MacBook for an engineer?

[Sesshi]

1. how is the heat on the Macbook? My current Fujitsu tablet overheats like none other, I hate it. I'm talking about just regular use (iTunes, Firefox, Word, all at once)

Not too bad. Unless you're running virtualisation, etc.

2. I do do some basic gaming in Sims - I'm assuming something basic like Sims will run on the MB without hosing it?

I can't answer that. But I've tried playing 2-year-old games on 8400M/9400M and found it barely playable.

3. How difficult is Parallels to use and install programs on? Some of my engineering programs are downloaded online and need a license.txt file saved, so I'm wondering if it'll be a hassle or not.

Very simple to install. Virtualisation is not a panacea though, and intensive computational needs will make the machine wind up much more than a dual boot scenario. Boot Camp is also not a 100% Windows compatible environment so be prepared to see more BSOD's than you would on a 'genuine' PC.

4. Typical battery life? (using wifi, basics such as iTunes, Word, etc)

3.5 hours. Not class leading by a long way, but not terrible. I wonder where people fish 5 hours out from. Oh yeah, Apple marketing. Because everyone believes that, right?

5. Speaking of Word, does anyone use Office for Mac? Group work involves a lot of use of Word, Excel, Powerpoint, so I'm not sure the compatibility of all of that without Office (I can buy it for $10 through my school, so no biggie to get it, at all)

I have it installed on all my Macs, but Office for Mac pales in comparison to Windows versions especially if you actually do more than slightly scratch the Office featureset. Excel in particular is useless to me. As light-use programs I prefer the iWork suite, but for actually documenting, numerical work, etc I need Office - and not the Mac version.

6. I know technology ages and it won't be top-line in, well, a year, but is 3-5 years of use an acceptable expectation for a MacBook? I figure somewhere in that timeframe I'll have my own income and will itch to get a new one, but just in case the economy totally tanks...

How many years did you get out of the PC? It's the same time. There's no magical lief extension with a Mac - if you outgrew your old PC in 3 years, the chances are that you will outgrow the Mac in another 3. The only major difference is if you actually don't know how to choose the best machine for you: In which case, Apple's severely limited lineup effectively forces you to overbuy in most cases, thus curtailing what the vast majority of people who don't know anything about computers do, which is to buy something which is too cheap when given the choice. The overbuying can be thought of a life extension for people who aren't capable of making an informed choice.

7. Any engineers out there using a Mac system to do their work on?

No. I use reliable machines - currently notebook wise, the Sony SZ700-series and the Dell Precision M6400 Covet runs some of my analytical suites, visualisation and design.

8. Any other tips, advice, random info?

Nothing in general from me.

 

[ruZZ.il]

No. I use reliable machines - currently notebook wise, the Sony SZ700-series and the Dell Precision M6400 Covet runs some of my analytical suites, visualisation and design.

I find my MBP VERY reliable.

Also, someone said bootcamp is less stable than on a normal PC.. maybe.. though I find virtualization MORE stable than on a normal PC

Re: matlab for mac. I find it runs fine. it's basically the UNIX version slightly modified. it runs on x-windows. if you look for it, you can find it, if you're so inclined..

 

[frogger2020]

I was in a similar situation as you. I bought a MBP and am running boot camp or VMWare to run the Windows software, such as Labview. It runs fairly well, but there are a few inconvenient things such as the differences between the full windows keyboard and the apple laptop keyboard. Not having a backspace key is annoying as is not having a number pad, but that is the trade off between a laptop and desktop.

Once you get used to it, it should work out fine for you since the current MBP have enough power to run most software including games.

 

[easy-mac]

Hey,

Office:mac isn't bad. If you can have it for 10 bucks, go ahead; but don't except much for it. Word runs OK, as it's not that much compatible with the Windows version (one obvious flaw : no math equation, duh !) So, it's great to have Office and Excel around, for basic compatibility with everybody, but I mostly use Pages. But, with your college, you basically can have Office for Windows for free, so I would install on both OS.

Word for Mac does have an equation editor, I know this well, I wrote my ME Master's thesis with over 300 equations on my MBP with MS Word.

Insert-->Object...-->Microsoft Equation
or open the Finder and go to:
Applications-->Microsoft Office 2008-->Office-->Equation Editor

But to the OP, the Macbook will be great for you as many have said. I use MathCad in VMware Fusion on the MBP in my signature and it runs great, just make sure if you're going to run a lot of virtualization to upgrade your RAM to 4GB, it'll help a lot!

 

[ritzuk]

Not too bad. Unless you're running virtualisation, etc.


I can't answer that. But I've tried playing 2-year-old games on 8400M/9400M and found it barely playable.


Very simple to install. Virtualisation is not a panacea though, and intensive computational needs will make the machine wind up much more than a dual boot scenario. Boot Camp is also not a 100% Windows compatible environment so be prepared to see more BSOD's than you would on a 'genuine' PC.


3.5 hours. Not class leading by a long way, but not terrible. I wonder where people fish 5 hours out from. Oh yeah, Apple marketing. Because everyone believes that, right?


I have it installed on all my Macs, but Office for Mac pales in comparison to Windows versions especially if you actually do more than slightly scratch the Office featureset. Excel in particular is useless to me. As light-use programs I prefer the iWork suite, but for actually documenting, numerical work, etc I need Office - and not the Mac version.


How many years did you get out of the PC? It's the same time. There's no magical lief extension with a Mac - if you outgrew your old PC in 3 years, the chances are that you will outgrow the Mac in another 3. The only major difference is if you actually don't know how to choose the best machine for you: In which case, Apple's severely limited lineup effectively forces you to overbuy in most cases, thus curtailing what the vast majority of people who don't know anything about computers do, which is to buy something which is too cheap when given the choice. The overbuying can be thought of a life extension for people who aren't capable of making an informed choice.


No. I use reliable machines - currently notebook wise, the Sony SZ700-series and the Dell Precision M6400 Covet runs some of my analytical suites, visualisation and design.


Nothing in general from me.

Sounds like a lot of Mac hate! There's nothing wrong with PCs, but I think most people here will agree they prefer the Mac - it is MacRumors after all!

 

[wahoo10]

Thanks everyone. It sounds like a MB with 4GB RAM will do me just fine in terms of what I need for school. Now my issue is whether I want a 13" or 15" and the extras of the MBP. Through my school, the MBP is only $100 more. So, now I'm wondering if the MBP is worth the extra screen space (I'd still get the 2.4, 250-HD) or not. The 13" seems like it would be more portable (biggest issue), and I don't need the firewire or anything like that. But, the screen real estate might be nice in a year when I'm out of college, and plenty of people carry their 15" around with them it seems like. I have a standard Jansport backpack (I use a sleeve for my laptop) and the 15" would be thinner then my current tablet. Gaaahhhh I don't know Buying a computer is worse than buying clothes.

 

[MuDPHuDStudent]

I have the 13 inch macbook, and I think the size is great for portability. On the other hand, I'm considering buying a 22 inch monitor for when I'm at my apartment so that I can have more screen real estate from time to time. The macbook pro weighs a pound more than the macbook and is larger, which makes it a little less portable. Two pros for the pro, however, are the fact that the viewing angles and contrast ratios of the screen in the pro are better, and that the pro has a dedicated graphics card. I find the screen very usable in the macbook, but the viewing angles of the blacks could be better (it's not the best screen to watch movies on if there are a lot of dark scenes). The graphics card in the macbook is good enough to handle some older games (I don't really have time for games, but my macbook plays Call of Duty 4 pretty well), but the pro's graphics card is better. Then again, if you're into heavy gaming, a laptop is not your gaming platform of choice. And, powering that bigger screen in the pro and using its dedicated graphics card will shorten your battery life. This is just a bit more to think about.

I'm happy with the macbook, but if the pro were only $100 more when I bought my macbook, I probably would have gone with the pro because of the better screen and graphics card (I honestly couldn't care less about firewire) even at the expense of battery life and weight.

 

[wahoo10]

So I just double checked the promo the Apple Campus Store here is having, and I can get a 2.5GHz, 250GB HD, and 2GB RAM (will be upgraded later on probably, not a biggie) for $1599. The 2.4 MB is $1499 (student discount) with the same HD/RAM. $100 is nothing when making this big of a purchase, and with only a year left in school, I can get by taking a 15" to class. I really only take it to a few classes because most of my classes are writing, not typing (one can only type in equations so fast, and it doesn't look the same). I think I liked the 12" aspect of the tablet because I tried to use the tablet in class and so portability was key, and that's why I'm all against 15". I just think that in a year when I graduate, a 13" is going to be too small. I have an external 19" monitor at my apartment, but barely use it because I like to work on a couch in my living room or in my kitchen. Also, I often work in study lounges on campus, and the screen space might be nice. Plus, the screen is so much nicer, and I do watch DVDs/internet shows on my current laptop a lot. I have a widescreen Samsung 32"(?) at home that I can hook VGA/HDMI up to though, but this laptop doesn't support widescreen, so it's a loss.
One important note: I don't hardcore game. I stick to Sims/2/3 (can't wait! haha), arcade/card game packs, and that's about it. I like to mess around with graphics, but it's mostly small designs for projects, or editing pictures. I don't edit music much, nor do I do much with video. The extra graphics card really isn't a big deal to me, and I wouldn't be using it much while on battery only, so it eating into my battery life isn't a factor. So, the $100 bucks is really going to get me a bigger, better screen, and a faster processor.
Once again, ugh.

 

[Sesshi]

Sounds like a lot of Mac hate! There's nothing wrong with PCs, but I think most people here will agree they prefer the Mac - it is MacRumors after all!

I'd raise a question as to where the 'hate' is. It's simply the nonplussed experience of someone used to better but who nevertheless needs a supported OS X platform, the 'hate' of which may be highlighted by the opinions around the post in question of blind advocacy irrespective of realities. That, and I am, among other things, involved in engineering.

But then - if you come here, you're really 90% leaning to get one. I think I was as factual as possible to be honest.

 

[MuDPHuDStudent]

So I just double checked the promo the Apple Campus Store here is having, and I can get a 2.5GHz, 250GB HD, and 2GB RAM (will be upgraded later on probably, not a biggie) for $1599.

That is really cheap. Make sure that it's the current (unibody) macbook pro and not a previous generation. If it's a previous generation MBP, definitely go for the macbook.

 

[oscillatewildly]

wahoo10,

Are you sure the MBP on offer is the new MBP? Not that the previous MBP is bad, just you may want to look into the differences before purchase.

Cheers,
OW

 

[Trix]

Another Engineering student (mechanical)

For me I'm going to start college with a 2.8GHz MBP, 4GB, 320 @ 7,200 etc. That puppy is gonna have to last cuz its all I can do to afford it right off the bat. 4 years is expected.

 

[wahoo10]

Sorry, it is the old revision. Good catch. It's actually $300 more for a 15". I can get a refurb for $1699 though, which I've been considering because you're less likely to get a lemon (am I right? It seems like not a bad way to go). Grr. I'm starting to really lean towards the 15" because it'd still be portable, and the extra screen space will probably be good for the type of work I do. The longest walk I have is 10-15min anyways, and there are plenty of stylish bags out there for when I leave college.

 

[ritzuk]

I'd raise a question as to where the 'hate' is. It's simply the nonplussed experience of someone used to better but who nevertheless needs a supported OS X platform, the 'hate' of which may be highlighted by the opinions around the post in question of blind advocacy irrespective of realities. That, and I am, among other things, involved in engineering.

But then - if you come here, you're really 90% leaning to get one. I think I was as factual as possible to be honest.

I was referring to the negativity of your post. If your 'nonplussed experience of someone used to better' was to be considered impartial as well as factual, it'd be better to make sure it was unbiased.

Point number 7 - 'I use machines that are reliable'.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2326607,00.asp

According to reader surveys (sure, it's only a survey) but Apple was rated the most reliable notebook producer. Sony did extremely well also, coming third, but what was the point of posting something inaccurate under the modus operandi of truthfulness?

This is where I was accusing your post as being full of Mac hate, because you've proven the old stereotyped attitude towards Apple fan-boys who are, according to Microsoft / Linux lovers, apparently blinded by the light coming from Steve Job's arse.

 

[ruZZ.il]

The extra screen space is a huge difference. I've mentioned it before, but it's one of the main reasons I re-bought the pro. I also sit on the couch a lot, etc. I'm quiet fine with this being the only machine I use. I never hook it up to an external to work on, just for a movie with friends. my lady and I watch everything directly from it. 15" at ~2 feet away is a decent little cinema

 

[Sesshi]

I was referring to the negativity of your post. If your 'nonplussed experience of someone used to better' was to be considered impartial as well as factual, it'd be better to make sure it was unbiased.

Point number 7 - 'I use machines that are reliable'.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2326607,00.asp

According to reader surveys (sure, it's only a survey) but Apple was rated the most reliable notebook producer. Sony did extremely well also, coming third, but what was the point of posting something inaccurate under the modus operandi of truthfulness?

This is where I was accusing your post as being full of Mac hate, because you've proven the old stereotyped attitude towards Apple fan-boys who are, according to Microsoft / Linux lovers, apparently blinded by the light coming from Steve Job's arse.

Perhaps you'd like to tell that to all my MBP's currently outstanding in repair.

That link has nothing to do with Apple's reliability. It simply measures customer satisfaction - for non-paid-for-support, BTW - for repairs. And yes, I can also say that when I have all too often taken my Macs in for repair, it's a very nice experience. However, the difference between my Sony's and my Apples however is that my Sony's hardly ever see the repair shop so I barely have an idea how good or bad the service is. The difference also between an Apple desktop with Applecare and a Dell with uplifted support is that in Dell's case, a nice man doesn't come along with a box, collect it and it takes a week to repair - a man, who may not be as nice, comes onsite and fixes it in 4 hours.

Looking at this kind of post with half-truths and just plain fanboy nonsense is why I have no respect for overblown Apple enthusiasts. They have no real experience to speak of, yet their ego precludes them from admitting otherwise.

 

[Sesshi]

Sorry, it is the old revision. Good catch. It's actually $300 more for a 15". I can get a refurb for $1699 though, which I've been considering because you're less likely to get a lemon (am I right? It seems like not a bad way to go). Grr. I'm starting to really lean towards the 15" because it'd still be portable, and the extra screen space will probably be good for the type of work I do. The longest walk I have is 10-15min anyways, and there are plenty of stylish bags out there for when I leave college.

Getting a refurb needn't be a lemon-free experience. I've had defects turn up as refurb replacements quite often. However you have the same rights as a new machine in terms of getting it repaired or replaced again. It's just a hassle. But then - as my second new Macbook is the latest testament to (it arrived with a minor dent), new ones aren't immune from Apple's dirt-poor QC either.

Personally, I err on the side of portability for a laptop that I'll have about my person on a regular basis. The difference between 2Kg and 2.5Kg is noticeable - but you get a lot more for your 500 grams.