Hi, I've just joined, a friend of mine sent me here with my query.
I'm looking to buy a new laptop. I've used plenty of laptops, but I've never owned one. I've used a lot of high-end computers I've had rented and sent home for my video editing work, and I've played with Avids plenty as well. I'm still sitting on a close-to-obsolete 733mhz 128mb RAM p3 I got in 2000.
I require a laptop. I'm not the kind of person to change my hardware like underwear, I like to get the maximum use out of my technology in a day and age where hardware seems to be designed to not last. Granted, dragging a desktop for 8 years is a bit of a stretch, not to mention my phone (a 3+ year old Nokia 6255 CDMA on its last leg). As far as money goes, considering how I space my purchases, spending close to 3000USD on the aforementioned desktop those eight years ago, when the selfsame was the creme de la creme of desktops, I could consider a smart purchase.
Keeping that in mind, I require a laptop that would last me fairly efficiently for about 3-5 years. I need it to be powerful enough to handle the occasional video editing work, that being in HDV and Digi-Beta, and I do my fair share of work on Photoshop and Corel Draw as well.
That being the higher end of effort I'd expect out of a laptop, I'd like the basic onboard bluetooth and wifi that wouldn't be susceptible to uninstalling itself at random, and out of that, basic connectivity with any future phones I purchase, as well as access to the internet, where I could view and manipulate high resolution photos, as well as heavier script-oriented PDF files, and of course, basic word processing to make the aforementioned scripts and screenplays, and blogging.
With that, I also watch and study lots of films, though I understand pretty much any computer can handle films. For that reason I would definitely like something around 15 inches for a screen. I would also require an adequate DVD burner present on my laptop.
I also enjoy my fair share of gaming. While I'm not up to date with some of the latest games (the most somewhat recently launched game I would've played would be San Andreas) due to the age and use my desktop has provided me, I've relegated myself to lower-end games. I'd expect my new laptop to be able to handle at the very least Source games, and hopefully Starcraft 2 and Diablo 3 when they launch. Due to the nature of my work and travel, I don't expect a desktop to be a prudent purchase.
I was wondering what laptop would best suit me for all the uses I've outlined above. I've had my eye on the new 15-inch macbook pro (the 2.53ghz model), but for its cost I was wondering how prudent a purchase that might be. I've used macs before, but to a limited degree, mostly just FCP, Finder and Toast. I understand windows can also be used on a mac, and while I detest Vista, I would be willing to install XP on a mac. I have been using windows for close to 15 years now, but my limited fumbling with other peoples' macs has sparked my interest, and I've read enough guides to using macs to understand the mistakes I could make as a first time Windows-to-mac user.
Beyond this particular macbook, I don't know what else is available in terms of laptops. I've heard plenty from people who've loved macs and switched to them completely. From what I understand (and I am very likely wrong) Macs are more robust, more reliable, have better support, fewer bugs, and are overall faster and more efficient than Windows-based computers, and as a few people have actually showed me, Windows on bootcamp seemed to run better on their macbooks and macbook pros than on a regular laptop. One con I have picked up on is the glossiness of the new screens on the macbooks and macbook pros. Is it really that unbearable?
Perhaps this reads more like I want the macbook pro, but want to know if it's really worth the 2500 USD price tag, and if it'll last me for the 3-5 years I want it to, and if I can get everything I want to out of it. That's actually a good way of looking at it. I mostly would like to know if macs are the be-all and end-all in terms of reliable computing, or if I can get the same quality and reliability in a PC-based laptop as well.
Fearful of sounding redundant, I'd like to outline my query. I want a new laptop which does everything the new macbooks are said to, as efficiently and reliably. All my intended uses are mentioned, and I'm somewhat fixated on this macbook. Am I getting value for money, or can I get the same or better in PC-based laptop for the same amount of money or less?
Any comments would be highly appreciated.
I'm looking to buy a new laptop. I've used plenty of laptops, but I've never owned one. I've used a lot of high-end computers I've had rented and sent home for my video editing work, and I've played with Avids plenty as well. I'm still sitting on a close-to-obsolete 733mhz 128mb RAM p3 I got in 2000.
I require a laptop. I'm not the kind of person to change my hardware like underwear, I like to get the maximum use out of my technology in a day and age where hardware seems to be designed to not last. Granted, dragging a desktop for 8 years is a bit of a stretch, not to mention my phone (a 3+ year old Nokia 6255 CDMA on its last leg). As far as money goes, considering how I space my purchases, spending close to 3000USD on the aforementioned desktop those eight years ago, when the selfsame was the creme de la creme of desktops, I could consider a smart purchase.
Keeping that in mind, I require a laptop that would last me fairly efficiently for about 3-5 years. I need it to be powerful enough to handle the occasional video editing work, that being in HDV and Digi-Beta, and I do my fair share of work on Photoshop and Corel Draw as well.
That being the higher end of effort I'd expect out of a laptop, I'd like the basic onboard bluetooth and wifi that wouldn't be susceptible to uninstalling itself at random, and out of that, basic connectivity with any future phones I purchase, as well as access to the internet, where I could view and manipulate high resolution photos, as well as heavier script-oriented PDF files, and of course, basic word processing to make the aforementioned scripts and screenplays, and blogging.
With that, I also watch and study lots of films, though I understand pretty much any computer can handle films. For that reason I would definitely like something around 15 inches for a screen. I would also require an adequate DVD burner present on my laptop.
I also enjoy my fair share of gaming. While I'm not up to date with some of the latest games (the most somewhat recently launched game I would've played would be San Andreas) due to the age and use my desktop has provided me, I've relegated myself to lower-end games. I'd expect my new laptop to be able to handle at the very least Source games, and hopefully Starcraft 2 and Diablo 3 when they launch. Due to the nature of my work and travel, I don't expect a desktop to be a prudent purchase.
I was wondering what laptop would best suit me for all the uses I've outlined above. I've had my eye on the new 15-inch macbook pro (the 2.53ghz model), but for its cost I was wondering how prudent a purchase that might be. I've used macs before, but to a limited degree, mostly just FCP, Finder and Toast. I understand windows can also be used on a mac, and while I detest Vista, I would be willing to install XP on a mac. I have been using windows for close to 15 years now, but my limited fumbling with other peoples' macs has sparked my interest, and I've read enough guides to using macs to understand the mistakes I could make as a first time Windows-to-mac user.
Beyond this particular macbook, I don't know what else is available in terms of laptops. I've heard plenty from people who've loved macs and switched to them completely. From what I understand (and I am very likely wrong) Macs are more robust, more reliable, have better support, fewer bugs, and are overall faster and more efficient than Windows-based computers, and as a few people have actually showed me, Windows on bootcamp seemed to run better on their macbooks and macbook pros than on a regular laptop. One con I have picked up on is the glossiness of the new screens on the macbooks and macbook pros. Is it really that unbearable?
Perhaps this reads more like I want the macbook pro, but want to know if it's really worth the 2500 USD price tag, and if it'll last me for the 3-5 years I want it to, and if I can get everything I want to out of it. That's actually a good way of looking at it. I mostly would like to know if macs are the be-all and end-all in terms of reliable computing, or if I can get the same quality and reliability in a PC-based laptop as well.
Fearful of sounding redundant, I'd like to outline my query. I want a new laptop which does everything the new macbooks are said to, as efficiently and reliably. All my intended uses are mentioned, and I'm somewhat fixated on this macbook. Am I getting value for money, or can I get the same or better in PC-based laptop for the same amount of money or less?
Any comments would be highly appreciated.