any mac users here? looking for a laptop

[garetjax]

Originally Posted by okron1k

my laptop wont be used for gaming really. mostly just internet stuff and a lot of movie/tv show watching, and i'd like to get a program like microsoft streets and trips with gps so i can use it as a gps as well.

Not sure why you would need a Mac to perform these kinds of basic computing tasks. Any laptop (HP, Dell, Gateway, etc.) on the market today will be more than able to handle these activities.

Originally Posted by okron1k

so that's why i am leaning towards getting a mac.. and the price hit that comes with it : but i am not 100% as of yet. i am looking for reasons not to and someone to try and convince me not to.

Price is one of the major driving considerations when making a laptop purchase. Mac's (and Apple computing products in general) are notorious for being overpriced (and often times over-hyped), but that will be something that you will have to decide on your own. My intent with my post is to educate not convince you on what laptop to buy over the other.

Originally Posted by okron1k

other than that.. the specs of the mac is the next thing. i want a 17 inch high-res screen... because i am used to using 20-24" screens and i think i will find anything smaller than a 17 kind of awkward.. but then yesterday i was in bestbuy and was looking at random laptops and the 15.4 screens don't seem too bad.. so i am kind of undecided on that as well.

You will have to understand that by purchasing a 17" laptop, that not only is price going to be a major consideration, but also weight, portability, and battery life. 17" laptops are big and they are heavy. If you are looking for portability and battery life, a 17" model may not be your ticket as they are considered "desktop replacements" while 15.4" laptops strike that delicate balance between portability, battery life, and functionality (raw computing power).

Originally Posted by okron1k

some things i do want out of my laptop:
-good battery life.. it doesn't have to be amazing, but not something that i will be disappointed about.

A 17" laptop should not be at the top of your list then.

Originally Posted by okron1k

-a dvd burner (i decided to get my mac mini without one and i regret it)

All OEM manufacturers of notebooks provide DVD burners standard with their offerings. HP and Dell are currently offering HD DVD burners as well.

Originally Posted by okron1k

--decent performance but not meant for gaming.. just media/internet/gps and besides... gaming on a mac? what's that??

With Intel's newest Penryn mobile processors having been released in January of 2008, I would encourage you to take a look at those. Dual core, 45nm SOI, with 6MB of L2 cache. Not too bad.

Originally Posted by okron1k

--2gb ram i'm sure would be plenty, the 1gb in my mac mini now is doing the job

2GB will be plenty with what you want to do with your new laptop. If you do decide on Vista, you will definitely want 2GB of RAM with your notebook, depending on the flavor of Vista you buy. Usually, most laptops from OEM vendors come with Vista Home Premium as their standard OS, and in that case, I would reccomend 2GB of RAM.

Originally Posted by okron1k

-i figure, with the mac.. that i could just get the cheapest hard drive and upgrade it myself later, and use an external usb powered hard drive. and like i said.. the 15.4 vs 17 inch screen thing is up in the air.. i have no long term experience with laptops so i am looking to these forums for advice.

I am just now finished authoring a review on the HP Pavilion dv6500t Special Edition laptop I purchased a month or two ago. I spent no less than 8 months trying to decide on what laptop to get. As Manta mentioned, research is your best ally when deciding on a laptop purchase. I would encourage you to not make a purchase decision now, and instead, wait until you feel comfortable that you've educated yourself enough to make a final purchase decision.

The laptop review I just wrote on my dv6500t SE will (hopefully) give you an idea or at the very least, a direction to head in, and I hope you take the time to read it. Here are a couple links that I think you may find helpful:

Finding the right Notebook
Notebook Screen Size/Resolution

[garetjax]

You may want to fill this questionaire out to give us a better idea of what kind of laptop we can reccomend. This was taken from HERE.

General Questions

1) What is your budget?

2) What size notebook would you prefer?

a. Ultraportable; 12" screen or less

b. Thin and Light; 13" - 14" screen

c. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen

d. Desktop Replacement; 17"+ screen

3) Please select your country's flag as a post icon and tell us what country are you buying this in.

4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?

5) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?

6) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?

7) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?

8) How many hours of battery life do you need?

9) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?

10) What OS do you prefer? Windows (XP or Vista), Mac OS, Linux, etc.

Screen Specifics

11) Would you prefer standard or widescreen?

12) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?

Standard

a. XGA -1024x768 - Large and easy to read text + graphics icons, but you fit less stuff on the screen.

b. SXGA - 1400x1050 - Compromise resolution between XGA and UXGA.

c. UXGA - 1600x1200 - Very small text and graphics icons, you can fit lots of stuff on the screen.

Widescreen

d. WXGA or WXGA+ - 1280x768/800 or 1440x900; Wider viewing version of XGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.

e. WSXGA+ - 1680x1050; Wider viewing version of SXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.

f. WUXGA - 1920x1200; Wider viewing version of UXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.

13) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?

Build Quality and Design

14) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?

15) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last?

Notebook Components

16) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 200GB?

17) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD, Blu-Ray or HD-DVD drive?

*************
Please state any additional features you need. It's also helpful if you can indicate how experienced you are with computers. If you're a novice and don't know how to answer some questions just say so!



GLOSSARY AND EXPLANATION FOR SOME TERMS USED ABOVE


Glossy vs. Matte Screen

Glossy screens have a reflective coating. Colors appear sharper and more vibrant. They do however produce more glare. Some people like them, others do not. The glare problem is most acute in well lit environments, like an office. Glossy screens tend to be better for multimedia uses like viewing DVDs or photos. If you are unfamiliar with the screen types, we would highly recommend you check some of each type out before you buy. The screen is one of the more important parts on a notebook. You do not want to get stuck with something you do not like.


Screen Size & Resolution

Please note screen size in conjunction with resolution will play a large role in overall viewing comfort level. Everyone is different. Some can view SXGA resolution on a 14” screen all day while others think it is horribly small. Again, we would recommend you check some notebook screens before you buy to see what best fits your needs. (see notebook screen guide article for more info)

Where to buy?

Wondering where to look for that certain notebook? Consider SSJ3Goku's Mega-reseller thread.

[okron1k]

Originally Posted by garetjax

All OEM manufacturers of notebooks provide DVD burners standard with their offerings. HP and Dell are currently offering HD DVD burners as well.

i specifically mentioned this in regards to the macbook air. it doesn't have an optical drive period... but i could get something external.

weight and portability isn't a factor to me because i wont find it any less portable myself. i have big hands so something with a tiny little keyboard would be out of the question as well. but i am ok with saying no to 17"

[garetjax]

Originally Posted by okron1k

i specifically mentioned this in regards to the macbook air. it doesn't have an optical drive period... but i could get something external.

weight and portability isn't a factor to me because i wont find it any less portable myself. i have big hands so something with a tiny little keyboard would be out of the question as well. but i am ok with saying no to 17"

Mind taking a crack at the questionaire maybe? Have you also had a chance to take a look at those links I posted?

[okron1k]

1) What is your budget?

- money isn't an object. i'm the type of person who will buy things once. do it right the first time and make it last until some new technology comes out that i just have to have. so for this lets say 3 grand

2) What size notebook would you prefer?

a. Ultraportable; 12" screen or less

b. Thin and Light; 13" - 14" screen

c. Mainstream; 15" - 16" screen

d. Desktop Replacement; 17"+ screen

- i'd like a screen that is comfortable to use. on a 24" screen i use 1920x1200 and i'm happy with that. on a 20 inch i use 1360x768 and i am happy with that as well (it's a hdtv with vga plug in that i use for my mac mini)

3) Please select your country's flag as a post icon and tell us what country are you buying this in.

-canada

4) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?

-not really. but i am leaning towards a mac because i love osx. so lets say max

5) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?

watching videos.. movies or tv shows downloaded or from dvd. internet browsing. i'd like to use it as a gps system as well. and possibly some spreadsheet and word processing. possibly may get into photo and video editing. there may be a game i might want to try but that's not really important. i have an xbox 360 in my truck as well.

6) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?

the notebook will basically be by my side 24/7. on the road i have an inverter and can keep it charged. but usually it will sit in my truck with a companion screen that's larger and some speakers. only when i go to hotels or long bathroom breaks will i need to bring it along there.

7) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?

-most likely not but the games on mac situation may change.. but most likely not.. if so maybe something like age of empires or other types of overhead games like that.

8) How many hours of battery life do you need?

-i'd be happy with 3+ hours. but i am almost always able to charge it.

9) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?

-as long as it's brand new. i don't like to buy used stuff.

10) What OS do you prefer? Windows (XP or Vista), Mac OS, Linux, etc.

-mac osx. plain and simple. and i use vista at home and enjoy it as well. and i would like the option of being able to try out linux here and there. xp is getting old for me.

Screen Specifics

11) Would you prefer standard or widescreen?

-widescreen.

12) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?

Standard

a. XGA -1024x768 - Large and easy to read text + graphics icons, but you fit less stuff on the screen.

b. SXGA - 1400x1050 - Compromise resolution between XGA and UXGA.

c. UXGA - 1600x1200 - Very small text and graphics icons, you can fit lots of stuff on the screen.

Widescreen

d. WXGA or WXGA+ - 1280x768/800 or 1440x900; Wider viewing version of XGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.

e. WSXGA+ - 1680x1050; Wider viewing version of SXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.

f. WUXGA - 1920x1200; Wider viewing version of UXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.

-widescreen 1440x900, 1680x1050, 1920x1200

13) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?

- i have no experience with a glossy screen. anything i've seen in a store looks really nice but when i get it home glare may become an issue. although 80% of my computer use is at night. so either one will do.

Build Quality and Design

14) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?

-somewhat yes. but i wouldn't turn an all around great notebook just because it was ugly.

15) When are you buying this laptop and how long do you want this laptop to last?

-buying time is not for another couple weeks at the very least.. and at most i'd like to have it by april or may. especially if apple is getting penryn's in there macbooks :D

Notebook Components

16) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 200GB?

-this is an issue i am having. i know i can buy cheaper drives for a mac then what they offer so i am willing to get the smallest one and either change it myself or get a high capacity external. but for arguments sake lets say 120gb.

17) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD, Blu-Ray or HD-DVD drive?

-yes, dvd burning at the least. high def formats a bonus but not necessary.

*************
Please state any additional features you need. It's also helpful if you can indicate how experienced you are with computers. If you're a novice and don't know how to answer some questions just say so!

-i live in the middle of no where.. so the very little time that i am home i only have access to dial-up. so i need a 56k modem.. usb or built in doesn't matter. i also have a network at home so gigabit ethernet is a plus but regular 10/100 will do.

GLOSSARY AND EXPLANATION FOR SOME TERMS USED ABOVE


Glossy vs. Matte Screen

Glossy screens have a reflective coating. Colors appear sharper and more vibrant. They do however produce more glare. Some people like them, others do not. The glare problem is most acute in well lit environments, like an office. Glossy screens tend to be better for multimedia uses like viewing DVDs or photos. If you are unfamiliar with the screen types, we would highly recommend you check some of each type out before you buy. The screen is one of the more important parts on a notebook. You do not want to get stuck with something you do not like.


Screen Size & Resolution

Please note screen size in conjunction with resolution will play a large role in overall viewing comfort level. Everyone is different. Some can view SXGA resolution on a 14” screen all day while others think it is horribly small. Again, we would recommend you check some notebook screens before you buy to see what best fits your needs. (see notebook screen guide article for more info)

[azianai]

Um no 17 incher has a battery life past 2 hours. For the resolutions you're looking for, you'll need 17+ notebooks. Besides the fact that you really like OS-X, everything you're looking for will run on a PC with no issues at all. And you can prob find it for hundreds of dollars cheaper than the equivalent mac. Macs are nice and sleek and all that, but for what you just want to do, way too overpriced and overkill imo.

[okron1k]

so what windows laptop would be recommended for me?

[garetjax]

Originally Posted by okron1k

so what windows laptop would be recommended for me?

Honestly, I would say Vista Home Premium. I don't think you would need Ultimate or Business edition. I would also recommend staying with a 32-bit OS as well. There are no OEM distributors that box their laptops with Windows XP, although many people have had extremely good luck with wiping their HDD's clean and installing XP on their HP dvX500t series Pavilion models.

As far as glossy and matte screens go, nearly 99 percent of the LCD screens you see on laptops in stores like BestBuy and Circuit City are glossy screens. Glossy screens provide extremely vibrant colors, with excellent brightness and contrast levels. However, the downside is that they are extremely reflective, so they shouldn't be used in office settings or outside in bright sunlight. Matte screens combat this by being less reflective but at the cost of colors being more washed out and faded.

[gamerfreak]

If you can get past the price, I would recommend a mac 100%. Honestly, they are the most well build laptops I have ever seen. Its going to last forever, and the battery life is amazing.I promise you wont be disappointed with a mac pro.

[MantaBase]

Again, do some research - I back gamer here. Mac put a huge amount of research into laptops. You should check to see how they did :)

Mac also makes a pretty spiffy setup that allows you to use your laptop as a desktop with a separate monitor and peripherals.

PC systems have advantages as well. And, this is a PC centric forum. But honestly, at work we have systems running without upgrade that are 6 years old and being used as workstations. That says something.

Apple's approach to incremental updates that do not require large hardware upgrades works for productivity. It kills them in the gaming realm - no lie. But consider - I would put an OSX 10.4+ system with 1 GB ram against any Vista system with 1 GB any day. AS you have likely figured out, OSX is svelte and tailored. That is something some of us around here have not experienced.

That said - going Windows allows for a bit more flexibility at a lower learning and investment curve. I agree with the "not 64 bit Windows" Advice if you decide to go that route. And once again I have to say...and I will be blunt this time
- while Mac forums may suck and be hard to get reliable concrete info from (IME) - Some of your questions are better answered there. Just make sure your questions are specific and ignore any off subjet BS.

That's my experience - and thats my advice.

What you are asking for is not that difficult for any mid-range to high range lap top to do - PC or Mac. But you need to research the battery and GPS stuff.

Manta