another undecided laptop buyer

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hey all, im new here, my current laptop a 13" xps dell m1330 has a cooked motherboard and i really cant be bothered to fix it so something else can go wrong with it,

so...ive always wanted a mac, and ive been reading alot about them, first i was gonna get a imac, but i wanted a gaming rig and macs are no good for that

anyways, i started to look at the macbook white 13", what ive found out about is simply, its a pretty looking laptop made of cheap plastic thats notorious for cracking and scratching, with subpar internals that arent comparable to anything pc for half the price, the good being its got a stable os


so with that being said i looked into the macbook pro, the price got steeper, but ive seen and felt that its a better build, not as nice looking, but sturdier, even still, basically the same internals as a macbook white, good os


so what im looking for is, is there any reason that macs are worth so much money other then a good operating system? because the internals are pathetic unless i wanna spend 2000 plus cdn.

any input on the price, after my last laptop failing so fast, im looking for something thats gonna last for years, i only surf the web and listen to music


thanks, ill keep reading posts while waiting for input
 
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in short, i should of said, im trying to justify to myself why i should spend 1400 plus tax on a laptop thats got lower specs then a dell comp for 599

and if your answer is dells junk, then dont bother, because dell only makes the case thats its in and the screen, everything else is nvidia and intel, same products as in a mac
 
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Your Mac's Specs
21" iMac * 2.8 Ghz Intel Core i7 * 16GB 1333 Mhz DDR3 * 1TB HD *AMD Radeon HD 6770M 512 MB
It isn't all about specs because Macs are still computers that use more or less the same kind of high quality hardware as other, cheaper computers. But the reason other computers can have such specs at such a cheap price is because... well, they're built cheaply. You're absolutely right that Macbook Pro's (which I think look WAY better and less toy-like than white Macbooks) are built much sturdier than any plastic Windows machine with oodles of blinking lights, clips that break off and plastic that cracks. Macbook Pro's are made out of a solid chunk of aluminum and just handling it, you can tell that it's sturdier and will last longer with appropriate care. That's why so many people are still using their old Powerbooks (which aren't unibody but still made of heavy aluminum.) after years of owning them, which stands in stark contrast to your experience with your Dell. Glass screens, glass multi-touch trackpad (which is far more enjoyable to use than any other touchpad I've tried), the iSight camera, the MagSafe power cord that detaches when tripped on so you don't bring your MBP crashing to the floor... all these little touches plus the general aesthetic make the MBP a higher quality machine. You can get a cheaper Windows machine with similar or even better specs, but to get those specs, they usually have to cut a lot of noticeable corners.

The software that's available for Macs is actually useful, well-written and less likely to cause conflicts with the OS than all the useless, unsupported software floating around for Windows. The integration between apps, OS and hardware is nearly always seamless.

Macs also come with software that has no equal on a Windows machine. iDVD, iMovie, GarageBand, iPhoto, Front Row, Time Machine and even simple apps like Mail, iChat and Address Book work well, are well-integrated and are pretty powerful tools for basic included software. In other words, Garageband is no Pro Tools, but it's more than you'll find included with Windows. iMovie is no Final Cut Pro, but it beats the pants off of Windows Movie Maker. And there's no bloatware to deal with.

Customer service, for the most part, is hassle free. You can learn to use your Mac and its apps by scheduling a one-on-one appointment at the Apple Store and even attend free seminars on how to use the apps. (What kind of introduction do you get with a Windows machine? A general overview then you're on your own.) You also get a year of free AppleCare and 90 days of free phone support (which is based in the US and staffed by people whose first language is English). Even if you're out of warranty, there are many things you can troubleshoot for free at the Genius Bar.

Then of course there's the OS itself, which is intuitive, pleasing to the eye and just simple to use. No defragging, no registry to worry about, no antivirus software always running in the background, most preferences all located in one place rather than scattered throughout the system, and Terminal if you really like tinkering with your system.

You might think the specs are "pathetic", but they aren't drastically different from other notebooks of its class. There's a lot to be said for efficiency and HOW those specs are used. You can have a gaming rig with specs that blow a MBP and every other notebook away, but it'll still be a loud, power-guzzling Frankenstein monster of a computer, not necessarily a better tool. People who own Macs tend to actually USE them for stuff, like school, video editing, graphic design, etc, and that ends up being more important to them than whether or not they can play GTA at maximum resolution.
 
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Your Mac's Specs
MacBook Pro 500GB hard drive 4GB ram PowerMac G5 Dual 2.2GHz Mirrored 500GB HDD, Mac Mini, and more
scudz,

to be honest I can't justify the cost of any new computers .. much less a shiny new macbook .. (I buy used only)

As far as the internals.. there will be no difference across all manufacturers.
they are all limited to a sub set of parts.. either Intel or AMD as well as
Video chips Nvidia or ATI

A computer is a a computer .. the case design and the OS is the distinguishing factor

If you are happy with MS platforms and usability stick with it ..
if you like OSX and the stability that Unix variants have go with a Mac.

I have both and live in both worlds but will still not spend more than 350$ on
a laptop no matter what it is .. like i said before I buy Already used and some
times abused ..

Its all about personal preference.
 

bobtomay

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Your Mac's Specs
15" MBP '06 2.33 C2D 4GB 10.7; 13" MBA '14 1.8 i7 8GB 10.11; 21" iMac '13 2.9 i5 8GB 10.11; 6S
If you have been happy with your $600 Dell, then you should get another. For a manufacturer of off the shelf, proprietary computers at bargain prices, Dell puts out some decent systems at the prices you pay. But, you do get what you pay for.

If you're one that wouldn't even consider paying Dell that extra $150 or more they charge to go from the 2.0 Ghz CPU to a 2.10 Ghz, you may as well stop reading now and go get that Dell. An Apple is not for you.

However, if you want to actually compare machines then you need to know your stuff or be prepared to search out what really is the best. Dell is using the bottom of the line mobile CPUs.

Ex. The Inspiron 13", with the 2.10 Ghz chip vs the MacBook and it's 2.13 Ghz chip. The current regular price of these two machines has the Dell $50 higher than the MacBook. With their current sale price, it's $150 cheaper than the MacBook.

To the casual observer there are no differences between these two chips.

The 2.10 chip is an 800 Mhz bus with 2 MB Level 2 cache.
The 2.13 chip is a 1066 Mhz bus with 3 MB Level 2 cache.

The 2.10 has a thermal rating of 35 watts and a thermal spec of 105C.
The 2.13 has a thermal rating of 25 watts and a thermal spec of 95C.

So, not only does the chip in the Mac have a faster bus speed and more cache, it also uses less power and stays cooler. This makes for a more expensive part related to the guts of the system - the CPU and the motherboard.

That 2.10 CPU used by Dell is also not capable of Virtualization.
What this means for you probably most importantly, no XP mode support in Win 7.

The Dell uses 667 Mhz RAM.
The Mac uses 800 Mhz RAM.

The Dell uses the Intel X3100. (167th place)
The Mac uses the NVidia 9400M. (107th place)
You can look those up for yourself here.

Dell Audio - 2.0 only without upgrade.
Mac - will put out 5.1 via optical from a 5.1 source - primarily DVDs or maybe iTunes, Amazon or Hulu HD movies and TV shows.

Have to add $25 to the Dell for wireless n instead of g.

We haven't even touched the OS's and included software yet.
Or the fact that there exists at this time zero viruses or malware in the wild that can affect OS X.

But, don't let any of this affect your decision. If you're interested, you need to do the research yourself, go to the Apple store and play with one. Call and make an appointment. If you're not convinced after your own research, you should buy that Dell.

btw: I'd really be interested in you pointing out a Dell with a better processor and RAM at half the price of a Mac. I've simply never seen one.

You should also know that while my primary machine is a Mac, 4 out of 6 of my own machines are Win boxes.
 
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Your Mac's Specs
21" iMac * 2.8 Ghz Intel Core i7 * 16GB 1333 Mhz DDR3 * 1TB HD *AMD Radeon HD 6770M 512 MB
csegeek has a point... if price is the main sticking point, go for a used or refurbished Mac.

And if you're all about specs over build, ease of use etc, then maybe another Dell is exactly what you should get.
 
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Your Mac's Specs
21" iMac * 2.8 Ghz Intel Core i7 * 16GB 1333 Mhz DDR3 * 1TB HD *AMD Radeon HD 6770M 512 MB
So, scudz, did any of this help with your decision at all? Or did I smell a troll? ;-)
 
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I have used mac's all my life.. and before I bought my new MBP I seriously debated getting a PC too.

It all comes down to the operating system. Tech specs can be upgraded, and tech specs will always change over time. I'm running off "only" 2gb of ram right now, but I am holding off on upgrading til 4gb sticks become cheaper so I can upgrade to 8gb.

The only thing that you won't be able to upgrade is going to be the non-technological hardware (casing, keyboard, screen, etc) and the operating system.

These are the reasons I ended up choosing my mac. I borrowed my friend's Dell XPS laptop a few days ago.. and I was disgusted at how long it took to start up and shut down.

I love my mac. It gets things done FASTER. Its not faster on paper, but it is much faster in the real world, where it counts. I could be using a Windows laptop that has a faster processor, more memory and a faster hard drive, but the way the menus are laid out and the overall user experience of the operating system makes it take much longer to get things done.

I am well versed in how to use a PC and know all the keyboard shortcuts. Mac is still faster. End of story.
 
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a comparably spec'ed windows laptop and a macbook is about the same price.

no buts if or whatever, granted the off the shelf best buy unit looks cheaper, but that's because it is, and apple does not have something to compete with those sub 700 notebooks.

go find me a all aluminum machine with the power, the weight, and the battery life for 1200. You won't find too many.

dell adamo even though targeted at macbook air is the same size as the mbp 13.3 and cost more, same with hp envy 13.

you can't go wrong with a macbook period. Now all apple needs to do is get cracking on the bootcamp drivers for windows and i'll be happy :)
 
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Your Mac's Specs
2005 G4 Mini & 2014 Mini & 2020 M1 Mini
I have a white macbook over 3 years old. Their are no scratches or cracks. It still looks great. My macbook is as fast as the day I bought it. My machine is not bogged down by a bloated os or anti virus. I suggest you stick with dell.
 
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Just got a MacBook, 13" white a couple weeks ago. I love it - always a PC user here - my desktop PC runs Vista, which I like - but there is no comparison. For the time it takes my PC to boot up, I could shut down and restart the MacBook 7 times - no joke.

The Apple rep actually talked me out of the MacBook Pro, for what I need, the white will be just fine, and stays within the budget. I am a teacher, and also am taking graduate level classes again. Using iWork instead of Office - and I can save all documents to open in Word or PowerPoint if I need to.

I researched this decision for months and months, and I am not sorry at all. Ease of use, speed, quality, service - you can't beat it. You do get what you pay for, and the MacBook is proving well worth it. I will keep my desktop PC (HP machine) until it dies - hopefully not for a long while. I will probably even load Windows 7 in hopes that it speeds things up. But...I have my eye on the iMac in a couple more years.....
 

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