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My humble answer to the question in the title of the thread is because a MBP can run Windows better than a PC notebook does. :eek: This is coming from someone who runs Windows on BootCamp as the main OS on the MBP. :eek: I know, I know.... you will be wondering why do I not run Mac OS on the MBP..... :eek:
 
Mac laptop isn't any faster than a PC laptop. It has the same guts, however, current gen Mac laptops are actually slower due to lack of hardware updates (rectified later this week).

The build quality is really the same. The battery life on a MacBook Pro is laughable and probably not a good idea to boast about. We've replaced numerous batteries on our 2-4 year MBPs over the years. The things just don't last, even with proper cycling. MBP batteries are fail. It's even funnier that you compare a MBP battery to a cheap PC laptop's battery. Typically the cheaper PC laptops have smaller screens, consume less power, thus burn through battery power even less. FAIL example.

As for "stabler", whatever that is, running After Effects, Maya and the rest on a PC is a lot "more stable" than on OSX. Linux even more so. If gramps is buying a laptop, web surfing, excel spreadsheets and word are stable on any platform and a cheaper PC laptop would be a better buy, period.

It might be your battery. My 08 macbook battery has 958 cycles and is currently 85% health. It still has about 2.5-3.5 hours of battery life
 
The single reason they are "better" to me is the fact that they retain their value for a long period of time. I am a techy...I need to upgrade when new stuff comes out. They are SUPER easy to resale. I look at it as more of an investment than as a purchase. Windows based lappy's are impossible to resale most of the time...and they don't hold value for long at all. Just because new ones come out like...every day :D

I have nothing against Windows based computers though. I work on windows machines, linux, and osx.
 
They are different.
Better is in the mind of the user, for some an MBP is better, others will
be better served by a Windows machine, all depends what you want to do with it.

For all that I love my Macs and OSX there are a lot of nice machines out there and if integration with iOS makes OSX vanish up it`s own a** then I`ll be off to buy a Vaio.
 
Because they run OS X.

This is the first and foremost reason to buy a MBP. They run OS X natively - a stable and versatile UNIX operating system which is virus-free, safer and far more reliable than Windows.

Other reasons are better battery capacity and the fact that a MBP usually outlives any Windows PC at the same price point.
 
I have used many OS in my short life and I feel MacOS X is the biggest difference between PCs and Mac. Security wise, no doubt MacOS X is incomparable. Pretty much everyone I know at work or school has suffered some type of "virus" attack their life time on their PCs - can't say I know or met anyone who had any virus or spyware issues on their Mac.

Speed wise, Windows 7 is just a bloated system. It uses too much resources to do too little - some of the features are even directly copied from Mac. The interface on all three os (XP, Vista and 7) are just simply unintuitive and clunky. You have to click too many places to get simple things done. OS organization is crappy.

Mac OS X on the other hand seems just much more intuitive to me. Very easy to learn. Some PC folks try to hit back with the "you don't have the right click" but that's a lame argument because you can enable the right click on your Mac, if it is not enabled yet.

PCs in my experience tend to crash more, the programs take a long time to start, and there's always the Internet Explorer which is up to new ways to destroy your PC experience. With Mac OS X, none of that. Safari isn't perfect, but it definitely not as hideous and terrible as IE (doesn't matter which version - they all equally suck). Macs do crash, but in my experience not as much as PCs.

From a programming point of view, my Mac was ready to go right when I opened the box. Java was already installed, and I program on vi and before you know, I am flying (or coding). With PC, you have to install few things, change few environment variables, install some IDE before you can write "Hello World". Too much work.

For me the underlying Unix environment is easy to play with than any of the PC's system variables. Installing or uninstalling apps on Mac is also easier, where you just delete a software on Mac to uninstall it. On PCs, for some software, it's just a pain.

Hardware wise, well, Mac laptops or iMacs are just so nicely designed. I can't think of any all-in-one PC system that looks as beautiful, simple and elegant as the iMac. If you have a mac at home, you show it off to your guests, not hide it under your table. Same thing for laptops, they are thin, have powerful batteries, last longer, have nice screens, and are sleek. I am sure you can buy one nice powerful PC, but when you open that new PC from Dell, Toshiba, Lenovo or HP, don't forget to clean the zillions of crap and useless software that comes with that PC which basically cripple your OS experience. That's why many advanced users that I know, like a clean install of Windows 7 or XP on their systems, rather than the crap that comes along with it.

I could go on and on.

No offense, but things like Office and Chrome load up much much faster in Windows. Everything is so snappy in Windows 7.

With OS X, i feel the need to throw in a SSD, with Windows 7 I do not.

And some benchmarks show that Cubase on PC is destroying Logic on Mac in terms of performance, so Windows 7 is doing something right now.

Even Linux on my old $500 laptop was snappier than OS X. Hope 10.6.7 will be better. I'm going to do a fresh install of OS X one of these days and see if it helps too.
 
No offense, but things like Office and Chrome load up much much faster in Windows. Everything is so snappy in Windows 7.

With OS X, i feel the need to throw in a SSD, with Windows 7 I do not.

I agree windows 7 is snappy, but snow leopard is just as snappy. If it comes down to it, its really just preference.
 
I need a good point/excuse to buy one, and convince my dad that it's not an over priced piece of metal! I've got a 4 month old home built win7 desktop that's fairly powerful, but I'm missing the mobility of a laptop. Discuss please :D

Battery life
More complete package ( with Windows you need more 3rd party software )
No virusses ( tried some virus software, but always 0 virusses or malware found, so I don't even bother with it now )
Design
Resale value
Better screen
Option to run OS X
More fun ( you'll enjoy working on a Mac more than in Windows. I'm saying Mac and not OS X, because if you run a Hackintosh you won't get the same fun experience )
 
I agree windows 7 is snappy, but snow leopard is just as snappy. If it comes down to it, its really just preference.

Something must be wrong with my OS X then. Guess it's time for a complete reinstallation.
 
I agree windows 7 is snappy, but snow leopard is just as snappy. If it comes down to it, its really just preference.

I agree with the previous poster - Office 2007 is sooo.. much faster on a 2.53Mhz mini running Windows 7 compared to Office 2011 on a 2.66 i7 MBP with twice the RAM.

But I wouldn't say that was a reason for swapping from Mac OSX to Windows. If only Framemaker ran on the Mac nowadays!
 
Glaring problem of linux as pc: It gives user way too much choice.

I can't stop laughing at this. You're such a little cutie pie.

OP: This is a very subjective question and you will only get subjective answers based on experience. Most of them will probably be towards Apple since you are on an Apple-based website. I would take most of these replies with a grain of salt.
 
My humble answer to the question in the title of the thread is because a MBP can run Windows better than a PC notebook does. :eek: This is coming from someone who runs Windows on BootCamp as the main OS on the MBP. :eek: I know, I know.... you will be wondering why do I not run Mac OS on the MBP..... :eek:

I found cross-platform apps run faster in Windows than OSX on my MBP. However, I have found my MBP to run slightly slower than my HP laptop with similar specs (except vid). Regardless, I still enjoy running Win7 over OSX, however, OSX is there if I ever need it. Typically I only run OSX to update with patches.
 
Battery life
More complete package ( with Windows you need more 3rd party software )
No virusses ( tried some virus software, but always 0 virusses or malware found, so I don't even bother with it now )
Design
Resale value
Better screen
Option to run OS X
More fun ( you'll enjoy working on a Mac more than in Windows. I'm saying Mac and not OS X, because if you run a Hackintosh you won't get the same fun experience )

- battery life is no better on a MBP, even worse.
- What 3rd party software do you need on Windows to make it more complete? Other work-related applications aside?
- No viruses/trojans yet with ESET. I also don't don't hit sites where I know trojans are frequented. That's no different than people saying they don't miss Flash on their iPads as they don't hit sites anymore that use it.
- Resale value? It's a laptop. All laptops degrade in value at the same pace over time these days. Because Apple is so big, there's no longer a larger market for used Apple products, mainly because more people are trying to sell their own gear and need to sell it at a lower rate in order to offload it. Desktops have even worse resale value.
- better screen? How so? The resolution is no higher than on any other laptop.. The screen is probably the same brand that other laptop developers use in theirs.
- Option to run OSX? What does that do for anyone, other than the apps you would use on a daily basis. I haven't booted to OSX for a while. All my apps are cross-platform and run better in Windows.
- How is it more "fun" to WORK on any machine? It's work. I gather most people are too focused on actually doing work than admiring their hardware. A Mac is just a branded PC running OSX, so running a Hackintosh will net you the same experience, as I'm sorry, it is about running OSX. Seriously, how often do you stop work, lean back and your chair and just admire the standard look of your Mac? I think that is a bit of stretch, and I think you know that ;) I'd bet your next Apple purchase it's less than you intimated previously.
 
Thank you for all the great replies, and to clarify some points, i'm an interior architecture student and recently i've been using a lot of media related software such as maya, photoshop, after effects etc. which i already use on my desktop and run fine.
I've longed for a mbp for the last two years, but now i'm financially capable of getting one and just wanted to see the opinions of mbp vs win laptop. seems like the most applicable opinion is the value for money on how well they last.
The last laptop i had died after 7 months due to the mobo exploding, and then hdd failure and screen problems, had that fixed and then the disk drive stopped reading disks after 13 months and i bought it for £700 brand new.

I'm fairly positive that i'll be buying the new mbp when it comes out. :D

Thanks again!
 
I found cross-platform apps run faster in Windows than OSX on my MBP. However, I have found my MBP to run slightly slower than my HP laptop with similar specs (except vid). Regardless, I still enjoy running Win7 over OSX, however, OSX is there if I ever need it. Typically I only run OSX to update with patches.

I'm curious now on why you use a MBP in the first place. :)
 
- battery life is no better on a MBP, even worse.


BS. My wife charges her i3 Dell about three or four times a day. Me, once. Find me a windows machine that has a 7 hour battery life.

- What 3rd party software do you need on Windows to make it more complete? Other work-related applications aside?


Applications is probably one of the biggest draw to windows. Cant argue with that one. But you are still paying hundreds of dollars for office, and office sucks!

- No viruses/trojans yet with ESET. I also don't don't hit sites where I know trojans are frequented. That's no different than people saying they don't miss Flash on their iPads as they don't hit sites anymore that use it.


OSX is more secure. Cant argue with that. Everyone uses their windows machines as a admin so anything that gets in has free and clear access to the OS.

- Resale value? It's a laptop. All laptops degrade in value at the same pace over time these days. Because Apple is so big, there's no longer a larger market for used Apple products, mainly because more people are trying to sell their own gear and need to sell it at a lower rate in order to offload it. Desktops have even worse resale value.


Absolutely no truth to this. Apple products in general hold their value really well. My year old MBP will still sell for 800 or better. You can still sell an iPhone 4 for close to 500.

- better screen? How so? The resolution is no higher than on any other laptop.. The screen is probably the same brand that other laptop developers use in theirs.


There is more to a screen than resolution. I can work for hours on my MBP. My work machine gives me a headache after a couple hours. The screen on my MBP is a lot more crisp than most other laptops. Especially for word editing and such.

- How is it more "fun" to WORK on any machine? It's work. I gather most people are too focused on actually doing work than admiring their hardware. A Mac is just a branded PC running OSX, so running a Hackintosh will net you the same experience, as I'm sorry, it is about running OSX. Seriously, how often do you stop work, lean back and your chair and just admire the standard look of your Mac? I think that is a bit of stretch, and I think you know that ;) I'd bet your next Apple purchase it's less than you intimated previously.

Most apple products are nice to look at, but its all personal preference. To each their own. Personally I think apple products are designed really well and are very aesthetically pleasing.
 
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I need a good point/excuse to buy one, and convince my dad that it's not an over priced piece of metal! I've got a 4 month old home built win7 desktop that's fairly powerful, but I'm missing the mobility of a laptop. Discuss please :D

OSX is really a good OS without the need (at least for now) separate security software that add annual costs. Furthermore, Macbooks have included the iLife software package that consist of software that are needed for most users.

You will also get some money when the time comes to part with your Macbook. Macs keeps their value far better than PCs. I have sold 2 Macbooks over the years and have gotten a decent price of them. The same cannot usually be said of PCs even though the Thinkpad I now use keeps also pretty good its value.

Build quality is also really good. A couple of years of use don´t usually leave too much evidence making the Macbook look "new" for quite long.

I am planning to get the refreshed MBP as soon as it gets available. There is still something special about a Mac that I have been longing for now for almost a year. My Thinkpad will go to my wife as a backup computer :)
 
I've been a PC user since the old 486DX days which was pre Windows 3.1. I've owned everything from Dells to Thinkpads to most recently a Vaio with Windows 7. Last month, I took the plunge and bought a MBA 13 after getting an iPad for Christmas, my first Apple product, and being blown away by it.

I'm stunned by how good the Mac OS operating system is compared to Windows. Its quicker, takes up less space, has better features. But the thing that really impresses me is that the Apple is holistic whereas PCs are not. Every component of the Apple, software and hardware, is designed with the other components in mind. That's something you will not find on a PC.

Now in terms of build quality, the Apple has no peers. The Thinkpad I owned was a fine business machine and reliable but the screen was archaic. The 2010 Vaio FW I own now as my backup PC is a solid machine with good build quality but when you compare it to my MBA, its flaws are glaring. What makes it more remarkable is that my MBA is thin and light and theoretically should be flimsy by comparison to my 16" Vaio FW but its the other way around.

Then there's the battery life on my MBA which is better than any laptop I've owned.

And finally, the piece de resistance is the multi touch trackpad. That alone is worth the price of admission. I thought the gestures were a gimmick until I tried them out and was left speechless. The Apple trackpad completely eliminates the need for a notebook mouse which for PCs is de rigueur.

Does this mean I am a sole Mac user from now on? Not at all. The reality is most of the world still uses Windows. So I will keep my Vaio as a paper weight until I encounter something where only Windows will do. This could be solved by just running Windows on bootcamp, but I would never put Windows on a Mac. I just don't trust it.
 
Macs are more secure, besides with BootCamp you can run Dual Boot with both OS's and Macs do run a lot cleaner without the need for a yearly $50 antivirus subscription, one virus and you could lose everything.
 
For those of you who says there are no hardware advantage:

mbp looks so nice that every morning, I want to open them up and start to work on it. It makes me feel better -- I know this sounds funny but it's true.
I don't care if you are at motel 6, it makes your surrounding luxurious. Go figure.

Also, you will notice that screen is super super nice. Maybe because I have only used cheap pc laptop but first thing I noticed when I went to see the mbp was that screen quality is just superb. Another reason why I can't wait to open them up and start to working on it asap.

It goes without saying that keyboard quality is top notch.
Lastly but could be one of the key highlight is obviously the trackpad. It's the best thing.

I am not even gonna go into OS which is by far the best that's available out there. It perfectly solved people who want to use linux as desktop/laptop. It gives user stable os with great software but don't go nuts like linux.
Glaring problem of linux as pc: It gives user way too much choice.
I am a hardcore geek and programmer but I don't want to spend my time tweaking my OS everyday and I cannot afford my main rig to go down because I am experimenting w/ some new driver or something..
When company controls both hardware/software, not only creates great user experience but you know for fact it's not going to break your pc after the update...

Go mbp!!!

Actually the new bootcamp drivers did in fact break my PowerPoint 2010. So Apple is not perfect. I had to uninstall the boot camp drivers and reinstall Boot Camp 3.0 to make it work. It's a good thing I only need to use PowerPoint in school since none of my friends have iWork and it's such a pain to hook it up to the projectors because the school doesn't put everything in the same inputs and outputs from one classroom to the other.

The point of this post is that Apple is not perfect and they can break things when you update their software and drivers on Windows.
 
BS. My wife charges her i3 Dell about three or four times a day. Me, once. Find me a windows machine that has a 7 hour battery life.

Apple does a pretty good job at battery life... but to be fair, that seems to be an OS thing more than a hardware thing considering MBPs running Windows lose the battery life. Either way, I'm eager to get a new MBP to see how long the battery lasts in real world use (ie: doing more than surfing non-flash websites).

Applications is probably one of the biggest draw to windows. Cant argue with that one. But you are still paying hundreds of dollars for office, and office sucks!

Open Office is free, but lets face it, if you need Office, you need Office and OS choice won't change that.

OSX is more secure. Cant argue with that. Everyone uses their windows machines as a admin so anything that gets in has free and clear access to the OS.

I've never had a problem, and don't run antivirus. I'll agree that for the typical computer-idiot, OSX is probably safer. Then again, so is walking on a bike trail to work instead of driving a car.

Absolutely no truth to this. Apple products in general hold their value really well. My year old MBP will still sell for 800 or better. You can still sell an iPhone 4 for close to 500.

As opposed to a Dell laptop purchased for $500 and selling used for $350 a year later? Any chance the resale price could be artificially inflated by the fact that there are no low-end low cost models to drive the price down?

There is more to a screen than resolution. I can work for hours on my MBP. My work machine gives me a headache after a couple hours. The screen on my MBP is a lot more crisp than most other laptops. Especially for word editing and such.

That's funny, because without upgrading screens on MBPs are generally lower resolution than screens on other laptops. My 4 year old Dell does 1680x1050, and a base 15" MBP is 1440x990. I suppose being washed in unicorn tears makes a big difference, but everyone else knows that the screens on Apple computers aren't a custom Apple job, but rather re-branded from a handful of manufacturers that actually make the screens (probably Samsung or similar).

Most apple products are nice to look at, but its all personal preference. To each their own. Personally I think apple products are designed really well and are very aesthetically pleasing.

I do too, but there is a difference between appreciating something and swearing up and down that it's the best thing ever despite the obvious drawbacks. Apple makes nice stuff. It's neither high-end, nor perfect, and lets face it... they market to the general public as a fad or way-of-life. They do a good job at it, but anyone that identifies themselves by the technology they elect to use probably isn't the best person to offer an objective opinion.
 
Whether the screens are Apple sourced or not, they are simply better. It can't be a resolution issue since my Vaio has a 1920x1080 and my MBA has a 1440x990. Can't be a graphics card issue I don't think b/c my Vaio has 1GB of dedicated RAM and the MBA has 256 shared RAM. Yet despite all of this, my MBA screen is significantly better than my Vaio screen. Everything is crisper and sharper. The blacks are deep and rich, whereas on the Vaio they are washed out.

I used to think people who bought Macs were the typical brand whores who sip Starbucks Mocha Caremachiato Douche and live in San Fran. But in my experience, the Macs are better in every way for the uses I have which are Office based work, surfing, email. I don't game.
 
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