Help with decision on macbook pro vs dell xps m1310

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im a soon to be college student and i am looking for a fairly portable but yet powerful laptop, with that said i will be using it mainly for word processing and web surfing and stuff but i do play games occasionally along with video and music editing so i want a decent video card-and that is why the reg macbook is out of the question...

oh and what kind of verification is needed to get the student bonus at apple bc that 200$ off would be nice, but im not going to be in college for another 6-8mos or so

so here is basically what ive narrowed it down too:
base 2.2 ghz 15.4 mbpro-2000%
base 2.4ghz 15.4 mbpro-2500$ (not really looking to spend this much)
or
dell xps m1530 with 2.2 or 2.4 ghz processor, 160gb 7200rpm harddrive, and same vid card as the 2.4ghz mbp- 1700$ final cost


and im not looking to start a mac vs pc argument or anything, im just looking for some decent advise from some people who actually one macs...
 
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i just returned a m1530 that replaced my 2.2ghz Macbook.

Im going for a pro again.

the whole vista experience is just not for me. Im not looking to start a war here either, but i love how OSX does things with .dmgs and such.

especially since vista cant connect to the university LEAP/PEAP connection. Too bad, the 1530 is sexy, and it was 500 cheaper than the pro.

do you need the video card in the PRO? if not, i would recommend you just get a macbook, and save 1000$.
 
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yes i do need the vid card, just like in the first post.

why did it replace the pro, did something go wrong with it. just asking bc ive had a mac mini that broke without a cause so im wondering about reliability.

and also i dont really care which os i chose bc ive been a pc user mainly for years, and then i had the mac mini as well...


but besides ur issues with vista, how was the actual hardware on the dell
 
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Sounds like in your case you should just stick with the Dell and save the extra cash. Just my opinion.
 
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When you buy an apple product, you pay for the quality. Sure the dell is cheaper, but its not made out of aluminum, it doesnt have a back-lit keyboard, its not 1 inch thin when closed, it doesnt have a slot loading disk drive, ambient light sensors, two-finger scrolling, or the ability to boot whatever operating system you want.

Spend the extra $$ and buy and apple. Order online and you can get the student discount without having some sort of proof.

And if you dont start school until the fall, then I would suggest waiting until mid summer to buy. Apple may overhaul its laptop lineup minus the MacBook Air.
 
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I agree with most of these posts.

If you go Dell, you get what you pay for.
 
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alright, so based on what u people are saying is that my mac mini breaking was something rare. its harddrive or something major broke just in normal use that caused it to not even boot.

but neways ive had numerous dells that havent had any problems, and also the m1530 has a bluray slot loading disc drive.
 

dtravis7


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Hard Drive's sometimes die. Some sooner than others. Apple does not use some special drives. Same Seagate, Western Digital, ETC that PC's use. Was your Mini that died a Power PC G4 old Mini or a newer Intel one?
 
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To me it sounds like you would rather have the dell.
 
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alright, so based on what u people are saying is that my mac mini breaking was something rare. its harddrive or something major broke just in normal use that caused it to not even boot.

but neways ive had numerous dells that havent had any problems, and also the m1530 has a bluray slot loading disc drive.

from what i gather of your posts, it seems youve already decided?

get the dell, and enjoy it. I was very disappointed with my 1530, it wasnt as fast as i would have thought it would be (2.2/256VC/3GB ram).

if your comfy with windows, AND VISTA, then there ya go.

ive had dells in the past too, not really any bad issues with them, except hinges wearing out.

Get what makes you happy. In this case it sounds like either, so buy WHATEVER saves more money.

Gotta weigh your options.
 
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I just bought a Mac with the student discount. Sometimes they ask you to verify later, from what I read, with some kind of document from your school. Sometimes not. I personally was not asked.

Nah, really, playing games is the only reason to buy a PC. If you must play games, if that's a showstopper with you, then it is what it is.

I might consider a Dell... if I could install OSX on it!
 
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I just bought a Mac with the student discount. Sometimes they ask you to verify later, from what I read, with some kind of document from your school. Sometimes not. I personally was not asked.

Nah, really, playing games is the only reason to buy a PC. If you must play games, if that's a showstopper with you, then it is what it is.

I might consider a Dell... if I could install OSX on it!

Why not just install XP or Vista on the Mac if you must have some game compatibility?
 
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Ok thanks for all the feedback, but believe me my mind is not made up. I would prefer a mac over a pc, especially if i can use bootcamp or parallels, but yet the features are higher on the dell for the money. so basically here is my delema(spell):

better os for mac, more software features for slightly more money:

or same processor, vidcard, and memory, vista, slotload drive (poss bluray) for slightly less money. oh and this may be small but it also has an hdmi port which i would use a lot instead of vga
 
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oh and this may be small but it also has an hdmi port which i would use a lot instead of vga

All macs have some sort of Digital Out. The mac book pro has a DVI out which is very handy for external monitors. You can get the HDMI out using a DVI to HDMI cable. I got one off newegg for 6.99, and it works great.

If you go with the mac, you will not be disappointed. You will have a computer that will last you for several years. Trust me and go with the MBP!
 
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monoprice.com for all cables, simply the best .
 

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