Macbook or PC?

[sidman69]

hey guys, I am looking to buy a new laptop, but i am stuck between whether i should get a macbook or pc? I just had a few questions

1. Out of the box with the macbook can i access my word files and excel files? Does mac have a equivalent of M$ office that can open excel files or word files?

2. I keep hearing about windows xp working on a mac. is there any way i can buy a macbook with windows xp pre-loaded on the mac? Also what's this program bootcamp i keep hearing about?

[killer_roach]

1) There are versions of Office for Mac.

2) There is an Apple utility called Boot Camp that will allow you to install Windows on a Mac (you need to use Boot Camp as a Mac does not have a system BIOS that PCs have, they use another firmware type called EFI). You cannot buy a Macbook with Windows pre-loaded, but you can use Boot Camp to install a purchased version of Windows on your Mac.

[jonoo24]

hey guys, I am looking to buy a new laptop, but i am stuck between whether i should get a macbook or pc? I just had a few questions

1. Out of the box with the macbook can i access my word files and excel files? Does mac have a equivalent of M$ office that can open excel files or word files?

2. I keep hearing about windows xp working on a mac. is there any way i can buy a macbook with windows xp pre-loaded on the mac? Also what's this program bootcamp i keep hearing about?

Why would you want MS on your mac? Isn't that one of the biggest draws of a mac?

[oogabooha]

1. You would have to buy the Microsoft Office Disc for Mac.

2. Yes, but you have to have a copy of Windows XP, and then ask your local Mac store about bootcamp.

[Mystlyfe77]

1. You can use MS office on a Mac, or purchase iWork (which is compatible with MS Office formats, but doesn't have an equivalent for Access, but most people don't use Access).

2. You cannot buy one preloaded. You can either use bootcamp or you can use a virtualization software (Parallels or VMFusion) to run Windows though.

[Mighed]

they are all saying the truth  :p lol

[sidman69]

thanks guys i want windows cause i want to use autocad , which you can't use on a mac os

[jonoo24]

thanks guys i want windows cause i want to use autocad , which you can't use on a mac os

tHEN GET A PC.

[Mystlyfe77]

thanks guys i want windows cause i want to use autocad , which you can't use on a mac os

AutoCAD specifically, or just any CAD software?


tHEN GET A PC.

There are numerous reasons why someone would want to use both OSX and Windows, which is much easier to accomplish on an Apple than it is on a Dell/HP/Sony/Lenovo/etc.

[xXjAmEZXx]

people with a mac say mac

people with a pc say pc


buy both and pull them apart and invent a pac

[maitee1]

Why would you want MS on your mac? Isn't that one of the biggest draws of a mac?

Maximum PC ran a tests and showed that Windiws XP actually out- performs Mac OS on the macbook.

[jeccaneko]

people with a mac say mac

people with a pc say pc

Uh uh. I've got Windows and Linux at home, and I was going to say Mac. :p But that's because that's what my next computer will be whenever I buy another.

[DethTung]

Get a Mac. NOW.

[B-Wong]

people with a mac say mac

people with a pc say pc


buy both and pull them apart and invent a pac man

corrections in bold.

[noobert]

ill always be a pc guy!

[BayouBengal032]

Is there a reason youre going to pay out the ass for a Mac just run Windows on it?

What's the purpose?

[Mystlyfe77]

Is there a reason youre going to pay out the ass for a Mac just run Windows on it?

What's the purpose?

Let's ignore the fact he can run BOTH Windows and OSX (and if he's winning to get virtualization software, at the same time) on a Mac, which opens a great deal of addition doors. Let's also ignore the much more polished, varied, and user-friendly software suite that comes pre-installed on all Macs.

While it's true Apple doesn't have a really cheap laptop, it's not gunning for the bottom tier netbook market. But when you look at equivalent laptops, the prices are virtually equivalent. Especially when you start factoring in things like student discounts (he's going to college) and other incentives, Macs are often the best option economically.

The downside, as mentioned in the article linked below (from 2007), is that Macs have a much smaller line of potential models to pick from. But if you can find a Mac model that suits your needs, grab it.

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9023959/Mac_vs._PC_cost_analysis_How_does_it_all_add_up_

[tridentgum0]

inb4imamacandimapc battles.

[killer_roach]

While it's true Apple doesn't have a really cheap laptop, it's not gunning for the bottom tier netbook market. But when you look at equivalent laptops, the prices are virtually equivalent.

I've found the prices on the 13" MacBooks (now 13" MacBook Pro) to be pretty good, and the Air is in an interesting price sweet spot now, between the 13" MBP and 15" MBP... past that they start getting ridiculous in a hurry.

Case in point: Configuring a Dell Studio 15 laptop to a similar end as the mid-end 15" MBP (2.66GHz Core 2 Duo, 4GB RAM, comparable GPU to the MBP's 9600) costs $1124... the MBP runs $1999. Then again, each have their advantages (the Dell can be further configured to have a 1080p LED display and a Blu-Ray drive, while the MBP can add a faster processor yet, not to mention has OUTSTANDING battery life), so there are tradeoffs depending on the sort of user you are.

[HiAperture]

Especially when you start factoring in things like student discounts (he's going to college) and other incentives, Macs are often the best option economically.

Very good point. They give you a couple hundred dollars off, a free ipod touch, free printer, and software discounts as a student.

[moose39]

Microsoft Office for Mac is obtainable--I have it, along with iWork (for Keynote, Powerpoint on steroids), and it's not bad. My only gripe is that all the options (font, font size, font style, alignment, spacing, etc.) are in a separate window, and if you're switching between spaces there's going to be an issue.

I'd say get a Mac. Along with student discounts, they're worth the money.

If you really want to run XP on it, get Parallels. It puts a partition in your hard drive--that's the only reason why I don't have it.

[Mystlyfe77]

I've found the prices on the 13" MacBooks (now 13" MacBook Pro) to be pretty good, and the Air is in an interesting price sweet spot now, between the 13" MBP and 15" MBP... past that they start getting ridiculous in a hurry.

I wouldn't call a 13" Macbook a low-end laptop. Apple simply doesn't make a netbook.



Case in point: Configuring a Dell Studio 15 laptop to a similar end as the mid-end 15" MBP (2.66GHz Core 2 Duo, 4GB RAM, comparable GPU to the MBP's 9600) costs $1124... the MBP runs $1999. Then again, each have their advantages (the Dell can be further configured to have a 1080p LED display and a Blu-Ray drive, while the MBP can add a faster processor yet, not to mention has OUTSTANDING battery life), so there are tradeoffs depending on the sort of user you are.

The Dell Studio line doesn't offer anything above 2.2GHz. The Studio XPS line has a 16" with a 2.4GHz, but that's as close as you can get.
I found one nearly-direct comparison between Dell and Apple, between the Alienware M17x line and the MBP 17" (2.8GHz).

With as close to equivalent hardware as possible, the Alienware costs $2,273 (also counting $50 for back-up software equivalent to Time Machine, which is integrated with OSX). The Macbook Pro costs $2,499 (before student discounts). Processors, Memory, HDD, displays, disk drives, and integrated speakers are essentially equivalent. Both provide 1080p external video ports, an expansion port, 5.1 external audio support (Alienware through multiple 3.5mm, Apple through mini-toslink).
The Alienware has a better graphics card, 1 more USB port, and more external video port options. The Macbook Pro has an integrated web cam, integrated microphone, is more than 1" thinner, more than 5 pounds lighter, has exponentially longer battery life, and offers a secondary video card to further improve battery life.
Once you start applying student discounts, the gap suddenly closes to almost nothing. AND you get free goodies from Apple (such as an iPod Touch and/or printer).

The bottom line with virtually every computer company is the same. You get what you pay for. When you claim a computer is significantly cheaper than a Mac, it's because you're likely buying a computer that lacks many of the hardware and software features of the Mac you're comparing it to.



If you really want to run XP on it, get Parallels. It puts a partition in your hard drive--that's the only reason why I don't have it.

What's wrong with HDD partitions?

[DethTung]

When you claim a computer is significantly cheaper than a Mac, it's because you're likely buying a computer that lacks many of the hardware and software features of the Mac you're comparing it to.


YOU WIN AT LIFE!

What the video game said.

[jonoo24]

What the video game said.

PC has better games.

[Mystlyfe77]

PC has better games.

/facepalm

If you can run windows, you can run all the games PC's can... :rolleyes:

[jonoo24]

/facepalm

If you can run windows, you can run all the games PC's can... :rolleyes:

nou

[Sikaris]

IMO anyone who says one or the other is a clear winner is 1) a fanboy or 2) influenced by fanboys and doesn't know better. As Mystlyfe said, you get what you pay for.

Bought my iMac, built my PC... I <3 them both