Help me buy a laptop

Gashaponcito · #1 10-13-2008, 01:36 PM

Hi, I want to buy a new laptop for college but I really don't know what to get, I have 3 options of similar specs

MacBook (black)
Pros: Very cool loking, nice applications
Cons: Some programs I have to use in school don't have Mac versions

MacBook (white)
Same as above

Dell XPS M1530
Pros: really good hardware, a little bit cheaper
Cons: they don't look that cool

In fact I like the Mac better, I have never used Leopard or something like that, and I have read that there's an application to use Windows in Mac but I have also heard that it f"##s the hard disk, please help guys!!

DudeistMonk · #2 10-13-2008, 01:43 PM

Its called Boot Camp, you can run both OSs on the mac machine, but you can't run mac OS on the dell.

Magnetic power adapter is the ****. I have a macbook pro, I've had it for over a year now and its been nothing but good to me...little power cube thing broke (gotta hot glue it back together) thats it...I use it for hours a day. Has crashed maybe 3 times since I bought it.

Get a 3 year warranty on any laptop, they are prone to cooling issues and because of this almost always break down at the 2 year mark.

invisiman · #3 10-13-2008, 01:53 PM

Get a Windows based system if it's for school, unless the college expects and has accommodated for people having Macs.

gold_member_321 · #4 10-13-2008, 01:57 PM

Price Range?

Tsal · #5 10-13-2008, 02:00 PM

I'd take a Mac, and boot it to Windows for whatever Win-only software I'd need to run. However, Apple is supposed to be out with a fresh design for the MacBook very soon, so hold your horses a bit.

James Hart · #6 10-13-2008, 02:05 PM

I've had 2 different Dell laptops supplied by employers. They can take some abuse and run great IMO.

DudeistMonk · #7 10-13-2008, 02:11 PM

Quote:

I've had 2 different Dell laptops supplied by employers. They can take some abuse and run great IMO.

The problem with dell (probably more of a problem with desktops than laptops) is they change hardware without changing models...You get a seagate HDD one day and a western digital the next, depending on which is cheaper at the time. So sometimes you get a great dell, sometime you get the same dell and you have a piece of **** motherboard. However I imagine it is harder for them to do this with laptops (since more components have to be custom) and that they probably provide a more stable product in this regard.

Sony, and HP (and of course IBM but at that point you are spending more than on a mac) have great reps for laptops. If you wanna be cheap Toshiba makes a decent laptop and they have really nice high res screens.

Phat Ham · #8 10-13-2008, 02:12 PM

Apple will be announcing new notebooks tomorrow.

MakiSupaStar · #9 10-13-2008, 02:14 PM

What programs do you need to run? Either way, you can run windows from a Mac. I voted for the MacBook black.

tplyons · #10 10-13-2008, 02:21 PM

White Macbook. Black Macbooks have a bigger hard drive, for $100 more. Do you really need 250GB instead of 160GB?

Don't forget, Mac gives students a $100 discount on computers. Also, if you can possibly wait until summer, they usually toss in free iPods and free printers too.

jkritchey · #11 10-13-2008, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DudeistMonk

The problem with dell (probably more of a problem with desktops than laptops) is they change hardware without changing models...You get a seagate HDD one day and a western digital the next, depending on which is cheaper at the time. So sometimes you get a great dell, sometime you get the same dell and you have a piece of **** motherboard. However I imagine it is harder for them to do this with laptops (since more components have to be custom) and that they probably provide a more stable product in this regard.

Sony, and HP (and of course IBM but at that point you are spending more than on a mac) have great reps for laptops. If you wanna be cheap Toshiba makes a decent laptop and they have really nice high res screens.

That only applies to the Inspiron line. If you shop the Latitude line, those machines are spec'ed for business with gauranteed part availability for a full lifecycle.

Most colleges that have a deal with suppliers have a Dell Deal and a Latitude specified. if you want a 14" screen, get the Latitude 630. If you want 15", get the 830. (My son has the 830). Rock solid machines.

If you college doesn't have a special deal, go to the Dell Outlet.

Whatever you do, get the "Spill your beer on it Warranty" for 4 years. We've had zero problems, but my son works his University's helpdesk, and I understand it's come in handy....

DudeistMonk · #12 10-13-2008, 02:25 PM

Quote:

White Macbook. Black Macbooks have a bigger hard drive, for $100 more. Do you really need 250GB instead of 160GB?

Don't forget, Mac gives students a $100 discount on computers. Also, if you can possibly wait until summer, they usually toss in free iPods and free printers too.

Yes you do!

I have a 160 and I only have 20 gigs left! Seriously my music collection alone is 60G I have no movies (they are all on my external drive)...and I'm at 140 right now.

Also the white ones get icky after awhile.

James Hart · #13 10-13-2008, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkritchey

That only applies to the Inspiron line. If you shop the Latitude line, those machines are spec'ed for business with gauranteed part availability for a full lifecycle.

Most colleges that have a deal with suppliers have a Dell Deal and a Latitude specified. if you want a 14" screen, get the Latitude 630. If you want 15", get the 830. (My son has the 830). Rock solid machines.

If you college doesn't have a special deal, go to the Dell Outlet.

Whatever you do, get the "Spill your beer on it Warranty" for 4 years. We've had zero problems, but my son works his University's helpdesk, and I understand it's come in handy....

I should mention as well that one was an Inspiron and currently a Latitude (D810 specifically). Four of my last five employers have been Dell shops (late 90s to now)... LOTS of workstations, server and laptops. If I didn't build my own workstations, I'd buy a Dell myself. The machines I don't own but take care of are Dells as well (family machines).

...and it's definitely not an Apple bias thing. I worked for Apple for a long while. If they didn't relocate my department back to California, I would have stayed much longer. I was also a Mac consultant in the pre OSX world.

Jiggybass · #14 10-13-2008, 02:44 PM

Dell have pretty incredible customer support, my whole family and many friends have had nothing but good experiences with Dell. Also they have a pretty fair price for what you get plus a great warranty.

I'd recommend a Dell any day.

Jiggybass · #15 10-13-2008, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gashaponcito

Cons: Some programs I have to use in school don't have Mac versions

That should be your answer right there. Think of practicality over looks. It's great to have a laptop that looks so cool, but can't run what you need.....

mrpackerguy · #16 10-13-2008, 02:56 PM

I bought an Acer on sale at CC. Lots of RAM and memory, 17" screen. Light and potable. Apparently made by gateway. Working great 6 months and running.

DudeistMonk · #17 10-13-2008, 03:04 PM

Quote:

I bought an Acer on sale at CC. Lots of RAM and memory, 17" screen. Light and potable. Apparently made by gateway. Working great 6 months and running.

I had a gateway laptop...

The video chip got unseated and they expected me to pay for shipping to get it repaired I had to yell at customer service for 30 minutes.

aside from the fact that it broke the laptop ran way too hot, the power adapter died, the battery was crap, the screen got destroyed from the heat, eventually the power plug was so bad I couldn't charge it and trashed it.

I had also had a gateway desktop before that, which ran better but I still had some issues with.

Phat Ham · #18 10-13-2008, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tplyons

White Macbook. Black Macbooks have a bigger hard drive, for $100 more. Do you really need 250GB instead of 160GB?

The black macbook is $200 more, but if you spec the white macbook with a 250 GB hard drive the black macbook is still $100 more. You're paying an extra $100 to have a black case instead of a white one.

The point is kind of moot though since they are all going to be replaced tomorrow.

L-A · #19 10-13-2008, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jiggybass

That should be your answer right there. Think of practicality over looks. It's great to have a laptop that looks so cool, but can't run what you need.....

The problem is not formulated well. Some programs only run on Windows. Macs come with OS X, but it is possible to run Windows with Boot camp (and they make excellent Windows machines).

The question is now turned around: is there any program he wants that only runs on OS X?

msquared · #20 10-13-2008, 03:49 PM

I've had several Dells throughout my IT career. I've also had several Powerbooks, Macbook Pros, and my wife owns a Macbook.

I'd never send a kid to college with an Apple at this point, and especially not a Macbook.

Since you're going into college, realize that you are about to step into a world of seriously hot women who will subject you to an enormous amount of BS just for a little action. The first time your cool looking Macbook breaks, you will realize how similar it is to these women as you go through the Apple support process.