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My realization and probable return to Apple

Chrispy

Chrispy

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Dec 27, 2004
2,270
524
Indiana
So here is the deal... I had a white C2D MacBook a few months back right when they came out. A few months ago I sold it under pressure from my employer to get back on PC. Now, I know I could have installed XP on the MacBook but, for some reason, I decided I really wanted a Lenovo Thinkpad X60 because of its small size and durability. So... I sold the MacBook and got the X60 and have been using it for about a month now. It is a pretty good laptop but it has really made me realize how much better I had it with my MacBook!

The X60 is very small, light and durable BUT, with Vista installed the battery life is less than 3 hours on the standard capacity battery. Also, the system gets burning hot (think Rev A. MB and MBPs haha). Finally, Vista runs fine on my desktop but on the X60 (with 1.5GB Ram), it just does some strange things... won't shut down, apps close randomly, Windows Media Player won't open without ending the process manually via Ctrl+alt+delete and trying again, etc.

All that said, I think I'm going to sell the X60 and make the official return to Apple. I have already convinced my employer to order our graphic designer a MacPro with CS3 and a 24" Dell LCD (trying to stay around $4,000) to replace a very old Mac we have collecting dust around the office. Maybe this will be a step in the right direction for our Marketing department haha.

Now I just have to decide... do I get another white MacBook... do I get the black MacBook or do I just say the hell with it and get the MacBook Pro (are the screens any better these days?). I know the updates are probably due sometime in late June or July, but I'm happy with the C2D as it stands now so I'm not bothered by the updates. It would be nice to have Leopard so I may hold out for another few weeks in hope of hearing something. Hm... what to buy... white, black or silver! :D
 
Well you bought the Thinkpad because it was "small and light" so you could have portability. If you want to keep it like that, get the Macbook, because the Pro is bigger and less portable, although the 15.4'' isn't too bad. I definitely wouldn't get a 17'' for portability.

As for black or white, the white would be 50 bucks cheaper for the same specs, and white just seems more "Apple-ish", so I'd get the white.
 
zioxide said:
If you want to keep it like that, get the Macbook, because the Pro is bigger and less portable, although the 15.4'' isn't too bad.
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I beg to differ about portability on the 15" MBP/PB. Less portable? Give me a break. Are you a mouse?
 
I'm kind of over the portability thing now I think haha. I don't travel as much as I had been awhile back. Now I just use it mostly around the house. I guess I just need to decide how much I want to spend. It is an ugly thought process that leads to spending more money... you think "I like the black MacBook look so maybe I will spend the $1,500".. but then you think "if I'm gonna spend $1,500 then maybe I should just spend the $500 and go all out". So bad haha!
 
Chrispy said:
I'm kind of over the portability thing now I think haha. I don't travel as much as I had been awhile back. Now I just use it mostly around the house. I guess I just need to decide how much I want to spend. It is an ugly thought process that leads to spending more money... you think "I like the black MacBook look so maybe I will spend the $1,500".. but then you think "if I'm gonna spend $1,500 then maybe I should just spend the $500 and go all out". So bad haha!
Click to expand...

well if you can afford it......i'd get the silver!
 
Chrispy said:
You are a bad influence ;)
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Yes and get the 17" MBP. With the right bag you'll never notice it's there! I don't. I'm not sure why people say it's not portable. I say it's as portable as the Pismo I used to own...

Nuc
 
Get the white model and upgade the memory to 2 gigs that will give your macbook a long life cycle. Truthfully if i had the money i wouldn't have gotten the macbook , i would have gotten the macbook pro 15.4, the finish looks super modern and its simply a sweet machine, not taking anything away from macbooks of course.
 
thugpoet22 said:
...i would have gotten the macbook pro 15.4, the finish looks super modern and its simply a sweet machine, not taking anything away from macbooks of course.
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of all the things i would use to describe the macbook pro, "super modern" is not one of them. the design's been around for 6 years, and it just looks plain stale to me. i'd get a black macbook, because i think they're really great machines. and it looks fresher than the macbook pro and even the white macbook.
 
Have the screens on the MBP improved since the first shipping C2D models? I had a C2D MacBook Pro back in early November and it had a really bad backlighting issue. I had a replacement sent that had the same issue. If those problems were corrected I would be very tempted to hit up a MBP.
 
So... you tried one not-that-inspired 'ultraportable' (with more compromises than I'd consider) and you've decided to go back to the distinctly average Macbook?

http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=2965&review=XPS+M1210+Review

Incidentally the base model of the M1210 is apparently a slightly reengineered Samsung Q35 (and one of the reasons Samsung/Dell have a deal that Samsung doesn't sell laptops in the US), which goes for an hour longer than the Macbook and weighs a pound less. The better models add discrete GPU's etc. Not as pretty as the MB of course but you have more options.

If you don't mind the GMA950 and you want a fully featured notebook which is truly portable there are a whole host of Windows-based options notably superior to the Macbook. The Panasonic Y5 (dual core) and W5 (solo) for example.
 
Maybe your IBM has a bad install and just needs a reinstall. Windows doesn't normally act like that, and if yours does then you just got unlucky. You could probably return it under warranty for them to fix it. These things happen, it's not always MS's fault.
 
DigitalAx said:
Behold, 5.5kgs.
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acer20inchlaptop.jpg


xpsm2010.jpg


Hay guys, how's it going?

​
 
He probably meant in a 15"? The MBP is actually in the middle of the road weightwise. There is lighter, and there is heavier - but it's not a standout and there are Windows laptops with similar power / viewable area which weigh less - in some cases, noticeably less.

For a fully portable machine, I don't want to carry either MBP or the MB, both do weigh quite a lot for something which is supposed to be portable. The weight difference between a Macbook / Pro and my Sony SZ (3.75lbs vs 5.6/5.2lbs) or G11 (2.5lbs, albeit with a core, a gigahertz and a few hundred pixels missing horizontally but with an ~8-hour battery life) is noticeable in a bag. Apple in fact has no answer for either machine.
 
I do actually hope to see Apple come up with a "Pro" ultraportable machine. No matter how we fanboys try to justify it, let's just face it, weight wise Apple is far from being cutting edge.
 
TBi said:
Maybe your IBM has a bad install and just needs a reinstall. Windows doesn't normally act like that, and if yours does then you just got unlucky. You could probably return it under warranty for them to fix it. These things happen, it's not always MS's fault.
Click to expand...

I tried a re-install but the problems continue with the X60. I think I may just go back to XP if I decide to keep it. My battery life and heat issues were not as bad under XP vs. running Vista. I don't think Vista is a bad OS at all as it runs like a champ on my desktop Core 2 Duo machine. If it does keep acting strange even under XP then I will send it in for repair before ever considering selling it to someone else.
 
I dont know if you need the mac "now" but I would wait until MacBook Refreshes that are somewhere around the corner. If it is based off the santa rosa platform, then it is worth the wait. Faster FSB, Newer Chipset, Faster memory, and better integrated GPU. All worth the wait.

Then, I would get the White, Santa Rosa, Maxed out MacBook. :D :apple:
 
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