MacBook dilemma

[british724]

Alright, here's the situation:

I'm about to start my freshman year of college. I need a laptop.
I've been a Windows user forever (besides the occasional use of an Apple at school), and I decided to switch to Apple because... well, they're so many reasons, and I'm sure you are all aware of them

Being a recent high school graduate - I'm broke. I want the MacBook. I really would like to spend the extra $200 to get the 13 inch 2.0GHz one... but there are so many other things I have to purchase besides this laptop that I'm trying to figure out how much of a difference there really is between the 1.83 and the 2.0.

I don't know anything about how Macs process, otherwise I'd be a little wiser about which one to go with (1.83 vs 2.0)

Everyone so far has told me 2.0 - but is that just because it has the extra "oomph" or is there really a significant difference?

I completely understand that you get what you pay for. Trust me.

I'm going to be using the laptop mostly for internet surfing, downloading music, chatting, burning the occasional cd (DVD burner not necessary here), typing papers, etc. I'm going more towards business and computer technology. Some programming, not much (as far as I know, I could change my mind in the future)

Any tips about what the HUGE difference is between the two (1.83 and 2.0) and whether it's going to be that bad for me to go with the cheaper one or whatnot... I'd appreciate any help I can get. I'm planning on making the purchase this weekend.

Thanks

 

[mad jew]

No huge difference and since you don't need to burn DVDs, I'd jump for the 1.83GHz machine.

 

[Heb1228]

Yeah, the DVD-burner is the major upgrade between those. The processor speed is less than 10%. You'll be fine with the 1.83 model.

 

[aristobrat]

No huge difference and since you don't need to burn DVDs, I'd jump for the 1.83GHz machine.

That was my rational too. If the DVD burner was faster and Dual Layer, I might have considered it, but ... I rarely burn DVDs, so I'm OK with using my old external one.

I just got my MP today (after returning 3 MBPs because of the heat on the keyboard area). I'm LOVING the MB. The bottom's quite warm, but they keyboard area is very comfortable, the screen is gorgeous, and the performance is amazing for a machine that's $1000 less than the MBP!

 

[british724]

Alright, now I feel much much better.

Plus, I get the iPod free (after rebate, of course)

I have good timing I guess.

I don't know much about Macs - is the switch going to be difficult? And as far as viruses and RAM and whatnot, does anyone have any tips?

I just changed the subject. Whoops.

 

[Zman5225]

Alright, now I feel much much better.

Plus, I get the iPod free (after rebate, of course)

I have good timing I guess.

I don't know much about Macs - is the switch going to be difficult? And as far as viruses and RAM and whatnot, does anyone have any tips?

I just changed the subject. Whoops.

Your switch (given you are a very slightly computer literate person, which im sure you are) will be a very easy one. When I switched last year I thought it was going to be hard to adjust and do some stuff here and there, but boy, it was easy as cake. Every once in a while I have to get on google or here to find out a shortcut or something but in the end, my only real question was, WHAT TOOK ME SO LONG TO SWITCH?!

You'll love the operating system, and im sure you'll get the hang of it in no time. As far as virus' go, I have been browsing without worrying about dumb spyware and virus' for almost a year now. I'll never go back.

Z

 

[Heb1228]

Plus, I get the iPod free (after rebate, of course)...

I don't know much about Macs - is the switch going to be difficult? And as far as viruses and RAM and whatnot, does anyone have any tips?

The iPod is a great deal. You don't have to worry about viruses, there are zero for Mac OS X. And I would recommend upgrading to 1GB of RAM if possible, I feel like thats the bare minimum for using OS X at this point. Use the money you save on not having to buy virus software.

And buy good memory from somewhere like www.datamem.com or the Crucial link at the top of the page.

And congrats on the decision. You won't regret it!