nateswoodworks Posted February 23, 2011 Report Share Posted February 23, 2011 My wife is going back to online school again, and we need a new laptop. I am looking at Mac and would just like some suggestions. Aside from her going to school honestly all we really do on it is internet and Netflix. I know I am being vague here but Mac is all new to us, any input would be great. Nate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cormier33 Posted February 23, 2011 Report Share Posted February 23, 2011 I have a Macbook. Honestly, get the lowest end one available. Its just over $1000 and is fantastic. Before, the low end one used to be plastic, now they are all made from a solid piece of aluminum. You don't need to spend any extra money on gizmos', etc. I have used mine for absolutely everything and have owned it since Fall 2008 and it has performed flawlessly. Also, if your wife is going to online school, check to see if it qualifies as a school that allows a discount from Mac. If the school is on the list, you may actually save a couple hundred dollars. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samhell Posted February 23, 2011 Report Share Posted February 23, 2011 Well, there aren't really many models to choose from. One of our designers likes his Macbook Pro.... You seem to have very limited requirements for it so whatever the cheapest model is should be more than what you will actually use and work just fine. The nerds at the Apple store should be able to show you different models and I believe you should be able to save some money if you get a refurbed model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewoodwhisperer Posted February 23, 2011 Report Share Posted February 23, 2011 Definitely sounds like the Macbook Pro would be way more horse power than you need, so scratch that one off the list. That leaves you with the Macbook and the Macbook Air. This decision becomes rather easy once you look at the details. The Macbook Air is very thin and light so its great for someone who is on the move or even for watching shows at night. The battery seems to last forever and the solid-state hard drive means its incredibly fast and wakes from sleep almost instantly. What's missing from the Air is storage capacity, an Ethernet jack, and a DVD drive (you can buy an addon for this). But if you are using this machine with wifi and you are basically using it to access web-based content, this stuff won't really affect you. You'll also notice you will pay more for the air. So for many folks, the Macbook becomes the obvious choice because you really do get the most for your money. But for netbook functionality, the Air rocks! I used to have a Macbook Pro but sold it since it was just too much machine for me. Too heavy, too bulky and not very fun when all you're doing is checking email. I bought the Air instead and now I use it constantly around the house and on the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ulloa_josh Posted February 23, 2011 Report Share Posted February 23, 2011 Just wanted to add a few things to the great info above. Lots of rumors that the new line of macbooks will be announced tomorrow. Sounds like the update will be to the macbook pro but who knows. Also, the "plain" macbook only has a 13" screen which may or may not be acceptable to you for reading and watching movies. If you have an apple store or best buy nearby, go see what feels right for what your needs are. I had to use a 13" for a few months and it was ok but made me realize how much I LOVE my 15." Congrats on the purchase any way you go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBaiga Posted February 23, 2011 Report Share Posted February 23, 2011 buy a DELL...don't join the cult. i work with more than 2 dozen mac owners. my pc cost less, is faster/more capable and has lasted twice as long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillbros_96 Posted February 23, 2011 Report Share Posted February 23, 2011 You may want to check with your Wife's course load and requirements. I am in online school as well, my classmates that have Mac's sometime struggle with the programs that are required for the classes and causes them no end of grief. Either way, both operating systems are good systems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brtech Posted February 24, 2011 Report Share Posted February 24, 2011 Right now, there isn't much different between the pro and the regular macbook. The regular one is much more plastic than the pro, but the guts are pretty similar. The air is still pretty pricey compared to the basic macbook. Laptops have less reliability than desktops, Apple laptops are more reliable, in my experience, than the PC equivalents. They do cost more, no doubt about it, although if you really get a comparably equipped PC laptop, the difference is small. Apple computers are MUCH easier to use, and their support is really, really good. On a laptop, I think you need an extended warranty, and I'd get a 3 year plan. That adds quite a bit to the cost, but in my experience, you need it. Get the manufacturers plan, not the retailer's. The advice above to make sure your wife's classwork may have a bias, and the advice to check pricing available through her school is right on. Particularly software: educational pricing for software is very often substantially lower than retail. I also think 13" is too small. I have a 15" macbook pro (recently upgraded to a new one), but my company bought it for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejarvi Posted February 24, 2011 Report Share Posted February 24, 2011 I'm a Mac & Linux guy. Converted my 60 year old dad to macs from PCs. Heh. My advice is go to the apple store online and price each out. Select one and MAX it out. (execpt for the memory they over charge and easy to install.) Then buy the maxed out memory on an online store and install it. Oh and wait a few weeks they always upgrade in March. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertGiovannini Posted February 24, 2011 Report Share Posted February 24, 2011 I would add that you should either buy on the refurb section or use her educational discount. It will shave 100 to 200 off the cost and come with the full Apple warranty. I would echo the last post that you should buy RAM after market (crucial.com is excellent for this). The great thing about your mac is that you can load it with Windows and Office. It will run in parallel with your Mac OS. This will solve any possible issues at school should she need a specific windows program. Finally, I highly recommend budgeting for the cost of the Apple extended warranty. It is well worth the cost. Laptop repairs are expensive. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iSawitFirst Posted February 25, 2011 Report Share Posted February 25, 2011 Wait for the next gen iPad due out in a few months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nateswoodworks Posted February 25, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2011 Thanks a lot guys for all the advice. We are going to go look at them today and probably order this weekend so she has it in time for starting classes. Talked to the college and a mac will be no problem and we found out that we can get a discount through the hospital where my wife works as long as we order it online. Thanks again and I will let you know when I know! Nate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CubsFan Posted February 25, 2011 Report Share Posted February 25, 2011 Thanks a lot guys for all the advice. We are going to go look at them today and probably order this weekend so she has it in time for starting classes. Talked to the college and a mac will be no problem and we found out that we can get a discount through the hospital where my wife works as long as we order it online. Thanks again and I will let you know when I know! Nate Check out the $1199 one they released yesterday. Great time to buy, and a great machine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samhell Posted February 26, 2011 Report Share Posted February 26, 2011 The economy being what it is, I feel bad when people spend more than they need. Just throwing this out here: Macbook * 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo * 2GB DDR3 memory * 250GB hard drive1 * 8x double-layer SuperDrive * NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics * Built-in 7-hour battery2 * Polycarbonate unibody enclosure * Ships: Within 24hrs * Free Shipping * $999.00 HP 620 Windows 7 Professional 64-bit Intel Core 2 Duo T6670 (2.2GHz) 15.6" 4GB DDR3 320GB DVD Super Multi $499.99 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SignWave Posted February 26, 2011 Report Share Posted February 26, 2011 When my wife was looking for a laptop, we came up with pretty much the same thing that Bryan pointed out. A windows laptop is about half as much as a similarly equipped mac. I know that mac has it's place, and for some people and some uses, it is probably worth the extra money. But for the kinds of things that most people do (internet), I don't really see how it's worth the extra money. FWIW, this often comes down to preferences about interface, business practices, and other more subjective criteria. I happen to prefer unix/linux over either windows or mac, but that really comes down to personal trade-offs. As a minor digression, my 5 year old and 3 year old kids move seamlessly between running firefox on windows and ubuntu. It isn't broadly relevant, perhaps, but I think it's funny because once they're in the browser, there is essentially no difference. They login (they have their own account and password), open the browser, use bookmarks, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nulldev Posted February 27, 2011 Report Share Posted February 27, 2011 I find it interesting that when people compare computers, it's generally all about price, not quality and features. If you look at cars, price is a consideration but most people will buy a certain brand even if it is significantly more than a similar car of a different brand. If people bought cars like they do with computers, Yugo would still be in business. I'm not saying everybody does this. You can do the same comparison in woodworking. I'm an Apple user and work for an Apple reseller as a tech. I also support many PC's. Generally, you never see the build quality and thought put into design with a PC that you see in the Apple world. An example, HP's ProBook's(business laptops) that have the number pad on the keyboard, the trackpad is not centered on the laptop, it is centered to the space bar so it's off centered and it makes it hard to use. I just like how Apple puts a lot of thought into there products. I will say that there are many things that Apple does that I don't like. To summarize, keep an open mind to both the PC and Apple world. Generally Apple is pushing the edges of technology with there products and you see what they do years later in the PC world. I personally feel Apple gives a better user experience. All I can say right now, 2 minutes battery life left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samhell Posted March 2, 2011 Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 To summarize, keep an open mind to both the PC and Apple world. Generally Apple is pushing the edges of technology with there products and you see what they do years later in the PC world. I personally feel Apple gives a better user experience. Not to turn this into a war, but I work in networking and administration in a fairly large company spread all over So Cal. We deal a lot with graphics and design and have a fair amount of Apple products (I was working on a Mac RDP secure server today). I don't agree with anything you've written. Apples aren't bad quality (in general) but they aren't any better than any decent hp, Lenovo, or Dell (and I hate Dell). I haven't found any technology they have to be anything I can't find on any current model of any Lenovo, hp, Dell, etc. (well, other than their constantly changing video connectors or crap nobody ever uses like firewire800...or their "new" models with thunderbolt when the rest of the world is going to usb 3.0...). I find whatever gives the best user experience is what they want to use. Some of our designers hate Apples, some hate PCs, and they bicker about it all day. Our main designer had a dual Xeon Windows 7 box and a nice Mac pro with a nice 30" monitor and he hates the Mac and never used it. A couple weeks ago we moved it to another layout guy who loved it. Same apps work the same on either one (CS5). I'll tell you the big higher-end production printers don't support Mac all that well (which I find ironic). I don't care one way or the other. I'm a *nix guy but am comfortable with any computer or OS. They all crash, they all have parts that fail (just had one of my guys replace a video card in a Mac Pro last week). My honest opinion is that all computers suck each in their own way. There are evangelists for all brands and OSs and I think they're all full of it. If someone gave me a new MacBook Pro I wouldn't turn it away, but I'd never spend my own money on one. I could spend that same cash on a superior (hardware wise) Asus or Clevo. I'm lucky in that I get to play with a lot of cool hardware in the real world, and have for many years now. The first Mac we got ran OS 6.5 and cost almost $20,000 by the time we loaded it up with RAM and a nice monitor and whatnot. I'm not anti-Apple (though I am anti cult of Apple). My first computer was an Apple ][+ with 1978 stamped on the mainboard. Of course I don't know everything and haven't messed with every single piece of hardware but I know enough to call shenanigans when I see it. Of course the original post asked specifically about Macs so it is assumed that is what they are set on owning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewoodwhisperer Posted March 2, 2011 Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 Well, everyone will certainly have an opinion on this one, eh? I know for me, Macs have played a major role in transforming my personal computing life from a frustrating one to a pleasurable one. I can honestly say that if it weren't for a Mac, The Wood Whisperer wouldn't exist. For the average family, I think the ease of setup and use, along with the suite of built-in programs makes a Mac worth the asking price. And for those of us who have to constantly serve as the "IT person" for their parents, a Mac is a gift from the heavens! My mom has my old iMac and loves it. I can't remember the last time she called me because she can't get on the internet or because she can't get her computer to talk to her printer. Its not the right choice for everyone and for some folks, its all just ones and zeros. But for me and my family, the differences were tangible enough to justify the cost. Your mileage may vary. And I do actually still own a PC. As a gamer, there's nothing like a sweet gaming rig! And thanks to Windows 7 its a pleasurable experience now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgrello Posted March 2, 2011 Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 Enjoy your new Mac Nate! I have no doubt that you will. Gotta love those work/school discounts! I can echo what Marc said. Mac's really are a great value when you consider all the variables. I just finally retired an old PowerBook G4 12" 1.5yrs ago after many years of great service. Wife has a few year old MacBook and I have a newer MacBook Pro. Super-pleasant experience all around. - Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nateswoodworks Posted March 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2011 Well we went ahead and ordered the new 15" macbook pro and received it today. We have obviously just begun to play around with it but so far it is sooo nice. After our last laptop, a Toshiba, we really didn't want to deal with junk anymore. We have had our other laptop for a bit over 2yrs and even so we baby it we have had nothing but problems with it. Thanks again for all the input, you all have been a great help. Nate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejarvi Posted March 5, 2011 Report Share Posted March 5, 2011 Great news! Max out the memory and you'll have years of good use. It's time for me to upgrade. I'm on the last g4 powerbook. I'm thinking a imac. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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