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Should I buy a Macbook Pro?

I

iPhonelover2010

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 30, 2010
61
0
Hello, I'm thinking about buying a 13 inch Macbook Pro. I've been a PC user all my life, but I think its time to switch over to Mac. I've been using a Dell Inspiron 1545 for a year now and its the crappiest computer ever. Its just a rectangular box with a crazy trackpad; the mouse goes berserk and isn't even smooth. The cursor jumps back in the middle of typing a document. I'm sick of these problems! :mad: I'm starting med school soon and need a reliable machine to do my work, and am really looking into buying a Mac (yes, I checked out the threads in the Mac Guide sections). Is this a suitable choice for me? Will this last me a good 4-5 years? I'm new to Mac (the only experience I've had with Apple is the iPhone, and as you can tell from my username, I'm quite happy with it :D My brother has a Macbook Pro; I haven't had a chance to really get to know my way around the computer but from the few times that I have used it, it seemed pretty nice). Thanks in advance! :)
 
iPhonelover2010 said:
Hello, I'm thinking about buying a 13 inch Macbook Pro. I've been a PC user all my life, but I think its time to switch over to Mac. I've been using a Dell Inspiron 1545 for a year now and its the crappiest computer ever. Its just a rectangular box with a crazy trackpad; the mouse goes berserk and isn't even smooth. The cursor jumps back in the middle of typing a document. I'm sick of these problems! :mad: I'm starting med school soon and need a reliable machine to do my work, and am really looking into buying a Mac (yes, I checked out the threads in the Mac Guide sections). Is this a suitable choice for me? Will this last me a good 4-5 years? I'm new to Mac (the only experience I've had with Apple is the iPhone, and as you can tell from my username, I'm quite happy with it :D My brother has a Macbook Pro; I haven't had a chance to really get to know my way around the computer but from the few times that I have used it, it seemed pretty nice). Thanks in advance! :)
Click to expand...

Yes you should. Back to school promotion is a great time to get a Mac.

I'm sure you'll love you Mac as much as your iPhone.

Who knows how long the machine will last for? If you're worry, buy the AppleCare
 
henry72 said:
Yes you should. Back to school promotion is a great time to get a Mac.

I'm sure you'll love you Mac as much as your iPhone.

Who knows how long the machine will last for? If you're worry, buy the AppleCare
Click to expand...

it depends. you can't just buy a mac just because you hate your dell it would be for the wrong reason. there are a lot of factors that you have to put in before buying a mac. What is your major for school?, what is the primary use for the computer (besides school as your explained), will you be playing games?, do you like to migrate to a different OS then windows?, and most importantly of all your budget. there are a lot of mac fans that will tell you to get a mac no matter what you tell them even if you have a $200 budget (you need to watch out for people like that).

Now don't get me wrong macs are one of the best computers out there and Apple has the best support in the computing industry and high customer satisfaction. They might not be the most powerful computers in the world but can do most of the task you tell it to do with no or little problem.

But there are some downsides to a mac. such as the gaming aspect of it. yes macs can play huge title games such as Blizzard, EA, and Source but not much of the others. plus with macs limited power do to having the right drivers for everything really restricts how intesive your gaming can be. And a lot of mac fans will say boot camp is the almighty answer to your gaming needs when it is not. if the computer dosn't meet the specks it dosn't me the specks no matter what OS your in watch of that or it will be a terrible experiance. The base macbook pro only has a 320m gpu and the highest one only has the mid range 330m gt which tends to be very restrictive. also Macs tend to have more of a limited upgradablility do to small enclosures unless your super rich to afford a mac pro. there is the ram and the hard drive you can upgrade but that is it. Also one that tends to be a major problem is cost. the base macbook is over $1000 and the base mac mini is $700. so don't go walking into a apple store thinking your going to buy a mac with $500 bucks, even on ebay macbooks with a C2D go for $600 plus.


so if gaming, budget, and if you don't like to tinker with your computer a mac should be the best computer out there for you. but pcs are fine also. i recomend if you do want to stay pc try lenovo or asus, they are very good companies that don't sell you crap even Asus makes some of the parts in the macbook pro though it is mostly Foxconn.

I am getting a macbook pro by the end of this week and its going to be a macbook pro 15" i7. that goes for around $2100 with the student discount and with tax added in but it is WELL WORTH IT. and the funny thing it is going to be a computer that i will port some games to the mac platform lol but porting isn't that much of a demanding job also the mac gaming industry is getting hot, i might be limited to how graphical intensive i can make em but i could at least make it look decent on a 320m.

good luck on your research and hope you come out mac anyway :D
 
Gamedevpro said:
it depends. you can't just buy a mac just because you hate your dell it would be for the wrong reason. there are a lot of factors that you have to put in before buying a mac. What is your major for school?, what is the primary use for the computer (besides school as your explained), will you be playing games?, do you like to migrate to a different OS then windows?, and most importantly of all your budget. there are a lot of mac fans that will tell you to get a mac no matter what you tell them even if you have a $200 budget (you need to watch out for people like that).

Now don't get me wrong macs are one of the best computers out there and Apple has the best support in the computing industry and high customer satisfaction. They might not be the most powerful computers in the world but can do most of the task you tell it to do with no or little problem.

But there are some downsides to a mac. such as the gaming aspect of it. yes macs can play huge title games such as Blizzard, EA, and Source but not much of the others. plus with macs limited power do to having the right drivers for everything really restricts how intesive your gaming can be. And a lot of mac fans will say boot camp is the almighty answer to your gaming needs when it is not. if the computer dosn't meet the specks it dosn't me the specks no matter what OS your in watch of that or it will be a terrible experiance. The base macbook pro only has a 320m gpu and the highest one only has the mid range 330m gt which tends to be very restrictive. also Macs tend to have more of a limited upgradablility do to small enclosures unless your super rich to afford a mac pro. there is the ram and the hard drive you can upgrade but that is it. Also one that tends to be a major problem is cost. the base macbook is over $1000 and the base mac mini is $700. so don't go walking into a apple store thinking your going to buy a mac with $500 bucks, even on ebay macbooks with a C2D go for $600 plus.


so if gaming, budget, and if you don't like to tinker with your computer a mac should be the best computer out there for you. but pcs are fine also. i recomend if you do want to stay pc try lenovo or asus, they are very good companies that don't sell you crap even Asus makes some of the parts in the macbook pro though it is mostly Foxconn.

I am getting a macbook pro by the end of this week and its going to be a macbook pro 15" i7. that goes for around $2100 with the student discount and with tax added in but it is WELL WORTH IT. and the funny thing it is going to be a computer that i will port some games to the mac platform lol but porting isn't that much of a demanding job also the mac gaming industry is getting hot, i might be limited to how graphical intensive i can make em but i could at least make it look decent on a 320m.

good luck on your research and hope you come out mac anyway :D
Click to expand...

Thanks for the response everyone. I'll be using the computer for med school, so I'll need it for notes, ppts, videos, etc. I will also be using it for entertainment (music, movies, etc). Lol, no games whatsoever. And yes, the price does seem to be quite up there but if its as reliable as it seems to be, then I can dish out the money for it! I had an IBM thinkpad before the Dell and that was even worse than the latter. I also wouldn't mind switching to another OS system.
 
iPhonelover2010 said:
Thanks for the response everyone. I'll be using the computer for med school, so I'll need it for notes, ppts, videos, etc. I will also be using it for entertainment (music, movies, etc). Lol, no games whatsoever. And yes, the price does seem to be quite up there but if its as reliable as it seems to be, then I can dish out the money for it! I had an IBM thinkpad before the Dell and that was even worse than the latter. I also wouldn't mind switching to another OS system.
Click to expand...

As an avid note taker, walk into an Apple Store and do a typing test.

It's like buttuh.

I'm trying to push a friend going through Grad School to cop a 13" MBP so she won't have a headache trying to do the simple things Windows seems to make difficult. I'm a big guy so I have a 17" MBP that's still pretty portable. The 13" will be a godsend to you.

Don't worry about maxing RAM or getting an SSD, trust me, that's for performance hounds who have money to burn. Get the 13", road test it and tell us what you think.
 
I personally suggest you splurge just a little more and get the 15" model.

It is more future proof. If this was still April 2010, I would say go for the 13" model but it is August and the 13" is almost halfway through this cycle.
 
iPhonelover2010 said:
Thanks for the response everyone. I'll be using the computer for med school, so I'll need it for notes, ppts, videos, etc. I will also be using it for entertainment (music, movies, etc). Lol, no games whatsoever. And yes, the price does seem to be quite up there but if its as reliable as it seems to be, then I can dish out the money for it! I had an IBM thinkpad before the Dell and that was even worse than the latter. I also wouldn't mind switching to another OS system.
Click to expand...

Go with the Macbook Pro. I was a PC user up to two years ago and switched to a MBP and wondered why I had not done so sooner! I am a physician and use my MBP for lectures, presentation documents, etc. Macs are so much easier in creating these than any PC. You won't regret it. I do have Office for Mac, but also invested in iWork and I find I am using Pages and Keynote more and more for my lecture work. You still can save your work as Office docs or ppts, if you want or need to share with a non-Mac colleague. Any videos I use I also can easily transfer to my iPod thru iTunes. An iPad is probably next in my arsenal, but I am waiting on that since we only have Verizon here in the state where I live and I am hopefully awaiting a the CDMA iPhone (when and IF it ever gets released and picked up by Verizon). Cheers!:)
 
iPhonelover2010 said:
Hello, I'm thinking about buying a 13 inch Macbook Pro. I've been a PC user all my life, but I think its time to switch over to Mac. I've been using a Dell Inspiron 1545 for a year now and its the crappiest computer ever. Its just a rectangular box with a crazy trackpad; the mouse goes berserk and isn't even smooth. The cursor jumps back in the middle of typing a document. I'm sick of these problems! :mad: I'm starting med school soon and need a reliable machine to do my work, and am really looking into buying a Mac (yes, I checked out the threads in the Mac Guide sections). Is this a suitable choice for me? Will this last me a good 4-5 years? I'm new to Mac (the only experience I've had with Apple is the iPhone, and as you can tell from my username, I'm quite happy with it :D My brother has a Macbook Pro; I haven't had a chance to really get to know my way around the computer but from the few times that I have used it, it seemed pretty nice). Thanks in advance! :)
Click to expand...

Well I really need to ask this.

What do you do with your computer? I mean, like do your surf the web, do projects and such. It is essential first to know what you do to find the right computer.

Also, do you carry around your computer? Stuff like this is really relevant when picking up a computer. This way you know which model (15 or 13 inch) to pick.

More over, how much usage do you actually give your computer? This will tell me which specifications of a Mac are most suited for you and thus save you cash instead of blowing it over wasted power you will never or might ever need.
 
jav6454 said:
Well I really need to ask this.

What do you do with your computer? I mean, like do your surf the web, do projects and such. It is essential first to know what you do to find the right computer.

Also, do you carry around your computer? Stuff like this is really relevant when picking up a computer. This way you know which model (15 or 13 inch) to pick.

More over, how much usage do you actually give your computer? This will tell me which specifications of a Mac are most suited for you and thus save you cash instead of blowing it over wasted power you will never or might ever need.
Click to expand...

Yes, I use it for surfing the web, projects, as well as multimedia (I tend to watch a lot of youtube videos as well as shows/movies elsewhere on the web). No, I do not carry my computer around. My 15 inch Dell is so heavy, I had to buy a lightweight netbook to take to school with me during undergrad so I could type my notes. I think the 13 inch would be the best model for me, in case I do need to carry it around; it doesn't seem that heavy. I'd say I'm a moderate-heavy user. I don't need a laptop for gaming or downloading a bunch of stuff. I just need something reliable to last me for the next 4-5 years on which I can do my work. Also, I need good battery life! The battery life on my Dell completely sucks...I always have to have my charger around.

So, I guess I'm looking for a lightweight yet powerful computer with great battery life and reliability.
 
iPhonelover2010 said:
So, I guess I'm looking for a lightweight yet powerful computer with great battery life and reliability.
Click to expand...


Then the 13" top of the line model (in other words the $1499) is for you. The 15" would be a nice step up and more power; however, that model carries a bit more weight (@ 5.6lb the 15" carries 1.1 more pounds than the lightweight 4.5lb 13" model). Also, buy directly from Apple.

I would say the regular white MacBook, but then again, that model has poor RAM configuration, lacks the durability of aluminum when you travel and weighs a tad more (.2lbs more).
 
jav6454 said:
Then the 13" top of the line model (in other words the $1499) is for you. The 15" would be a nice step up and more power; however, that model carries a bit more weight (@ 5.6lb the 15" carries 1.1 more pounds than the lightweight 4.5lb 13" model). Also, buy directly from Apple.
Click to expand...

What about the lower end 13" model (macbook pro)?
 
jav6454 said:
You see I say the latest and greatest because you said you needed the computer to last 4-5 years. A couple of MHz can go a long way. Something you can't manually upgrade later on.
Click to expand...

Oh, okay. Is it bad to get it from Amazon.com? I can save $100 that way :D
 
jav6454 said:
Student discount on Apple should cover that. Amazon is not bad, I'd just rather get it directly from the Manufacturer.
Click to expand...

Oh, okay. But if I buy it from Amazon (a bit cheaper, even with the student discount!) I'll still be covered by the 1 year warranty, right?
 
Everything that needed to be said has been said above so I won't repeat it. Just one thing: DO NOT under any circumstances buy a mac without also getting AppleCare. The component quality is not all it's cranked up to be anymore and numerous are those who regularly have to trek to the apple store to get something fixed. If you want to get one, buy the 13" base but max out the memory, it'll last you at least 3-4 years.

I got mine because I like the OS and the looks of the machine. But if you look strictly at build quality / specs / price there's better deals to be had in the pc world, of that I'm sure.
 
Xenophon said:
Everything that needed to be said has been said above so I won't repeat it. Just one thing: DO NOT under any circumstances buy a mac without also getting AppleCare. The component quality is not all it's cranked up to be anymore and numerous are those who regularly have to trek to the apple store to get something fixed. If you want to get one, buy the 13" base but max out the memory, it'll last you at least 3-4 years.

I got mine because I like the OS and the looks of the machine. But if you look strictly at build quality / specs / price there's better deals to be had in the pc world, of that I'm sure.
Click to expand...

+1 For Unibody, +2 For Snow Leopard, +2 For Battery Life, −11 For Everything Else
 
I'd say 'yes', especially for your needs. If you're not doing heavy video and sound editing, a 15" really isn't necessary. My 13" base model MBP handles stuff like Photoshop and Illustrator really well, without much in the way of beachballs or slowdowns. I do plan on increasing the RAM eventually to 6 gigs, just to see if there's a significant performance increase.
 
Thanks to everyone who commented/helped this newbie out, I have officially ordered the 13" MBP from Amazon.com and am currently shopping for AppleCare on eBay (yes, I read the threads on here about that lol, I'm trying to find a good deal where I can actually get the box and not just the registration code). Can't wait to get the mac!!! :D
 
I LOVE my MBP... I do a lot of pro video work and it's become my primary work computer. I put this thing through the ringer on a daily basis. It's fantastic.

Depending on what you want to do, it may certainly be overkill. Many 'lower-end' Macs are FAR more capable then people give them credit for but if you're interested in having some extra power, I say go for it...

whatever you end up with, welcome!
You'll wonder how the heck you ever got along with Windows.
 
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