the best time to buy the MBP. I'll definitely buy it after the update but is sooner better than later? Once again, I'm new to mac so I'm worried about whether I'll need some time to learn the new OS. I really don't want to have to learn the OS while taking classes in college...I'd rather focus on one thing at a time. I can either wait till the week before I go off to college or right after the update...my other option is at the beginning of summer. Which is the best option? Oh and btw, I do need a iPod so Idk if that narrows my choices down.

Well, almost all engineering/design programs are windows specific so you'll need bootcamp. I wouldn't worry about using windows out of habit, because trust me, you'll be dying to get back to OSX as soon as possible. And as far as switching between the two, you do have to reboot, but oh well.

As far as learning the OS. No problem. I learned how to use the mac quite well in only 1-2 days. Then over time, you won't even have to think about it and windows will seem weird. Overall, its very much a common sense interface. What you think should happen, usually does, and the place that makes sense for something to be is usually where it is. I wouldn't worry about the learning curve. Get the computer when you need it.

And as someone pointed out earlier, the Montevina release this summer will probably be backed up to the end of the summer or early fall because of the late Penryn update. Either way, usually each update isn't a huge upgrade. And the MBP offers up to 4G of ram, so the computer should last you a few good years.

 

[Melrose]

I would say get the 15" MBP - the 17 might be a bit big for a college environment, not to mention pricier. The 15s have just about the same innards and come in a smaller package, obv.

I can't recommend the glossy unless the notebook will be used almost entirely for entertainment - staring at the glossy screen doing email or word processing can make you eyes weird after a while (at least for me).

 

[rsm5068]

So this is a little OT, but we are talking college...

My friend wants to buy the Dell XPS 2010: 20.1" Screen, 18.9 lbs. Am I the only one that finds that to be overkill or is he actually crazy? I think he is trying to make up for some short-comings with huge displays (he is addicted to excessively large TVs 60"+ and says that even the 17" MBP is worthless). This would be his only computer for college, he is lookin at the HP 20" as well. Just asking...

 

[Freyqq]

So this is a little OT, but we are talking college...

My friend wants to buy the Dell XPS 2010: 20.1" Screen, 18.9 lbs. Am I the only one that finds that to be overkill or is he actually crazy? I think he is trying to make up for some short-comings with huge displays (he is addicted to excessively large TVs 60"+ and says that even the 17" MBP is worthless). This would be his only computer for college, he is lookin at the HP 20" as well. Just asking...

it's very overpriced and is running older hardware. Honestly, I'd tell this friend to get a 30" LCD and a smaller laptop...or if you're buying a 18.9 lbs laptop why not get a desktop?