Macbook Pro - what do you think?

polkatese

Ok. I am ready to get one, to replace my 4 years old Compaq x1000. It might be a bit overkill for my purpose, but it would be use for the next 4+ years:

- MBP 15", 2.4GHz, 4GB RAM, 200GB (7200RPM) HDD.

A couple questions for Applelites:
- Opinions on the above config?
- iCare Warranty (3 years) - $349 - worthed?
- Buy from Apple Store - worthed?
- Any reputable online dealers recommendation would be appreciated.

TIA

MikeC78

Everyone I know who owns a Mac loves them, I personally don't have any experience with them. Configuration looks good, how about a 17" screen? I seen some decent prices on Amazon, might want to check them out...

mantis

Going with a Mac computer is a smart thing in my opnion. You will find yourself using the computer instead of fixing the computer. This is the very reason I switched over from Pc to mac. I was tired of repairing them.

Mac computers are great. A 2.4g will perform like a 3.0g Pc or even better. They don't load there machines with useless software that just slows the machine down. Mac or Apple makes all there own stuff. I believe this is the very reason why they work so well. The computer itself isn't really any different then a Pc. There are little differences but generally it's the same. The trick to Apple is the OS. Power it is and so smooth it works. I completely love it.

I'm completely happy with all my Apple products.

Buying the Icare isn't a bad Idea. It's like any other coverage. Not many problems with Apples but you never know.

Apple stores have a bar where you can go and learn everything you want. There stores are filled with Knowledgeable people who really know there ****. Forget about online. Go to the Apple store and hang out. Take all the time you want. Learn everything you can while you are there. They will teach you alot. The service is top notch. it's just another reason why I love Apple.

Good luck man and if there is anything you want to talk about , shoot me an email. I'd be willing to help you with anything you need.

Dan
Dmantis20@aol.com

polkatese

Thanks Mike and Dan.

Mike, I can't get 17", too wide to lug around on trip and won't fit my carryon bag. But thanks for the suggestion.

Dan, as a matter of fact, I just got back from Apple Store, packed as usual, eventhough it is 7:30pm on Thursday night. Thanks for the offer, I might do that one of these days.

BottomFeeder

I also switched from PC's to a MacBook Pro & I'm sooooo glad I did. As they say, once you go Mac, you never go back.

Some people get into the whole PC vs. Mac FIGHT, but it just aint worth it. Like Mantis, I just got tired of PC problems & switched to Apple and haven't looked back. Not even for a moment. Switched over 4 years ago & aint goin' back any time soon.

wingnut4772

I love mine. Go for it.

janmike

I am probably due for a new computer in a year or so and I have been doing some thinking about what to buy. A couple of colleagues switched to MAC and they have indicated that they have never been more pleased with a computer. Sure, the migration probably takes a little time, but it is one that I am seriously considering.

BottomFeeder

I'll tell you, the "migration" was a piece o cake for me! I'm no computer guru but I was happily cruising around on the Mac in less than a day.

They're just much easier to use than a PC. PC's have so many levels that you need to work through in order to do things. Mac's just have less of that.

polkatese

So, if I bought the Mac, install Parallel (so that I can install XP/Vista on top of Leopard and run both OS simultaneously), can I restore the image of my Windows HDD on that partition? The thought of reinstalling Windows apps again is a bit daunting.

TIA.

SKsolutions

The Mac, and Laptops in general will be getting a new chipset (Gen 2 Penryn 45nm, Centrino 2 on Montevina platform) in June/July, so you can either get a faster, cooler, more efficient processor (<29W) with better battery time. . . or pick up the older one (Gen 1 Penryn 45nm, Centrino Pro, on Santa Rosa platform, (35W)) at a discount when the new ones come out.

AdamRagland

polk, i think it depends on the application you are looking at for use with the macbook pro. i have your exact setup, however i primarily use it for non-linear video editing and effects compositing. both very very high tasking things. a good friend of mine also does graphic design and he only has the macbook with 2gig of ram aand thats fine for him. also a couple tips on buying that will save you money. I personally prefer applecare because their applecare service is beyond anything i have tried before. however, just their service without applecare is also excellent so i guess it depends if you want to cough up the extra bones. i do and havent looked back. Also, of course its nice to buy direct from apple but their are other reputable mac dealers. www.macmall.com is probably the next biggest one aside from the apple store. they will normally have a couple deals they may give you a better deal on a macbook pro. and finally and most importantly If you are looking to upgrade the ram more than what is stock configuration you can save yourself some money by leaving the ram as stock and buying a 4GB ram kit directly from www.crucial.com ..if you are computer literate you will know they are an excellent manufacturer of ram and you can get it for about half as much. and its apple certified.

dont worry about making the crossgrade. once you assimilate yourself to the mac OS, i think you will begin to really love it. i used to be a HARDCORE PC user untill my job required me to change to mac platform...and i have never ever looked back.

polkatese

Thanks guys and gal. So, is that June/July upgrade rollout pretty definitive? it might be worthwhile to wait a couple months?

Adam, thanks for the advice. I know I am going to like it.

SKsolutions

Intel Centrino2/Montevina rolls out on June 3-5. I don't think Apple gives much advance notice on it's launches, but the Mac forums may have some clue. The new iMac got a hotrodded version of the Penryn, so the Intel/Mac relationship seems to be getting stronger. I expect one of the PC makers to have it by mid-June, so I'm waiting till that point to trade up (PC laptop for business). I prize mobility and battery time, and these new processors are really efficient. The Mac OS, and Linux, makes them more so.

WilliamM2

A grand to replace a DVD drive? These Mac's sound wonderfull.

markmarc

Definitely get AppleCare. In reality, any laptop should be bought with an extended warranty.

If you want to save a few hundred $$, check out on the Apple Store website for their refurbished models. They come with the standard warranty, all the software, etc, etc.

The biggest hurdle in the transition is remembering to drag the icon of your flash drive or camera to the trash to eject it, before just pulling it out of it's USB slot.

Demiurge

Here's some reality....

I own a MacBook Pro 17". They're extremely expensive. I love it for the audio and video that I do, and especially the graphic design stuff. I use it mainly for those 3 things in conjunction with my business. It's my personal opinion that these computers are ridiculously overpriced for what you actually get. You're basically paying for a better overall UI and a pretty much idiot proof computer. If you don't know much about computers, a MAC is a pretty good place to start.

For the nearly $4,000 in options and everything else I put into this when I bought it, I could have a ridiculous PC.

Problems on PCs are almost always the result of the end user.

In the end Macs are great computers, but they aren't kicking a PCs **** for the same amount of money in performance. The Mac just has better apps and it's much more fluid.

If you have the money and don't mind spending more than you should for that extra security -- by all means get a Mac.

Demiurge

polkatese

Nice pics, Demi.

Comparing Apple to Apple (pun intended) price-wise, you are dead on. $4K buys anyone a lot of computing power. Reading the comments here, I can see that Applelites converts are very content with their decisions to switch, borderline too happy with their decisions . So, what you get for your $4K investment (if you can call that), seem to yield more satisfactions beyond the money?

Demiurge

I use my MacBook more than any other computer. I just wanted to throw a little water on the notion that they're somehow competitively priced for what you get. You're mostly paying for the name, a much more fluid UI, and less "crap" for lack of a better word. I love, love, love the computer, but it certainly won't keep me away from the conventional PCs.

polkatese

so, million dollar question: is 7200rpm worth its price of admission, compared to 5400?

audiobliss

Yes!

Airplay355

I have a macbook pro too. The reason that attracted me to them the most is that they are thin and light and at the time I was looking the mac screens offered a higher standard resolution then most PC laptops. I can't take 1280 x800, it looks huge to me, so the macbook pro's 1440 x 900 was more appealing. I also like the screens a lot more, they are extremely bright and extremely colorful. I choose the glossy version but the matte version was still much better then PCs I had looked at.

I had never played with Mac OS X before so I wasn't sure how much I'd like it. It was a little hard to get used to at first but after using it for about a 9 months I absolutely love it. I upgraded to Leopard and I'm still having no problems at all. I still don't mind using XP at all because that's a fine operating system as long as it's on a computer that's been taken care of and isn't cluttered with viruses and spyware. Overall though I find it easier to use OS X when doing anything regarding media or just general web surfing. I switch back to microsoft office products to type papers and make spreadsheets even though I have iwork 08. When I upgraded to OS X something happened to Iwork and it really lags now and crashes randomly so I've lost a lot of work that way. I just don't use them anymore. Using photoshop is pretty similar to using it on a PC, havng a nice screen helps though. I get kick **** battery life with it. My room mate in college had a Dell XPS that he had to plug in after about 40 minutes because his beast of a computer had flashy lights and a 17 ihcn screen. I get about 4 hours out of one charge with a standard battery and I can get up to 5 hours if I'm in lighting conditions that allow me to turn the brightness down.

I like my Mac better then most other peoples PCs because the majority of college students don't really take care of their computers and will download whatever. I have a 7 year old sony vaio desktop that I still use though and it works perfectly fine for typing or web surfing. Not trying to sound like some crazed fanboy but I like my Mac and I have ever since I got it.

MikeC78

polkatese wrote: »

so, million dollar question: is 7200rpm worth its price of admission, compared to 5400?

Another Yes! I wouldn't get anything below a 7200rpm at this point. BTW, looks like solid state drives are making it's way now, pretty much instantaneous with speed, but picey as heck at the moment.

AdamRagland

i will always chose the option of a smaller but faster harddrive. normally what i have done is i have a G-tech G-Raid portable harddrive and use that for the bulk of my information like my video project files. then i have my harddrive on my laptop freed up. not to mention the G-tech is modeled like the mac pro tower cases and mmmm are they sexy

AdamRagland

thought you might also like this article from CNET.

CNET Research: Are Macs more expensive?

Demiurge

AdamRagland wrote: »

thought you might also like this article from CNET.

CNET Research: Are Macs more expensive?

I think you miss the point. That's mostly relating it to prebuilts. If I took the $4000 and paid a small private computer company or, especially if I just out one together myself I would get more computer for the money than buying the Mac. It's just a fact.

cindy100

I can't imagine having anything else other than my Mac; it's all I've ever owned. I've never had viruses or the headaches my family and friends seem to have owning a PC. I also bought the extended warranty; the speakers that came with the computer eventually messed up and there were no problems getting them replaced.

Just my opinion.

Cindy

exalted512

Demiurge wrote: »

Here's some reality....

I own a MacBook Pro 17". They're extremely expensive. I love it for the audio and video that I do, and especially the graphic design stuff. I use it mainly for those 3 things in conjunction with my business. It's my personal opinion that these computers are ridiculously overpriced for what you actually get. You're basically paying for a better overall UI and a pretty much idiot proof computer. If you don't know much about computers, a MAC is a pretty good place to start.

For the nearly $4,000 in options and everything else I put into this when I bought it, I could have a ridiculous PC.

Problems on PCs are almost always the result of the end user.

In the end Macs are great computers, but they aren't kicking a PCs **** for the same amount of money in performance. The Mac just has better apps and it's much more fluid.

If you have the money and don't mind spending more than you should for that extra security -- by all means get a Mac.

Really hit the nail on the head there. I was just reading an article on cnn money a few days ago of how Apple's marginal revenue is like 4x that of Dell's. I've used Mac's and generally don't like them, but they are for a lot of people. I've never, ever had a PC break on me and I know a little more than most about computers, so I have no problems with any of my PCs...and they're a fraction of the cost of a comparable Mac...no thanks.
-Cody