Getting a Macbook

[dmw2692004]

Im thinking of buying the higest selection macbook that i can.
Would this be worth it?

Anyone here use macbooks and have any comments on them?

just wondering in advance because i kinda want a laptop with long abttery life and something tha i can loung around with.

here are the specs:

.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor (4MB L2 Cache, 667MHz system bus)
1GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300), expandable up to 2GB
80GB 5400RPM Serial ATA Hard Drive
Slot-loading SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW)
13.3" glossy TFT widescreen display, 1280 x 800 resolution
Intel GMA 950 graphics processor with 64MB of DDR2 shared SDRAM
Built-in iSight Video Camera
Built-in 54Mbps AirPort Extreme Wi-Fi (802.11g); built-in Bluetooth
2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) module
Built-in 10/100/1000BASE-T (Gigabit)
Ports: 1 FireWire 400 port (8 watts); 2 USB 2.0 ports (up to 480 Mbps);
Mini-DVI port with support for DVI, VGA, S-video and composite video
output (requires adapters, sold separately)
Built-in stereo speakers, built-in omnidirectional microphone, combined
optical digital audio input/audio line in, combined optical digital audio
output/headphone out
Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger), English

 

[Styrak]

If you want the best MacBook, get a MacBook Pro.
In any case, they're nice.
It's really just a personal preference. (PC vs Mac)

 

[tlarkin]

I own a mac book pro and I love it. It is hands down the best laptop I have ever owned. I have owned several laptops from just several companies and this macbook pro is the best ever

 

[bldgengineer]

My next laptop will be a macbook pro. I'm tired of buying a new laptop every couple years and I feel the macbooks just last longer in terms of "needing" to feel like I have to upgrade in order to keep using it. Leopard will be out soon and I think when it does I will buy then. after the commotion dies down of course

I bought my dell c640 back in jan of 03 and right now its struggling to keep up with some of my current applications(autocad 2007, office 07, cs2) and internet usage on the road. Not to mention, I seem to be replacing the battery about once every six months. In fact, my current battery stopped charging over the weekend

 

[Geoff]

Thats a poor laptop, I wouldnt spend over $900 for that.

 

[Styrak]

Thats a poor laptop, I wouldnt spend over $900 for that.

Dude, it's an Apple. They have set prices and set hardware. Deal with it. And they perform very well for what the specs are, given that the OS specifically optimized for that hardware.

 

[sirmixalot42691]

Dude, it's an Apple. They have set prices and set hardware. Deal with it. And they perform very well for what the specs are, given that the OS specifically optimized for that hardware.

I don't know about that....but like everyone else said, it really is a personal preference. I usually prefer PCs, but I really like the feel and quality of Macs compared to Dell and Hp laptops. Plus iMovie is a really good program that you can get. If I ever buy a laptop, I'd probably get a Macbook and run both OS X and Vista.

 

[Geoff]

Dude, it's an Apple. They have set prices and set hardware. Deal with it. And they perform very well for what the specs are, given that the OS specifically optimized for that hardware.

Exactly... it's an Apple. And no, the Mac OS is NOT optimized specifically for that hardware, because you can buy Mac's with a variety of different hardware choices. Now an example of an OS that specifically optimized for certain hardware, would be the Nintendo Wii or XBox.

 

[tlarkin]

Exactly... it's an Apple. And no, the Mac OS is NOT optimized specifically for that hardware, because you can buy Mac's with a variety of different hardware choices. Now an example of an OS that specifically optimized for certain hardware, would be the Nintendo Wii or XBox.

this is just out right wrong. Apple is a closed platform so yes their OS is optimized for their machines since everything is designed by apple, including the hardware.


They use a small amount of the same hardware, same processors, same chipsets, etc. It is easier to develop for a smaller number of hardware configurations than it is for others.

Thats a poor laptop, I wouldnt spend over $900 for that.

How so? I think it is a good deal considering everything you get with a mac laptop. All the extra hardware/software that is included in the price make them a better deal in many cases.

 

[Geoff]

this is just out right wrong. Apple is a closed platform so yes their OS is optimized for their machines since everything is designed by apple, including the hardware.


They use a small amount of the same hardware, same processors, same chipsets, etc. It is easier to develop for a smaller number of hardware configurations than it is for others.

Optimized for their machines is not the same thing as the OS being specifically optimized for the hardware on the laptop he posted earlier.

 

[tlarkin]

Optimized for their machines is not the same thing as the OS being specifically optimized for the hardware on the laptop he posted earlier.

huh?

It actually is. If you take two different model of mac laptops and target mode boot one into the other and clone one to the other a lot of times it doesn't work. Because the OS installer will optimize things for your hardware configuration on an individual basis.

 

[macnoob]

huh?

It actually is. If you take two different model of mac laptops and target mode boot one into the other and clone one to the other a lot of times it doesn't work. Because the OS installer will optimize things for your hardware configuration on an individual basis.

kinda like how screens optimize to the graphics card?

 

[kingnerd]

Personally i would buy a dell but then again i would rather have none of them. But i got a HP Pavilion dv2000 But it is also *Bad Word* so who am i to judge!

 

[Geoff]

huh?

It actually is. If you take two different model of mac laptops and target mode boot one into the other and clone one to the other a lot of times it doesn't work. Because the OS installer will optimize things for your hardware configuration on an individual basis.

No its not. Optimized for their machines is saying that a certain Mac OS is optimized to run on Intel CPU's, with certain chipsets, and such.

Optimized specifically for a certain PC/Notebook would be saying the OS was optimized for the Core 2 Duo, with 1GB of DDR2, and that specific video card. If its not, then its not specifically designed for that PC.

 

[Styrak]

Ok. You don't seem to get it. It is specifically written for hardware they put into the machines, and that hardware is the EXACT SAME for every Mac, at least in the same family of Macs. i.e. iMacs.

 

[Geoff]

Ok. You don't seem to get it. It is specifically written for hardware they put into the machines, and that hardware is the EXACT SAME for every Mac, at least in the same family of Macs. i.e. iMacs.

I agree they can optimize it for Intel CPU's and certain motherboards, but they cant have it optimized as much as say, a console is, since you can have iMacs with different model processors, different video cards, etc.

Im not a Mac expert, but I dont think they have a special OS just for the iMac, and one just for the PowerBook, so the OS has to be able to run with all sorts of hardware.

 

[tlarkin]

I agree they can optimize it for Intel CPU's and certain motherboards, but they cant have it optimized as much as say, a console is, since you can have iMacs with different model processors, different video cards, etc.

Im not a Mac expert, but I dont think they have a special OS just for the iMac, and one just for the PowerBook, so the OS has to be able to run with all sorts of hardware.

Have you ever worked on a Mac? Whenever you do a major system update it will optimize the OS for your system. Apple is also a closed platform, meaning they use the same hardware in every machine. The OS can detect what revision it is and install whatever is needed.

Of course apple does not write a specific OS for every model of computer, however it is optimized to run on their hardware that they design themselves. That is why OS X is hard to run on non apple hardware.

I am not even sure of what your argument is, but trust me everything written for the mac platform is optimized for the mac platform. They have less third party options than a PC, but on the plus side all of their applications and other softwares have way less compatibility problems and they work well. Look at Logic Audio and Final Cut Studio, two awesome applications that only run on the mac platform and that are optimized to run only on the mac platform, and highly used in the professional world.

 

[macnoob]

Have you ever worked on a Mac? Whenever you do a major system update it will optimize the OS for your system. Apple is also a closed platform, meaning they use the same hardware in every machine. The OS can detect what revision it is and install whatever is needed.

Of course apple does not write a specific OS for every model of computer, however it is optimized to run on their hardware that they design themselves. That is why OS X is hard to run on non apple hardware.

I am not even sure of what your argument is, but trust me everything written for the mac platform is optimized for the mac platform. They have less third party options than a PC, but on the plus side all of their applications and other softwares have way less compatibility problems and they work well. Look at Logic Audio and Final Cut Studio, two awesome applications that only run on the mac platform and that are optimized to run only on the mac platform, and highly used in the professional world.

heck look at apple script, great application, or ichat runs almost every chat engine at the same time. finder, why doesnt windows have finder? finder is great and spotlight even better. lastly, mac come with windows applications like microsoft office, on top of what they aready have.

 

[bldgengineer]

heck look at apple script, great application, or ichat runs almost every chat engine at the same time. finder, why doesnt windows have finder? finder is great and spotlight even better. lastly, mac come with windows applications like microsoft office, on top of what they aready have.

yeah but unfortunately the windows and PS software is only demo software. Even still Office on a Mac runs a hell of a lot better then it does on a PC.

Like I said, I'd buy a macbook pro because I'm willing to bet 10 years or so from now I'm going to STILL be using it. Read up on some of the mac forums and you'll see people still using iBooks from the 90's, G3's, G5's, for YEARS with zero headaches. The only reason why I'm running a PC as a desktop is because its cheaper for me to build it and then be able to buy the software I need on a daily basis.

 

[computerzgeek]

Macbook's (note it's missing Pro) are pretty bad. I am pretty young but am into tech. My school bought the 6th grade macbooks. In less than half the school year more than 5 laptops were sent back to be repaired either because of a faulty mousepad or keyboard and mine crashed and they has to send it all the way to Apple for the sdata to be recovered.