Community Newsletter: Q&A: MacBook or PC laptop for college?
- 8/22/08 4:21 PM
Mac or PC for College?
by unknowndude - 8/16/08 3:08 PM In reply to: MacBook or PC laptop for college? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Go with the MacBook Pro, tell your dad to up the limit to $1900. I purchased A Macbook pro last year for school, (Apple has a student discount).
I split my drive with the included Bootcamp software, and installed a FREE copy of Windows for students in my networking class. Now I have 2 laptops, I can set either OS as default. Holding the control key during start up allows me to boot into the other OS.
I got a better system that performs on ANY network I need to access. $1500 will get you a Macbook, but it will lack some physical connectivity options.
I still have a Gateway and a Sony desktop at home and have no trouble networking with them to share files and printer.
Those "bargain" PC based laptops generally come up lacking in performance. I sold my Toshiba laptop after 3 months and went to MAC.
Linux
by chanhdat - 8/16/08 3:19 PM In reply to: Mac or PC for College? by unknowndudeStop Microsoft or Apple earning easy money from us!
Just use money to buy a better laptop, even a XPS M1730, then install a completely FREE Linux distro. Whatever you need, programs, games, all is for free. Mac users will say: Yeah, Linux is just a ugly thing. Tell them: Stop showing off! Then take them to youtube, show them what Linux got.
Get a netbook
by hansjorn - 8/17/08 2:18 AM In reply to: Linux by chanhdatI don't like the ever growing laptops, now with bloating operating systems and 17" monitors and what have you.
What I would recommend for anyone - in kindergarten, in high schools and college - is the Asus EEE-concept.
That is - with Linux/Xandros installed - and please don't change it, don't add software to fool around with - just stay with the basic concept, which is: Keep it simple and easy..
Apple and Microsoft products are too complex - so back to nature, eg. 40 years ago, when computing was actually .. computing 
Sincerely,
Hans Andersen
nokia n95 8g
by tonynguyen512 - 8/16/08 3:20 PM In reply to: MacBook or PC laptop for college? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
i having hard time to get my n95 8g to connect to my jawbone headset
please help
thanks
tony
Mac works fine for my son
by JamesIvy - 8/16/08 5:47 PM In reply to: MacBook or PC laptop for college? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
my son's studying medicine at Oxford and uses a Macbook Pro with no problems at all. He uses Word, maybe Xcel, but the rest of his work is all done online. The Mac comes with everything you need, except for Word which is worth getting. Loads of other programs come free with it (incl video editing etc). In two years of constant use it's hardly ever crashed – Macs rarely do. Buy one – it's sooooo easy to use.
Get a Mac
by m_style - 8/16/08 6:01 PM In reply to: MacBook or PC laptop for college? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Get a Mac. When you buy a Mac you get a free ipod!
Mac's are 99% don't get viruses, easy to operate and above all, you can always install XP or Vista on it. Keep in mind that Vista works faster on Mac computers than PCs.
With a Mac, you never EVER get a blue screen, it never crashes and when you install a program, you never need to restart your operating system, where you lose your work.
The battery life gives you about 4 hours of usage.
http://www.apple.com/backtoschool/
What will you really need a computer for?
by grayja - 8/17/08 12:02 AM In reply to: MacBook or PC laptop for college? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
This is the one question that nobody seems to have addressed (although I must admit I havn't read all 500 odd responses). It's the first question the staff of any responsible computer store (real or
online), or advisory forum, or computer guru, or tech savvy friend should ask in reply to "Whatmodel should I buy?"
I have been a computer user for over 30 years now, both for business and pleasure. I also studied computers and computerised systems at night University. So what do I know?? Consider the following points:-
1. You will want/need your computer to be as physically tough as you can afford - check the guarantee details of those models that appeal to you. You will be carrying it around a lot, so in many respects, the best carry bag you can afford will provide a lot of the physical toughness you need.
2. Do you need a fast computer? One way the manufacturers 'improve' and 'hype' their new models is to increase the speed of the processing chip. But wait, what will you mostly do on your computer? no prize for the answer - yes, you will be doing one heck of a lot of typing on it regardless of your degree discipline: e.g. smartening up handwritten lecture notes, typing papers, etc. etc. AND the computer is way ahead of you on this - while you type, it is taking a good rest, devoting only a very tiny portion of it's computing power - even when doing spell-checks and helping you reorganise and perfect your presentation. So high speed processing power is no advantage at all for you, and is not a consideration for such tasks.
3. Mac's are reputed to be good at graphics - so are PC's if you have the right software and a good graphics card. If you are not a graphic arts student, then the average computer with some reasonably priced graphic software is more than adequate to handle your needs - from drawing to digital photography to perhaps be incorporated into presentation papers.
4. Software: based on the above, you will need a good Word Processor - Microsoft Word is virtually the de-facto standard and is available on both Mac and PC. It's also a good program with which to prepare pretty snazzy presentations with it's 'Table' and 'Graphic' capabilities. Purchased in the form of the 'MS 2007 Student Suite of Word, Excel and PowerPoint' it will give you all you need and more for the majority of your creative and administrative tasks at a very good price.
5. If you really do have some highly specialised requirements e.g. technical drawing, creative arts, graphic design, or other scientific or math based subjects, then you will of course have to buy the appropriate software (which may be suggested or even dictated by the relevent university department) in addition to the basics mentioned in 4. above. You may also have to revise the processing power requirements mentioned in 2. above.
6. Memory - generally speaking, the more internal memory the better. A minimum of 2 GB is a good starting point to think about. If the computer you like sells with less than that, then have it brought up to that level. External memory - e.g. hard drives - these are relatively cheap these days, so whatever the computer comes with, budget for the same again to at least permit backups - more so than ordinary use, everything you enter into your computer is of supreme importance for your learning and ultimate successfull graduation - DO MAKE FREQUENT BACKUPS OF YOUR STUFF AT LEAST - by this I mean all the documents you create - don't worry about the operating system and application softwares (you will have the originals of those on CD/DVD won't you!!!!!!!!) DO NOT use pirated and illegal copies (and possibly corrupted versions) of these important assets in your essential armoury.
7. Web Surfing: the speed you need here is not influenced by your computers central processor - it is in the method of communication available to you based on your geographic location. Hopefully your instution and your residence will have pre-installed cable or satellite high speed access available to access your internet service provider, and for these you will need an appropriate high speed Modem, which will be an accessory you will have to buy along with the access fees of the ISP.
So what do you get from the above - To summarise, there is no real technical difference between Mac's and PC's. What you should be concerned with is to find the "best computer value" you can that fits your budget and technical requirements - based upon WHAT YOU NEED TO DO ON THE COMPUTER . DO NOT clutter your work-college computer with games, pretty desk-top pictures, music, video or free AND OFTEN JUNK software which is not absolutely essential to the task in hand (to learn and graduate). The less junk you have on your computer, the better/faster it will operate. Last but not least, get the best anti-virus/anti-malware/firewall software available for whichever computer you choose.
Good luck in your acedemic endevours.
Either
by Jseg2005 - 8/17/08 8:30 AM In reply to: MacBook or PC laptop for college? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Seeing as this has become a flaming War...
You can really go either way. People who tend to do more visual work tend to purchase a Mac. Programming usually has more support for programming and business related majors. I personally would recommend a Mac. No I do not own one but I plan to very soon. I have called into various companies for technical support and no company comes even close to what Mac offers in the way of understanding and respect. You get your dollar back over time. However they are a little more expensive. If you need something cheap go for a low end dell. Their support is mostly in India but the computer is relatively solid and a decent bit cheaper. It really depends on your price point. I am currently a college student working towards a programming major, and I find that either computer works fine. I just like the look and feel of the mac. Whatever you do... Don't get vista. It's about as reliable as coward. If you go for a PC get XP, it is far more stable. I have had nothing but trouble with Vista, which is actually the reason my next computer will be an iMac.
Wendee -- MacBook or PC laptop for college
by bottum feedah - 8/17/08 9:24 AM In reply to: MacBook or PC laptop for college? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Get a MAC laptop that you can load Windows XP on using BootCamp.
Problem solved. You can use whichever OS works best for the situation.
I use a MAC laptop with XP loaded through BootCamp(free) and XP runs just as good or at times, I think even better than on a native Windows machine. The new ones have a BootCamp already installed that'll accept a VISTA install as well. You could use Parallels or VMWare to run both OS's at the same time in one session, but it'll take lots of "horsepower" (RAM and all to make it happen smoothly). I've never missed it because typically my sessions are Windows based. But I love having the option to switch to OS X whenever I like, so I use the same system on two different MAC desktops as well... with one being dual boot for XP & VISTA.
By the way...
by bottum feedah - 8/17/08 9:56 AM In reply to: Wendee -- MacBook or PC laptop for college by bottum feedahI do everything from Taxes (Tax Programs, Spreadsheets) to Website maintenance(images, text, audio - cd to mp3) to Graphics (DTP, signs, decals, vehicle wraps, brochures, manuals, newsletters... all including lots of image and text processing and pdf output)done mostly in Windows... but if I want to view a DVD for instance, I'll go to MAC... too many problems with Windows in that line. Mostly everything is done using good Windows programs from various sources including Adobe. Some programs have versions for either OS.
I guess I just mostly like having the option to work on whatever platform works the best at the moment... and whenever I just get fed up with looking at the Windows GUI.
I don't think it is neccesary to spend more than $1000
by bobportorange - 8/17/08 10:16 AM In reply to: MacBook or PC laptop for college? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Both Mac and PC work great. Regardless of which one you choose, spending more than $1000 on a laptop for school is probably a waste of your money (not counting and service plan or extended warranty you might want). I use a laptop (the one I'm on now) everyday for home and business use. I spent less than $800 for an HP that does everything I need and then some. I know that it is not built with an aluminum case like my friends Mac, but as long as it lasts 3-4 years, I'm good. Computers changes to quickly to assume that any computer you buy will be up to par 4 years down the line. It's not like buying a new car. Many people have said that if you need to run windows programs, that you can buy a copy of windows and run it on your Mac. I never once have heard the suggestion that if you had a PC, that you might need to run a Mac program. It makes it sound like PCs will allow you to do everything you need, but if you have just a Mac you might need to suppliment it with Windows anyway.
windows on macs
by bitswt02 - 8/24/08 1:46 PM In reply to: I don't think it is neccesary to spend more than $1000 by bobportorangethe only reason mac users have to supplement windows on macs is because the rest of the world uses an unstable platform--Windows--and there are a lot of things people can't use unless we go through internet explorer or something from microsoft. Why?
Because microsoft dominates the market. Bill Gates got Windows on every computer because he had the money to. But does that mean Windows is better? Not really.
Don't ask me why the rest of the world would rather use a virus-ridden, unstable, and more unreliable Windows than Apple's OS X, just because windows is there on almost every computer you buy. Why would you buy something just because most people buy it, when you can have something that runs better?
Now that Apple's back in the game, we users have another choice. It's no longer Microsoft running the whole show. And thank god for it.
Mac vs PC
by aleykat22 - 8/18/08 12:52 AM In reply to: MacBook or PC laptop for college? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi,
I bought my first computer in 1984-a 128K Mac. My, how things have changed. I could rant and rave how much better I love Macs, hate Windows, etc. I teach at a school whose tech guy is all about PCs. Drives me crazy, but I comply. Like others have said, my Dell was constantly in his hands for one reason or another (this wouldn't work, that wouldn't work, etc. And I used it for very few things because I had a Macbook. It was obvious I was going to have to becomes "bi", so I bought a newer Macbook Pro and put XP on it. I do not have near the issues running XP on the Mac as I did running on it on the Dell....go figure. Makes me wonder how many instability issues are cheap component issues as opposed to an unstable OS. So, "if" if were me, I would get a Macbook and if you find you need to, buy XP.
Cindy
Can't watch Netflix streaming on Mac
by endaugust - 8/18/08 6:50 AM In reply to: MacBook or PC laptop for college? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
You would want to get a PC b/c you can't watch Netflix streaming movies on a Mac. And trust me, you will need to watch movies whenever you want while you're in school. College will be stressful and you will need a break to watch movies in the middle of the your all-night studying. 
Also, the pro-Mac graphics issue is also outdated. You can do everything graphics-wise on a PC that you can do on a Mac. The FACT remains that you can do more things (more softwares availability) on a PC than you can on a Mac. We're talking about 10 times more. It is also a FACT that you will get SO MUCH MORE on a $1500 PC than you would for the same amount on a Mac. INCLUDING stability.
My 10 cents
by sepv - 8/18/08 7:28 AM In reply to: MacBook or PC laptop for college? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi,
My advise to you is "Do you own research" in that way you will have the best PC suited to your needs.
This means that you would have to know what platform your school and teachers will be using.
By the way is the $1,500 just for the PC or does this include applications as well.
The reason why I am asking is that if its just a PC for $1500 you can get a nice ASUS machine which comes with 1 yr. accident insurance and 3 yr warranty, Not to mention a very nice video card memory and processor.
If its with applications you can get a nice Toshiba Satellite for $599, Mine is currently running Windows Server 2003 which I use for work so it should be sufficient for school work and the rest you can spend on Apps.
-sep
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