? about MacBooks, the good the bad

[Slowboy]

Ok so I recently bought a HP laptop before this deployment. spent bought 1200 bucks. Well turns out its a piece of shit. Thinking maybe bestbuy will let me return it cash back or store credit towards a MAC. Most likely my wishes on that are not goin to happen.

Basically my ? is there any of you guys that use mac or that can tell me bout the differs between mac and windows. So far im pissed about windows vista, its a piece of shit. locks up all the time closes programs and this and that. I have been told that mac runs alot smoother. Im goin to being using photoshop mostly. and of course filing music. And internet. Tell me the good and the bad about mac.

Anyways if you could help me out.
thanks

[alpine_aw11]

I don't understand all of this shit about Vista. I have absolutely zero problems. If you hate PCs that much, then get a Mac. However, you're going to pay way too much money, and there's a chance you might turn into a macfag so watch out.

[Alan®]

seriosuly i have had 0 problems with Visa. I had more problems with XP and ME than I have had with Vista.

[eViLMunkey]

I don't understand all of this shit about Vista. I have absolutely zero problems. If you hate PCs that much, then get a Mac. However, you're going to pay way too much money, and there's a chance you might turn into a macfag so watch out.

MacBooks aren't as expensive as you're putting them

[Ran]

Mac Good: You'll look stylish at Starbucks.

Mac Bad: Everything else.

[Alan®]

my biggest question is if its locking up how much ram are you running?

[Alan®]

Mac Good: You'll look stylish at Starbucks.

Mac Bad: Everything else.

QFT

[alpine_aw11]

MacBooks aren't as expensive as you're putting them

So they're under 1k now?

[eViLMunkey]

You can get Refurbs for under $1k but really I wouldn't get a PC laptop for under $1k just to have to replace it w/in 6 months

Plus I paid $1300 for my MacBook 2.4 dual core, 2GB RAM (Expandable to 4) and a 160GB HDD. Plus the 1 year factory Warranty on the chance of something happening

[4dmin]

Macs - are great for people who just want internet and do some form of audio/video/graphics work... other then that lack of 3rd party support and gaming are the two largest draw backs. They are more expensive but hold their value better then windows machine.

Windows - cheap and windows can be quirky, but overall it is the standard for PC computing. support is far superior and you do have option of hand picking your setup/brand.

i grew up on mac and i am a windows network administrator... i use windows b/c i can do everything and more than mac users.

[Slowboy]

i have 4gigs of ram. But Im not sure what the deal is . I mean i never really had problems with my dell i had for 4 years. Finally needed a new one. So i bought the hp maybe its cause i have not any updates but all i use it for over here is movies and music. Cant get online with it. Reading on the apple website the new macbook looks pretty sweet. "for the starbucks hang out" lol

[alpine_aw11]

You can get Refurbs for under $1k but really I wouldn't get a PC laptop for under $1k just to have to replace it w/in 6 months

Plus I paid $1300 for my MacBook 2.4 dual core, 2GB RAM (Expandable to 4) and a 160GB HDD. Plus the 1 year factory Warranty on the chance of something happening

$700 Compaq, 4gb ram, 250g hard drive, still working perfectly after almost a year, runs faster than my friends MacBook pro......................

We probably shouldn't get into this argument.

[eViLMunkey]

$700 Compaq, 4gb ram, 250g hard drive, still working perfectly after almost a year, runs faster than my friends MacBook pro......................

We probably shouldn't get into this argument.

Everyone has their preferences, I just prefer OS X over Windows since it , to me, works better w/ CS4 and Lightroom 2

[Alan®]

i have 4gigs of ram. But Im not sure what the deal is . I mean i never really had problems with my dell i had for 4 years. Finally needed a new one. So i bought the hp maybe its cause i have not any updates but all i use it for over here is movies and music. Cant get online with it. Reading on the apple website the new macbook looks pretty sweet. "for the starbucks hang out" lol

yea you have to update it. thats prolly your problem. I have never liked HP computers. Everyone I have run across has fallen apart inside of a year. Next go around, Get yourself a Lenovo. I've had mine for 2 years and this thing is great. Can be had for around $700 now. I payed a premium for mine cause it was brand new model at the time but no complaints. the only thing I need at this point is a biggeer hard drive.

[Slowboy]

Course THe only real way to figure it out is to go ahead and just buy one and see how I like it suppose. Plus the macbook is a unibody now. one peice of aluminum. pretty cool. And there are all sorts of new shit they are using. To apply long battery life and better performance. So we shall see.

[eViLMunkey]

Course THe only real way to figure it out is to go ahead and just buy one and see how I like it suppose. Plus the macbook is a unibody now. one peice of aluminum. pretty cool. And there are all sorts of new shit they are using. To apply long battery life and better performance. So we shall see.

You'll more than likely love the simplicity of OS X

[Alan®]

Course THe only real way to figure it out is to go ahead and just buy one and see how I like it suppose. Plus the macbook is a unibody now. one peice of aluminum. pretty cool. And there are all sorts of new shit they are using. To apply long battery life and better performance. So we shall see.

I'm tellin you get a Lenovo you cant go wrong.

[eViLMunkey]

Lenovo = New IBM

[JohnnyC.]

^^ I agree with RedGT, HP's have always had a tendancy to crap out pretty quick for whatever reason. Your issues verywell may be hardware more than Vista itself. (no hate intended)

That said, So far, I have had Zero problems with Vista, just be sure to get the latest updates b/c the initial version was full of bugs.
Also, since you had a Dell for 4 years w/out incident, and you decide to go back to a PC, just get a Dell.
I have no experience with Mac, so I have no opinion there.

[4dmin]

yea you have to update it. thats prolly your problem. I have never liked HP computers. Everyone I have run across has fallen apart inside of a year. Next go around, Get yourself a Lenovo. I've had mine for 2 years and this thing is great. Can be had for around $700 now. I payed a premium for mine cause it was brand new model at the time but no complaints. the only thing I need at this point is a biggeer hard drive.

you can make any brand work fine... the biggest problem is most people don't know what they are doing when they buy a machine....

first is hand pick the machine for the hardware: cpu, drive speed over size, ram config (max capability for motherboard), etc.... second thing that should be done is to reinstall the OS b/c every Windows OEM install has so much BS w/ it; i highly suggest reinstalling... then if you don't need the aero features of vista turn them off.

vista is a very smooth OS if you know what you are doing. it takes some getting used to b/c they did change the layout alot and added annoying parental style controls

[Alan®]

Lenovo = New IBM

And your point is? Still a FANTASTIC product. My old man's had the same one for 5 years and is just now getting ready to upgrade. nothing wrong with it.

[Slowboy]

Ill def have to do the updates and see what the deal is when i get back to the states.

[Alan®]

you can make any brand work fine... the biggest problem is most people don't know what they are doing when they buy a machine....

first is hand pick the machine for the hardware: cpu, drive speed over size, ram config (max capability for motherboard), etc.... second thing that should be done is to reinstall the OS b/c every Windows OEM install has so much BS w/ it; i highly suggest reinstalling... then if you don't need the aero features of vista turn them off.

vista is a very smooth OS if you know what you are doing. it takes some getting used to b/c they did change the layout alot and added annoying parental style controls

Couldn't have put it better myself. People just go into best buy and assume that just because its on the shelf it will be fine and sometimes that is the case but most of the time its not. I always build the machine based on the machine.

I got mine with:
CD/DVD-RW
Vista
1 gig of ram

and upgraded from there. I now currently run 3 gigs and this thing is a beast. Like I said my only issue now is storage. I only put a 80 gig hard drive on here and I think after I get my D40 next year I'll spring for a 1 TB hard drive.

[Alan®]

Ill def have to do the updates and see what the deal is when i get back to the states.

I can almost gurantee, if you do the updates youll be just fine. I dunnow how long your tour is but you could probably order the updates on a disk. Just an Idea.

[Slowboy]

Yeah i get back in early feb. but ive only been here since sept. And in that period its gone to crap. I can be in the middle of a movie and it will freeze and say you know the program is fucking up window that pops up. and then it wont close out. Its just annoying.

And whats OS X

[4dmin]

Couldn't have put it better myself. People just go into best buy and assume that just because its on the shelf it will be fine and sometimes that is the case but most of the time its not. I always build the machine based on the machine.

I got mine with:
CD/DVD-RW
Vista
1 gig of ram

and upgraded from there. I now currently run 3 gigs and this thing is a beast. Like I said my only issue now is storage. I only put a 80 gig hard drive on here and I think after I get my D40 next year I'll spring for a 1 TB hard drive.

big key things to research before buying a windows machine:

- cpu: intel or amd, duo/dual core/x2, etc... very important differences from how much processing power to cache. best thing to do is research the models you are looking at to find out what cpu they have and then look for benchmark testing

- memory: depended upon motherboard many mother boards accept multiple memory versions ddr 2100, 2700, 3200, dual channel etc... many companies will put the lowend memory in the machine to save money. put in the highest grade memory you can and same model is also a plus.

- harddrives: what is more important speed/size? that should determine wether you want that 7200 rpm small drive vs 5400 rpm large drive; how much cache 8, 16mb, etc?

- OS: they now have different flavor vista models for end user... look up the differences and run the best for you... more features doesn't mean it is better - it just means it requires more memory

[alpine_aw11]

you can make any brand work fine... the biggest problem is most people don't know what they are doing when they buy a machine....

first is hand pick the machine for the hardware: cpu, drive speed over size, ram config (max capability for motherboard), etc.... second thing that should be done is to reinstall the OS b/c every Windows OEM install has so much BS w/ it; i highly suggest reinstalling... then if you don't need the aero features of vista turn them off.

vista is a very smooth OS if you know what you are doing. it takes some getting used to b/c they did change the layout alot and added annoying parental style controls

Exactly.......a couple years ago I would never have bought a Compaq computer, but we're at the point where every brand is making computers that are perfectly reliable in the right hands. Of course each computer has designated limitations, and you still have to pay to play. But the deal I got couldn't be refused, and this thing works beautifully for what I need it to;internet, music, school.

[Catnip]

I bought a Toshiba Satellite exactly a year ago today, works perfect, no problems.

[Alan®]

I bought a Toshiba Satellite exactly a year ago today, works perfect, no problems.

I have always liked their machines

[Alan®]

big key things to research before buying a windows machine:


- harddrives: what is more important speed/size? that should determine wether you want that 7200 rpm small drive vs 5400 rpm large drive; how much cache 8, 16mb, etc?

And this is where you lost me lol.

[4dmin]

And this is where you lost me lol.

rpm = speed ; higher the number better the response

cache = memory buffer; higher cache means more temporary storage