PC or Mac. What to get?

[sashas]

I need a new laptop soon..my current laptop's keys keep popping off when I type too hard and I'm collecting jumping keys more than pressing them..

So I'm thinking of getting a new one.
Trouble is, I can't decide which one to get: a windows based notebook, or a macbook.

I've used Windows all through my life, for almost 10 years, and I'm very very comfortable in it.
Never used Mac before, but I keep drifting towards it the more I see its features. Trouble is, I think I might take some time to get used to it, or worse, not get used to it at all..

I'll be using it primarily to surf the internet, use a word processor, edit videos/movies (this is whats making me drift towards a macbook) and watch a ton of movies. Not into gaming or any sort of development.

I have a budget between $1500-2000, and I know I can get a pretty good notebook for that amount.

What would you guys suggest?

 

[James]

I used to lean towards a mac but for the price of a good macbook here. your paying for a laptop with double the specs.

I'd go for a laptop & windows with nice specs :tu:

 

[lee101]

I'd be tempted towards mac, I've used mostly windows for about 8 years now, and the other day I bought a new G4 mac mini off ebay, by today's standards it has a terrible spec, just 256mb of ram, 1.25Ghz processor, 40gb HDD. But, it works excellently, I am able to have the latest version of iTunes open, many tabs in firefox, MSN and all sorts of other stuff running without it slowing donw, so you may get better spec out of a "windows" laptop but from my day long experience OS X uses it more efficiently, so you can't really compare just by looking at raw power. Plus, nowadays you can run windows on Apple computers anyway!

 

[James]

I'd be tempted towards mac, I've used mostly windows for about 8 years now, and the other day I bought a new G4 mac mini off ebay, by today's standards it has a terrible spec, just 256mb of ram, 1.25Ghz processor, 40gb HDD. But, it works excellently, I am able to have the latest version of iTunes open, many tabs in firefox, MSN and all sorts of other stuff running without it slowing donw, so you may get better spec out of a "windows" laptop but from my day long experience OS X uses it more efficiently, so you can't really compare just by looking at raw power. Plus, nowadays you can run windows on Apple computers anyway!

On intel boards anyway :p

 

[dezinerite]

With a budget of $2000 you can get both a Mac & Win! :D

Since you already know what Win is like, try to spend some time with a Mac, like if a friend of yours has one or use the one at the electronics store.

Consider this though: if you've used Win for almost 10 years now and the reason why you're getting a new laptop is simply because of your keys' cry for independence rather than your laptop's OS, then maybe you don't have to shift to a Mac...

 

[deleted984054565403]

With what you'd do with your laptop, it sounds like you're better suited for a Macbook. You'll pay a little more, but since you're not gaming and don't need Windows compatibility in that sense, you'll be more satisfied with a Mac. :imho:

 

[sashas]

thats what I plan to do..get some friend's mac and use it for a while, get an idea of the OS.
From what I've heard, the Leopard is a killer OS, way better than Vista (I still use XP).

I'll probably go and check out Best Buy and see what configuration I can get for 2k, and compare that with the Mac. If the difference is quite big, i might just go with the notebook instead of the mac

Thanks for the opinions guys!

 

[weblord]

if i really really have the money and budget i go for a macbook or both of them lol

 

[htmlindex]

I'd go with a PC, never really been a fan of the MAC

 

[BMFX]

Something you may consider if you want to do something fun is build your own laptop if you go with a laptop, there is alot barebone systems which would allow you to reuse parts of ur existing laptop, Ram, Hard Drive ect.

Personally i am tearing down my laptop i think. idk for sure yet. well see.

- John

 

[sashas]

Something you may consider if you want to do something fun is build your own laptop if you go with a laptop, there is alot barebone systems which would allow you to reuse parts of ur existing laptop, Ram, Hard Drive ect.

Personally i am tearing down my laptop i think. idk for sure yet. well see.

- John

that would've been interesting..but I guess, too much hassle...

 

[jido]

Mac recommended for simple use
Also MacBooks are really nice (typing on one right now)

For advanced use you may get frustrated as software is not that easy to find in some areas --in specialised fields you typically have a choice between high-range commercial softs and command-line solutions.

Also it is a completely different operating system. The advice is generally: just try it!
If you want to accomplish a task, don't think of how you would do it on your PC. Think of how you would want it to be done and try it. That helps lots.

Finally your budget seems enough to buy the MacBook and a copy of Windows, so you can have the nice hardware and run Windows on it if you don't feel comfortable with MacOS X.

 

[RickM]

I think you should seriously concider a MacBook. Goto your local apple shop and have a play. You wont be disappointed.

I switched to a 24" iMac in April this year. I had never used a mac prior to the day I bought it. I would never switch back to a PC now.

Unless you've used one for a good 2-3 months, you cant comment on what they are like, so ignore the ignorant posts saying "Macs are rubish" or "Go for linux" (Yes I also use linux on my mac with parallels).

At the end of the day, you can run windows as well as Mac OS X on a mac. If you get a copy of Paralells you can even have windows windows open within your mac.

Would never switch back, and its not because Windows is a poor OS, or because I'm a "fanboy". Its because I can do everything I could with my old PC and more plus dont have to put up with loads of problems and having to install software to correct things that should have been in the OS.

Also, now that Leopard is out, theres no reason not to get one.

Goto your nearest Apple store (they are listed on the Apple site) and talk to some of the staff....you seriously wont be disappointed.

Hope that helps, and good luck with your search I'm currently getting ready to buy myself a MacBook (Mid range) to accompany my iMac and iPod Touch :D

(P.S Don't buy a Dell Laptop, they install processor-hungry "extras" which if you remove, void your warranty)

 

[sashas]

I think you should seriously concider a MacBook. Goto your local apple shop and have a play. You wont be disappointed.

I switched to a 24" iMac in April this year. I had never used a mac prior to the day I bought it. I would never switch back to a PC now.

Unless you've used one for a good 2-3 months, you cant comment on what they are like, so ignore the ignorant posts saying "Macs are rubish" or "Go for linux" (Yes I also use linux on my mac with parallels).

At the end of the day, you can run windows as well as Mac OS X on a mac. If you get a copy of Paralells you can even have windows windows open within your mac.

Would never switch back, and its not because Windows is a poor OS, or because I'm a "fanboy". Its because I can do everything I could with my old PC and more plus dont have to put up with loads of problems and having to install software to correct things that should have been in the OS.

Also, now that Leopard is out, theres no reason not to get one.

Goto your nearest Apple store (they are listed on the Apple site) and talk to some of the staff....you seriously wont be disappointed.

Hope that helps, and good luck with your search I'm currently getting ready to buy myself a MacBook (Mid range) to accompany my iMac and iPod Touch :D

(P.S Don't buy a Dell Laptop, they install processor-hungry "extras" which if you remove, void your warranty)

Thanks for the info Rick. Really appreciate it.
In fact, since Mac now allows you to run Windows too, I might just get a macbook.

The only problem that remains is that I want to get something really high end, which would be the 17 inch macbook pro. Thats an expensive machine at 2.8k. For 2k (which is my budget) I can get the same configuration in a notebook and still have money leftover for extras.

I'll check the macbook out, see if I can get a grip on Leopard. I find myself swaying more and more towards the mac, even though what I want is out of my budget.

But thanks for all the info here guys. Its always good to hear opinions from somebody who has first hand experience.

 

[visoads]

I would get the mac because when you break it down. Even though you are paying more for the mac, the mac can also run windows. So in a sense you are getting two laptops for the price of one, and two operating systems. I would go with the mac all the way.

 

[dave9713]

mac all the way... used windows for 3 years and now i have had a mac for 3 months but i'm already more comfortable with it! Once your used to a mac you won't go back