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I'm getting a laptop soon, and I don't know whether or not to get Windows or a Mac.
Cause right now I'm leaning towards a mac, but some of my friends think I shouldn't, so I really can't decide.
Can anyone give me some ideas, or what they personally like?

And to make it clear, this probably isn't going to be used for games, I have my computer for that.
But it's probably gonna be for school.

Go with your gut. I'm sure people will try to sway you each way, but neither will be particularly convincing. I daresay the Mac is more expensive. That'd probably be my only concern.

KA wrote:Go with your gut.

I find that you'd say that abhorrent, but for reasons unrelated to this particular subject. Sort of.

But I agree with what I figured KA's message is: go with whatever you feel most comfortable with. If you want to ask which OS is superior, more worth the price, which you should get familiar with for a given purpose, etc., then there'd be more discussion. But since it's probably just a machine for personal use, go with whatever you know how to use.

If you can, go to a computer shop somewhere and just mess around with them (I 'spose it'd have to be an Apple store or Best Buy if you want to try the mac side though...)

Then decide

Well after a few hours of research, I'm thinking a Mac is the only way to go.
Not only is it faster in most cases, but it's student friendly, and well, exactly what I need.

Yeah, thanks for the input, I guess I really am going with my gut in the end.

What's your budget? I'll be glad to help you choose the hardware.

It's anywhere between 800-1300 dollars.
$1400 if it is necessary.

If it's for school I'd go for a Netbook. I bought a 15" laptop thinking it'd be small enough but it's just too large and heavy.

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/s ... ly/macbook

Look at the middle one for $1,299.

Yeah thanks, I was actually thinking of that one or the cheapest MacBook.
Cause if I get the cheapest, I can get a student discount, router, Mighty Mouse, Apple Care, and some other things, and that'll still end up at around $1300-1400.

Specs on the cheapest one are kinda low.

depends, if you aren't doing any gaming then the lowest is fine (not that the one above it is any better, they both have integrated graphics)

although, if you want a DVD burner, you will have to go to the $1300 one, if not, the bottom one is fine (and if you want more ram, try this)

However, one last piece of advice, at least wait until Tuesday to decide, because that is when Apple is revealing its fall laptop revisions ;)

Oh yeah, the new MacBooks, and possibly (it's a rumour) a price cut! Which very well could mean 1200-1300 for a nicely equipped laptop. I don't need a DVD burner or anything much for that matter. And I think the cheapest will will suit me fine, (hopefully).

Do you know anything about the laptop revisions? Like what we might expect?

the most concrete evidence seems to point to the macbooks being aluminum (like the macbook pros are now) and having a model under $1000, other then that, no (although some are saying maybe even a model under $900)

Oh, the aluminum sounds cool, it'd probably give MacBooks a sleeker look.
Cause I heard from my friend, who happens to be heavily Apple biased, and he said that there's a chance that with student discount, an 800 dollar MacBook might be coming.

If you're using it for school wouldn't windows make more sense (Compatability) or is it only the UK where they pretty much refuse to have macs at the schools (Or at least the ones in sheffield).

Luminaflare wrote:If you're using it for school wouldn't windows make more sense (Compatability) or is it only the UK where they pretty much refuse to have macs at the schools (Or at least the ones in sheffield).

Unfortunately, the US has not advanced to such a stage.
But hey, I've been able to do all of my schoolwork with Linux, so I can't imagine why having one OS or another would disadvantage you in that sense.

Tsukatu wrote:But hey, I've been able to do all of my schoolwork with Linux, so I can't imagine why having one OS or another would disadvantage you in that sense.

ya, pretty much anything we do in school can be done on any platform (it boils down to taking notes and writing essays)

Anyway, Apple has announced the new laptops, among them is a $999 that is basically the base model of the previous line, only it has a super drive

I'd say that is your laptop

Oh I was just at the Apple site.
I'm really digging the new MacBooks.

I'd say it's my laptop.

If you're going to use it for school don't buy a large one. Buy a netbook.
They're inexpensive, relatively fast and they're light light light.

I have one (the first netbook, Asus Eee PC 701) and It's great to use it.

If you buy a netbook, buy the Acer Aspire One.


PS: But yeah, the new MacBooks look great.

Yeah I say a MAC. Their fast, cool, and very light.

BH, when you say cool do you mean it like awesome or the laptops run cool temperature wise?

I don't think he knows what he means as all three things he specified are a matter of opinion
a) fast: depends on the processor which Apple doesn't make, useless point
b) cool: opinion
c) light: compared to what? (I agree with this, in general they are pretty light for their class of laptop, but it depends on the laptop)

I think when he said, fast, he meant something along the lines that Mac's don't really have extra processes running like PC's.

But on the minor change on topic, my parents decided to make me wait another year, for no reason. How can someone go from, oh yeah, you need a laptop right now, straight to, no, you'll only need it in highschool.
On the brightside, if it does take one more year, till I get my laptop, I'm waiting till next October, to get the new versions of Macbooks.

Semi-on topic

Anyone know where I can get a decent single core laptop with XP on it? (or at least blank so i can install XP)