Step 1 to switching: I need convincing

Good afternoon everybody,

Let me start off by introducing myself. My name is Justin and I'm going into my senior year of college. I have a Dell laptop currently that I bought after my high school graduation. When I graduate from college next spring, I plan on buying a new laptop.

My Dell is already running on 3 years and is starting to show it. It does tons of strange quirky things that happen for seemingly no reason. For example, just now I had to bring up the task manager to exit out of AIM because the window was literally running away from my mouse pointer. Every time I moved the mouse, my buddy list would almost move in that direction, making it impossible to press the little "x" on the top right. Another example: recently there's been issues with my wireless. Intel ProSet Wireless (the default management program) now likes to shut itself off randomly. I'll lose my internet connection, and when I bring up the window, my computer tells me to turn on wireless by clicking "Enable Radio". Of course, I never disabled it in the first place, and the "enable radio" button is still engaged! The only solution I have found thus far is to restart my computer.

These are just two examples of three years worth of dealing with programs/operating systems that don't work as they should. So, naturally, I am considering buying a Mac as my next laptop. I've never used a Mac extensively (though I have here and there through friends that have Macs), but the general consensus out there seems to be that Macs will solve a large part of my frustration with Dell and Windows.

I don't need anything crazy in my laptop. I play games (very) occasionally, but I've always been more of a console gamer, so PC's advantage there isn't a big deal to me. I pretty much just use my computer to surf the web, download/upload new music (and manage with itunes), talk to friends via IM programs, watch the occasional dvd or streaming media, etc, edit images with photoshop, etc. And of course for school/work related needs, I use it for typing papers, doing research, etc.

So basically, I'm looking for someone who has been in my position before to let me know what their experience with a Mac has been like. Is it worlds better and you've never looked back? Not worth the money? Any and all opinions are welcome.

I also have just a couple specific questions. I have a lot of my life on this computer (files, programs, etc.) that I don't want to lose. How easy is it to transfer all of my information from this laptop to a new Macbook? What about Windows programs I have but would like to keep, such as Photoshop? Some programs are too expensive to simply buy the new Mac version.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and help me out! As a student, I have very limited finances, so if I'm going to splurge on a new laptop, I need to make sure that I'm making the right choice.

Hello there. Welcome! I'm not exactly in your position, as I'm quite a bit younger. However, a Mac will solve your problems. The White MacBook would be sufficient for your needs, and running Windows apps is no problem. You can boot into Windows with Boot Camp, or run mac and Windows side-by-side with something like Parallels or VirtualBox.

If you haven't done a good clean reinstall of Windows in those three years, I suggest doing that first before throwing a lot of money and a complete paradigm shift at the problem. For the record, three year old Macs can develop problems too, hardware and software-wise. There's enough owners of 2006 Macbooks with batteries that won't charge and cracked wristrests to vouch for that.

If you are convinced your Dell is due for replacement anyway, I can easily recommend a Macbook. The hardware is top-notch, very elegant, and sturdy. I recommend some type of protective skin or shell if you plan to be very mobile with it. OS X is a very good operating system, and fun and intuitive to use. It's nice not having to worry (as much) about viruses and trojans and all of the typical "malware" of the Windows world.

The core things you do with your current laptop, you can do with a Mac. The gaming capabilities of a Macbook are not particularly stellar, but older games or the occasional "not stressful on the graphics hardware" game would be fine. The nVidia 9400M chipset is a budget chipset intended for low power and enough processing power to handle a modern 3D GUI. It's not meant for much more than that. Basic IM chat is easily handled by either a specific app (ie. MSN Messenger for Mac) or a universal IM client like Adium. For things like video and voice you may want to review the apps for your particular IM service. OS X can do DVD's through a DVD player, and while it doesn't come with any kind of productivity suite, they do make OpenOffice and the awkward Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac, along with Apple's own offering, iWork.

OS X can't run Windows apps, and while there are "software" ways around this with virtual machines and whatnot, the best solution for the Windows Photoshop user is to just install Windows. All modern Macs can run Windows natively, and the system can be set up to dual boot between them. It's a very convenient and easy setup, and aside from relearning some key commands (Macbooks lack a few PC-centric keys and buttons), Windows runs very well on a Mac.

So I recommend first trying to fix your current Windows problems, and then only throw money at the problem if you need to and/or want to.

jjyank said:

I don't need anything crazy in my laptop. I play games (very) occasionally, but I've always been more of a console gamer, so PC's advantage there isn't a big deal to me. I pretty much just use my computer to surf the web, download/upload new music (and manage with itunes), talk to friends via IM programs, watch the occasional dvd or streaming media, etc, edit images with photoshop, etc. And of course for school/work related needs, I use it for typing papers, doing research, etc.

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The fact that your finances are tight and your computing power needs are fairly limited, you should be fine with the MacBook. It's the cheapest MB but by no means is it bad. I have an early 2008 MacBook and it runs really well (I did do a few upgrades mind you).

Thanks for the responses!

Follow up question regarding Windows on a Mac: Does having two operating systems weigh too much on hard drive space or slow the system down at all?

I suppose I could dig for my old XP disc, as I certainly do not want to spend the money on a Windows operating system just to use a couple programs on a Mac.

What is the hard drive space on these low-tier Macs? I have 120 gigs right now and running out of space rapidly. What can I say, I have a lot of music and pictures on my computer. Having something with at least 150 would be nice.

With Parallels or VirtualBox, it does cut down on your available RAM, making OS X a bit slower at times. For BootCamp, it is necessary to partition your hard drive, making it so that only part of your HD can be used by OS X.

jjyank said:

Follow up question regarding Windows on a Mac: Does having two operating systems weigh too much on hard drive space or slow the system down at all?

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It does require partitioning the hard drive for both operating systems. The base hard drive on a Macbook (according to Welcome to the Apple Store - Apple Store (U.S.)) is 160GB, though they offer larger sizes. The hard drive is a standard form factor and can be purchased at any computer store, online or offline, and is user-replaceable. This is usually a cheaper route than an Apple-purchased upgrade.

iPod Nano said:

With Parallels or VirtualBox

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I don't recommend virtualization for running Photoshop or games.

^ I would find it a pain to boot back and forth on a frequent basis, but whatever works I guess!

iPod Nano said:

With Parallels or VirtualBox, it does cut down on your available RAM, making OS X a bit slower at times. For BootCamp, it is necessary to partition your hard drive, making it so that only part of your HD can be used by OS X.

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Alright. Is it possible to "turn off" the Windows operating system to maintain speed while using OSX? I really only need windows to photoshop the occasional picture or something.

I was wondering also, is there any re-sale value for used laptops? I know mine is old with plenty of problems, but I would think some of the parts would still be valuable. I even just upgraded my hard drive from 80 to 120 gigs about a year ago. That would be a boost in my finances for sure. If I can't get anything out of it (or not enough to warrant it), I guess I could always keep this laptop as the "photoshop" laptop or something.

Finances are an issue, but not so much so that I can only get the cheapest Mac. Besides, I look at the issue like the more I spend on a laptop, the longer it will last me (maybe) and the more enjoyable my life will be during that period. I just browsed through the Apple site, and right now I'd say I'm leaning towards a 15'' Macbook Pro. I know I probably don't NEED a more powerful laptop, but I like the versatility. I have a job and I'm banking on some money from the relatives for graduation next year. My laptop is something that I depend on so heavily for entertainment that I don't mind spending a few extra bucks to make sure I'm happy with it.

One thing is for sure though...Windows is about to leave my life. On Apple's website, I found the build a Mac function, and a 15'' Macbook Pro with what seems to be the Apple equivalent to MS Office, the total price comes in around $1,700. Thats about what I spend on my current laptop, but I have a sneaking suspicion that the Macbook Pro will be worlds better then my finicky Dell.

jjyank said:

Alright. Is it possible to "turn off" the Windows operating system to maintain speed while using OSX? I really only need windows to photoshop the occasional picture or something.

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For Virtualization (VirtualBox or Parallels) Yes, you just don't run Windows when you need OS X at full capacity, but when you do run Windows, it will take some resources. If you only want to use Windows ocasionally, I would not recommend bothering to partition your disk and limit the space that OS X gets to use, even though others have said to use BootCamp.

iPod Nano said:

For Virtualization (VirtualBox or Parallels) Yes, you just don't run Windows when you need OS X at full capacity, but when you do run Windows, it will take some resources. If you only want to use Windows ocasionally, I would not recommend bothering to partition your disk and limit the space that OS X gets to use, even though others have said to use BootCamp.

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That makes sense, I don't imagine myself using Windows often enough to warrant partitioning up disc space. S.SubZero said above that he doesn't recommend using virtualization to run photoshop. Any particular reason? What are the disadvantages to such a process?

Virtualization doesn't give you as much graphics power as actually booting into a Windows partition with Boot Camp. This mainly applies to games but could possibly apply to Photoshop as well. Virtual machines are VIRTUAL... but not EXACTLY like running a whole new machine. If you're going to get a 15 inch Macbook Pro (which I would highly recommend), using Boot Camp won't be such a bad thing. As long as you have a drive big enough to allow room for both, you'll never miss the HD space. I upgraded my HDD to 500GB and I use about 40 of it for Windows, and I'm just now realizing that I'll probably never fill that up. But better safe than sorry, plus I can always get rid of the partition and create a small one later.

Oneironaut said:

Virtualization doesn't give you as much graphics power as actually booting into a Windows partition with Boot Camp. This mainly applies to games but could possibly apply to Photoshop as well. Virtual machines are VIRTUAL... but not EXACTLY like running a whole new machine. If you're going to get a 15 inch Macbook Pro (which I would highly recommend), using Boot Camp won't be such a bad thing. As long as you have a drive big enough to allow room for both, you'll never miss the HD space. I upgraded my HDD to 500GB and I use about 40 of it for Windows, and I'm just now realizing that I'll probably never fill that up. But better safe than sorry, plus I can always get rid of the partition and create a small one later.

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Right. It looks like my hard drive will be in the neighborhood of 250 gigs. Given that I've survived most of my life with less then 100, I suppose giving 50 gigs or so to Windows wouldn't make much of a difference. Could someone explain what exactly the deal is with virtualization? I've used things like Daemon Tools to emulate a disc in the drive, is virtualization of Windows on my Mac kind of the same concept?

Adobe, for some programs, will replace your Windows version with a Mac version for free or a nominal cost if you prove that you destroyed the copy you already own. I have never done this myself (as I am the least creative person on the planet and have no need for the CS) but have heard people mention it before. You might want to contact Adobe and see if they still do this.

vansmith said:

Adobe, for some programs, will replace your Windows version with a Mac version for free or a nominal cost if you prove that you destroyed the copy you already own. I have never done this myself (as I am the least creative person on the planet and have no need for the CS) but have heard people mention it before. You might want to contact Adobe and see if they still do this.

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Interesting. I don't know if that would work out though. I don't think my copy of photoshop is entirely legal. I saw a bunch of them on e-bay selling for $10-$15 each and figured it was worth a $12 gamble to see if I could legitimately get photoshop without destroying my savings account. Turns out it was a burned disc from London, but photoshop worked fine. Anyway, I have a feeling that would make me ineligible for that, but its something to check out.

I think it's safe to say that a $700 program is not going to be legit if it's being sold for $12.

vansmith said:

I think it's safe to say that a $700 program is not going to be legit if it's being sold for $12.

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Heh, well that depends on your definition of "legit". No, its not an Adobe disc, but it is a fully-functional copy of photoshop. Eh, don't be made at me Adobe, be mad at the people on e-bay. Poor college kids can't really resist an offer like that!

Anyway, back to the topic at hand: virtualization.

jjyank said:

Heh, well that depends on your definition of "legit". No, its not an Adobe disc, but it is a fully-functional copy of photoshop. Eh, don't be made at me Adobe, be mad at the people on e-bay. Poor college kids can't really resist an offer like that!

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I find it interesting how you are trying to blame Adobe and people on eBay for your choice to knowingly use illegitimate software.

Anyway, virtualization is not the best route for resource intensive applications. Virtualization involves running an operating system on top of another operating system and resources have to be shared between the two. Your best bet would be to try virtualization to see if it suits your needs first. So, it's nothing like daemon tools. Give this a read.

Also, only particular Windows discs will work with Boot Camp and likely virtualization. You will need a "systems builder" disc or a retail disc. If you don't have either, don't go to eBay and purchase a $10 copy .

well I just got a 15" macbook pro and I love it so far. If you are a college student you will get $100 off the price, plus a free iPod Touch, which you can easily sell for $200. iWork also get's a $30 discount bringing it to only $50, and if the apple store has them in stock you get a free printer, not sure which one since they didn't have any when i bought mine. If you sell all of that stuff, and your older dell you should be able to upgrade for around $800-$1000 and be good to go.

JUST DO IT. YOU WON'T REGRET IT.

Hope I convinced you.