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Want to buy $100-$300 Laptop/Netbook from Apple

iGuardian

iGuardian

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 26, 2008
552
18
So, my mum wants a new computer, a laptop, and she wants it to be somewhere in the $0-$300 range. I know there are some PC laptops out there for that price but here's the thing, she want's a computer with OS X on it.

So, I'm not sure if I should...

A) Find a new/used laptop at a hell of a discount.
PRO: Meets all criteria
CON: Where on earth do I find a (somewhat decent) Apple laptop for that price?

B) Wait for an Apple tablet that is rumoured to be coming in 2010.
PRO: If the rumours are correct, it should be around $300 and meet my mum's criteria
CON: Having to possibly wait until 2010 (She needs a laptop soon...)

C) Buy a new/used PC Laptop for that price, and install OS X or Windows 7
PRO: It's cheap, and it's easy to find.
CON: Installing OS X on a PC might be tricky (for me, anyways). Possibility of unstableness.


So what do you guys think? Go with choice A, B, or C? Or do you have a choice D that I missed? :p

thanks in advance.
 
OS X will not run well (if at all) on a $300 PC. Windows barely runs on a $300 PC.
 
I think an older G4 or G3 ibook is your only option at that price point. The only other option I could think of is getting a Dell Mini 9 and trying to get OS X running on that, apparently it is fairly easy.
 
glap1922 said:
I think an older G4 or G3 ibook is your only option at that price point. The only other option I could think of is getting a Dell Mini 9 and trying to get OS X running on that, apparently it is fairly easy.
Click to expand...

If I install OS X on a Dell Mini 9 would it be stable? Or would it just be safer/easier to go with a G4?
 
r.j.s said:
OS X will not run well (if at all) on a $300 PC. Windows barely runs on a $300 PC.
Click to expand...
Compare a Core Solo against an E1400/5200 with 3 GB of RAM. Your claim is rather outrageous.

OP you have a chance turning a netbook into a HackBook netbook. The Dell Mini is popular.
 
Leopard runs badly on a iBook G4. It might be acceptable on a Powerbook model, but with an iBook I'd stick with Tiger.

Honestly, if you want a Mac, you'll have to spend more for an acceptable experience. Period.
 
iGuardian said:
If I install OS X on a Dell Mini 9 would it be stable? Or would it just be safer/easier to go with a G4?
Click to expand...

It'll be fine. That is actually one of the easiest netbooks to install OS X on. Last time I checked, everything worked.

You can install OS X on just about anything Intel now. I've got a guide for it and I'll post it if you want.

I'm planning on getting a Dell Vostro 1320 (refurb) and installing OS X on that for performance comparable to a 13'' MBP.
 
Eidorian said:
Compare a Core Solo against an E1400/5200 with 3 GB of RAM. Your claim is rather outrageous.
Click to expand...

So ... you're telling me to look at $300 desktops? :confused:

The OP is looking for a $300 notebook. All the $300 PC notebooks I've seen are horrendous.
 
r.j.s said:
So ... you're telling me to look at $300 desktops? :confused:

The OP is looking for a $300 notebook. All the $300 PC notebooks I've seen are horrendous.
Click to expand...
A Penryn derived Celeron or a Pentium Dual Core? The Core Solo Mac mini cries to perform that well.

The cheapest Core Duo MacBook you can probably get right now is around $500. It's not 64-bit either!
 
Dell is currently selling the Mini 9 (new or refurbished) for $170 with coupon in their online outlet. The $170 configuration only comes with 8GB SSD (which I doubt is big enough to hold Leopard) and 512MB of RAM, but you can probably upgrade to a 32GB SSD and 2GB of RAM for $100. Obviously, you'll have to purchase a legal copy of Leopard yourself.
 
12" PowerBooks G4 go around dirt cheap these days....
Also they are one of the most beautiful, durable and portable apple notebooks out there for a reasonable price.

I would pick an PowerBook 12" anytime over a netbook.
 
I wouldn't hold off for a tablet. It might be cool, but not having an actual keyboard will be a big turnoff for a lot of every day users. If your looking for a $300 laptop for everyday use I don't think a touchscreen will be your best bet.

A G4 ibook or powerbook with a processor over 1ghz and a decent amount of ram is probably your best bet.
 
Okay, so what I gather from this so far is:

1. A mac tablet will either not exist or not fit my preferred price point.
2. It is fairly easy to install OS X on a Dell, and the Dell should be able to run Leopard just as well as a mac can.
3. To get a mac I either have to get a older/slower computer or increase my price pint.

I'm kind of leaning towards buying one of these and installing OS X on it.

From my (limited) understanding of hackintoshing, I can't just take a REAL Leopard disk and install it, I'd need to download a modified version?
 
iGuardian said:
Okay, so what I gather from this so far is:

1. A mac tablet will either not exist or not fit my preferred price point.
2. It is fairly easy to install OS X on a Dell, and the Dell should be able to run Leopard just as well as a mac can.
3. To get a mac I either have to get a older/slower computer or increase my price pint.

I'm kind of leaning towards buying one of these and installing OS X on it.

From my (limited) understanding of hackintoshing, I can't just take a REAL Leopard disk and install it, I'd need to download a modified version?
Click to expand...

If youa re going to get a Dell Mini 10, make sure it is the 10v. From what I have read, you can't just throw the disc in and install Leopard, but it isn't brain surgery either. I would recommend scoping out some forums where people have actually done it to see how difficult it would be for you.
 
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