any mac users here? looking for a laptop

[azianai]

personally for me if i didn't have my replacement DV9500tCTO from HP, i'd have jumped on one of the new Gateway notebooks out on the market. Having a G92 8800GTS is just mind boggling, and BB i think this week's sellin it on sale for 1200, course you gotta add Tax, but its a mind blowing system, entry lvl C2Duo too could be a drawback. If you're looking 17incher for pure video/movie watching, you can prob get away with buying an HP DV9700z (AMD Based processor) or even the gateway that i mentioned.

[insomnia]

My Sister just got a $800 HP seems ok I guess but It has a lot of bloatware which you wont see that in a Mac *I know you can remove it but it's still annoying* My brother is a grad student he just bought at christmas time a new mac book pro and he put vista home premium on there in about an hour. I had never used boot camp before but it's pretty easy. If I would buy a laptop and had money to spend it would be a mac.

Just do your research. Then make your decision.

[okron1k]

thanks for all the replies all and i do realize asking at a mac forum may be easier but i trust you guys and figure someone here would have some mac knowledge. plus i'd have to register for a mac forum and what not but i think i am going to give that a try as well.

i wish macs weren't so damn expensive. steve jobs should take advantage of the vista situation before it isn't so much of a situation and sell the stuff a bit cheaper. selling osx for non apple hardware i understand would be a bad idea. and i hope that never happens. but i don't think they need to leave us feeling raped and paying nearly twice as much for things i can get on my own or for a pc.

[screwballl]

when looking through mac information and forums and sites online, remember to keep this in mind:

DailyTech - Mac Use Leads To "Snob-Effect"

[azianai]

mac's prices is all due to the fact you're paying for "better hardware" and also you're paying for all that software thats "included out of the box" with a mac.

[screwballl]

Originally Posted by azianai

mac's prices is all due to the fact you're paying for "better hardware" and also you're paying for all that software thats "included out of the box" with a mac.

The new macs all have the same hardware as what is available for PC builders. Many times it is actually lower powered parts such as video cards and so on, so people are paying a price premium for lower priced hardware. Build a system with the same specs and you are building it for a fraction of the price.

For example, from the Apple store, they have the Mac Pro system starting at $2799. This includes:

• Two 2.8GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon “Harpertown” processors
• 2GB memory (800MHz DDR2 fully-buffered DIMM ECC)
• ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT graphics with 256MB memory
• 320GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s 7200-rpm hard drive1
• 16x double-layer SuperDrive

Looking at the same (or similar) items from Newegg, you are looking at around $1800-1900... so you are paying an extra $1000 for a pretty case, software and OSX (OS is typically $100-130). Also if you go with one quad core Xeon and not two, they only subtract $500 when the procs are seen at newegg for $733.

So for a desktop, the question is whether you build it and add your own OSX/Windows/Linux combination for $500-1000 cheaper or buy the prebuilt system for the price premium. when it comes to notebooks, you are pretty much limited to what is on the market as DIY laptops have not made it mainstream quite yet.

[okron1k]

one thought that i am considering now is buying a decent laptop from say dell or alienware or who knows what that would be good at gaming.. and all other uses i need.. and with the money i save, go and get another newer more powerful mac mini with leopard :P it would be a best of both worlds type deal :D

i am liking this idea.. as i can just get the laptop soon and hold out on the mac mini for a while as i can always get my osx fix with my current mini.

now if i go windows laptop.. my needs will change slightly. i will be using it for gaming. although not crysis or the like i mainly play cs:source but i do like to try out new games.

windows laptop requirements
-decent specs for media as well as gaming.
-i'd like to get 45nm processor as well has the higher clocked memory.. not the 667 stuff..
-tv tuner and remote
-illuminated keyboard
-high res screen
-large hard drive space
-something that i still may be able to get good battery life out of while browsing + mp3 and not gaming.

[okron1k]

some more specifications.

-wireless a/b/g/n -for more options.. i find i use g/n mostly
-bluetooth
-gigabit ethernet
-6 in 1 card reader or 9 in one or whatever
-built in webcam
-built in mic if possible
-not so terrible sound for the times when i can't use 2.1's.
-illuminated keyboard as stated above

[screwballl]

it may be a bit of a wait for a laptop with a 45nm CPU, they are just now starting to hit the market but to find one with all the stuff you are looking for will be difficult right now.

[garetjax]

Originally Posted by okron1k

now if i go windows laptop.. my needs will change slightly. i will be using it for gaming. although not crysis or the like i mainly play cs:source but i do like to try out new games.

Are we still looking at good battery life? How about a 17" screen? You must understand that a "gaming laptop" is a bit of an oxymoron, and as such, you cannot expect super battery life with a gaming laptop.

Originally Posted by okron1k

windows laptop requirements
-decent specs for media as well as gaming.
-i'd like to get 45nm processor as well has the higher clocked memory.. not the 667 stuff..
-tv tuner and remote
-illuminated keyboard
-high res screen
-large hard drive space
-something that i still may be able to get good battery life out of while browsing + mp3 and not gaming.

If you want a gaming laptop, then avoid purchasing a HP. At the moment, their videocards end with the 8600M GS. As much as I hate to say this, if you are looking for an OEM laptop gaming solution, you may look into one of Dell's XPS machines, particularly the M1530 or M1730. Or, if you like botique sellers better, look at Alienware, Hypersonic, Voodoo, or Falcon Northwest.

Also, if you are looking to game, you might be interested in purchasing a whitebook instead and configuring it yourself. With an Asus C90s, you can get a 8600M GT with 256MB of GDDR3 memory which is nice, as most 8x00M videocards come with GDDR2.

Originally Posted by okron1k

some more specifications.

-wireless a/b/g/n -for more options.. i find i use g/n mostly
-bluetooth
-gigabit ethernet
-6 in 1 card reader or 9 in one or whatever
-built in webcam
-built in mic if possible
-not so terrible sound for the times when i can't use 2.1's.
-illuminated keyboard as stated above

You will not find an illuminated keyboard on a pre-built laptop. As far as the other spec's, these are all standard features on most OEM laptops already.