Mac?

[Ben]

hehe. This is a great read.

@ Sir Travis D and diduknowthat:

The last time I checked, I had to install drivers for my canon 350D to load pictures onto my computer. Otherwise, it simply does not work with Windows. The only program I know of that recognized my camera was Picasa, and I still had issues actually getting the pictures ON to the computer.

Never had a problem with iPhoto. I don't need any drivers, and my pictures don't magically get sucked into a blackhole and never come back

The sad part is, the drivers I have installed have only worked on my own desktop. I've tried make it work on 3 other computers. What do I get? Nadda.

I admit, not all cameras will require drivers. But it does make me very happy when it "just works".

 

[Sir Travis D]

hey mac enthusiasts, go over to the gaming section, and ask about the best mac laptop for gaming.

 

[speedyink]

Mac = Porsche

The $7000 Dell = Ferrari

My Dell = Honda prelude 4WS - cheap, relatively fast, fun to drive

Plugging in cameras is for suckers. Memory card reader FTW!

 

[`PaWz]

I don't think anyone here is arguing that macs are a good choice when it comes to gaming. That would be a horrible choice to make.

 

[cohen]

i think this thread needs to be put to sleep....

 

[tlarkin]

You said the mac is the porche. A porche is "premium". I called dell 3 times for asking about upgrades on my old dell desktop, and only got Americans.


@u didnt go to the right site to get that price. As I said, dell.com/xps, notebooks, 15.4", $999.

Mac's have less than 12 percent of the market share. More people on this forum own a pc. I will not argue with 12 percent of the population. Go talk to my 88 percent over in the gaming section.

OK, if a million people say or do something foolish it is still foolish regardless. You are ignorant plain and simple.

 

[Sir Travis D]

Ok, I'm ignorant because I have a laptop better than any configurable macbook that costs less than the base (-shipping/tax)

 

[tlarkin]

Ok, I'm ignorant because I have a laptop better than any configurable macbook that costs less than the base (-shipping/tax)

Must be nice to be 14 and have such money at your disposal.

I digress, your laptop would be a waste of money for me and for most users. For one I hate gaming on a laptop, and I would much rather have my Macbook Pro and then a PC desktop at home to play games on. My Macbook Pro is a work machine, and I abuse the crap out of it. I run 5 different OSes on it via virtual machines including XP and Vista. I also manage 25 servers and 6,000 Mac clients with it. I also manage windows desktops with it as well, since MS released their desktop client for free for macs. So I even manage the windows side with my mac. Not possible with any PC really, well technically it is, but not near as robust.

I also have zero down time, no crashes, it runs faster than windows does 10 fold, and if I feel the need to play a game, I have a boot camp partition that I can boot up and play every single game that is out right now, possibly with out the settings maxed, but then again its a freaking laptop not a gaming machine.

On top of that I have tons of features that I use that you don't have and I also on top of all of that have a more sleek and more portable laptop. I actually have to haul mine around every day.

So, yeah I also manage tons of windows clients and at my old job administered over 60 windows servers and 10,000 PCs running XP Pro. I think I know a thing or two about both platforms and can more accurately than you describe the differences.

Macs are not over priced.

BTW, your laptop is no where near better nor lower than the base cost of a Macbook Pro. I think you need to learn your hardware.

 

[Sir Travis D]

base macbook pro specs versus my m15x
2.4ghz dual core / 2.4ghz dual core
200gb 5400rpm / 160gb 7200rpm
nvidia 8600 / nvidia 8700
lightup keys / lightup keys/touchpad/lid
no nameplate / personal name plate

 

[tlarkin]

here is what that base model costs you to upgrade to a comparable MBP

Starting Price $1,954
Instant Savings $50
Subtotal $1,904
As low as $58/month
Dell Preferred Account for PCs, laptops, and computer accessoriesApply | Learn More

Update Price & Ship Date
Discount Details
Preliminary Ship Date: 5/13/20081
Print Summary
My Components
Tuxedo Black
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T8300 (2.4GHz/800Mhz FSB, 3MB Cache)
Genuine Windows Vista® Ultimate Edition
High Resolution, glossy widescreen 15.4 inch LED LCD (1440x900) & 2.0 M
2GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHz (2 Dimms)
Size: 250GB 5400rpm SATA Hard Drive
Slot Load DVD+/-RW (DVD/CD read/write)
256MB NVIDIA® GeForce® 8600M GT
Intel Next-Gen Wireless-N Mini-card
Dell Wireless 355 Bluetooth Internal (2.0+Enhanced Data Rate)
56 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
ExpressCard Sound Blaster X-Fi® Xtreme Audio Sound Card

Same freaking price

First off the base screen only supports a whomping 1280x800 while the MBP natively supports 1440x900, so you have to upgrade it. I added all the hardware specs and features and kept it at 2 gigs of RAM and same video card. Had to upgrade the sound card since MBP have higher end digital and optical audio out. Upgrade the wireless N card.

They are the same price, and no SMS sensor, no ambient light sensor, no FW800, possibly no HDMI out (doesn't list it), etc etc

I just built that Dell just like you asked me to and it is the same freaking price. Apple only puts high end screens in their laptop and that base model dell has a crappy ass cheap screen.

I am not sure if the online store saves this but here is the link

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&oc=DYCWHN1&s=dhs

 

[Sir Travis D]

dude
u put vista ultimate in
ultimate only adds the ability to use videos as a background, and encrypting features.

 

[tlarkin]

dude
u put vista ultimate in
ultimate only adds the ability to use videos as a background, and encrypting features.

tsk tsk

OS X Leopard - standard features

encrypted file system
remote desktop
the ability to connect to a domain level network
remote terminal connections


All of these features are only possible in Business or Ultimate edition. Check your facts.

 

[Sir Travis D]

ability to set a video as the background? YEA so no ultimate.

 

[tlarkin]

ability to set a video as the background? YEA so no ultimate.

you can do that and with spaces you can have multiple desktops, another built in feature that Windows doesn't have, unless you buy their add on product.

Look dude, I can't explain it to you any clearer other than I just proved to you that a Mac is not over priced. Your Dell costs the same amount of money for the same features.

 

[Sir Travis D]

The dell has a bigger hard drive, more ram, and a faster processor. So what if it doesn't have an led screen? Most laptops don't.

 

[tlarkin]

The dell has a bigger hard drive, more ram, and a faster processor. So what if it doesn't have an led screen? Most laptops don't.

Are you that dense? That Dell I built has the same specs as the Mac, they are almost identical and they are the same price. Same RAM, same HD, same video card, same screen, and it was the same price

Macs are Porsches with high end performance parts. LED LCD HD screens look a billion times better. I have one on my MBP and it is very nice.

 

[Sir Travis D]

dell xps for $1684
250 gigs
4gb ram
2.5ghz
8600 graphics


macbook pro $1999
200 gigs
2gb ram
2.4ghz
8600

I don't know where you are looking.
http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&oc=DYCWHN1&s=dhs


even with that screen, it's $1884 so the dell has the same screen and graphics card, but better processor, ram and hard drive.

 

[tlarkin]

+ vista ultimate, because OS X Leopard has all the features Ultimate does. You can't connect to a domain level network with Home Premium, nor can you have encrypted file system support, encrypted disk support, use built in remote features.

I said you have to compare it feature to feature and to match that you have no choice to be either add on third party apps which allow those features or toss in Ultimate, and Ultimate would be cheaper. Plus there is no third party app to my knowledge that allows windows clients to bind to a domain controller, except for the built in features in Business and Ultimate.

Plus no DRM and no retarded ass security center and no WGA.

+ blue tooth

+ ABGN wireless

Dude read what I posted, it is the closest you can get and it comes out like $50 cheaper.

 

[diduknowthat]

No, I haven't needed drivers for much you are correct most of it is native.

Too simple? I don't understand while people think that is a bad thing. Would you rather have something over complicated and search around in an application or an OS for 20+ minutes trying to find some minute feature to turn on or off, or would you just rather have it work and have it streamlined? KISS - keep it simple stupid, is the best way to do it.

My main point is, that the Dell spec for spec compared to a Mac book Pro is only $150 dollars less, give or take. Add in all the features and innovations I mentioned, and I think all of that is easily worth $150 dollars. Plus the no spyware, no viruses, is well worth it as well.

That is not even including software, because iLife owns all built in windows applications hands down. I have used both, and Windows Movie Maker is clunky and feature lacking. I would compare iMovie HD to a lite weight version of Adobe Premiere to be honest. Then if you want to author DVDs, well there is another $100.

You can put third party RAM in a Mac, and I never buy RAM from Apple direct, it is too expensive. So, we will say if you bump the Macbook Pro up to 4 Gig, another 2gig stick is like $30 to $60 dollars.

My argument isn't which one is better, it is that it is not really over priced when you match it up spec for spec and include software and all the features.

What I meant by too simple is that all the advance controls are neatly tucked away, at least the macs our school has is. So sometimes when I want to fine tweak something, I have to look around a lot for it. But then again, it's probably just me not being used to using macs.

And I do agree that macs come with better preloaded software. And also how big of a difference is there between the iMovie and the HD version? The emacs at our school are all loaded with iMovie, and I find it lacking some features.

 

[Sir Travis D]

oh look what I found - 25 percent off a $1350+ dell xps notebook
now look at this

I just configed this m1530 for $1999
2.4ghz
320gigs
4gb ram
8600 graphics
1440 high res display
Blu-Ray Drive