Windows on MBP as primary OS?

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I'm hoping I get some honest opinions on something I have been thinking about.

I'm thinking of ditching my D820 Dell and getting a MBP. I will still be running Windows as the primary OS (via Boot Camp) because I've got business clients that are running Win only apps that I have to support.

I'm interested in an MBP because of the following reasons...

1. I think the hardware is superior to anything that you can get from Dell, HP, Gateway or Lenovo.

2. I think the support provided by Apple will be superior also.

3. I love the form factor and weight.

I have nothing against OS X and would certainly begin learning about it and using it where appropriate, but my reliance on Windows won't go away anytime soon.

Anyone else in the same situation or is this lunacy and I should just stay with what a primary Win OS laptop?
 
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Although Macbook Pro is certainly a great machine, I think you will find that if you're mainly going to be using it for Windows, you're essentially buying an overpriced laptop. A lot of the features of MBP are non-functional in Windows (the iSight camera, keyboard backlighting, etc), and some things are just plain broken (no Delete key, for example -- drives some crazy). Secondly, there are still some issues with the first round of Macbooks -- the overheating issue, problems with noise, etc. They underclock the video card, for another thing. Lastly, and perhaps more importantly, the Macbook is much more expensive than other laptops with similar hardware.

A lot of the Macbook's value comes from its software and design. With those intact, it's a great deal. But dodging out on OS X does (for the time being) negate a lot of the things that make Macbook Pro great. Perhaps in a few months when Windows support is better, it will be a good idea, but for now I think you'll end up regretting not having bought a machine designed for XP.

Of course, the story changes if you decide to use Apple software :) I think you'll find alternatives for just about everything you think you need XP for. But that's a whole 'nother thread.
 
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i think if you're buying a mac for windows, don't bother. a better computer can be bought cheaper. the lenovo products are actually surprisingly good.
 
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menace3054

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dude i put windows on my MBP and it works better on here than it does on a dell or something like that, ive been playing BF2 allllll day my lifes going to go down the tubes now and im going to fail out of law school
 
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I would not put windows on it with bootcamp I would wait for leapord, because bootcamp is still beta even though many people are using it, it is beta.
 
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but dude all bootcamp does is partition the harddrive, thats it. it doesnt run anything, theres really nothing that could possibly screw up. Once the partition is done, bam, windows installes flawlessly and you have a super computer
 
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menace3054 said:
but dude all bootcamp does is partition the harddrive, thats it. it doesnt run anything, theres really nothing that could possibly screw up. Once the partition is done, bam, windows installes flawlessly and you have a super computer

Hey, I seriously hope you don't flunk out of law school because with all the experience your getting playing BF2, you'll make one of an attorney. Kidding of course.

Kind of reminds me of the time I was in college and I spent more time playing ping-pong (the real ping-pong) than I did studying. Yes, I did fail out of college, but after a stint in the military, I went back (with my head properly screwed on) and became a CPA.

Little tip - priorities dude! If you have to, uninstall BF2 but you should be focusing on law right now and nothing else.

But I do like your advice on the MBP with Boot Camp. I'm really surprised I don't get more responses from MAC users who say, "ya, just use Boot Camp and you're good to go."

Instead, the typical response I get is, "If you're not going to be an OS X user, we don't want you."

This seems to be a pervasive attitude with MAC users and quite honestly, it kind of turns me off. Too much like, "we're too good for Win OS." Smug!

The business community only knows Windows right now. Perhaps this will change. Hey, I'm trying to at least give OS X a chance ... call me a bi-OS user, but they keep telling me... no don't do it.

I'm somewhat attracted to Apple because it is exclusive.. perhaps the last bastion of exclusivity. That may be changing soon, but for now, it's attractive to me.

Ah well, thanks for you're honest opinion.
 
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I think you should go for it, I was just saying windows is not as stable as people are saying now on the mbp, my friend has it and it did not go well for a while, and still apple has not finished getting support for bootcamp up and running.
Bootcamp does more then just partition the drive it does run something, mac runs on EFI and windows systems run on BIOS, this change is why windows has to be hacked go get it on a MBP before apple released bootcamp. So bootcamp does not just partition the drive, and it does have a time limit to when it will work. My suggestion was to wait for leopard to come out because one of the functions of leopard is going to be better windows support in one way or another.
 
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macAttack said:
i think if you're buying a mac for windows, don't bother. a better computer can be bought cheaper. the lenovo products are actually surprisingly good.

"Better" is a relative term. Go Spec out a Dell laptop to match a MBP as closely as possible, then look at the price. You'll be surprised.
 
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baggss said:
"Better" is a relative term. Go Spec out a Dell laptop to match a MBP as closely as possible, then look at the price. You'll be surprised.


yea my fiancee has a lattitude d620 or somthing like that, her work gave her it has a core duo, 2 gb ram, 100 gb hd and it ended up being more than a mbp

im jk about failing out of law school, i always put school first, but being the summer right now im free to play away!
 
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just customized it, Dell Lattitude D620 14.1" Wide Screen, Intel Core DUo 2.16 Ghz, 2 GB Ram, 100 GB HD, 256 MB V-Ram (a crappy chip though) $2787 PLUS its a DELL so that makes it about 5000 in apple dollars
 
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i'm just saying, dell, lenovo and hp computers are created and specifically designed in all aspects to run windows. the intel macs, are from that. if you want to run windows, i believe it is easiest to buy a computer that is specifically designed to run windows.
 
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macAttack said:
i'm just saying, dell, lenovo and hp computers are created and specifically designed in all aspects to run windows. the intel macs, are from that. if you want to run windows, i believe it is easiest to buy a computer that is specifically designed to run windows.


hes basically right, windows runs great but if you want a WINDOWS only computer then you might as well get one that would have support...if your mbp stopped working, neither apple nor microsoft would help you fix it.
 

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Well said Menace and MacAttack. I agree totally. If you were going to use it mostly for OSX and some windows for work and maybe gaming, I would say go ahead, but if you get a system made from the ground up for windows, everything will work and you will have support in case something goes wrong.
 
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menace3054 said:
hes basically right, windows runs great but if you want a WINDOWS only computer then you might as well get one that would have support...if your mbp stopped working, neither apple nor microsoft would help you fix it.

I think if your getting a MBP just to run Windows don't spend your money on a MBP. Yeah they're awsome machines but there are still flaws in Boot Camp so as Menace said if it screwes your system neither MS or Apple will help you.

If your just going to use windows NOT OSX just get a PC.
 
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Plus the keyboard & mouse on a Windows based computer will be designed for Windows use.

e.g. right click, delete key...
 
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Exactly, and the Windows key. Not the clover and command key.
 
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PumpkinLand said:
Exactly, and the Windows key. Not the clover and command key.

Actually, in Windows, the command key is mapped as the windows key. Even if you use an apple keyboard on a regular PC.
 
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Didn't know that...I knew they probably would be mapped the similar but i didnt know what converted into what.
 
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oh and another thing, windows on a mac makes the little things not work, such as the lighted keyboard, volume keys, brightness keys,ect. so if you ran it as a primary os it would kind of suck paying a lot of money and having keys that dont work
 

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