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Comparison MBP vs. HP Elitebook

Timur

Timur

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 14, 2008
575
15
I have been patiencly waiting for the new Macbook Pros to arrive since January. My plan has always been to compare the MBP with the then current PC notebook alternatives.

After some investigation the jury is out to decide between the MBP and the HP Elitebook line (8530w). Those HPs cost about the same, but they offer more bang for the buck:

CPU: 2.8 GHz max <-> 3.06 GHz max

HD: 9.5 mm max <-> 12.5 mm max

Graphic: same graphic hardware on both, but professional OpenGL drivers on HP !

Memory: 4 GB max (currently) <-> 8 GB max !!

Screen: 1440 x 900 glossy <-> 1680 x 1050 or 1920 x 1200 matte !!!

Chassis: Alluminium Unibody <-> "military grade" (MIL-STD-810F) mixure of magnesium, plastics and other components + hard drive shock protection (detects when the notebook falls down)

Mouse: new large trackpad with inbuild button and multitouch gestures <-> "DuraFinish" trackpad + pointstick + 2 x 3 rubber mousebuttons

Connections: FW800 + buspower, Ethernet, Wlan, BlueTooth, Displayport, 2 x USB and ExpressCard34 <-> FW400 - buspower, Ethernet, Wlan, BlueTooth, HDMI, VGA, modem, CardReader, eSATA, 4 x USB and ExpressCard54

OS: OS X + Bootcamp Windows option (+Linux) <-> just Windows (+Linux)

Size+Weight: 0.95" x14.35" x 9.82", 5.5 pounds <-> 1.1" x 14.0" x 10.4", 6.5 pounds

Battery: 5 (4) h <-> 4h (two optional battery extensions available to increase battery life)

Docking Station: no <-> yes

There are some other minor things, like dedicated home/end/page buttons on the HP, but my main problem is that the people I'm doing music production with use Macs and Live+Logic (while I am using Live+Sonar and own a Windows based MS Office Pro). The Logic argument (+weight) is about the strongest argument against the HP. :?
 
the MBP is thinner, better design, has Mac OS X, just works factor (Apple make hardware and software), turns heads, iLife, iWork…

if you dont care about these then get the HP. if you want these then get the MBP.

also the HP has DDR2 RAM, Quadro graphics which have poor drivers for games the Nvidia 9 series and ATI are better for gaming, not multi touch trackpad (genius!),
 
the MBP is thinner: Don't think I need that, in fact it leads to worse temperature problems because of the cramped space inside.

better design: The jury's still out on that one, shops in my area still didn't get demo units. also "design" is more than good looks, it's also functionality (no usb port on the right side?)!

has Mac OS X: That is a major argument. I'm a musician, OS X is used alot there.

Just works factor (Apple make hardware and software): Doesn't matter to me, I can make any PC system work just as good or better (more Vendors/alternatives to chose from, because it is NOT only one compary that does everything). How does it "just work" with an eSATA drive if there is no port?

Turns heads: Not necessarily an advantage. Like I said, I'm a musician, if that shiney toy drags attention away from me, I'm lost. :cool:

iLife, iWork…: iWTF? ;)

Also the HP has DDR2 RAM, Quadro graphics which have poor drivers for games the Nvidia 9 series and ATI are better for gaming, not multi touch trackpad (genius!),
Click to expand...
The Quadro on the HP is in reality a 9600M GT, just with different drivers. Multitouch may be nice, but frankly I hated all touchpads I ever used and will likely prefer a mouse (albeit the big big size of the MBP touchpad may be better than what I've used to date).
 
To me it sounds like you've already made up your mind... buy the HP. In reality OSX is the deal breaker and that's a decision that only you can make, so why create another pointless comparison thread? :p
 
hehe every Mac comes with iLife (iPhoto, iDVD, iMovie, iWeb, Garage Band) instead of bloated crap that comes with every PC. iWork is a very cheap alternative to Office which opens all Office files (including 2007). Mac OS X can natively use Office 2007 files in Quick Look or Text Edit.

im not sure theres anything more i can help you with! always good to get someone to switch but it looks like an HP is best for you. hopefully youll see how good Macs and Mac OS X are in the future when prices dim down a bit. (no offence) :eek:
 
Leopard is 64-bit. Snow Leopard will take the leap into 90% fully 64-bit, and 10% is for the compatibility environment. And there'll be parallel processing on it. the aluminum unibody, I'm willing to bet it'll be stronger than the magnesium mixture, but don't quote me on that. MacBooks also have harddrive shock protection.Right now, both 9.5mm and 12.5mm drives max out at 500GB, if I'm not mistaken. Unless you're putting Vista x64 on your HP, it'll only read 3. The Pro, when 8GB DDR3 1066 RAM is cheap enough, will be able to read and access all of it.

Also, Mac OS X is more stable, but that's just me. All in all, you're the one getting it, so... TO EACH, THEIR OWN!!
 
I am all about Linux on a Mac. I run OS X too, but I buy Apple hardware for a variety of reasons. ;)

Ignoring operating systems for a moment as the HP could be made to run OS X with some hackery or Linux with minimal hackery, lets just see how well the Macbook Pro holds up in some key areas:

1) Weight

HP: 6.4 pounds
:apple:: 5.5 pounds

Advantage: :apple:

2) Physical Size (w x d x h)

HP: 14.0 x 10.4 x 1.1 in
:apple:: 14.35 x 9.82 0.95 in

Advantage: :apple:

3) Battery Life (web browsing with minimal additional load using default operating system)

HP: 3 hours 40 minutes
:apple:: 5 hours 30 minutes

Note: :apple: battery life is from my own testing. The official battery life is "up to 5 hours".

Advantage: :apple:

4) Future proofing:

HP:

Blu-Ray Disc DVD+/-RW SuperMulti DL
HDMI port
Official 8GB maximum memory

:apple::

DisplayPort
DDR3 memory
FW800
Backlit keyboard
Multitouch trackpad

Advantage: Subjective based on usage.

I think all in all I like the way the Macbook Pro stands up here. The HP is a beastly machine to be sure, but the Macbook Pro is no slacker itself based on raw specifications when comparing them only on CPU, GPU, or ram.

The selling point for me when deciding between all manufacturers is how much headache am I going to have if the computer ever breaks. I had very bad experiences with HP when I tried to get them to fix build issues with the dv9000 series of portables.

AppleCare has given me a bit of headache just once when I called about a problem with my mighty mouse and once I explained things again they overnighted me a new mouse.
 
LinMac, where did you get the "battery life" stats for the HP from?

What I definetively don't like about the MBP is the lack of a high resolution option. 1680 x 1050 would really be something I'd chose if it was available.
 
Well if you really want to there's a 1920x1200 mod around.... But not sure it works on the new one.
 
Timur said:
LinMac, where did you get the "battery life" stats for the HP from?

What I definetively don't like about the MBP is the lack of a high resolution option. 1680 x 1050 would really be something I'd chose if it was available.
Click to expand...

You can search for reviews from owners and they peg battery life of the 8 cell battery at about 3 hours and 30-40 minutes.

I would also opt for a higher resolution screen, but my 1440x900 looks better than a friend's Dell with 1680x1050. I think the quality of the panel matters just as much as the resolution.

Would I prefer a 1680x1050 panel option that has the same quality as the current screen? Quoth the Sarah Palin, You Betcha.
 
Is this the HP in question?:

hp-elitebook-6930p-business-laptop.jpg


IMO in comparison to an :apple: machine, that HP is one damn ugly looking mofo :D
 
this question should never cross your mind! i dont think it should be legal to talk about these two notebooks in the same sentence :)

If your cool get the MBP is your not get the HP 'elite'book :)
 
macrem said:
Is this the HP in question?:

hp-elitebook-6930p-business-laptop.jpg


IMO in comparison to an :apple: machine, that HP is one damn ugly looking mofo :D
Click to expand...

That's the 6930p, I have one because my college gives you it as part of the tuition, I hate it, the mouse keys suck because their too squishy and give no feedback, the trackpad feels plasticky and cheap, its too thick, the screen isnt bright enough, and its too heavy.
 
Ruggedness

A word about ruggedness. Be careful putting any weight in a purchase when a manufacturer calls something rugged. Its often just a marketing thing. The Mil-STD-810F tests are many and passing one or two of them at the lowest level does not really give you a very rugged product.

To be sure, there are things you can do to make a notebook more durable such as cushioning the hard drive or doing a sudden drop sensor etc, but truly rugged computers are much more expensive when compared to consumer stuff.
 
robanga said:
A word about ruggedness. Be careful putting any weight in a purchase when a manufacturer calls something rugged. Its often just a marketing thing. The Mil-STD-810F tests are many and passing one or two of them at the lowest level does not really give you a very rugged product.

To be sure, there are things you can do to make a notebook more durable such as cushioning the hard drive or doing a sudden drop sensor etc, but truly rugged computers are much more expensive when compared to consumer stuff.
Click to expand...

yea thats true, my 6930p is advertised as being rugged, but doesn't seem to be any more durable than my mbp, except the bottom wont dent because its plastic.
 
Timur said:
my main problem is that the people I'm doing music production with use Macs and Live+Logic (while I am using Live+Sonar and own a Windows based MS Office Pro). The Logic argument (+weight) is about the strongest argument against the HP. :?
Click to expand...

Think Different
 
it does seem to be true that you are already leaning towards the hp side.
hp makes a fantastic pc. that is the reason they are the lead in their industry.
personally, if i had to get a pc, i would get an hp model.

when it comes to looks, i love my classic macbook pro.
but i also love the design of the HP's.

if youve been using the pc in your industry for some time, then you are familiar with the software aspect and would actually have all the programs on hand, where as with the mac youd have to rebuild everything.

i can quote balmer here and talk about the "apple tax", but it seems as if you already have an understanding about it.





you pay a hefty premium for looks.




the OS and the all mac factor is what makes it sell.
many people dont want to bloated vista on their system and like the simplicity of mac OSX.

When it comes to you deparment, it doesnt seem like it should matter.
if you have a powerful enough unit to pull in your files and let you work, then the OS simply doesnt matter in your view.

something to think about though...
the longevity of your notebook.
macs are macs and they are known to last a lot longer than any pc.
hps are hps, and although they lead in their pc based industry...
take them apart, and i guarantee you, parts are held together with tape.
(seriously..tape. the webcam module, speaker assembly, usually the audioboard as well).

if you go for the hp, make sure you throw down the extra money for the accidental damage protection.
 
If I was in the market for a PC, it would likely be either an HP or a Sony. (possibly a Fujitsu as well). Those brands seem to hold up the best in my workplace. We are a pretty mobile work environment.
 
robanga said:
If I was in the market for a PC, it would likely be either an HP or a Sony. (possibly a Fujitsu as well). Those brands seem to hold up the best in my workplace. We are a pretty mobile work environment.
Click to expand...

IMO Lenovo is the only other brand I'd consider besides Apple if I needed a windows laptop.
 
What about this "beast"

The HP HDX 16 inch and 18 inch series -

newgallery.aspx


16.1 inch costs $1050 and 18.4 inch costs $1349, both have FIREWIRE and meet same specs or exceed, and best of all there cheaper

Please advise on what to do, i dont know wether to get this or new Macbook!
 
hamzab said:
What about this "beast"

The HP HDX 16 inch and 18 inch series -

newgallery.aspx


16.1 inch costs $1050 and 18.4 inch costs $1349, both have FIREWIRE and meet same specs or exceed, and best of all there cheaper

Please advise on what to do, i dont know wether to get this or new Macbook!
Click to expand...

It's a PC, if you want a PC. Buy it. If you want a Mac, buy a mac. Simple.
 
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