Mac laptop or Dell

[crcormier]

Thank you all for your responses. My husband is trying to talk him into the Dell and I am pushing for the Mac. He is no longer a student but I am eligible for the $200.00 educational discount and the free Ipod. He is a writer and may eventually be using it to write stories that he will need to send back to a newspaper. I understand that he can run Windows on it so that compatibility is not a problem ..... is it difficult to run Windows on it? It sure is a lot more money and the additional tech support is quite expensive but I don't want him to have regrets down the road that he didn't go with the Mac. Heck.... what's a couple thousand more when he already has college loans to repay

It's not difficult at all to run Windows on one of the new Intel based Macs. I have one of the MacBook Pros, and work in IT as a programmer, so I use it to run Windows all day long at work and come home and play on my Mac at night.

What you will have to pay for is a copy of Windows XP, though the software to allow Windows to run is free from Apple, it does not include a copy of Windows. Nor does it support it. The software to run windows is still in beta, testing mode, but I have yet to have a problem with it. If your son is going to be a writer though, he can certainly just get a copy of Microsoft Office written for the Mac. I've had NO problems whatsover sharing Microsoft files between the Mac OS and Windows.

So another vote for Mac from me!

 

[LK03]

Dell makes the 2nd best Windows Laptops out there. Only thing superior to it is the IBM line. I've done troubleshooting with 7 different brands of laptops and Dell and IBM's were the only ones not giving problems. As said, you get what you pay for. However this only works for PC's. At $1700 for a laptop, I better be getting the best laptop on the face of this planet for that price (By the way, that's the average price of a Mac.)

Whoa, where are you getting your MAC laptop?! You can the new Macbook for 1000 and it does everything the normal person wants to use it for, chatting, internet, Word, check movie times on your nifty Dashboard application, upload photos, calendar, e-mail, iTunes. It's the only laptop I had that I took out of the box and was online in less than ten minutes. If you have a problem with your Mac and even out of warranty the "Genius" at the Apple stores will look and diagnose for free, don't see that at Dell.....Get yourself a Mac (currently typing this on a two year old iBook that runs as well as a new PC laptop)

 

[HugsForEeyore]

I am thinking of getting a new laptop. I briefly considered a MAC based laptop. I know many people who worship the MAC, but none of my old programming software and databases would run, so that would be hundreds if not thousand dollars right there to upgrade certain things. For my specific web programming needs, a PC based laptop is really the only option. I have a Dell right now, and even though it's been in a state of decline over the last year, I will probably get another one. And the difference in price is a factor, too.

Another reason I don't like the MAC is I don't like the current commercials, where the casually-dressed MAC guy is superior in everything to the corporate-dressed nerdy PC guy. The smugness is a turn-off to me! And I think the corporate PC guy is kind of cute!

Another big selling point with me is that I love the eraserhead trackball-mouse thing, and many laptops don't have it! But certain Dell models do, so I will probably get one of those when I have the $$$$!

 

[LK03]

Another reason I don't like the MAC is I don't like the current commercials, where the casually-dressed MAC guy is superior in everything to the corporate-dressed nerdy PC guy. The smugness is a turn-off to me! And I think the corporate PC guy is kind of cute!

I actually like the current ad promotions. I especially love the one where the Mac holds hand with the Japanese girl and talks japanese and the PC guy looks totally clueless, hilarious.

 

[Skylarr29]

I can not stress enough to NOT go with dell. WE have had the worst problems ever!! We have replaced the computer twice and got it back a thrid time with something wrong with the motherboard. All I can say is we are less than thrilled and if we had not purchased the warrenty we would be out a lot of money.

 

[Papa Deuce]

I have one of each and I prefer the Mac for laptops.

BTW... MAC = FAR LESS VIRUSES.... because less are written for them. There was a time when a virus on a MAC was completely unheard of.

 

[HugsForEeyore]

I actually like the current ad promotions. I especially love the one where the Mac holds hand with the Japanese girl and talks japanese and the PC guy looks totally clueless, hilarious.

OK, I admit I did like that one! They are networked together!

 

[Pin Wizard]

I'd take a MAC any day! I've been on this MAC laptop for 2.5 years now without one problem! It's an iBook G4. On the other hand, the desktop I had crashed twice, and the second time did it in permanantly. There went my college papers, pictures, and other things I was keeping.

RUN FOR A MAC!!!!