Community Newsletter: Q&A forum: MacBook or PC laptop for college?

Hi - pretty much everything you need to know has been posted here. The only thing I'd add is that people who aren't very tech-minded tend to get on better with Macs, as they are generally easier to get to grips with. This is why the 'Macs are best' argument touted by Mac users winds many experienced PC users up - PC systems tend to be the choice for people who understand computers more, but it's also a system which requires more maintenance (and therefore know-how).

Also, whatever anyone says, Vista is an outstanding OS platform, and XP is still going strong, and you'll have no problems with either if you're willing to accept the learning curve. Mac's OS needs no real endorsement, it's pleasant on the eye, easy to use, more intuitive and generally very reliable (both systems crash, though, period).

Good luck with your choice.

Hi Wendee,
I have been a extreme power user and net admin for both and they both have big advantages over each other. Mac's are going to cost about a third more after all is said and done. Macs are easier for a beginner to pick up and use with no knowledge going in. Macs are more geared to make fun stuff easier like video and music but tend to have less software for business so if you're going for a business, CAD or science major you may lean more toward PC. There are software packages that allow you to run windows programs on Macs but there is a performance loss involved and also some incompatibility issues as well. Do not fall for complacent statements like "Macs are safe from viruses or spyware". Macs are actually more vulnerable because of that level of complacency in many Mac users. The only reason Macs don't experience these problems is simply because of market share.
If you buy a PC you may get more bang for your buck for the hardware but unless you order it special you will end up with box chock full of trial software, useless games, advertisements, and utilities that slow performance more than they help. So get one that has a clean install or be sure you get the Operating System on an installable disk so you can wipe out all of the junk and do a clean install yourself. Most software is easier to come by for PCs and is often less expensive. Vista looks and feels more like a Mac than any other Windows Operating System, but Microsoft never seems to get the "easy part" down all the way. Again because of market share it will be much easier to get service for PCs than Macs and Mac service is usually more expensive.

Hi,

I've just read through the entire thread and am surprised to find a couple of points missing. Let me first start by saying that I have lived the PC world for a very long time as an IT professional. I have only dabbled with Macs over time since last using them up to my last year in High School back in 1983.

Now, I've bought a MacBook Pro.... at present it is mostly collecting dust as there are other priorities and I continue to use my Dell Insprion 9300 at this time.

Some things that I've found are:

1. If you do an install of Mac OS, you need to make sure that the normal user account that you use is a non-admin user; failure to do that might result in you being more susceptible to user privilege problems than has been suggested here.

2. It is a very trivial exercise to recover and change the admin password on Mac OS X ... again, I am an IT professional with relatively little Mac experience, but I found out just how easy it is to compromise a Mac machine and from a security perspective it is shocking to say the lease.

3. Before my purchase, I was warned of the cost of continual upgrades -- there have been a number of OS X versions in a relatively short time period; each upgrade has a significant cost to it if you want to remain up to date. The Windows world has far less upgrades of a nature that require monies for upgrade. Windows XP has been around for what seems like forever now and Vista is relatively very new. In the same time frame Mac OS X has had it's numerous upgrades (at a cost as mentioned).

4. My understanding is that Mac OS X is heavily based on a BSD version of "UNIX" and it also has influences from BeOS (particularly the Tiger version).

5. From a build perspective, I have found that 'bent' screens are the norm and because I didn't mention the problem to my supplier within a short time frame, then it simply becomes my problem.

6. Who would have thought that upgrading the HDD in a MacBook Pro would void your warranty? That is shameless! You can upgrade memory, but forget the internal hard drive, that is a job for a Mac shop only.

7. I understand that a range of Dell and HP machines have issues now with Nvidia graphics cards; it worries me that my MacBook Pro has the same card which may also be an issue (8600M I think).

8. Standard warranty in Australia is 1 year. Buying Apple Care costs a fortune compared to Dell's alternatives and the longest warranty on a Mac in Australia is 2 years! All my Dell machines have been covered for 3 full years and the extra warranty costs have been more than reasonable. My 9300 was even covered (warranty is expired now) for accidental damage or theft from a locked car or office. It is now harder to claim for theft unless you have a police report proving that damage was done to an office or the car these days due to an updated insurance policy, but that wasn't the case when I brought the 9300.

9. The keyboard is missing important and useful keys, although I accept with a little time I will learn the new keystroke alternatives. I hate it when so many machines I use all over the place are all different, but that is another matter. The PC keyboard has home, end, pgup, pgdn and more buttons.... these are handy and they have a good use.

From a security perspective, I would have to say that the MacBook is much more risk than a PC in terms of gaining 'normal' use of the machine with admin rights. However, from a file perspective, any reasonably modern Linux distro can be used to read and write files on NTFS (Windows most usual file system in use these days).

Don't get me wrong, I do like the MacBook, but it isn't everything I thought it would be and if it wasn't for the serious discount I got when I purchased it, I would have gotten another Dell machine.

Perhaps I will have more to say when I get around to using my MacBook Pro as a regular use machine, but I am not as encouraged as I think I should be at this stage.

I haven't recommended one way or another, but I am astounded by the real lack of security of the Mac platform -- having been led to believe the Mac with a UNIX background should easily be more secure than a Window XP machine. My short time trying to make sure I get things right has shown me that there is a serious risk that needs to be considered; what I don't understand is that there must be a great number of Mac experts out there with much more Mac experience than myself and they don't seem concerned??? Very strange if you ask me.

I want to use my MBP, but I have my reservations... and as an IT professional whom uses machines for too many hours per day, well I need to be able to trust them to some extent -- particularly when I might have sensitive customer data on my machine. I have to take reasonable steps to ensure that data is safe -- one solution might be to use an encrypted Mac Disk image.

I would sell everything I could to ensue I could get a 15" Macbook with MS Office for Mac. If you an afford other options such as (a) Vmware.com's Fusion and a copy of Windows and (b) iWork '08 Suite you'll have everything you could possibly want.

PROs:

Mac's work with pretty much everything. I am a long-time Windows user and administrator and I used to spit at Macs...just the thought of having one. Now, I have a 17" MacBook Pro (MBP) and wouldn't trade it for the world. It picks up wireless networks quickly and easily and as you move around campus, that's helpful. With MS Office, you'll be sure you can have all your docs be compatible with anything on Campus (and the world). With your mac, you'll be able to access any email account you have with any provider...I have about 8 Gmail accounts plus hotmail and I access them all from Apple's mail program. I use the iphoto & iweb applications for gathering all my pics and sharing them on Apple's mobile.me web pages.

Another plus is you don't have to worry with you have enough memory or disk space as the Mac's typically have enough. If can afford the 15" MacBook Pro then you'll have power and durability that will last you for quite some time.

Cons:

I see only one major CON and that's primarily due to the budget limitations and that's Internet Explorer. There are just some applications that ONLY run with IE and although you can make Apple's default browser (Safari) emulate IE, it requires some geeky work and not suggested if you really don't know what you're doing. That is why I say you may need to run a copy of Windows somehow and that requires an application such as Apple's built-in Boot Camp, Parallel's Workstation for Mac or VmWare's Fusion but these add to the cost of the machine.

Windows on a Mac:

Let's see...the best thing I can say is go to an Apple Store (or Best Buy) and have some demo running Windows on Mac. Also search YouTube.com for "vmware" or "parallels". There's plenty of demo's. I do not like BootCamp because I don't want Windows taking up any extra disk space when I don't run Windows that much (from home). I prefer Vmware so I can run Windows on an external hard drive....almost like saving your pics on a thumb drive but it's just Windows.

Anyway, my suggestion would be to sell all that you don't need on Craigslist or Ebay but get a Mac. Better yet, wait until you get to school because you can get the Student discount prices.

Another thing to keep in mind.... while many college campuses support both platforms, they may indirectly "favor" one or the other. How do you tell? One way is to check their IT department's site-licensed downloads. These are software programs that the university had purchased licenses for so that students, faculty, and staff can download copies of the program at no charge. At the Big-10 university I'm at, there are more programs available for Windows than Mac. Are any of these programs ones you'll definitely need in your program? Most of the statistical programs are not available for Mac. Not a problem if you're a music major, but if your program/classes rely on those heavily, you will have to visit a campus computer to use those programs.

Also, universities often have reduced prices for software you want to purchase through Microsoft's Personal Use Program (not restricted to PC - includes Office for Mac).

Many universities offer discounted purchases for a variety of manufacturers if you buy your computer through them (ours has discounts on Dell, HP, and Lenovo), so check that out also. Before I bought my Dell, I visited a Dell store and the rep told me to bring in the university's quote for the system I wanted and he promised to beat it. He was so shocked by the price I was offered, and had to admit that he couldn't match it.

Finally, whichever laptop you decide on, GET THE BEST WARRANTY POSSIBLE! College laptops are brutally abused, and I would be surprised if yours lasts all four years without needing repair or replacement.

Bottom line: do some significant research with your campus's IT department to see which will best meet your needs.

It is somewhat of a tossup. I know by looking around at college computer requirements, most colleges require Macs if going into the photography, video, or music realm. If going into the business realm, the requirement is PC (most of the time). Remember, both can run Microsoft Office. If you still have a choice, and you want the Mac, and you need to run PC programs now and then, you have your good buddy boot camp that can help. I have owned PCs but recently I have considered a Mac. To me, Macs are more intuitive.

See the thing is I did some testing with a friend and it seems that HP laptops are beter than Macs, and the reason that the Mac is top is because it's easier to use everything is already setup for you so you don't have to do anything yourself. The thing is if you take the time an HP laptop is a litle better than handling files and storing anything than the mac the mac just makes it easier for the less electronic people of this economy. I would choose a HP, but it's up to you.

The factors I consider are 1. Function/Purpose, 2. Support, and 3. Price in that specific order. For general computing use - word processing, email, internet access, etc. a laptop with XP/Vista will suffice. You also get more support with PCs and MS OS in general. You will find laptops between $500 to $800 including software to be more than adequate. Apple doesn't even come close.

On the other hand if you are need a computer for multi-media creation or graphics design, then a Mac is for you. Most likely you will find enough support from your school if that is your major. In this case, prepare to spend $1,300 to $2000 or more depending on your software.

Files between PCs and Mac are more compatible than ever. In fact I send a word file from either my Mac or PC and the recipient can't even tell where it's from.

In summary, buy the type of machine that you will end up using when you step out of college and start your profession.

As an IT professional I occasionally recommend Macs or Linux for clients depending on their specific needs. 95% of my business users are on the PC. The arguments against switching have always been based upon a) learning curve and b) having to buy all new programs (despite the fact that many useful programs are free with Linux). Vista has essentially leveled the playing field. It has been my experience that the better you know Windows XP, the more you'll dislike Vista.
Vista has created a significant exodus of my clients from PC to Mac and I must respond to my client's needs so I am doing the same research you are Wendee but with a different focus. Don't forget you can have the best of both worlds.
My solution: MacBook Pro quad booting into Mac OS/Windows XP Pro/Windows Vista Ultimate/Ubunto Linux. For you I'd recommend the Mac solution as you can add Windows to it at any time you deem it necessary without throwing out the baby with the bathwater.

hey ther buddy,

i think i can help with your problem. i am in college and i am also live there. and all i can tell you is that ther is no MACs that school owns. 98% of all the college use PC. and yes mac's are great they really good nice looking and i would also like to say reliable( time machine). but i am a PC user. i bought a laptop last year. i have done alot of thinking and research. when people think of buying a laptop they want to be able to carry it and use it anytime you would require too. you have to look for something that is powerful, has enough space and memory. plus long long battery life. after looking around i have narrowed myself down to 3 companies with the budget of $1500; Dell, Lenovo,& Apple. i am need something that is going to be durable. i travel alot and i like to take note with my laptop( i type faster than i write). i have owned another laptop which i have retired i have droped that twice in the life time. so know for sure that i need somehting is not going to break. that is y had to even narrow my search even more. Apple makes great machines sure. it is just the OS. they only make a really really good OS but when it comes to hardware they really suck at it. alot of people are going to tell me that i am just a PC fanboy but i am not. i am a fan of linux. but it you know anyone with a macbook or a macbook pro they will all tell you that they had to service ther laptop atleast once. if they dont they are just lying and in denying the fact that Mac hardware is not that great. common problem with macbooks and macbook pro are the motherboard, HD , battery,logic board, CD/dvd-rw.

but please dont get me wrong mac os is really nice. it is just the hardware. and also the warranty. it just sucks. they are really tough on the warranty they will find ways to not fix the problem. and i can tell you this with experience my friends all had this problem they will tell you that you abuse the laptop so that is why it doesnt work they will just void the warranty .

so in my list i have Dell and Lenovo. let me start with dell. i would never get a inspiron notebook or a xps. i would get a latitude they are really good. very durable and and cheap. and another thing i am a tech savvy guy i know how to replace a keyboard and a HD or even memory. i dont think it is need to call have some one else look at it or even send it back to the company for replaces. it is not needed. any one can do it. but back to dell, it was not as good as the legendary Thinkpads. but then it came down i just wanted to use my notebook for at least 5-7yrs. and i know for a fact that dell would never last that long and i know that dell warranty isnt that long; max of 4yrs.

so i just looking to lenovo. i bought a really nice laptop very strong, durable and FAST. it is a thinkpad t61 w/ intel core2 duo @2.0 GHz with 3GB of ram, 120GB harddrive, bluetooth, intel wireless card with N, 6cell battery, media card reader, DVD rw , camera, and a fingerprint reader. it was less then my budget. it all come out to $1200 and with the 300dallors left over i bought a 5yr warranty. it was great

and it came with vista. which is really nice. i have had no problems with anything. and yes it uses alot of memory but if you shut off the fancy BS it works great. and if you still dont like the idea of vista then you can get a xp pro. it is still a option. windows is really good

honestly i dont even have a antivirus or a spybot. and my computer is not infected. you c if you download pirated material or even porn yes you are guarnteed to get a virus but if you just using your computer for educational and enterienment reason then you will not get a virus. i really hated when people tell me that pc get virus. sure macs do too. lol

i hope this helps

Okay it's been a few years since I've been in college, however I have a number of freinds who are University Proffessors, the all use Macs.

One thing to think about is quality control in these machines, Macs are very well made. Our family has 2 macs (about to be 3) and 3 PC's. We've never had a hardware issue with any of the macs, but the PC's 2 HP's and a Toshiba have issues.

As my son said to me, have you ever heard someone say "I hate my Mac"?

All that rubbish about IT departments not supporting Macs is just that rubbish, they're not going to support your PC very well either.

Having been a Mac and PC user, I have gone through cash and pain to run both. PC to run most of the software I was comfortable with, and Mac to run my design apps for work. I've found the Mac to be better for it's use along with it's ease and reliablity, and the PC to be more convenient for the apps available to it (that the Mac doesn't).

Then they came out with Intel based Macs. For years I've carried around a PC laptop and a Mac laptop. So I decided to take the plunge and stick to one. Yes I paid a little more for the MacBook Pro, but ever since I did, I laugh everyday (and curse) that they didn't come up with this a longtime ago. With a MacBook you get the best of both worlds. The stability and reliablity of a Mac, and the convenience of a PC. It's hard not to be biased now. What PC do you know that can double as another system with virtually no issues. The extra dollars that you would spend is well worth what you are getting. And on top of that, the life expectancy of a Mac is at least double that of a PC. Meaning you get much longer use out of a Mac than a PC. When you realize your PC needs upgrading or replacing because it can no longer support new software. The Mac will still be running without a hitch.

Like myself, other friends have switched, and haven't looked back. And after a few months, we don't even bother using Boot Camp or Parallels to use Windows anymore. Everything we need to do, can be done without Windows. There are of course those rare times, when you need to run an .exe file, or want to try out a new software not yet available for the Mac. But those are far few between. It's a comfort though that I have 2 computers in 1.

Good job listing all the OS's that parallels can run... which, co-incidentally, you can also run on ANY intel/x86 based computer, macintosh or not.

You can also purchase "vmware", or use the FREE "virtual PC" software on a Windows based PC, to run any of those OS's as a 2nd OS within windows... the ONLY OS you can't (officially) run is Mac OS X - and even that is possible.. just not entirely legal.

I'm pretty certain, that since this person is having a hard time deciding if she wants a "mac or a PC", that she is not too interested in the fact that she can run various linux distributions, or Windows 3.11 on a mac (or a PC).

You might be right with the list of OS'es that a Mac can run, but in reality, why would you do that unless you are studying the development of operating systems in the 90'ies?
My point is this: Your computer should work right out of the box with no changes, no updates, no nothings ...
So what about viruses, spyware and other things, that can keep people busy?
Well - if you pick an honest OS, you will not be in so much trouble, that is why I recommend Linux.
Not installed on a Mac og Windows Pc in a dual or tipple boot-combination - but as the sole system.
Open source software can do the rest - but again, don't overload your system with 500 programs, just because they are free - basically 5-10 programs will help you out for the remainder of your life.

Sincerely,

Hans Andersen

ps! You save a lot of dollars/euros at the same time sticking to this concept