Laptop: Dell or Mac?

I like Mac (look at my previous post).

But, I see some people recommending Mac on the basis, it can boot windows using boot camp. This is a wrong approach. May be eventually Mac may run OSX along with Windows (as it does Virtual PC now), but until then bootcamp is good only for those special circumstances where occasionally one has to use Windows software.

If you want to run Windows software often, get a Windows PC laptop. Those machines are equally good.

I just bought a dell duo core 2 2ghz with 1 gig of ram 60gig HD and a the ultra high res screen for 1255.00 you could get a mac with even close to that power for anywhere near that price, and the Duo Core 2 procc are supposed to scream in Photo apps such as photoshop.

Zviad Jakhua said:

a) Computer isn't in general limited to image processing.
b) There's tonns of free programs for PC, and real cheap progs of
high quality as well. Free/cheap soft for Mac is a lot more lmited.

Click to expand...

Your Mac ignorance is staggering.

http://www.versiontracker.com/macosx/

--
Please don't let these beautiful animals die - they need help now!
http://www.wildlife-sanctuary.org

Even if you can't donate, please help spread the word.

Mac: The basic MacBook ($1,099) is the only option I can afford. (it comes only in white). I eventually could upgrade to 1GB RAM (+$100).

Dell: Please look at this (Inspiron 640m example config.):

• Core 2 Duo T5500 (2MB Cache/1.66GHz/667MHz FSB)
• 14.1 WXGA+ UltraSharp™ TFT Display with TrueLife
• 1GB DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz
• 80GB Sata HD (5400 – I believe)
• 8X CD/DVD Burner (DVD+ -RW) with double-layer DVD+R write capability
• 53 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
• Graphics Media Accelerator 950 (no upgrade possible for this model)
• No Anti-Virus, but I think I have it in my (SBC) modem
• PRICE: $898

Is there any Mac or other brand PC laptop close to this configuration in this price?

iMac said:

Zviad Jakhua said:

iMac therefore iAm said:

really like it! Macs crash less, no need to worry about viruses or
spyware.

Click to expand...

U should Mac viruses do exist. Obviously their number is
proportional of Mac market share, but still U can pick one up if UR
not careful.

Click to expand...

In 20 years of using Mac's I've encountered all of ONE virus - a
word Macro Virus in the early 90s. The worst case scenario for Macs
is that we'll just forward the viri that come to us from our pc
friends in those 'please help little Bobby get a brain translant'
email attachments back to our PC friends.

iMac therefore iAm said:

iMac therefore iAm said:

Keep in mind that when you buy a PC from Dell, You get WIndows and
a bunch of Dell bloatware junk on it, which is all useless, and
you'll have to reformat.

Click to expand...

Why exactly refromat? Uninstall/delete will do. And some of the
dell stuff is for online support. Which one might wanna keep if not
an experienced user.

iMac therefore iAm said:

Macs already come installed with all the
software you'll need right out of the box.

Click to expand...

In other words Mac notebook comes with Mac "bloatware/junk". So,
what about reformating, no need this time?

Click to expand...

Unlike PC's you can actually throw away apps without bringing down
the whole OS.. which has happened to me many times on PCs (yes, I
actually use PCs too)

iMac therefore iAm said:

P.S. And if you ever want to change/upgrade parts in your mac UR in
a world of hurt. Not all the parts are readily available and
whatever is is more expensive. Because it's Mac, or apple and it's
stylish, so U pay for it

Click to expand...

Totally clueless. I can't tell you how many times I've installed PC
hard drives, PCI cards, or RAM in a Mac. The only thing PC I won't
put on a Mac is Windoze.... but I could if I wanted to. Check out
http://www.macsales.com or smalldog.com to see how 'not readily available'
parts and upgrades are.

In the future, if you're going to trash something, at least get
some facts straight instead of throwing out vague generalizations.

Click to expand...

Pretty funny...you just did the same thing. Vague generalizations like "Unlike PC's you can you can actually throw away apps without bringing down the whole OS". That's your experience and speaks more of your PC expertise. I have no problems removing unwanted programs from PCs.

I may be stating the obvious here but unless you're thinking of an imminent Mac change in the house doesn't it seem logical that you should buy an IBM compatible Windows laptop, unless you thrive on compatibility issues and like the crappy awkward interfaces of emulators?

FWIW, I wouldn't touch Dell with someone elses bargepole, admittedly i haven't owned one myself but have known at least 8 people who have and each and every single one of them has had serious issues with their customer service and aftermarket follow up, (the machines are generally pretty good but nowhere near as good as they claim).

There are however stacks of very good laptops out there just check your local electrical retailers and make sure you get plenty of RAM for PP'ing, don't worry over the HDD size as USB2 portable drive carriages and drives are dirt cheap these days.

Mike

Really, Mac's come with free Photoshop and everything you'll ever need?, first I heard!

Alex Redovian said:

Pretty funny...you just did the same thing. Vague generalizations
like "Unlike PC's you can you can actually throw away apps without
bringing down the whole OS". That's your experience and speaks
more of your PC expertise. I have no problems removing unwanted
programs from PCs.

Click to expand...

And I made it clear that it was my experience... which is something the poster I was addressing does NOT have with Macs.
--
Please don't let these beautiful animals die - they need help now!
http://www.wildlife-sanctuary.org

Even if you can't donate, please help spread the word.

if you have experience and use macs all the time at work and home then i sugggest get the mac...but if you dont...

mac

--if something goes wrong with the mac or you need to know how to do something... do you know anyone that can help you?

-- software...most your pc software wont work with it

-- compatibility... are you going to be moving files to other macs or pcs at all...its not so much of a issue today but if you have a older pc at home or work issues might come up

-- the core duo macs run way to hot... go to a mac store and feel the keyboard...older macs didnt have this problem

pc

--do you have the software disk to put on the dell? if you dont plan on buying any software for the laptop then mac comes with better software for photo/video editing

--dell is known for great deals...not great products or customer servce... just something to consider

--macs have stores...dells online only...if you need parts dell charges alot for all the extras and upgrades

for me...im getting the new vio 330...core 2 duo, 2 gigs ram, 120 gig hard drive, nvidia 7400 graphics, xp pro... i have the software i need, i know how to fix pcs, i use bluetooth(not sure if macs have that built in), and i know how to not get any visuses on my computer and experienced at removing them from others computers

thats me...you dont sound like you want to spend that much money,

i hope one of the things i listed will showed a point that was not considered before

I have been a mac guy for 5 years, and I love it. I have heard that PS cs or cs2 do not work well on the duo core processors because Adobe has not implemented a software conversion for the non power pc mac chips. PS will work, but my guy at Microcenter in Atl. said it would be slower than on my g4 powerbook.

Now there is the Aperture, but in my opinion from the demos I have seen, it is no PS substitute.

iMac said:

iMac therefore iAm said:

Pretty funny...you just did the same thing. Vague generalizations
like "Unlike PC's you can you can actually throw away apps without
bringing down the whole OS". That's your experience and speaks
more of your PC expertise. I have no problems removing unwanted
programs from PCs.

Click to expand...

And I made it clear that it was my experience... which is something
the poster I was addressing does NOT have with Macs.
--
Please don't let these beautiful animals die - they need help now!
http://www.wildlife-sanctuary.org

Even if you can't donate, please help spread the word.

Click to expand...

Actually you said "Unlinke PC's" not Unlike MY PC experience.

There is sooo much mis-information that is thrown around about both PC's and Macs...it would be nice if we could have a thread that was informative without both sides spreading mis-information.

A few points:

The 14.1" screen, 80gig HD, and 1GB ram are definitely in favor of the Dell.

The Mac (which does come in Black) has a 1.83Ghz proccessor
Has built in airport card (no mention of a similar feature on the Dell)
built-in iSight camera

Mag safe power connector which dislodges from the computer if you snag the cord (which I've done with disastrous consequences on an older Powerbook).

Remote control (which when used with a free app called iAlertu can be used like a car alarm to alert you when someone touches your Mac and takes a picture of them in action)
Motion detector to lock the hard drive in case of falls or other shocks.

The Dell definitely appears to be a good deal at that price. You'd have to weigh the pros and cons of each (and maybe some of the Mac features I mentioned are included in the Dell, I don't know).

Jack C said:

Mac: The basic MacBook ($1,099) is the only option I can afford.
(it comes only in white). I eventually could upgrade to 1GB RAM
(+$100).

Dell: Please look at this (Inspiron 640m example config.):

• Core 2 Duo T5500 (2MB Cache/1.66GHz/667MHz FSB)
• 14.1 WXGA+ UltraSharp™ TFT Display with TrueLife
• 1GB DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz
• 80GB Sata HD (5400 – I believe)
• 8X CD/DVD Burner (DVD+ -RW) with double-layer DVD+R write capability
• 53 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
• Graphics Media Accelerator 950 (no upgrade possible for this model)
• No Anti-Virus, but I think I have it in my (SBC) modem
• PRICE: $898

Is there any Mac or other brand PC laptop close to this
configuration in this price?

Click to expand...

--
Please don't let these beautiful animals die - they need help now!
http://www.wildlife-sanctuary.org

Even if you can't donate, please help spread the word.

...why you restricted your PC option to Dell?

Between a PC desktop and a MAC, I'd go with a PC as a matter of personal preference. However, If the choice is specifically between a Dell PC and a MAC, I'd rather have a MAC.

I've heard enough horror stories about after-sales support from Dell to make me want to stay away from the brand, even though the hardware is actually pretty good.

--
Best regards,

Bruno Lobo.



http://www.pbase.com/brunobl

Fair enough. I'm not too stuck in my ways or opinions to admit when a point could have been made better.

Alex Redovian said:

Actually you said "Unlinke PC's" not Unlike MY PC experience.

There is sooo much mis-information that is thrown around about both
PC's and Macs...it would be nice if we could have a thread that was
informative without both sides spreading mis-information.

Click to expand...

--
Please don't let these beautiful animals die - they need help now!
http://www.wildlife-sanctuary.org

Even if you can't donate, please help spread the word.

Jack C said:

Mac: The basic MacBook ($1,099) is the only option I can afford.
(it comes only in white). I eventually could upgrade to 1GB RAM
(+$100).

Dell: Please look at this (Inspiron 640m example config.):

• Core 2 Duo T5500 (2MB Cache/1.66GHz/667MHz FSB)
• 14.1 WXGA+ UltraSharp™ TFT Display with TrueLife
• 1GB DDR2 SDRAM at 533MHz
• 80GB Sata HD (5400 – I believe)
• 8X CD/DVD Burner (DVD+ -RW) with double-layer DVD+R write capability
• 53 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
• Graphics Media Accelerator 950 (no upgrade possible for this model)
• No Anti-Virus, but I think I have it in my (SBC) modem
• PRICE: $898

Is there any Mac or other brand PC laptop close to this
configuration in this price?

Click to expand...

I would go with the Dell because you really need that extra memory for the pictures and you already know the Windows environment.

Plus, why spend the extra $300 for some minor projects?

Dear Jack

You definitely want a Mac.

They aren't perfect but Macs will give you the best possible computing/post-processing experience possible.

--
Sincerely,
Jaddie
Models & Miscellaneous http://www.jaddie.com/photos/
Vacation Photos http://www.jaddie.com/personal/

--Geez, this stuff costs way too much money!

At the Apple store web page check the special deals section. Refurbs will save you a ton of money. The intel macs run both XP and OSX. It's a win win situation

Jack C said:

I have heard good and bad opinions about Dell but I think they
offer best configurations for the price.

Also Apple notebook looks very interesting. The MacBook basic
version is cool and would be affordable for me (unfortunately white
only). 1.83GHz Core Duo / 512MB memory. I think I could get better
Dell configuration in this price, BUT Mac's have so good
reputation. I kept both Dell and Mac laptops in my hands - Mac
feels much more solid. I am affraid Dell or any other PC notebook
can break / stop working . Mac seems to be fine for years.

Most of my pictures post processing I do on my PC desktop. I need a
laptop for minor projects (e.g. slide shows) and occasionally for
image PP. 12 to 14 inch screen would meet my needs I suppose. The
smaller the better for portability, but the larger the better for
pictures viewing. Right?

Thanks for your comments,

Jack Cohn

Click to expand...

Zviad Jakhua said:

Zviad Jakhua said:

really like it! Macs crash less, no need to worry about viruses or
spyware.

Click to expand...

U should Mac viruses do exist. Obviously their number is
proportional of Mac market share, but still U can pick one up if UR
not careful.

Zviad Jakhua said:

Keep in mind that when you buy a PC from Dell, You get WIndows and
a bunch of Dell bloatware junk on it, which is all useless, and
you'll have to reformat.

Click to expand...

Why exactly refromat? Uninstall/delete will do. And some of the
dell stuff is for online support. Which one might wanna keep if not
an experienced user.

Zviad Jakhua said:

Macs already come installed with all the
software you'll need right out of the box.

Click to expand...

In other words Mac notebook comes with Mac "bloatware/junk". So,
what about reformating, no need this time?

Zviad Jakhua said:

music and video editing. By the time you add all that software to
the less expensive PC, you're already at the price of the mac, and
probably even higher.

Click to expand...

Depends how you look at it and what will you add. Otherwise your
comment is rather misleading. I doubt Mac comes with PS CS 2.0 on
it for free. Neither is PC. And price of the product of that
caliber is similar or identical for mac and pc. As for the rest
Windows comes with basic editing tools May be Mac's basic stuff
is better but again, dunno what pros would prefer, hardly the basic
and defaults.

P.S. And if you ever want to change/upgrade parts in your mac UR in
a world of hurt. Not all the parts are readily available and
whatever is is more expensive. Because it's Mac, or apple and it's
stylish, so U pay for it

--
Have Fun,
Zvi
http://zknives.com

Click to expand...

Zvi,

You are clueless as to what you're saying. I bet you've never used a Mac for at least even an hour.

Upgrading macs is quite simple actually. I've upgraded ram, optical drives, and hard drives with no problem.

As for your Mac bloatware claim, you're wrong again, and I bet you've never used a Mac, otherwise you'd know what iLife is capable of. With iPhoto, you have features as powerful, and even more powerful than Photoshop Elements, INCLUDED with every mac. You can work with raw files right away. You can't do that on your PC!

Get your facts straight before you make useless claims. I use BOTH a Mac and PC in my home. PCs for 10 years, and macs for 3.

Hmm, it is funny to talk about colors, but again, the basic MacBook ($1,099-1.83GHz) comes white only. The black version starts from 2GHz and $1,499.

Guys, you made me so confused now

BTW, do I really can do all the same editing operations on Mac that I can do in Photoshop/PC?

No pun intended but you can't compare Mac Books to Dells. Mac Books and Macbook Pros are premium notebooks and you have to compare them to a Thinkpad, Sony Vaio, or high end Asustek. BTW, Asustek makes all the MacBooks and Quanta makes all the Macbook Pros. (Both are in Taiwan)

I'm also shopping for a new notebook but I've been waiting to see what happens with Merom in the MacBook line before making the final decision. They are already shipping in some PC notebooks and MacBooks should not be far behind. If you want styling over function, the MacBooks win. In my opinion, there is no better design out there. But if you want power over styling, PC notebooks are the way to go because Macbooks and Macbook Pros just fall short when it comes to pure specs.

For year, Mac fans have been preaching how they have the perfect OS and platform. If Macs were so perfect, Apple would not have changed to the Intel CPUs. And if the Mac OS is perfect, Apple would not offer Bootcamp to boot into Windows XP. The point is that there is no perfect computer and you have to buy the hardware to fit your needs and even Apple recognizes that the perfect solution to some task may be Windows XP.

And Macbooks are not without their problems. They suffer the same overheating issues as Dell and Macbooks had their share of battery recalls too. And after months of customer complaints, Apple finally acknowledged the random shutdown issue with the MacBooks.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=304308
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=random+shutdown&search=Search

My biggest problem with the MacBook Pros is the limited screen resolution. 1680 x 1050 resolution is just not very good for a 17" notebook and if you want top of the line video card for gaming, you're out of luck. But on the other hand, MacBooks are not good for games anyway.

If you are already using PCs, you have to factor in the cost of replacing all the software you're going to use on the Mac. Make a list of all the software you need on the PC and see how much it will cost you to replace them if you had to buy a new version for the Mac.

As for me, I'll wait until Sep 12 to see if Apple announces a new Macbook with Merom.

http://www.FashionSF.com