Friend buying laptop, not sure which-rec.s?

[17luv]

Hello! My friend's laptop recently died and she wants to get a new one. She has about $1500 she is willing to spend. She isn't so sure about buying a Mac, she mostly wants a computer for work doing some presentations to students, at home buying and listening to music from iTunes & Rhapsody (so maybe not a mac?), and photos galore. She also wants something light in weight because she will be taking it with her to work and etc. She is also considering buying an external drive for all her photos. Any recommendations? For $1500 I know she can get a good machine, but I figured I'd post here and hopefully those more informed could give me more info to give to her!
Thanks so much!!

 

[dmw007]

For $1,399 she could get a 2GHz MacBook w/ 1GB RAM.


The new Intel-based Macs can boot into either Mac OS or Windows, so whatever she wants to do, she can do on the MacBook.

 

[extraextra]

Presentations with what program? Powerpoint?

 

[17luv]

I think Powerpoint and mostly showing pictures. ^_^ True about the Macbook but she isn't sold on the OS at isn't all that comfortable with leaving her Windows environment which she is familiar with. Plus Rhapsody is still not Mac-friendly soo I don't think a Mac is in her near future but who knows she *is* considering all options! So please send 'em my way

 

[AdeFowler]

If she's going to get a Mac, she needs to commit herself to it and embrace the change totally, otherwise she'll never be satisfied with her purchase.

Maybe show her some Keynote presentations or give her a demo of iPhoto. She may be swayed but it doesn't sound like it.

 

[gekko513]

I think Powerpoint and mostly showing pictures. ^_^ True about the Macbook but she isn't sold on the OS at isn't all that comfortable with leaving her Windows environment which she is familiar with. Plus Rhapsody is still not Mac-friendly soo I don't think a Mac is in her near future but who knows she *is* considering all options! So please send 'em my way

Yeah, but like dmw007, she can run Windows on the Mac, too. Getting a non-Mac laptop will only narrow her options.

 

[17luv]

If she's going to get a Mac, she needs to commit herself to it and embrace the change totally, otherwise she'll never be satisfied with her purchase.

Maybe show her some Keynote presentations or give her a demo of iPhoto. She may be swayed but it doesn't sound like it.

That's the thing, she likes the look of Mac laptops, but I think she is a pretty die hard fan of Windows, cuz she knows it and no learning curve.

Yeah, but like dmw007, she can run Windows on the Mac, too. Getting a non-Mac laptop will only narrow her options.

True, gonna show her the Macbooks, but she just wants it for simple things, and the whole 2 OSes just might scare her off of laptops all together Plus for $1500 she mostly wants light but any laptop these days sounds like it might do but not sure which are really light/portable??

 

[ready2switch]

First off, the Macbook would do everything your friend needs, plus let her play around with OSX without sacrificing the option of Windows.

A few things though. She will need to buy Windows seperately. But it's good to know that if you buy a laptop from, say, Dell, you get windows pre-installed, but you don't get the disks. A lot of times you don't get (or have to pay extra for) reinstallation disks. You only get "restore" disks, which aren't the same.

After a quick look at the Dell site (which is who I would recommend if you don't go for a mac), the only laptop "lighter" than the Macbook is the XPS M1210, which spec'd comparably is over $1300. The other option is the Inspiron E1405, which is considerably cheaper than both the XPS and the Macbook, and only a fraction of a pound heavier. (My husband has the 15" Inspiron, and it's a good machine so far.)

I would definately show her the Macbook, but like a previous poster said, if she doesn't go into the Mac ready to embrace it completely, she won't be happy with it.

 

[17luv]

First off, the Macbook would do everything your friend needs, plus let her play around with OSX without sacrificing the option of Windows.

A few things though. She will need to buy Windows seperately. But it's good to know that if you buy a laptop from, say, Dell, you get windows pre-installed, but you don't get the disks. A lot of times you don't get (or have to pay extra for) reinstallation disks. You only get "restore" disks, which aren't the same.

After a quick look at the Dell site (which is who I would recommend if you don't go for a mac), the only laptop "lighter" than the Macbook is the XPS M1210, which spec'd comparably is over $1300. The other option is the Inspiron E1405, which is considerably cheaper than both the XPS and the Macbook, and only a fraction of a pound heavier. (My husband has the 15" Inspiron, and it's a good machine so far.)

I would definately show her the Macbook, but like a previous poster said, if she doesn't go into the Mac ready to embrace it completely, she won't be happy with it.

Thanks, I will definitely add those to the list to show her !! Appreciate the help and so does she!