Whats better, this Dell, or this Mac?

[jordan_ellipsis]

A lot of people are saying i should go with a Mac but i cant see how it beats this Dell iv ordered:

Dell XPS M1710:

Core 2 Duo Processor 2.16Ghz, 4MB L2 Cache
2 x 1Gb 667Mhz DDR2 RAM
100Gb (7200rpm) SATA Hard Drive
17" Monitor
£1300.00


Apple Macbook Pro:

Core Duo Processor 2.16Ghz
2 x 1gb 667Mhz ddr2 RAM
100 Gb (7200rpm) SATA Hard Drive
17" Monitor
£2099.01



Thats the most important stuff. From what i can see, they are both identical other than the Dell has a better processor, except the Mac is £700 more expensive. Anyone got any opinions?

 

[tlarkin]

You have to compare all the features of the OS/software/hardware

For one the mac can edit video and author DVDs out of the box, that would cost you a few hundred dollars in software to do that on the Dell

The mac also comes with a built in camera, the dell doesn't you would have to purchase a web cam

The mac book pro also comes with garage band and can record/edit audio out of the box, the PC can't

The Dell does have a better processor but other than that, if you price everything out the mac book pro is still a good buy

 

[Geoff]

The Dell is the best choice. Sure the Mac may have a few extra apps, but look at the price difference. Besides, the Dell would be compatible with alot more games and apps then the Mac woul.

You made a good choice.

btw, what do they have for video?

 

[tlarkin]

The Dell is the best choice. Sure the Mac may have a few extra apps, but look at the price difference. Besides, the Dell would be compatible with alot more games and apps then the Mac woul.

You made a good choice.

btw, what do they have for video?

Software is a HUGE factor for video. I have done contract work for video studios before. Things like DVD studio pro, Final Cut Studio (which actually is probably one of the most powerful video editing tools out there - since it also edits and renders multiple tracks of audio).

It does come down to a preference though, I would not call the Dell better, I would say it just different.

 

[Geoff]

Software is a HUGE factor for video. I have done contract work for video studios before. Things like DVD studio pro, Final Cut Studio (which actually is probably one of the most powerful video editing tools out there - since it also edits and renders multiple tracks of audio).

It does come down to a preference though, I would not call the Dell better, I would say it just different.

So based on what your saying, are you implying that the Dell or Mac would be better? Also, don't forget the Mac would be several hundred dollars more.

 

[bball4life]

So based on what your saying, are you implying that the Dell or Mac would be better? Also, don't forget the Mac would be several hundred dollars more.

It really comes down to what its going to be used for, for video stuff thats 1 point for the mac, for price its 1 point for the dell, for reliability you know who wins. The macbook is a nicer laptop but I know I would have a hard time justifying spending that much extra on it. But if your gonna be getting a lot of software for the dell for video stuff then it may not end up being much cheaper.

 

[tlarkin]

So based on what your saying, are you implying that the Dell or Mac would be better? Also, don't forget the Mac would be several hundred dollars more.

I am saying neither is better, but the mac offers more out of the box. If you were to add everything softare/hardware wise from the mac which has standard of

Video editing
wireless
bluetooth
audio editing
dvd authoring
built in camera
etc

The Dell would end up costing a lot more

it comes down to the needs of the user. If you need things like a web cam and semi professional video/audio editing abilities then the macbook pro is for you. Plus the mac can not only run windows, it can boot windows and run a vritual windows machine via parallels. So you get the best of both worlds

There is no better, there is only different. Everyone has different needs and preferences. OS X is solid, and secure (well not really by apple's design but by lack of exploits, viruses, malware, etc) and is preferred over windows to some people.

If this guy wants to edit video on a laptop I would suggest a mac for those reasons. If he wanted to play games I would suggest the Dell

 

[MadModder]

Get the Dell.

Sure, the Mac can edit video and audio out of the box, but iMovie is a piece of crap and Garageband is mediocre. Besides, you'll have a much easier time finding compatible software for the Dell.

And if you want to edit video on a laptop, I definitely don't suggest a Mac. I suggest you look into getting Adobe Premiere, or if you're loaded, Avid HD.

 

[tlarkin]

Get the Dell.

Sure, the Mac can edit video and audio out of the box, but iMovie is a piece of crap and Garageband is mediocre. Besides, you'll have a much easier time finding compatible software for the Dell.

wow lots of mac haters on here

First off, there are no compatability problems with macintosh, because it is a closed platform system. There may be what you would call lack of third party software support. However, you can run all the Adobe suites on a Mac. You can't run video toaster or auto cad on a mac. However the software you get with a mac is 100% compatable. Also with things like cross over, and parallels virtualization software, your statement is even more false. It makes them more compatable, because they can run windows natively or even virtually. With Crossover they have a set of windows APIs and can install windows applications and run them natively on OS X.

Windows doesn't have:

DVD studio pro
Final Cut Studio Pro
Logic Audio Pro (there may be a win32 version for this)
Shake

All of these are very powerful tools which are 100% compatable with the mac, and in some cases these are becoming industry standards.

There are also no viruses for OS X, and way less spyware/malware/exploits, has the backing of a strong well rounded OS (unix) and an intuitive GUI.

 

[Geoff]

tlarkin, what your saying is helpful, however he already bought the Dell, and he wanted to make sure he made a good choice.

 

[tlarkin]

I am okay with that, like I said neither one is better they are just different. I just don't like people giving out false and unresearched information. Saying that a mac in just not compatable is not true, and gives people false information.

Dell is a fine choice if it fits the needs/preferences like I stated earlier

 

[jordan_ellipsis]

wow, lots of replies, blimey! Ok, i want to use the laptop for music editing using Pro Tools, maybe some other packages. A big bummer is that Logic doesnt run on PC's, but i thought the Dell would maybe be more reliable, especially as il be using the laptop when my band plays live - really couldnt afford it to muck up.

The Dell order can always be cancelled/sent back. For my uni course this semeester we're using Logic so i guess it'd be helpful to have my own laptop to work it on, but the studio is only 5 mins away and never too busy.

 

[tlarkin]

I sub contract for an onsite technology company on the side. I am their "mac specialist" since they don't have any mac people. A few of my clients have been local recording studios. I have repaired some of their digital recording equipment, and all of them use macintosh platform for the most part.

I am not saying that you have to use a mac for audio engineering, but considering Apple owns Logic Audio, and has built in features to support MIDI devices, and record audio it may seem like a wiser choice. Unless you don't like using the mac platform then you can always accomplish the same tasks with a PC.

 

[Technogab]

I don't mean to beat a dead horse here, but nobody can say 1 is better than the other. But a lot of people just look at the price difference and the specs. Like many before me said, it also depends on the software you will be using. The Mac was a cheaper choice for me because if I were to buy all the software I would need on the PC, than it would have cost me more than the Mac. On top of that, I love that it's a rock solid OS and it never crashes or gets Spyware or viruses.

And on top of that, the re-sale value us amazing! I bought a used ibook on ebay for $700.00, used it for 8 months, and then sold it on ebay for $650, and then bought a Macbook. Apple's resale value is like a Lexus, and the Dell is kind of like a Hyundai. Sorry, I don't make the rules, and it's nothing against Dell, but that's just the way the pricing is.

Plus Mac's are built beautifully. Ever open one up? The design and features are just amazing and well made. I've worked on plenty of Dell's and other PC's and never have found the type of craftsmanship that you find in an Apple. It doesn't mean PC's are bad, but it's the attention to detail that Apple takes that really sets them apart.