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Dell 1720, $1300 cheaper than same spec MBP

Industries are about standards. Once there's a decent incumbent and it achieves critical mass in the field it's hard for anyone in the business to use anything else. I've never said that Vegas et al are better if you want a job in video editing. But for me certainly, it's just one of those things that I do as part of my work - and a pretty inconsequential part of that - so am not bound to standards. Nevertheless I need to deliver a decent product, so I use a professional-level product which generates results as good as the industry standard, which is for me easier to use.
 
With apple you pay extra for:
-Design
-Quality
-Stability
-Name

And thats worth the extra bucks for me, I will never ever buy a windows machine again.
 
I have a Dell 1720. And it's going on eBay as soon as my new Macbook Pro comes today and I move my files over. I've had it about a year, and believe me, where it might look like the specs are the same, it's not, trust me. This thing lags like you wouldn't believe. Video editing is sluggish, I can't record audio as it tends to insert "skips" into the recording. It just can't keep up, plain and simple. I've had this thing essentially replaced three times now, motherboard and processor, RAM, I just can't get one that works to my expectations.

That being said, I did the same thing as the original poster. Last year, I spec'd out the Dell and the Macbook Pro. With my corporate discounts, the Dell came in significantly less. Well, frankly, you get what you pay for. Just the fact that the Dell is running Vista, that's probably the issue right there.
 
Eraserhead said:
Final Cut is definitely the standard for Video Editing at the moment, unless you are still using Avid.
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Is Final Cut really the undisputed standard? I was under the impression that Adobe Premiere was pretty high up there in market share. Does anyone have any numbers on this?

Thanks!
 
Honestly, in all seriousness, if you're going to be doing video editing you are not going to be happy with a 1720. You're going to want a higher end laptop if you want the mobility, or a desktop with faster components. The 1720 is not going to be able to keep up, at least in my experience.
 
Don't be disapointed because you are paying a premium. There are prefectly good reasons and a lot of them for this.

I paid premium for my vehicle because of it's brand, reputation, design and styling etc, when I could have purchased a similar vehicle on paper at least, and paid $10K less.

If you want "budget" (and there is nothing wrong with that at all). There are a lot of great PCs out there.
 
BaRaKa-Sound said:
might seem like my post was bias. Maybe it was only my specific experience, but my mbp's optical drive is broken, the thing gets way too hot to sit on my lap, and a few other flakey problems.

I only installed Leopard on my dell Vostro for fun, not expecting it to really compare, but did it anyways. And almost pissed myself realizing that this thing runs better than my mbp (macbook is a few years old however, probobly needs reformat etc) Took me a while to get everything going.. but with my guide, and a Vostro, anyone that maybe cant afford a MBP yet, or want to experience the OS and switch from windows without spending a whole lot of money and getting basically the same performance..ought to try it. The one thing I do like about PC's is being able to choose which hardware I'd like to use..:D
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Wow, that's amazing that you would even promote your hackintosh like it's the right thing to do. Yeah, you are like a lot of the posters that do the wrong thing, promote it like it's the right thing to do and conveniently leave out the negatives so the OP will get misinformed and burn himself in the end.

Try this: your Dell/Mac is not supported by Apple so if the OP has issues forget Apple's help. Software updates such as point releases from Apple will brick the hackintosh and require re-hacking again, is it worth it?
Installing and setting up a non-supported Mac/Hack is a real pain so I ask again is it really worth it or just pay more and get a fully supported dual boot machine.
It's a total copout to say. "Well if I can't afford a Mac right now just buy a cheaper PC and Hack OS X on it".
If you can buy a new Dell XPS you can buy a Mac. Don't try and justify your wrong actions. :p
 
Adokimus said:
Is Final Cut really the undisputed standard? I was under the impression that Adobe Premiere was pretty high up there in market share. Does anyone have any numbers on this?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Final Cut IS the standard, while Adobe apps are more than capable Final Cut is used by nearly all studios for video production. Apple's pro software is generally the preferred in the music and moving making industry.

Apple has the multimedia owned and Windows has the enterprise owned.
 
Apogee said:
Do you work in the video industry Ryan? Can you please tell us why FCS is so good?
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I'm a student. I work for my University Library's multimedia unit shooting video, editing video, making DVDs, websites, motion graphics, etc...

I don't diss other packages because I haven't actually used them anywhere nearly as much as I've used final cut. I simply don't see them used as much by anyone doing video.

I'm going into my school's graphic design program and the same thing sort of applies. Everyone, and I mean everyone and their dog uses macs. Why? Because, they're macs. The software is exactly the same on either platform, but the industry simply uses macs.

Seems the same way with video. The industry appears to be using final cut. (although final cut vs. premiere, etc isn't quite CS3 on mac vs. pc)

I could be grossly mistaken, but until I see something showing that Premiere or other packages rival Final Cut pro in market share, I'll invest my time in further learning Final Cut...
 
premiere is pretty close to par and vegas video is getting really damn good. Infact, vegas is like #2 in the industry now
 
BaRaKa-Sound said:
Apple hardware is cheap. Only victums buy something based on the brand name.

get a Vostro or 1720 etc and run osX86. (I made a dummie's guide for setting up a vostro if you want it)

Differences:

- doesnt get hot. (can cook an egg on my old mbp)

- more solid build (cheap titanium bends/ dents too easy)

- can hit power button ,then close book right away

- maintenance/ parts replacement easier (nvr had to personally)

- vostro battery lasts 6-8 hrs

- half price

- black

- show-off material

(I run as a test ..14 long audio tracks in ableton running simultaneously w/4 vst instruments and 8 vst effects... cpu nvr went above 10%)

Doom3... runs flawless.

All this on a vostro 1400

Im a mac guy too, and jam with friends with macbooks. mine has no problems at all. and my freinds are jealous. highly recommended
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It is actually anodized aluminum, not titanium, Apple hasn't used titanium in like 5+ years.

As for your other points, the Vostro gets 6-8 hours doing what?

So i can handle lots of audio tracks, it is a Core 2 Duo... that is a rockin chip, i would be more surprised if it couldn't handle a lot of things at once.

Your point about the power button pertains to Windows, not OS X.

Frankly, i have seen too many Inspirons (which are about the same build quality as the Vostro) that have fallen apart after just a few years. My buddy's macbook pro, and my macbook have both been beaten all to hell and are still going strong, unlike my other friend's inspiron that recently died and took me 4 hours to replace a simple part due to Dell's use to cheap, low quality solder. Heck, for that reason alone (and the fact that although the thing is thicker open than mine is closed, so why is the DC-In soldered right to the mainboard?!?!) I will never buy a Dell again.
 
haha i work in the tech department and we get a bunch of dells and other windows PCs coming in with blue screen errors and non-stop rebooting. So far i have not seen a Mac come in with any virus/spyware related issue. 70% of the Dell laptops i see (not the XPS series, but the one for general consumers with the white trim on the sides) have cracked the case around the hinges. It might be just me or thats a design flaw. Seems like the plastic can't take the stress of opening and closing.

However, Apple is not the oh-so-good designer of quality components.

Apple also has its moments. The plastic used in the macbook, specifically the white macbook, is horrid to say the least. That is why the top cases (mainly white models from staining) are backordered till April. We have a bunch sitting in the back room for diagnostic purposes.

If you want a Mac either get the blackbook or a macbook pro.
 
haha i work in the tech department and we get a bunch of dells and other windows PCs coming in with no problems. :rolleyes:

Hardware failure seems to be the biggest problem around here with all brands. Not to mention some users treat their hardware quite poorly but they get some nice treatment since it is higher education support. Not to mention some of the outrageous purchasing policies.
 
I never said Apple was without flaws as well.

haha i work in the tech department and we get a bunch of dells and other windows PCs coming in with no problems.
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then why are they bringing them in? :rolleyes:
 
lol fine. We received a few Toshibas, 2 Compaqs/HP (one of which had a ethernet plug super glued in).

We get Dells and Apples a lot because we're a certified repair center. The non-Dells we get are in for dead/failing drives that need recovery/replacement and are out of warranty. So i like to pick on Dell. :)

..yeah i'm a tech at a university repair center. I just lke to call it the tech dept ;).
 
e12a said:
If you want a Mac either get the blackbook or a macbook pro.
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After receiving my second bad MBP Penryn in the Macbook display lottery I'm on the verge of asking for a refund and buying a cheap ass windows laptop to keep me going for a couple of months.

By then they will hopefully announce a fully redesigned MBP that doesn't use the same batch of poorly manufactured panels they had lying around from last year.

Getting a laptop with a less than great screen doesn't bother me as much on a sub $1000 windows laptop as it does on a $3K Mac.
 
I somewhat regret my lack of earlier comments. Back in the PowerPC days we hoped that Intel would bring us more hardware updates and cheaper Macs. The prices of the "Pro" series sky rocketed while consumer Macs improved somewhat in options and prices.

If you're strictly going for hardware Dell is the way to go. Sadly you have to take into account that you aren't going to be running OS X. Apple makes good all-around hardware for consumers short of the integrated video cards and the Pro series gets gouged terribly. Remember $1,499 Power Macs and PowerBooks?

In the end all hardware vendors are going to have their share of wonderful and horror stories. It boils down that it's just a fancy calculator. ;)
 
I m surprised that noone mentions the resell value of the laptop.

This Dell, like any other, will see its value at end of life (3 yrs) be close to less than 75% of it s original value.
See how much costs a dell Inspiron 8600 (late 2004 model) now on ebay.. Originally close to 1600 usd, you re doing a bad job if you buy one for more than 250 now.

Even with older macs (mbpro, mcbook etc..), you never see that kind major drop in value. Mac second hand prices are usually quite solid and that s definitely worth a premium if you get it back down the road.
 
Patriiick said:
I m surprised that noone mentions the resell value of the laptop.

This Dell, like any other, will see its value at end of life (3 yrs) be close to less than 75% of it s original value.
See how much costs a dell Inspiron 8600 (late 2004 model) now on ebay.. Originally close to 1600 usd, you re doing a bad job if you buy one for more than 250 now.

Even with older macs (mbpro, mcbook etc..), you never see that kind major drop in value. Mac second hand prices are usually quite solid and that s definitely worth a premium if you get it back down the road.
Click to expand...

That analogy is very flawed because if you pay twice as much for a Mac, you better get at least $500 back as opposed to the Dell's $250. However you have lost twice as much money.

With regards to "good resale value", I am sure plenty of Mac users who bought a Macbook Pro 15 days before these new ones come out saw at least $500 vanish off their Macs instantly when the $1999 model suddenly comes with the same Vram as the previous $2499 model.
 
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