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Nope. How much did your gaming rig cost?

£500 (including the monitor). Plus £100 for game purchases in the Steam Sales (which will get you a lot of games). Plus it has better graphics than any console, also backwards compatibility with my older games and can use any controller you wish.

The console route requires £430 for an XB1 or £350 for the PS4, plus £50 for every game you want to own, none of your previous games will work on it and you're restricted to whatever controller it comes with. Not to mention the subscription you have to pay every month just to use online features.

For flexibility, graphics, compatibility and game price... a PC rig beats any console.
 
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I admit it but the OS X crowd are not really gamers. I have a ps4 for games. Its a whole lot better than dealing with windows.
Nothing beats PC gaming rig hooked up to 4k TV, playing on ultra settings.

By the time the next gen consoles are out, there will be far better gpus out for the gaming rigs by mid next year.

That's how the technology evolves. Deal with it.

Plus, some of the ps4/xbone games are locked in certain amount of FPS.
 
Nothing beats PC gaming rig hooked up to 4k TV, playing on ultra settings.

By the time the next gen consoles are out, there will be far better gpus out for the gaming rigs by mid next year.

That's how the technology evolves. Deal with it.

Plus, some of the ps4/xbone games are locked in certain amount of FPS.

Tell that to my rig with dual GTX Titans in SLI.

I can't afford a 4K monitor at 60Hz. Yet.

NFS Rivals is also locked at 30 fps.
 
Mister, I'm only 18 years old and I'm still studying. I only finish my undergrad at Cambridge in 4 years.
Everyone has a sob story excuses.

"but im only 18..." so says the guy with 4 macbooks. Or did your parents buy them for you?
 
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I have complained bout the build quality of rmbp a few times because of case creak, not functional speakers etc. Out of fairness to Apple inc:

The last replacement unit I received from Apple is actually perfect. No case creak, bad screen etc. I am happy user. This is how it should have been from the start. So they actually do know how to build a good unit.
 
I am unbiased here having owned a Dell XPS M1330 product Red edition.
Currently, there is no XPS in the Dell lineup that can effectively compete with the Macbook pro retina 13" in particular.
At work three XPS 15" latest generation are in usage they are impressive but not as impressive as the Macbook Pro. The value for money is just not there anymore with the XPS line particularly since the use of the gimmick word "ultrabook" lately. Dell and other manufacturers seemed to have tricked themselves into believing that they can effectively compete with Apple by just offering similar configurations and similar pricing schemes. It is not that simple. Only Apple can charge Apple pricing as consumers view Apple's products as value for money.

Personally I wanted a maxed out 13" Macbook Pro retina but at $2700+ it was more than I wanted to spend right now so I opted for a maxed out Sony Vaio Multi Flip as my latest laptop. Given the choice between any Dell XPS and a Macbook Pro Retina similarly speced I would choose the Macbook Pro
 
Atm I think I'm going to go for the XPS 13. It looks like an amazing laptop and according to reviews it is this best ultrabook on the market :

"We found almost nothing to complain about aside from a limited number of ports (just two USB, DisplayPort and no media card reader). The XPS 13 isn't inexpensive starting at $999 but for the money you're getting perhaps the best packaged Ultrabook on the market. We're happy to recommend the Dell XPS 13."

http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=6768&p=3

I currently own a MacBook Pro retina 13" late 2013 which is a good laptop but unfortunately it is the second Apple sent me and they all suffer from IR so ... I'm not going to spend my life returning the computer and erasing my datas every time, I need something reliable.

I love OSX better than Windows and I'll admit I'll miss it but right now I don't really have a choice. I'm in the market for a long lasting ultrabook with no budget limitation and the maxed-out 13" retina I have right now is doomed by IR. I'm not taking any chances since Apple doesn't seems to care about that issue.

A few weeks ago I would have said that I rather die instead of going back to a PC but even I must admit the control quality is no longer here with Apple (even though the customer service is still great) and this thing seems very well built with quality materials. It has a touch screen and more power, a better screen with no image retention (which for Apple is a normal thing that goes with every IPS screen ...), the tint is not yellow and there's no backlight issue. Finally it's even cheaper so I'll spare some money :)

I know there is people like me being stuck in a situation where they don't know what to buy anymore and this machine looks like a really good alternative !
 
Atm I think I'm going to go for the XPS 13. It looks like an amazing laptop and according to reviews it is this best ultrabook on the market :

"We found almost nothing to complain about aside from a limited number of ports (just two USB, DisplayPort and no media card reader). The XPS 13 isn't inexpensive starting at $999 but for the money you're getting perhaps the best packaged Ultrabook on the market. We're happy to recommend the Dell XPS 13."

http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=6768&p=3

I currently own a MacBook Pro retina 13" late 2013 which is a good laptop but unfortunately it is the second Apple sent me and they all suffer from IR so ... I'm not going to spend my life returning the computer and erasing my datas every time, I need something reliable.

I love OSX better than Windows and I'll admit I'll miss it but right now I don't really have a choice. I'm in the market for a long lasting ultrabook with no budget limitation and the maxed-out 13" retina I have right now is doomed by IR. I'm not taking any chances since Apple doesn't seems to care about that issue.

A few weeks ago I would have said that I rather die instead of going back to a PC but even I must admit the control quality is no longer here with Apple (even though the customer service is still great) and this thing seems very well built with quality materials. It has a touch screen and more power, a better screen with no image retention (which for Apple is a normal thing that goes with every IPS screen ...), the tint is not yellow and there's no backlight issue. Finally it's even cheaper so I'll spare some money :)

I know there is people like me being stuck in a situation where they don't know what to buy anymore and this machine looks like a really good alternative !

I have a XPS 13, the previous one (Ivy Bridge i5-3337U, HD4000, 1080p screen, 256GB SSD, 8GB RAM). I bought it before this summer (before the haswell MBA) because at that moment, it seemed like the best value for money ultrabook (looking only at windows machines). I paid 999 euro for this config, while at that price I couldn't even have bought a 13" MBA at all, paying a bit more would have gotten me half the RAM & SSD storage and a lower res screen.

I'm going to be honest with you, I don't know if you are going to "love it" after coming from 13" rMBP late 2013. I know I would gladly change my XPS 13 for a 13" rMBP. On paper the XPS 13 looks great, especially for the price.

Some things you mention:

A few weeks ago I would have said that I rather die instead of going back to a PC but even I must admit the control quality is no longer here with Apple (even though the customer service is still great) and this thing seems very well built with quality materials

The Dell XPS 13 is indeed a fine build Windows ultrabook, one if not the best. But in my opinion, all MacBook's, Air or Pro, are a league ahead. On paper, the XPS 13 seems solid. In real life, it's good, but not better then MacBook's. The deck has a rubbery feel, which doesn't feel "high end" and the worst thing about it is that it gets dirty like hell.

The trackpad is also a league behind on the XPS 13, but I still think that's more Windows fault then the trackpad itself. Trust me, you will notice it from the moment you start using it. It's especially awful coming from a rMBP.

It has a touch screen and more power, a better screen with no image retention (which for Apple is a normal thing that goes with every IPS screen ...), the tint is not yellow and there's no backlight issue. Finally it's even cheaper so I'll spare some money :)

Touchscreen? - Nice on a Windows 8 machine.
More power? - Both the CPU and GPU are weaker then the ones in the 13" rMBP.
Better screen? - It does not have image retention, true, but the quality of the screen itself is not as good when talking about color accuracy, resolution and viewing angles.


Don't get me wrong, the XPS 13 is a fine machine, especially the Haswell edition with better battery life. And yes you save some money. But I'm not sure you are going to like the overall experience on it more then on your rMBP. Just a heads up.
 
I have a XPS 13, the previous one (Ivy Bridge i5-3337U, HD4000, 1080p screen, 256GB SSD, 8GB RAM). I bought it before this summer (before the haswell MBA) because at that moment, it seemed like the best value for money ultrabook (looking only at windows machines). I paid 999 euro for this config, while at that price I couldn't even have bought a 13" MBA at all, paying a bit more would have gotten me half the RAM & SSD storage and a lower res screen.

I'm going to be honest with you, I don't know if you are going to "love it" after coming from 13" rMBP late 2013. I know I would gladly change my XPS 13 for a 13" rMBP. On paper the XPS 13 looks great, especially for the price.

Some things you mention:



The Dell XPS 13 is indeed a fine build Windows ultrabook, one if not the best. But in my opinion, all MacBook's, Air or Pro, are a league ahead. On paper, the XPS 13 seems solid. In real life, it's good, but not better then MacBook's. The deck has a rubbery feel, which doesn't feel "high end" and the worst thing about it is that it gets dirty like hell.

The trackpad is also a league behind on the XPS 13, but I still think that's more Windows fault then the trackpad itself. Trust me, you will notice it from the moment you start using it. It's especially awful coming from a rMBP.



Touchscreen? - Nice on a Windows 8 machine.
More power? - Both the CPU and GPU are weaker then the ones in the 13" rMBP.
Better screen? - It does not have image retention, true, but the quality of the screen itself is not as good when talking about color accuracy, resolution and viewing angles.


Don't get me wrong, the XPS 13 is a fine machine, especially the Haswell edition with better battery life. And yes you save some money. But I'm not sure you are going to like the overall experience on it more then on your rMBP. Just a heads up.

:/
Trust me I don't expect it to be "better", I know the macbooks are the finest laptops there is, especially for their trackpad but i don't have a choice. MBP retina is suffering from IR and the Dell is the next best thing on the market after it .... I could go 15" and get a rmbp with a Samsung screen but I had one for a while and even thought it is really nice and light for a 15" inch computer, I just like the 13" format better as I need portability and not a huge amount of power. Without that damn IR I would just be in love with the mbpr 13".
 
Ok, I read much of this thread but did not find a clear answer. Maybe someone can help.

I'm a 2012 rMacbook pro 15" user, and I've had it with OSX (don't ask - long story). What should I buy?

I'll be fine with 14" or 15" laptop, preferably HiDPI screen (I tried it on windows 8.1 and it's good enough for my needs - luckily software I use scales well), 6+ hours of battery life, good build quality, SSD, preferably good speakers and mics, not ULV CPU, but built in graphics is enough. Price not relevant.

Macbook seems perfect for me, but anything else?

Or should I just install windows on a Macbook? It was not very smooth last time I tried and it did not support external 4K monitors :-(.
 
Ok, I read much of this thread but did not find a clear answer. Maybe someone can help.

I'm a 2012 rMacbook pro 15" user, and I've had it with OSX (don't ask - long story). What should I buy?

I'll be fine with 14" or 15" laptop, preferably HiDPI screen (I tried it on windows 8.1 and it's good enough for my needs - luckily software I use scales well), 6+ hours of battery life, good build quality, SSD, preferably good speakers and mics, not ULV CPU, but built in graphics is enough. Price not relevant.

Macbook seems perfect for me, but anything else?

Or should I just install windows on a Macbook? It was not very smooth last time I tried and it did not support external 4K monitors :-(.

I am looking to get my first MacBook and would really be interested in knowing why you've had it with OSX?

Thank you
 
Ok, I read much of this thread but did not find a clear answer. Maybe someone can help.

I'm a 2012 rMacbook pro 15" user, and I've had it with OSX (don't ask - long story). What should I buy?

I'll be fine with 14" or 15" laptop, preferably HiDPI screen (I tried it on windows 8.1 and it's good enough for my needs - luckily software I use scales well), 6+ hours of battery life, good build quality, SSD, preferably good speakers and mics, not ULV CPU, but built in graphics is enough. Price not relevant.

Macbook seems perfect for me, but anything else?

Or should I just install windows on a Macbook? It was not very smooth last time I tried and it did not support external 4K monitors :-(.

Only the 2013 Haswell rMBPs and the new Mac Pros support 4K.

In Windows, 4K displays are supported at 60Hz. In OS X, it only supports 30Hz (3840x2160) and 24Hz (4096x2160). Don't ask me why, but it's a driver issue in OS X.
 
Does a haswell rMBP 15 with only Iris pro support 4k displays as well?

Yes, but I'm not sure whether it'll run as well as the rMBP with GT750M.

But when you max out both no-dGPU and dGPU rMBPs, they're almost the same price. So the dGPU is like a free option once you bring them to the same configurations (i.e. same processor, RAM and SSD).

EDIT: It's actually exactly the same once you match the processor, RAM and SSD options. So the dGPU is free, a no-brainer decision to get the version with dGPU.
 
Dell XPS 15, launched earlier than Apple on October 18th and has a build quality that is not "cheap" like other computers, and is priced pretty high compared to everyone but Apple.

Besides the Operating System....

Dell XPS 15 Pros - Ad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rq0BTkgF-k
- Machined aluminum (like rMBP) with Carbon Fiber
- Battery Saving HiRes IGZO 3200 x 1800 display, which the rMBPs do not have
- 11 hour battery life, which rMBPs have only 7 at 15 inch
- Touch Screen
(Windows 8, 8.1 can be fail... but if future OS supports better functionality with Touchscreens, XPS 15's got it. Apple will most likely one day succeed in their goal of fusing more of the iOS experience with OSX... but rMBP has no touchscreen, will have to replace someday if this ever happens)
- Upgradable RAM and SSD
(rMBP only can upgrade SSD, which for Apple is proprietary)
- Brighter screen and display than rMBP at about 400 nits
(rMBP can only go up to 300%, Anandtech studies have determined the screen to be around 20% dimmer,why its not 25%, don't ask me ask anandtech, but the point is.. its dimmer)
- Lighter than rMBP at 4.44 pounds versus 4.46 (rMBP is heavier)
- Thinner than rMBP at 0.70'' versus 0.71'' (rMBP is a smidge negligibly thicker, and the Dell XPS is upgradable and the rMBP is not?)
- Cheaper SSDs for the future!
(even though they are slightly slower than the PCIe SSDs of the rMBP... no manufacturer has made an Apple compatible SSD yet, while there are plenty of options to choose from with the Dell... Dell can even use a Hard Drive and SSD Hybrid! Unlike rMBP..stuck with Apple proprietary.. even the ~500GB OWC drives made to be compatible with the non-Haswell rMBPs are no longer compatible... unless you used it as an external drive with a $150 enclosure? come on... really)

Retina Macbook Pro Pros - 2012 Ad (sans 2013): www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq-ZwegiRIU
- You get to pay the Apple premium?
(as opposed to Dell, which is priced like a non-retina macbook pro. as an aside, i used to think how the Apple premium for the 2012 rMBPs definitely supported Apple exclusivity... but with this new release, theres no classic 15, the rMBP becomes the standard. this means practically every Apple user with a Pro in the near future is going to be a retina. Not only that, as some forum users have pointed out, the pricing is "cheaper", but forces you to pay more for a dedicated card, which is okay, but then again, the XPS 15's got a premium too, less of a premium... but better than rMBP in certain areas... especially the retina part of its name)
- Iris Pro
(best integrated card, supposed to save battery, but funny enough, Dell did a better job in optimizing the battery life with discrete card only compared to Apple with both of them in the system. Your probably going to game or use 750m anyway more than Iris Pro as 750m beats out Iris Pro anyday, just "less power", which is meaningless based on the aforementioned)
- PCIe SSD (but Dell does have SSD)

The rMBP might put less strain on the graphics card because of its lower resolution than the XPS 15, but really, all signs point to the XPS 15 as the best value, build quality, and more.

People may say the Dell XPS 15 used to suck, and it did, being grossly overweight (5+ pounds... ouch) and just a poor attempt to rip off parts of Apple design, but through multiple iterations, it looks like Dell's one, no, multi-upped Apple this time around and made a machine that is definitely made to compete and beat.

I am struggling to determine why I should get the Haswell Retina Macbook Pro, as much as I want to, but the research and the specs seems to want me to get the Dell XPS 15 instead... please help!

Exactly! Why would someone compare a Dell to a Mac ? :eek: There is no comparison...... :D
 
Exactly! Why would someone compare a Dell to a Mac ? :eek: There is no comparison...... :D

The OS. Why else do you think Apple is so obsessive about their OS DRM and not allowing it to be installed on other machines? If I could run OSX on other hardware, I certainly would.
 
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