Macbook or Laptop

[Blueprint]

Hey

I'm after a macbook/laptop (should be buying it next month unless there’s a good reason not to) and just wanted to know which out of the two you guys would go for? Is it worth paying that little extra to be apart of the mac world or would I be better sticking with PC?

Also out of apples current choice of macbooks which one would you go for and would you make any changes to the specs or would you hold tight to see what’s on the horizon (OS X leopard)?

I’m looking to budget about £1000 to this and the laptop will be used for photo editing primarily – I have access to PS CS2 for PC and PS CS3 for Mac so I’m happy enough to go PC or Mac,

So what would you guys do?

/Blue

 

[0007776]

I would sugest either the black one or the top white Macbook. Personally I think that it is worth the extra to get a Mac, and if you later decide that you would rather use Windows, you can just use Windows on the Mac.

 

[kikobarbada]

For sure the Macbook. Better OS and specs on a long-time basis.
I would advice you to buy the White Macbook 2.16ghz 2gb ram and 160hd 5400rpm, which is the best specs for a Macbook and is only 989 pounds and ships in 3 days through Apple Store UK. You will also have the chance of running CS3, which is way better for Mac than Windows (better graphics and faster). Finally, if you are a student buy through the Student Store.

Trust, the Macbook is the right choice for you and for almost all customers.

For 1000 pounds, you can get a vaio laptop with the same specs, but same specs on Windows is less performance, viruses, and Windows OS (yuck!).

Kiko.

 

[Igantius]

To the OP - there's a long, fairly recent thread about the HE Store that would be of interest if you qualify.

I would advice you to buy the White Macbook 2.16ghz 2gb ram and 160hd 5400rpm, which is the best specs for a Macbook and is only 989 pounds and ships in 3 days through Apple Store UK.

If the OP gets the standard 2.16GHz configuration, shipping time is 24 hours and - probably more importantly - it's a fair bit cheaper if he installs third-party RAM and hard drive. I don't think many people here would recommend having Apple install the extra RAM.

Plus if he installs a larger drive himself, he can get an enclosure and use the smaller one as a pocket drive.

BTW Apple UK might be doing a free iPod deal again this year - if it does, it will probably start next month.

 

[BlackDan]

Personally, if it was for photo-editing as you say, I wouldn't go for a laptop. But since you are gonna buy one, I'd say go for the mac. (what else did you think people on a mac forum would say? )

I'm not sure if it's more expensive to buy the mac (could be, but look at the specs carefully before you decide the Dell or HP is cheaper), but it definitely will give you less of a headache when the next MSN-virus comes along

 

[kumbaya]

Mac all the way!

You'll love all the small little touches that go together to deliver the Mac experience - the small breathing white light that shows the MacBook is sleeping; the MagSafe power adapter that releases itself easily if you happen to snag the power cable; the elegant style, simplicity and integration of the hardware and software - it all just works!

• Price is about the same on similar specified Mac/Windows machines: £1000 will buy you a very nice Machine (the top white MacBook) that will keep you going for a few years
  
• £1000 spent on a Mac will buy you freedom FROM:
  • viruses, spyware, trojans
  • time and effort to set up new software/hardware
  • inevitable and time-wasting degradation of the operating system that is the Windows experience
• it will buy you freedom TO:
  • just get on with what you want to do on your computer
  • enjoy!

You'll be so happy you bought a Mac: the satisfaction and pleasure of running a Mac after struggling and fighting with Windows is incomparable.



PS Macs come with a guarantee, so if you're not happy with your experience within 14 days, just return the machine and get your money back (you pay £20 for shipping the machine back)

 

[kinesin]

If my budget was £1000 this is what I would be doing:

£699 macbook purchased from http://apple.procureweb.ac.uk/ for £600 via the HE discount - Wait till 1st August for a 'possible' free ipod offer, as this was last years start date.
3rd party Ram upgrade to 2GB from crucial £60, maybe selling the original on ebay.
For photo editing get a tablet. Intuos 3: £170-£400 depending on size
I would also tempted to try and get a decent 22"+ monitor & cable.

3 years Applecare is included by purchasing via the HE store.

At a later date, or as funds allow I would upgrade the hard drive; use superduper for a painless swap.
160GB WD passport £70 from amazon (swap the drive over with Macbook's internal, to give 60GB portable drive)

If you require a DVD burner, an external USB LG Dual-layer 3.5" can be had for £25. It's a lot faster and cut out the chance of burning out the laptop's slot loader

You wont notice any speed difference in the real world between the 2.16 & 2.0GHz chips. You will end up with decent working environment, nice speed and a couple of quid for extra that make working on the mac nicers, i.e external speakers.

 

[Igantius]

If my budget was £1000 this is what I would be doing:

Nicely done - very nice advice! In fact, next time I working what to do on a budget, I might just ask you to tell me

Although you get 3-year warrenty thrown in at the HE Store, it's a £58 cost for the uplift to Applecare - whether that's worth doing is a matter of opinion.

 

[Blueprint]

Personally, if it was for photo-editing as you say, I wouldn't go for a laptop. But since you are gonna buy one, I'd say go for the mac. (what else did you think people on a mac forum would say? )

I'm not sure if it's more expensive to buy the mac (could be, but look at the specs carefully before you decide the Dell or HP is cheaper), but it definitely will give you less of a headache when the next MSN-virus comes along

Normally I wouldn’t go for a laptop ove a desktop but when my room get decorated next month my mum wants rid of the desk so I don’t have much choice

So I guess the ultimate question is do I buy now or sit tight until OS-X Leopard and see if they offer any more bang for my buck?

I’m not a student so don’t qualify for the HE discounts – Although my brother is so would he be able to order for me? Also how much discount do you get because when he told me the price of the £699 one with discount it was something like £659 not £600

Also my brother (he owns a mac) pointed me in the direction of Alien Ware if I want a laptop, he said I will get more for my money, a bigger screen, a real gfx card although they do use hideous casing, what do you guys think?

/Blue

 

[kinesin]

If your brother has access to the .ac.uk network, i.e is at college or Uni, then you can access the ac.uk apple store where the discount is 14-15%, compared to 8% for normal edu discount

 

[fishkorp]

Also my brother (he owns a mac) pointed me in the direction of Alien Ware if I want a laptop, he said I will get more for my money, a bigger screen, a real gfx card although they do use hideous casing, what do you guys think?

/Blue

Alien Ware is Dell, Dell bought them about a year or so ago. if you want a Dell, then sure, get an Alien Ware.

 

[Blueprint]

Alien Ware is Dell, Dell bought them about a year or so ago. if you want a Dell, then sure, get an Alien Ware.

Yeah i know Dell own Alien Ware but are they really worth getting over a macbook, simply are they better??

If your brother has access to the .ac.uk network, i.e is at college or Uni, then you can access the ac.uk apple store where the discount is 14-15%, compared to 8% for normal edu discount

To access the .ac.uk site he would need to do it from the Universities network correct? Because if so then i will have to wait until September 29th when he returns to uni and since September 29th is soooooo close to OS-X Leopard then i would probably be best waiting for that yeah?

 

[seany916]

Just get the low end MBP. The MB is not as reliable (don't flame, just a personal opinion based on the people I know) and the MBP is just a nicer, better made, more capable computer (for MY purposes).

It's only a few hundred more, but you're keeping this thing for about 3 years, right?

Get the MBP. You asked for advice.

Now follow it.

If not, After a year and a half with your little toy MB, please longingly gaze at the MBPs around you.

 

[Blueprint]

Just get the low end MBP. The MB is not as reliable (don't flame, just a personal opinion based on the people I know) and the MBP is just a nicer, better made, more capable computer (for MY purposes).

It's only a few hundred more, but you're keeping this thing for about 3 years, right?

Get the MBP. You asked for advice.

Now follow it.

If not, After a year and a half with your little toy MB, please longingly gaze at the MBPs around you.

The only thing that puts me off the MBP is its capability to fry an egg.... and that hideous aluminum case =/

 

[flopticalcube]

The MacBook has better WiFi reception due to the plastic casing. If you are playing any video games or using any 3D software, however, you should get the MacBook Pro or a PC laptop with a dedicated video card.

 

[2hondas]

Just get the low end MBP. The MB is not as reliable (don't flame, just a personal opinion based on the people I know)

Well most threads I see are about problems with the MBP...

 

[ClassicBean]

Get a Commodore 64 and a dot matrix printer.

 

[JFreak]

Just get the low end MBP.

I 2nd that!
Currently that is the best value for your money.

Get a Commodore 64 and a dot matrix printer.

Ahh, those were the days. I still have those in storage, but I think that the software does not run anymore because the media (magnetic tape and 360kB floppies) can die in two decades

most threads I see are about problems with the MBP...

I for one got a perfect unit. You do realize that success stories do not often get posted, don't you...

 

[djstarrock]

Just get the low end MBP. The MB is not as reliable (don't flame, just a personal opinion based on the people I know) and the MBP is just a nicer, better made, more capable computer (for MY purposes).

It's only a few hundred more, but you're keeping this thing for about 3 years, right?

Get the MBP. You asked for advice.

Now follow it.

If not, After a year and a half with your little toy MB, please longingly gaze at the MBPs around you.

If he got a low end MBP instead of mid-range MB with 2GB ram that would be £360 difference also a MB could last 3 years.

 

[Blueprint]

I think I'm just going to sit tight for a few months because I’m in no rush to buy one - do they offer anything special at Christmas or is the ipod offer for students in August the only one they do?

 

[elppa]

Most people on here are biased, me too.

What I will say is if you are perfectly happy with Windows then by all means stick with it.

However, if you are thinking about a Mac then try before you buy. Find out about any differences and see what you do or don't like.

 

[mkgm1]

It's unlikely that there will be any back-to-school type offers (i.e. free 4 GB iPod nano) around the Christmas period. I'd say wait for Leopard (should be out by the end of October), and get a low end MBP with your brother's Higher Education discount. The 3 year warranty really will be of great benefit.

If you can't wait, then go for a Macbook, and buy extra RAM for it from Crucial/eBay/ebuyer etc.

Oh, and if your brother has already got a place at uni, you won't have to wait until September 29th - he can phone Apple up/go to an Apple store with his student ID and some kind of letter from his uni confirming his place, and then they'll give him the full HE 14-15% discount.

 

[Blueprint]

It's unlikely that there will be any back-to-school type offers (i.e. free 4 GB iPod nano) around the Christmas period. I'd say wait for Leopard (should be out by the end of October), and get a low end MBP with your brother's Higher Education discount. The 3 year warranty really will be of great benefit.

If you can't wait, then go for a Macbook, and buy extra RAM for it from Crucial/eBay/ebuyer etc.

Oh, and if your brother has already got a place at uni, you won't have to wait until September 29th - he can phone Apple up/go to an Apple store with his student ID and some kind of letter from his uni confirming his place, and then they'll give him the full HE 14-15% discount.

Is it hard to install the ram yourself?

 

[mkgm1]

That depends - are you someone who struggles to operate screwdrivers?

Seriously, switching ram in modern laptops is dead straightforward. There are a number of guides all over the internet that'll help you do it. Just make sure you're careful about it i.e. don't lose any screws etc.

 

[flopticalcube]

I think I'm just going to sit tight for a few months because I’m in no rush to buy one - do they offer anything special at Christmas or is the ipod offer for students in August the only one they do?

They have a one day sale on Black Friday (day after American Thanksgiving) where you save 5-10% on Macs and accessories.