Laptop, Netbook, or MacBook?

[wildfan1473]

My laptop is dying

It’s been sluggish for a while now, and recently began shutting down on me, usually when playing Farmville or Bejeweled on Facebook. Now, it just shuts down, even when it’s idle. It’ll be 6 years old in March, a Gateway with a Celeron processor. Up until now, it’s been wonderful, never any issues until about 6 – 8 months ago.

I’m up in arms about what to replace it with. Do I get a new laptop, or a netbook? What about a Macbook? I’m at a complete loss.

This is what I use it for –
-volunteer work for school and scouts – excel reports, flyers, word documents, online ordering and reporting
-pictures and home videos
-facebook and the DIS
-watching tv shows (no dvr here)
-email

I’d like to be able to haul whatever I get with me to meetings, as well as while I’m hanging out during DS’s hockey practice. My current laptop has less than 30 minutes of battery life, so I am not able to do that right now.

If I decide to go with a Mac, how will that interact with my PC home? We have a desktop that we share, as well as a brand new HP all-in-one printer. We’re on a wireless network. I’m completely naïve when it comes to Macs.

Help!

 

[ukwildcat]

Get the macbook. It will make you want to throw your home pc out the window. In fact, we just god rid of our last pc.

 

[cyberbox2]

Once you go Mac you never go back

 

[simonkodousek]

Get the Mac. They cost more, but are SO SO SO worth it! Once you try it, you will never, ever, want to go back to a PC.

 

[LocustPoint]

Get the Mac. I just made the transition and could hit myself for taking so long!

 

[rkdahl]

I agree. Get the Mac. Go to an Apple store and play with them. You'll have no connectivity issues at home with a PC. Just get on the netowkr and share whatever you want to share.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

I would have gone with a Mac if I had had the ready cash. Both my kids have them. But I had concerns about the compatibility of certain programs I work with, and I didn't have the time to figure out a new OS, and I found the laptop I got at a good price...

Get the Mac.

 

[kewlby]

My favorite aspect of my macbook is that I can be surfing within 5 to 8 seconds of opening the cover.

My old ibm notepad took about 2 minutes to startup before I can do anything on it.

 

[PeterPan09]

I'll join the echo chamber-GET THE MAC. I went Mac three years ago and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it. Yes, it costs more-but think about how much your sanity is worth. No viruses, no freezing, no blue screen of death, no "smoke 'em if you got 'em" long wait for the system to boot up. I've had mine 3 years and have not had one minute of grief-I was at my new job less than 4 hours before I wanted to throw their crappy Windows machine off the top of Tower of Terror.

 

[little bob]

The only two reasons to not get the mac would be 1. Cost 2. if there are any "PC only" programs that you NEED.

If you are a heavy home video maker than you will LOVE the mac. Mac's do cost more and some of that price is simply because it's a mac BUT dont forget about the value of the iLife bundle. PC's may be cheeper but remember to add the cost to get equivelant software that you would get on your mac.

Edit: If you are going to go with a PC just remember that you wont be able to do video editing on a netbook.

 

[katscradle]

I don't have a mac, but I did check them out when I was at the apple store getting my iphone.
I say get the mac!!!!
I have a netbook and it is not going to make you happy, with the amount you would be using it for.
They are a nice cheap little back up, but I find the screen just to small sometimes.
Laptop well there doesn't seem to be anything out there that is nicer than a macbook right now!
This is just my 2 cents worth!

 

[robertgp124]

Get the mac. I do IT for a university. We suggest to people if they are in the market for a laptop to look at the Macs first. They cost more, but are much more flexible. And they last longer.

I have one of the first Intel Macbooks - I honestly forget how old it is. It works as well as the day it came out of the box. Along the way I added a bit more memory, but that's it. It. Just. Works.

Keep in mind that you can always add a Windows partition to run BootCamp if you find yourself really, really needing Windows.

The compatibility advice I'd give you is double check to make sure your printer is okay with the mac. Every once in a while I come across a printer that is PC only.

 

[dkostel]

I'm a lifelong PC user who is now a mac convert. Would never buy anything else.
But I must say how impressed I am that you got 6 years out of your old notebook.

 

[zulemara]

unbelievable. I've never seen so many be so enthusiastic about advising to get a mac!

I was a life long PC user and switched last october. My computer is 1.3 years old and I use it for everything. I push it to the limit on a daily basis and it doesn't even hiccup.

As someone mentioned, remember what you have to put on a PC just to make it secure. Virus scan, your office suite, and whatever junk you need to keep a PC running. Ilife 09 is amazing. You plug in your camera and it works. No installs, no driver issues, it just works. You load iphoto and it imports your pictures. Then you click publish to facebook and it posts them on facebook. Its amazing.

IF you have PC programs you absolutely can't live without, you can use bootcamp as someone suggested or get a copy of vmware fusion and install XP with that. I have to have a PC for work, so I use vmware all day and use the mac for personal. You're essentially getting the best of both worlds.

So in case you aren't convinced yet, GET A MAC!

 

[kab407]

Another vote for Mac.

 

[rotlex]

Another get a Mac vote. Other than the fact that I'm an windows admin for work, I'll never touch a windows machine again, LOL.

Seriously. Our home comps are all Macs. May cost a bit more, but OS X is a dream. Just do it.

In regards to software compatibility:

1. There is usually a Mac equivalent. In most cases, including MS own Office suite, the Mac version is nicer.

2. If you really, really, really still have a need to run a windows app natively, pickup either VMware Fusion, or Parallel's. They allow you to run windows virtually, on your Mac.

All problems solved.

 

[rotlex]

Oh, also wanted to add. Keep an eye out on black Friday. Apple always runs SOME type of sale. May not be great, but could save you $100 or so plus on a new machine. Usually runs of one day only however; either online, or in an Apple store.

 

[astrodrummergirl]

Not that I don't like Apple or Mac's, but am I the only one who just doesn't get along with them. I mean, I would describe myself as computer fluent, and maybe its because I am programming games on a daily basis, thus why, since I don't think without dual booting or parallel OS's I would be able to program on a Mac. That and every time I use one, I just don't see the appeal.

Although, I'm pro PC, and only have a laptop because I can't write fast enough in lectures (I like to add new parts every so often )

 

[OKW Lover]

Not that I don't like Apple or Mac's, but am I the only one who just doesn't get along with them. I mean, I would describe myself as computer fluent, and maybe its because I am programming games on a daily basis, thus why, since I don't think without dual booting or parallel OS's I would be able to program on a Mac. That and every time I use one, I just don't see the appeal.

Although, I'm pro PC, and only have a laptop because I can't write fast enough in lectures (I like to add new parts every so often )

You might be the only one that doesn't get along with them.

Seriously, perhaps you are over-thinking when you use a Mac. The simplicity of the user interface may leave you wondering if you missed something. Perhaps you did, since this is essentially a unix front-end which can be very deep, but that's what the beauty of the interface is all about.

Also, people seem to love software that just works without having to customize the install process. And the fact that it has all the needed hardware drivers means you don't have to install files and adjust settings when plugging in a new device (printer, ipod, camera).

Having said all that, as Kevin is often heard to say, everybody has an opinion and your's is certainly valid. If you're happy with a PC then you should probably stick with it.

 

[Michele]

MAC!! My frustration ended in July 2007, when I finally got my Mac. Love it!!