Macbook Pro Questions

[MarkieMark]

Hello everyone!!

I'm new here, but I've been hanging around reading for quiet some time. I've read so many Mac vs Windows debates and I'm still extremely confused about what to get. I am in know way trying to start a Mac vs Windows debate. I'm an avid Windows fan (all of my laptops dating back to Windows 95) as well as an apple fan (Iphone, Ipod, Ipad)

I'm a college student majoring in Network and Communication Management. I want a laptop to last me through college and hopefully longer. I'm not much of a gamer anymore, but I will load a few older games and mess around when I can. I love the battery life and I'm not going to lie nothing comes close to apples design of the mbp. As far as I know I can boot Windows on a separate partition and run both. Will I be able to do everything with Windows on my mbp as I can do with my laptop?

I have the money and I'm going to get a new laptop in the next for weeks no matter what, but I'm hesitant right now because CS and IT majors say that my field only uses Windows based machines and I'm better off with a Windows laptop so i'm not in the middle of two OS'. Just looking for a few more opinions from you guys about this. I chose to make this post here because I see a lot of you guys use both OS' on your mbp.

Thanks Guys!

 

[heisenberg123]

Hello everyone!!

I'm new here, but I've been hanging around reading for quiet some time. I've read so many Mac vs Windows debates and I'm still extremely confused about what to get. I am in know way trying to start a Mac vs Windows debate. I'm an avid Windows fan (all of my laptops dating back to Windows 95) as well as an apple fan (Iphone, Ipod, Ipad)

I'm a college student majoring in Network and Communication Management. I want a laptop to last me through college and hopefully longer. I'm not much of a gamer anymore, but I will load a few older games and mess around when I can. I love the battery life and I'm not going to lie nothing comes close to apples design of the mbp. As far as I know I can boot Windows on a separate partition and run both. Will I be able to do everything with Windows on my mbp as I can do with my laptop?

I have the money and I'm going to get a new laptop in the next for weeks no matter what, but I'm hesitant right now because CS and IT majors say that my field only uses Windows based machines and I'm better off with a Windows laptop so i'm not in the middle of two OS'. Just looking for a few more opinions from you guys about this. I chose to make this post here because I see a lot of you guys use both OS' on your mbp.

Thanks Guys!

someone can correct me if im wrong but as long as your hardware meets your needs for windows software you can run anything for windows on a bootcamp partition

 

[Mojo1]

Get A Mac...

... and run Windows via Bootcamp or virtualization software. No Problemo! You get the Mac OS and the ability to run Windows on the same computer.

I have a client running Windows 7 via VMWare Fusion on a Mac Mini. She is running a variety of demanding Windows medical software and in ten months has not had any problems. If she can do it, so can you.

If you use virtualization software the integration between the two operating systems is seamless and using hardware such as printers is a snap. The only problem that I encountered was with the default Windows 7 security settings, which prevented the installation of an electronic medical records program. Disabling the particular setting cured the problem...

I would upgrade the RAM to 8GB via an online retailer such as Other World Computing. The upgrade is pretty much mandatory if you plan on running virtualization software, since the virtual PC lives in the Mac's RAM.

 

[thundersteele]

you can use the Macbook Pro like any other windows laptop. Just buy a copy of win7, make a partition for it and install it there. You don't ever have to use OSX after that if you don't want to.

 

[IllIllIll]

If you plan to run Windows most of the time on a MBP your battery life will not be anywhere close to what it would be running OSX.

 

[snaky69]

If you plan to run Windows most of the time on a MBP your battery life will not be anywhere close to what it would be running OSX.

This.

Power management in windows blows, hard.

 

[IllIllIll]

This.

Power management running windows ON A MAC blows, hard.

Fixed that for you.

 

[snaky69]

Fixed that for you.

It is(in my personal experience) just as bad on windows PCs. Since windows is installed on a much broader array of hardware, it simply cannot be optimized for all those different configurations. That's why a lot of manufacturer have to bundle power management software with their OEM windows install for the computers to get anything like decent battery life.

Mind you I have not shopped for a PC laptop in quite a while, and this may have changed.

 

[MagicBoy]

It's better on a "proper" Windows machine.

My old work ThinkPad C2D ran the same capacity battery as my MB. It gets 3hrs plus in Windows 7 with the default windows settings. My MB dies in 90 minutes, yet it regularly gets 3hrs+ in OS X.

The Lenovo power management software on the latest Thinkpads improves it further. I regularly get 5 hrs of daily work use from an T420 i5 on the standard battery. There's numerous options for tweaking the settings and it'll give an instantaneous readout of how much power it's using.

 

[MarkieMark]

Thanks for all the quick replies!

I think after all my research and hearing from various boards and people...I'm going to stick with getting a mbp. If I can run Windows and OSX why not get one. Now I have to figure out a 13 or 15 argghh...I think I'll go with a 15 because it's basically my desktop replacement and I rarely ever travel with it. I'd love to have a mbp and a mba. haha my wildest dream!!

 

[nateo200]

Fixed that for you.

My mileage may vary but I seam to end up with 2.5hours of battery life on every windows laptop I've ever owned/used...And that's not even with intensive applications open. There's allot of things I like about windows, yet there are so many things windows just doesn't "get". I would say power management is definitely on that list.

This.

Power management in windows blows, hard.

Gonna agree here.

 

[Mojo1]

Thanks for all the quick replies!

I think after all my research and hearing from various boards and people...I'm going to stick with getting a mbp. If I can run Windows and OSX why not get one. Now I have to figure out a 13 or 15 argghh...I think I'll go with a 15 because it's basically my desktop replacement and I rarely ever travel with it. I'd love to have a mbp and a mba. haha my wildest dream!!

I own both 13" and 15" MacBook Pros and I suggest getting a 13" MBP because it is the sweet spot when it comes to portable Macs, not to mention being less expensive.

My only complaint with the 13" MBP is the lack of a BTO option for an anti-glare matte display. I solved it by getting the excellent Power Support anti-glare film for $35. I compared it to my matte 15" and they are almost identical in appearance. Another option is a $200 matte display from Tech Restore. The price includes installation of a new display and free return shipping.

I recommend using some of the money that you save by getting a 13" to invest in a good 24" external display. Here is my top pick: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...0WUXi2_BK_24_Widescreen.html#pr-header-629071 Add it your cart and see the actual price of $635. Less expensive alternatives are available if you don't require the higher quality display.

Good deals can be found on previous-generation MBPs. The base model 13" MBP has been available on the Apple refurbs store for $929. New base models are available for around $1000. The new models aren't worth the extra cost unless a 100MHz speed-bump and larger drive are worth an additional $300 to you.