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Posted: 8/25/2015 5:54:41 PM EDT
[#1]
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People that have even the slightest knowledge of how a computer works will be far better served by a windows machine. It isn't hard to keep a windows machine running right and infection free. For those whose forward progress stopped with the microwave, a mac is a fantastic idea. As a full-time open source developer, you're so full of shit your eyes are brown. At every conference I've attended for the past 3-5 years, easily 75% of the laptops present were Apple. The non-Apple hardware is owned disproportionately the new people. The only exceptions really are people issued a shitty corporate laptop, and people who are ideologically into Free Software and purchase their hardware with that in mind. |
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Posted: 8/25/2015 5:56:48 PM EDT
[#2]
Another vote for apple. I am also a part time college student and bought my macbook air for about $750 after Best Buy and apple rebates. I would buy another in a heartbeat if something happened to it.
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Posted: 8/25/2015 5:57:48 PM EDT
[#3]
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Though, the entrails of IOS can be quite geeky and thrilling, the IOS is designed for people who don't pooter other than basic needs. Why exactly are you running Cisco's router OS on a Macbook? Perhaps you mean iOS. In that case, why exactly are you running Apple's phone OS on a Macbook? |
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Posted: 8/25/2015 6:00:38 PM EDT
[#4]
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Which sums up my point. If you're doing Apple related stuff, get a mac. If your doing something thats not Apple related, then get the best tool for the job. OSX is very handy if you're a developer. It's Unix, runs MS Office natively, and you can spin up a Windows or Linux VM if you have to. |
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Posted: 8/25/2015 6:10:02 PM EDT
[#5]
I'm a software development team lead and use Windows at work. I ran Linux for years at home except for my laptop. I was stuck in a hotel several years ago when the laptop crapped out and wouldn't do a flippin' thing. I ran to the store, bought a MBP and haven't looked back (posting from it now).
I run Debian on my other laptop. If I could BYOD to work I would. I'm just more at home in a 'nix environment. Maybe it's because our app and web servers are all RHEL. I've never really been a fan of Windows despite being a Windows dev for years. Now I'm more of a backend data guy. |
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Posted: 8/25/2015 6:21:08 PM EDT
[#6]
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You won't find a ThinkPad with the same or better specs as even a base 13" MBP for 2-3X less. In fact it would probably be more expensive. ThinkPad's come in all kinds of configurations and the one's for 2-3X less are cheap refurbs or spec'd so low the machine would be a dog even out of the box new. There are no similar quality PC laptops for 2-3X less. A base 13" rMBP can be had easily for ~$1200. $400-600 PC laptops are garbage. Quote HistoryQuoted:
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If you want to run Mac OS X, yes, its worth it (because nothing else will run it outside Apple products) If you have no burning desire for OS X, or need Windows specific apps, then Apple products are WILDLY over priced and not the best option. For every one else, spare me the " just boot camp it" or "run parallels on it" crap. Yes those do work, but all they do is enable you to spend 2-3x as much on a laptop to do the SAME goddamn thing you could do on a quality T series notebook, or similar quality laptop from Dell, HP, etc. The only LOGICAL reason to buy a Mac, is to run Mac OS X. You won't find a ThinkPad with the same or better specs as even a base 13" MBP for 2-3X less. In fact it would probably be more expensive. ThinkPad's come in all kinds of configurations and the one's for 2-3X less are cheap refurbs or spec'd so low the machine would be a dog even out of the box new. There are no similar quality PC laptops for 2-3X less. A base 13" rMBP can be had easily for ~$1200. $400-600 PC laptops are garbage. You make a good point, usually the price difference for same specs is not 2-3x, its usually in the 50-100% range. A few years ago, I was able to do T420's with 16 gigs ram and 250gig SSD for about half of what a 13" macbook pro with same specs were going for, but I think it was just that one year. Apple HAS gotten a bit better on pricing as of late. |
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Posted: 8/25/2015 6:35:37 PM EDT
[#7]
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Not the rule around here ( I work for a major engineering college as IT staff). While there are a few EE's running around with mac's, they have to remote into the Virtual Lab (a farm of Windows servers with all the specialized software the EE's use) to get anything useful done. All the circuit design and simulation software they run is Windows based, with a rare program or 2 having a linux version. Its just as bad for the ME's and CE's. The Civil Engineers all use ArcGis and a bunch of weird programs written by fed.gov for their stuff, and thats all 100% Windows. The ME's use Solidworks, Creo, Autocad, Mathcad, Abaqus, and a few other shitty programs I can't think of at the moment. A few of them will run in linux, but the vast majority is Windows only. The only major programs that my users depend on that have Mac versions is Matlab and Office. I'm not as sure on the CS guys (they're under a different College at my Uni). From what I've heard, it entirely depends on what kind of development they're into. I know a lot of them are major linux whores (since GCC is very friendly for teaching CS concepts), but the kids dealing with Visual Studio are on Windows boxes. Which sums up my point. If you're doing Apple related stuff, get a mac. If your doing something thats not Apple related, then get the best tool for the job. Quote HistoryQuoted:
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That must be why all the computer science and electrical engineering students (among other majors) use Macs. I prefer a UNIX environment and yes I progressed past using a microwave. Not the rule around here ( I work for a major engineering college as IT staff). While there are a few EE's running around with mac's, they have to remote into the Virtual Lab (a farm of Windows servers with all the specialized software the EE's use) to get anything useful done. All the circuit design and simulation software they run is Windows based, with a rare program or 2 having a linux version. Its just as bad for the ME's and CE's. The Civil Engineers all use ArcGis and a bunch of weird programs written by fed.gov for their stuff, and thats all 100% Windows. The ME's use Solidworks, Creo, Autocad, Mathcad, Abaqus, and a few other shitty programs I can't think of at the moment. A few of them will run in linux, but the vast majority is Windows only. The only major programs that my users depend on that have Mac versions is Matlab and Office. I'm not as sure on the CS guys (they're under a different College at my Uni). From what I've heard, it entirely depends on what kind of development they're into. I know a lot of them are major linux whores (since GCC is very friendly for teaching CS concepts), but the kids dealing with Visual Studio are on Windows boxes. Which sums up my point. If you're doing Apple related stuff, get a mac. If your doing something thats not Apple related, then get the best tool for the job. Any of that would also apply to personal Windows computers. Engineering software is expensive so the average user will not have access to it. It was the same while I was in college for EE GCC is also part of OSX being a NIX variant. Also note a lot of the software you mentioned is in development or has already been released for OSX. |
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Posted: 8/25/2015 6:38:52 PM EDT
[#8]
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All I need a computer for is email, paying bills, shopping and Arfcom. https://www.google.com/chromebook  Yeah, no... no thanks. |
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Posted: 8/25/2015 6:41:33 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted: You make a good point, usually the price difference for same specs is not 2-3x, its usually in the 50-100% range. A few years ago, I was able to do T420's with 16 gigs ram and 250gig SSD for about half of what a 13" macbook pro with same specs were going for, but I think it was just that one year. Apple HAS gotten a bit better on pricing as of late. There's more to it than that IMO. I was playing around on Lenovo's site, and just to upgrade a Thinkpad to SSD, 1080p screen, and mid level i5 was $1187. No option for AC wireless, 13" rMBP screen is 2560x1600 while the one I was configuring topped out at 1080. For that price you are still getting a plastic shell, plastic screen, etc. Another of the T series I just checked tops out at 1600x900 and was over $1000 just upgrading it to an i5 while still coming with 4GB of RAM and HDD instead of SSD. For giggles I checked a 3rd model of T series, one that can get a 3k screen (2880x1680), and with SSD + i5 it was $200 more than a 13" rMBP with same CPU and SSD specs coming in at over $1500. I am sure for a business they can get bulk discounts, and ThinkPad's can be configured with a wide range of options to fit user's needs in a business environment. I just think the people claiming you can get as good of specs for half the price are either talking about bulk purchases where they're buying hundreds of laptops at a time or missing the fact half the specs aren't even close to the same. |
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Posted: 8/25/2015 6:47:02 PM EDT
[#10]
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we are shopping for new laptop for my daughter for college. She really wants a mac book. checking the pricing they are not cheap. So are they worth the extra money over a windows based laptop? Just bought one for my daughter. Check B&H photo. They are an apple reseller. I got a model that was a few months old. Almost the same specs as the latest model and saved about $300. No tax either |
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Posted: 8/25/2015 6:55:57 PM EDT
[#11]
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Not only yes, but they are the same price as identical Windows laptops. Apple doesn't do low-end, and too many people confuse the $300 ACER they got from Tiger Direct for being comparable to a 15" MBP or whatnot. They ain't. Spec out a 15" Windows laptop to the same standards as the MBP, and it will cost the same. That's not true. I got a Dell XPS for ~$750 with the specs of a MBP that cost about $2,500. (looked almost identical to a MBP too, which is probably why it got stolen). |
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Posted: 8/25/2015 6:56:09 PM EDT
[#12]
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Apple doesn't have any spooky battery tech that I'm aware of. They have a lifespan. My personal experience is that I'll get a new laptop before the battery ever runs dead. The more charge/discharge cycles you put the battery through, the faster it wears out. The rest of your post essentially confirms what I said. Macs are ideal for people that don't know how to computer. I'm glad they work for you. 
By the way..macs by and large use hardware that's more or less identical to what is found in windows machines. Sometimes it's shaped a little funny or plugs in a little different but it's essentially the same stuff. The only "advantage" Mac computers have in that regard is they have tighter control over what hardware goes into their machines (and what can physically fit), so there's less 'incompatibility' but again, this is so people that can't computer won't mess it up. Quote HistoryQuoted:
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Macs have hardware problems just like windows computers do. They also get malware (although admittedly not as frequent) Most problems with windows machines can be traced back to the user not knowing how to computer. Macs were designed specifically to combat this. People that have even the slightest knowledge of how a computer works will be far better served by a windows machine. It isn't hard to keep a windows machine running right and infection free. For those whose forward progress stopped with the microwave, a mac is a fantastic idea.  I've yet to see a windows laptop that has a battery that will be useful three or four years down the road. Mac batteries are still going strong 4,5, and even 6 years down the road. In my experience, windows machines need to be reformatted after 2-3 years, otherwise they'll begin to slow down. Not the case w/ macs. Windows drivers do not always play well with each other. I've had problems w/ routers, printers and scanners, all b/c of drivers. I showed up to a job site where everybody had to bring their own laptop. We had to printout our work product. My MBP recognized the company's network printer and I had no problem printing. All the guys w/ windows machines had to go to the printer manufacturers website to download the drivers and then install them and then some had to restart to be able to finally print. I bought my MBP six months ago, but before I did, I did an apples to apples (no pun intended) comparison and the window's machines were just as expensive as my MBP. In a way the windows or apple computer argument is similar to the android or apple phone os argument. Apple designs and/or manufactures their hardware and controls the operating system, so things work extremely well together. Microsoft does not control the hardware and therefore you often have issues that cause problems. When I was in college, I didn't mind having to figure out why some piece of hardware wasn't working - I enjoyed learning what was happening. Now that I depend on my computer to make money, I just want it to work. I bought my MBP from Best Buy, they price matched b & h photo's price on the web, and I stacked on a 10% discount from the USPS moving packet, even though I didn't move. Apple doesn't have any spooky battery tech that I'm aware of. They have a lifespan. My personal experience is that I'll get a new laptop before the battery ever runs dead. The more charge/discharge cycles you put the battery through, the faster it wears out. The rest of your post essentially confirms what I said. Macs are ideal for people that don't know how to computer. I'm glad they work for you.
By the way..macs by and large use hardware that's more or less identical to what is found in windows machines. Sometimes it's shaped a little funny or plugs in a little different but it's essentially the same stuff. The only "advantage" Mac computers have in that regard is they have tighter control over what hardware goes into their machines (and what can physically fit), so there's less 'incompatibility' but again, this is so people that can't computer won't mess it up. Are you sure about that? That's like saying Windows and OSX are both software and therefore identical. You can take a batch of the exact same electronic components and have very different PCB designs offering very different outcomes. There are also many different grades or levels of components with different MTBF, Temperature and V/I tolerance. These components can look identical but are not. Add to that engineers can design something without much testing and put out a product only slightly tested, or can test the crap out of it and fine tune the design for greater functionality and longevity. Along the same vein since Apple chooses its HW and that HW range is limited throughout their entire line they can fine tune the drivers for top performance. I can't prove Apple uses better components but I don't think you can prove they don't and lots of people, including myself have experienced Apple computers lasting much longer than PCs. My two Macs are ancient (2007 MBP and 2008 MBP) and I still use them everyday without any problems. I have a desktop PC that was giving me several BSODs with XP (atleast two per day) and the first year of W7 release (about one per couple days). I put OSX on it and never had a problem. I put linux on it and most flavors never gave me a problem after initial setup. Also just because the design of an operating system is well thought out and purposely easy to use does not mean it is not powerful or have advanced features (most of which the average user will never know about) |
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Posted: 8/25/2015 7:05:35 PM EDT
[#13]
The current "MacBook" (released a couple months ago) might be underpowered for any heavy computing. It's sleek, fast, and incredibly light, with advanced features, but it may not be right for someone who needs a lot of processing power.
It is different from the old MacBooks, the MacBook Air, and the MacBook pro. If she needs oomph, get the Pro. But definitely get a Mac. |
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Posted: 8/25/2015 7:09:08 PM EDT
[#14]
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Why exactly are you running Cisco's router OS on a Macbook? Perhaps you mean iOS. In that case, why exactly are you running Apple's phone OS on a Macbook? Quote HistoryQuoted:
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Though, the entrails of IOS can be quite geeky and thrilling, the IOS is designed for people who don't pooter other than basic needs. Why exactly are you running Cisco's router OS on a Macbook? Perhaps you mean iOS. In that case, why exactly are you running Apple's phone OS on a Macbook? It's been a long day.
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Posted: 8/25/2015 7:23:54 PM EDT
[#15]
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we are shopping for new laptop for my daughter for college. She really wants a mac book. checking the pricing they are not cheap. So are they worth the extra money over a windows based laptop? No. But if she wants/needs OSX then get it. More than likely she doesn't need OSX and can do everything on Windows... Windows tends to support more software. Again, if she "just wants a MAC Book" then she probably doesn't know any software that does not work on OSX/Windows because the average person won't be limited by either OS. Meaning she wants it as a fashion statement. Which is fine. If that is what she wants, get it. My father was the same. Recently made the switch after using Windows since Windows 95. After much swearing, frustration and wasting hours of time & multiple trips to the Apple store and talking to various uneducated dumbass "geniuses" he blabbers on how awesome and painless it was to switch, even though it wasn't for him. But it was a fashion statement, had the money so he will enjoy it for those purposes. He wouldn't stoop to a "lowly Android" either. Long story short, does she want it? Can you afford it? Then go for it. Money tight and just want to get her something practical? Look for a good Windows based OS (non Mac book pros are really not worth the money). But you'll have to research, because build quality varies a lot between models of Windows based laptops. Quoted:
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$1,500 facebook machine. Yes, Apple built a multi-billion dollar product lineup with millions upon millions of users because there computers are only capable of checking facebook or You are mad because your not making $1,500 a day WITH a macbook pro as your main computer. There really isn't anything special a Macbook Pro can do that any other PC can't. If you can't make money without a certain logo on the side of your PC you're doing it wrong. Likewise, desktops are far superior for work than any laptop. The extra screen(s) size & speed make it superior to any laptop out there. |
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Posted: 8/25/2015 7:25:59 PM EDT
[#16]
Maybe, if you install Windows 10 on them.
Otherwise, LOL no. |
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Posted: 8/25/2015 8:03:41 PM EDT
[#17]
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Are you sure about that? I can't prove Apple uses better components but I don't think you can prove they don't and lots of people, including myself have experienced Apple computers lasting much longer than PCs. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Are you sure about that? I can't prove Apple uses better components but I don't think you can prove they don't and lots of people, including myself have experienced Apple computers lasting much longer than PCs. In most instances, yes. They use off the shelf (often modified slightly so you can't replace with off the shelf parts so they can charge you more, like they do for their $35 proprietary iPhone charging cables) hardware/technology. Essentially most pre-built computers are the same to some degree. But the CPUs, RAM, hard drives/SSDs ect. are essentially the same. A Western Digital Blue drive in a Apple branded PC won't be any more reliable than one found in a Dell or one bought off of newegg. The "lasting longer" is essentially people blowing smoke because they paid for something pricey. Read my previous post about my father. He'll tell people how horrible his "PCs" were, but 80% of the problems are made up, the other 15%+ are due to him being an idiot. The laptops themselves lasted years before they were broken through misuse. The 2nd last one was dropped from very high and died after ~7 years of use. The last one was damaged after he spilled some soup or something on it. Of course when ACER didn't want to cover a 2+ year old laptop out of warranty and damaged due to neglect, he got pissed. They offered to cover the shipping and repair costs, but would not cover the new hardware. Of course that made ACER a terrible company, and all these fictional issues about "PCs" started appearing. Most of which make absolutely zero sense. He says the same things about Android phones but never had one... and more than likely, never used one. Quoted:
Happy with mine from 2011. Adding 16GB of RAM last year really made it scream. I use it in the office every day, all day. Again, another example. Unless he is actually using a demanding program (some type of development) he wasn't running out of 8GB of RAM. You'll be hard pressed to run out of 8GB of RAM on Vista, 7, 8.1, 10 or any modern version of OSX... hell, probably any OS ever. That is, of course, unless you're running professional NLEs, massive photo editing, 3D modelling, ect. |
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Posted: 8/25/2015 8:11:08 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
yes they are worth the price. I switched to mac years ago havent looked back and im glad i did. The new OS's from windows sucks a$$. Macs are built to last. PCs not so much. I will never go back to Windows for personal use and Im a computer engineer.  I've got an ASUS N10J from 2008 that has an Atom processor and 2GB of RAM. It runs better today than the day I bought it (aside from the battery). I hear macbooks are really good machines, but that doesn't mean Windows "sucks a$$". 
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Posted: 8/25/2015 8:17:42 PM EDT
[#19]
Yes the are for a Pro Model not an Air or regular MacBook. The Pro models are serviceable the rest are all soldiered in connections so very hard to repair. My oldest daughter started high school and a laptop was required. The top of the line Lenovo my wife bought(she kicks herself for being cheap) Lasted 1 week before the blue screen of death. We bought her a 13" MacBook pro and are super happy. We already had a 208 and 2011 Macbook Pro 15.4's, just wish we would have bought the pro before we made the mistake on the Lenovo.
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Posted: 8/25/2015 10:38:37 PM EDT
[#20]
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That's not true. I got a Dell XPS for ~$750 with the specs of a MBP that cost about $2,500. (looked almost identical to a MBP too, which is probably why it got stolen). Quote HistoryQuoted:
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Not only yes, but they are the same price as identical Windows laptops. Apple doesn't do low-end, and too many people confuse the $300 ACER they got from Tiger Direct for being comparable to a 15" MBP or whatnot. They ain't. Spec out a 15" Windows laptop to the same standards as the MBP, and it will cost the same. That's not true. I got a Dell XPS for ~$750 with the specs of a MBP that cost about $2,500. (looked almost identical to a MBP too, which is probably why it got stolen). I'm gonna go ahead and call bullshit. |
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Posted: 8/25/2015 10:52:45 PM EDT
[#21]
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As I type this on my 2015 MBP W/ Retina display.... Yes.  I just got a new MacBook Air about two months ago. Love it. |
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Posted: 8/25/2015 10:56:23 PM EDT
[#22]
I'm a recent convert to the MacBook Pro... And I won't go back.
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Posted: 8/25/2015 10:58:17 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I'm a recent convert to the MacBook Pro... And I won't go back. 
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Posted: 8/25/2015 10:59:24 PM EDT
[#24]
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got mine in 2010 and still going strong. |
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Posted: 8/25/2015 11:00:31 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Not only yes, but they are the same price as identical Windows laptops. Apple doesn't do low-end, and too many people confuse the $300 ACER they got from Tiger Direct for being comparable to a 15" MBP or whatnot. They ain't. Spec out a 15" Windows laptop to the same standards as the MBP, and it will cost the same. I agree. They aren't as "over priced" as many claim they are. |
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Posted: 8/25/2015 11:01:48 PM EDT
[#26]
My 2008 is still going strong, but it's being held together with tape since I dropped it a few times. I finally purchased a new one this year.
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Posted: 8/25/2015 11:05:02 PM EDT
[#27]
A $300-$400 intel i3-i5 laptop with $100 samsung evo 250gb SSD upgrade is probably enough laptop for 95% of the population.
Toss in it the gutter and go buy another if you have any major issues which you probably wont. |
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Posted: 8/25/2015 11:07:24 PM EDT
[#28]
My wife has a few years old Macbook Air and my kids have a new chromebook. The difference in build quality is easily noticeable.
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Posted: 8/25/2015 11:27:30 PM EDT
[#29]
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My only problem with the new MacBook is the lack of ports. They're pushing this new type of USB port, and it's the only one on the machine. You have to buy an adapter to hook anything up to it, and you can't charge a device if the computer is plugged in because there's only one port. I'm currently in the market for a new laptop and I think I'm going to go with a refurbed MacBook Air. Just got one for my mom and it's great. That has been my hangup, as of late. Apple is getting retarded with the interface game. It puts me in a bit of a pickle, since I don't want to spring for a MBP, but need ports not present on the MB. I also hate being tied to Thunderbolt-based connections, since that limits my outboard hardware selection. Anyhow, here are my observations: Macs can last a long time. I am posting this from a 2007 MacBook. It still runs OK for normal tasks, although the hardware hasn't been supported in years, and I am stuck with an old OS that won't run many newer plugins, browsers, or other programs. The older stuff works most of the time, but I have to switch computers for some things. Also, they aren't bulletproof, as some would have you believe. I, or my friends, have had failures with logic boards, inverter cables, HDDs, optical drives, and enclosures. The failure rate that we have experienced has actually been higher than the PC equivalents. Also, they are often a pain to work on, due to the form-factor and layout. Overall, though, it has held up better than what would have been a similarly-priced PC at the time. Also, some of the negatives are offset by the fact that the market for used Mac parts is stronger than for used PC parts. I will be able to sell of some of the parts from my road-worn MacBook pretty easily. I would also consider, on top of the student discount, waiting to see if they make any changes to the MBPs soon. You can sometimes snag the previous model for a discount this way. |
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Posted: 8/25/2015 11:29:01 PM EDT
[#30]
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The current "MacBook" (released a couple months ago) might be underpowered for any heavy computing. It's sleek, fast, and incredibly light, with advanced features, but it may not be right for someone who needs a lot of processing power. I think it's a shame they're soldering everything to the MB now. I specifically bought the non-Retina MBP so I could upgrade the memory and and HDD. The new ones are slick but I don't see giving mine up anytime soon. |
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Posted: 8/25/2015 11:40:11 PM EDT
[#31]
Another vote for yes. So glad I made the switch.
2 Mb air's iMac 3 iphones 1 Ipad Airport Time capsule Apple TV Everything works perfectly 99% of the time. |
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Posted: 8/25/2015 11:40:26 PM EDT
[#32]
I've had my MacBook Air for about 6 months, its still super fast and runs great.
I'll probably never go back to a windows operating system. |
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Posted: 8/25/2015 11:51:29 PM EDT
[#33]
All Apple products are overpriced and overrated. Their build quality is definitely not what it used to be either.
Better laptops and computers can be had at lower prices. I hate how litigious their company is but some of that died with Steve. They do have a solid fan base that accept all of their faults as features. |
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Posted: 8/26/2015 12:01:43 AM EDT
[#34]
Yes. Worth every penny
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Posted: 8/26/2015 12:15:14 AM EDT
[#35]
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we are shopping for new laptop for my daughter for college. She really wants a mac book. checking the pricing they are not cheap. So are they worth the extra money over a windows based laptop? Uh; fuck no. Mac's are really not good for anything. Graphics...computing power...nothing. 99% of users grew up with windows/word/excel,etc. FFS, Macs are a ridiculous waste of money and are nothing more than a retarded status symbol for those who can't explain why they want one.
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Posted: 8/26/2015 1:30:07 AM EDT
[#36]
I just bought the 2500 dollar almost top end 15" MBP.
It's great. I just wish they'd put a non-joke discrete mobile GPU in the MBP as an option. I'd have paid another 500 dollars for a 980m. |
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Posted: 8/26/2015 1:32:33 AM EDT
[#37]
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Not only yes, but they are the same price as identical Windows laptops. Apple doesn't do low-end, and too many people confuse the $300 ACER they got from Tiger Direct for being comparable to a 15" MBP or whatnot. They ain't. Spec out a 15" Windows laptop to the same standards as the MBP, and it will cost the same. That's not true. I got a Dell XPS for ~$750 with the specs of a MBP that cost about $2,500. (looked almost identical to a MBP too, which is probably why it got stolen). I'm gonna go ahead and call bullshit. Nope. Now, it was two years ago, but I got a refurbed Dell XPS 15z (which was pretty much a MBP clone visually, and had an aluminum case as well). Had a 35% off coupon, which knocked the price down from about $1100 or so to around $750. It was pretty much top of the line for non-gaming/non-workstation laptops then - 8GB of RAM, High-end i7, nVIDIA graphics, full HD screen (this was a little before the Retina screens). I configured a MBP to see what it would cost, and it was about $2,500 - can't remember the exact cost. So yeah, exceptional circumstances but compare the MBP retail (~$2500) to the Dell retail (~$1600) to the Dell refurbed price (~$1100) to what I actually paid (~$750). Don't know the price difference now, but I bet it's still a lot cheaper if you know what you're looking for. |
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Posted: 8/26/2015 2:07:03 AM EDT
[#38]
Worth it? In the long run, yes.
I've been a PC, well, more accurately a Windows user since Windows 3.1. Mac's are and have always been PC's also (Apple coined the term) Its really between the Apple or Microsoft O/S. With a windows machine you really need to have some knowledge of computers and tweaking with the O/S to get rid of bloatware, and when installing new programs, have to do custom installs to avoid ridiculous tool bars or other add on bullshit you don't need. Basically all the stuff that eventually makes a PC run like shit and 87% of users still don't know how to deal with. However, you do have access to a lot of cool games. Which is why I stuck around so long, but I grew out of that and also started to game more on consoles (cheaper anyway.) Mac, just plug it in and work. The user friendliness of a Mac compared to windows is like night and day. Can you put a price on sanity? No? Then get a Macbook. |
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Posted: 8/26/2015 2:21:47 AM EDT
[#39]
I bought my MBP used a few years ago for 650 off craigs. It has run like a champ ever since.
OSX 10.9.5 2.53 core 2 duo 8GB 1333 DDR3 |
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Posted: 8/26/2015 3:37:48 AM EDT
[#40]
Quoted:
we are shopping for new laptop for my daughter for college. She really wants a mac book. checking the pricing they are not cheap. So are they worth the extra money over a windows based laptop? Ask your daughter to explain specifically why she wants a macbook. Then post her answer. To answer your question, no they are not worth the extra money over a windows laptop. Considering the deals to be had on windows computer and the lack of deals on apple computers. Not to mention apple has basically put an end to their computers being upgradable. Here are some options, priced from low to high: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011KFQASE?&tag=slicinc-20&ascsubtag=e0bb058ef9a44d78b1ba3ebc9b8eae23 (1 year accidental damage coverage included) http://www.provantage.com/hewlett-packard-hp-h2p67aa~7HEWW69K.htm http://www.provantage.com/hewlett-packard-hp-h2p67aa~7HEWW69M.htm Dell xps 13 non touch (i5/ 8GB /256GB SSD upgrade: http://www.dell.com/us/p/xps-13-9343-laptop/pd?oc=dncwt5130bw10&variant=8:256SSD&model_id=xps-13-9343-laptop#overrides=dncwt5130bw10:8~256SSD http://www.provantage.com/hewlett-packard-hp-uj694e~7HEWW6CE.htm (3 year hardware warranty) |
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Posted: 8/26/2015 4:40:27 AM EDT
[#41]
No they aren't worth the money, but for someone who is technologically retarded and has no want or need to learn about computer software and hardware they get the job done. I could list a hundred reasons why they aren't worth it but unless you were non-biased and interested in learning it wouldn't matter to you anyway you would just get angry that someone has a different opinion then you and you feel the need to defend yourself since you spend an exuberant amount of money.
No they are not worth it. |
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Posted: 8/26/2015 4:52:37 AM EDT
[#42]
15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display
Processor: Intel I7 2.5GHz Ram: 16 GB Video Card: None- Utilizes onboard CPU graphics. Screen Size: 15 inches Retail Price: 2500.00$ DELL Alienware ANW15-5357SLV Processor: Intel I7 2.5GHz Ram: 16 GB Video Card: GTX 970 (An Amazing Card) Screen Size: 15.6 inches Retail Price: 1500.00$ |
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Posted: 8/26/2015 5:09:50 AM EDT
[#43]
I'm writing this on a 2 year old 13" MacBook with the retina screen. It's still going strong. Hasn't missed a beat. Battery life is a little less due to the age, but it's still in great shape and runs fine.
Get her a 13" MBP, and put a Speck case on it, and she'll be good for at least a few years. |
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Posted: 8/26/2015 5:28:24 AM EDT
[#44]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Yes, Apple built a multi-billion dollar product lineup with millions upon millions of users because there computers are only capable of checking facebook or You are mad because your not making $1,500 a day WITH a macbook pro as your main computer. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
$1,500 facebook machine. Yes, Apple built a multi-billion dollar product lineup with millions upon millions of users because there computers are only capable of checking facebook or You are mad because your not making $1,500 a day WITH a macbook pro as your main computer.
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Posted: 8/26/2015 5:33:38 AM EDT
[#45]
Yeah, I don't know where he was going with that but to be clear, I was just cracking jokes. I didn't know GD was so serious about computers.
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Posted: 8/26/2015 5:55:53 AM EDT
[#46]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Not only yes, but they are the same price as identical Windows laptops. Apple doesn't do low-end, and too many people confuse the $300 ACER they got from Tiger Direct for being comparable to a 15" MBP or whatnot. They ain't. Spec out a 15" Windows laptop to the same standards as the MBP, and it will cost the same. Not necessarily, I bought my Samsung Series 7 3 years ago instead of a MBP because it was cheaper ($900 vs $1,500) and the only spec that was different was the GPU..which is better on my Samsung. Built quality is dead on as well, this has an aluminum case just like the MBP. |
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Posted: 8/26/2015 6:09:42 AM EDT
[#47]
Fuck no. Let's say you buy one that's $2k. You're paying for about $900 worth of hardware, and $1100 for a half eaten fruit, "styling," and magic.
Buy windows. Save 1k, get a better computer. |
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Posted: 8/26/2015 6:12:17 AM EDT
[#48]
as a mac guy I love my macbook.
When I was in college EVERYONE used a macbook too. Not that, that means you should buy one, but they are very popular for college kids. |
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Posted: 8/26/2015 6:35:27 AM EDT
[#49]
I bought my MBP in May 2011. I had been working an overtime construction job, so I had money burning a hole in my pocket. I went through the refurb store. It was $1,800.
One of the reasons I bought it was for video editing. I was wearing a hatcam and shooting USPSA/IDPA/Steel matches. My old (from 2003) Windows XP desktop machine would freeze up when trying to edit video clips together in Windows Movie Maker. The power supply went tits up and I guess in the process took out the motherboard. Anyway, the MBP was running along just fine until a couple of weeks ago when something heavy fell on the keyboard. I think it was a candle in a stout glass holder. That took out the hard drive. I took it to the Apple store over in west county St. Louis. They swapped in a new hard drive and I got the old one back. It was about $190 out the door. It only took a couple of days. So at some point I will take it over to some experts who can recover the data off it. And yes, I am one of those technoligically retarded people. While I was at the Apple store I did ask about pricing out an equivalent MBP to my 2011 MBP. It would be $2,500 to $2,900. The good thing now is that you can get them with solid state drives. I think this 2011 model will keep on chugging on for another 4 years. |
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Posted: 8/26/2015 6:42:27 AM EDT
[#50]
Quoted:
we are shopping for new laptop for my daughter for college. She really wants a mac book. checking the pricing they are not cheap. So are they worth the extra money over a windows based laptop? Yes. They can last a long time if you treat them well. My partner got his in 07 (2006 model) and he's looking to replace it now. Nine years out of a laptop is pretty impressive. |
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