Want a Mac for Computer Science, Advice?

Hello everyone, this is my first post here and I'm coming to you all with a question. I'm going into Computer Science at the University of Toronto in September and I want to get a Mac to work on. My problems start here, I have no idea what I should get, I want a machine that will last for four or more years (it is hard to tell what I might want to do that far down the road but I know I don't want to buy a second laptop during school). That's as far as I've gotten, any suggestions to which model I should get?

A lot depends on what you'll be using the machine for. I'm assuming of course you'll be using it for the usual things at Toronto U like preparing papers, etc.

But what else would you use it for? For example: Are you a gamer? Do photo editing? Run Windows on the machine?

It might be that an entry level MacBook is all you need. On the other hand, you might need something more powerful. Let us know.

Regards.

As chscag said we need more information about what you are planning on doing with your computer. We don't know if you are a hardcore gamer or an 80 year old grandmother student who only sends angry emails to her grandchildren because they don't visit often.

I'm assuming you are not only using your computer just for school. You might also want to check your school about certain possible requirements.

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Hey, sorry to be so vague. So here's a list of things I will be using it for:

• Medium Gaming (TF2, COD, SC2) it depends if I bring my gaming computer with me.
• Typing, Presentations, etc. (Basic Office Stuff) This is most likely going to be very heavy.
• Photoshop
• HD video playback
• Code Compiling
• I'll most likely have Windows in BootCamp and then Ubuntu or something similar in a VM

All in all I'll be doing a little bit of everything. I use Photoshop almost daily, and I'm sure I will be typing loads of things everyday and of course coding. I'll also edit some video, not enough to buy specifically for video editing though.

For your needs you don't necessarily need the fastest computer for your needs now but your request to have it last 4 years or longer ups the requirements. Mainly in the gaming area is where you will have problems as your computer ages. Gaming and running Windows with Parallels/Fusion seems to be the most demanding of what you listed. Photoshop can be demanding too depending on what you are doing but many people still use it on older machines.

You definitely want to get a dedicated graphics card for gaming so the 13" laptops are out. Since you want to keep it longer then you should get the fastest processor you can afford because the games in the future will require faster computers even though you are not a hardcore gamer. Hardcore gamers upgrade almost every year if not faster.

Running Windows through Parallels/Fusion can require a fast computer depending on what you are doing because you are dividing the computer into two which slows down both your Mac and Windows side. If you are only using Boot Camp then it's not as much of an issue because you will be running Windows natively and get the full power of your computer.

Although if I were you I would rather sell off my computer to help pay for a new computer rather than keeping it so long. Macs do hold their resale value pretty well but a 4+ year old computer won't be worth much. If it were not for the gaming needs you probably could easily keep a high end MBP for several years.

I will most likely be using it for lower end gaming, nothing too hard. I have a custom built gaming rig that pulls the hard stuff (right now I'm rocking chrome, itunes, utorrent, and sc2) In the future I will probably have a new rig so I'll be primarily be using the Mac for work. In regards to boot camp, I believe Windows is going to be way more demanding than Ubuntu so I will keep it to boot camp.

Well in that case I think any of the 15" MBP will work for you but if you can afford it then get the i7 and it will probably last the years you are asking. Also keep in mind that 4+ years is a long time for computing technology and software so low end gaming in 5 years might be as demanding as the high end games of today. My PowerBook that is about 5 years old definitely can't play sc2 but that's not such a big issue if you have a dedicated custom gaming rig.