macbook pro vs the world

[zonnk]

So im looking for advice for my next purchase.

Ok, Ive had a 15 inch macbook pro for about 5 years and im looking to move on. After trying some friends windows laptops

i find them to feel cheap and "clunky", definiately a long way behind the macbook IMO, im also a big fan of safari and not liking google chrome or any of the others. Any info those who've done the switch or would put their money on another heavy hitter would 

be appreciated.

[Scumbag]

So im looking for advice for my next purchase.

Ok, Ive had a 15 inch macbook pro for about 5 years and im looking to move on. After trying some friends windows laptops

i find them to feel cheap and "clunky", definiately a long way behind the macbook IMO, im also a big fan of safari and not liking google chrome or any of the others. Any info those who've done the switch or would put their money on another heavy hitter would 

be appreciated.

Make sure that you are comparing comparative products. For example you are not going to be happy if you are comparing a $1000 Windows machine with a $2500 Apple.

[zonnk]

Make sure that you are comparing comparative products. For example you are not going to be happy if you are comparing a $1000 Windows machine with a $2500 Apple.

good point, im currently using a $1000 laptop which i will take and use away at work which has not won me over, will be fine for work though. If i spend similar money 

to the macbook asking price will it be of the same standard. I dont mind spending the money to get good gear but after a quick tap around at jbhf or elsewhere its hard to make the switch.

I feel like im done with apple and my phone is android, such a good computer though. 

[Scumbag]

good point, im currently using a $1000 laptop which i will take and use away at work which has not won me over, will be fine for work though. If i spend similar money 

to the macbook asking price will it be of the same standard. I dont mind spending the money to get good gear but after a quick tap around at jbhf or elsewhere its hard to make the switch.

I feel like im done with apple and my phone is android, such a good computer though. 

I think part of the problem is that there as so many makes and models to compare that it is difficult to make a choice. Perhaps it is best to decide on a brand and see which model fits your purposes.

 

I recently bought a new laptop and went with Dell. It is very good and the screen is amazing (it is near 4K resolution). It is thin and light. I would have gone for the XPS 13 if the delivery time had of been quicker. Looks like they have delivery times sorted now.

 

BTW don't accept the price on Dell's website. I got almost $400 off mine just by chatting to one of their operators. I didn't even ask for the discount.

[zonnk]

I think part of the problem is that there as so many makes and models to compare that it is difficult to make a choice. Perhaps it is best to decide on a brand and see which model fits your purposes.

 

I recently bought a new laptop and went with Dell. It is very good and the screen is amazing (it is near 4K resolution). It is thin and light. I would have gone for the XPS 13 if the delivery time had of been quicker. Looks like they have delivery times sorted now.

 

BTW don't accept the price on Dell's website. I got almost $400 off mine just by chatting to one of their operators. I didn't even ask for the discount.

Cheers, will have a look for sure. The Dell does look good.

[Zak Ozbourne]

I have been a long time "Mac Hater" but I needed some sort of Mac OS for work, so I made a Hackintosh (Dual Boot of Windows and OSX)

 

I have been using it a lot for most of this year and after feeling extremely restricted when not at the office and needing a Mac OS I bought the new 13" Retina Macbook Pro.

 

I like it a lot, the battery life, the size and weight and the screen clarity. I know you can get these features on the new ultrabooks or whatever they are called but I really wanted a good working Mac OS.

 

Now I can make the new PA App for Andriod and Apple

[philkrenshaw]

I have been using Macs since 1985. I had to use a windows machine at work for many years. It was annoying. After I retired I said, "The two best things about retiring are not setting my alarm clock and not using Windows.®" Maybe Macs aren't for everyone, but if you like using a Mac, there is no need to change. If you really want to use some software which is not available on a Mac, you can always set it up to dual boot and run Windows® on it for those "special" times.

[DaffyDuck]

So im looking for advice for my next purchase.

Ok, Ive had a 15 inch macbook pro for about 5 years and im looking to move on. After trying some friends windows laptops

i find them to feel cheap and "clunky", definiately a long way behind the macbook IMO, im also a big fan of safari and not liking google chrome or any of the others. Any info those who've done the switch or would put their money on another heavy hitter would

be appreciated.

If your current MacBook is 5 years old, sell it and pay the difference to upgrade to the latest model. Use the Apple Refurbished store to get a 'near new' model for a lot less $$ and enjoy another 5 years.

 

Beats thinking you saved some money on a Windows POS, while ending up spending more money upgrading sooner, or having to deal with malware and virus situations.

[DaffyDuck]

No need to dual-boot, install VMware and run Windows alongside the Mac. The way I always explain it - on a Mac you can run two operating systems (or more) simultaneously -- while the Windows machine barely manages to run its own OS.

[sunsandsurf]

Love my Mac Air with Chrome and android smartphone.  After a Mac, I can never go back, but I don't want to be locked into Apple's ecosystem so I have the best of both worlds.

[jed§]

No need to dual-boot, install VMware and run Windows alongside the Mac. The way I always explain it - on a Mac you can run two operating systems (or more) simultaneously -- while the Windows machine barely manages to run its own OS.

Could you give me a bit more info on this, please, Daffy? I'd love to do more work at home rather than stay at work to do it, and I only have a mac at home - How do I get VMware? I'm hopeless with computers, as you can probably tell, so if you reply keep it simple. Also, I got my mac 2.5 yrs ago and it's still working perfectly well. Before I used to buy PC's with Windows. Every time after about 6 months the bloody things would be so slow to start up. At about 8 months in I'd turn it on, make a cup of tea, have a shower and a shave and after that it might have loaded up, if that's what it's called, ready to use anyway. The last one just suddenly completely crashed and went blank - no chance of recovering it, after I'd had enough of them and switched. Never looked back.

[King Cobra]

Sony VAIO w/ Windows 7.

 

Hate everything Apple as its not compatible with anything else in the world and Windows 8 sucks.

 

I would rather have a Commodore 64 before I would get anything Macbook or Apple

[gimmesum]

I have been using Macs since 1985. I had to use a windows machine at work for many years. It was annoying. After I retired I said, "The two best things about retiring are not setting my alarm clock and not using Windows.®" Maybe Macs aren't for everyone, but if you like using a Mac, there is no need to change. If you really want to use some software which is not available on a Mac, you can always set it up to dual boot and run Windows® on it for those "special" times.

 

I've had many macs and windows.  Mac used to have a real advantage with its more intuitive operating system but that has changes as the new windows 10 is very close and the Mac hardware does not justify the price.  I dumped Mac when they became arrogant not wanting to back two macbook pros with defective motherboards.

[DaffyDuck]

 

 

Could you give me a bit more info on this, please, Daffy? I'd love to do more work at home rather than stay at work to do it, and I only have a mac at home - How do I get VMware? I'm hopeless with computers, as you can probably tell, so if you reply keep it simple. Also, I got my mac 2.5 yrs ago and it's still working perfectly well. Before I used to buy PC's with Windows. Every time after about 6 months the bloody things would be so slow to start up. At about 8 months in I'd turn it on, make a cup of tea, have a shower and a shave and after that it might have loaded up, if that's what it's called, ready to use anyway. The last one just suddenly completely crashed and went blank - no chance of recovering it, after I'd had enough of them and switched. Never looked back.

Pretty typical Windows experience - which is why my Windows using friends consider it 'normal' to reinstall Windows every 3-4 months.

You can purchase VMware :

http://store.vmware.com/store/vmware/en_US/DisplayProductDetailsPage/ThemeID.2485600/productID.304322400?src=PaidSearch_eBiz_Fusion_Google_Search_US&kw=vmware+for+mac&mt=e

You can either purchase it stand-alone, or in a bundle with a Windows disk. If you have a Windows install disk, you only need the stand alone installer. It basically creates a mini-PC on your Mac, on which you install Windows.

There is a competitor call Parallels, and a free alternative called VirtualBox. I find VMware to be easiest and with the better performance.

[DaffyDuck]

Sony VAIO w/ Windows 7.

 

Hate everything Apple as its not compatible with anything else in the world and Windows 8 sucks.

 

I would rather have a Commodore 64 before I would get anything Macbook or Apple

.... and of course, there's always this kind - "hate Apple" with little real justification or steeped in inaccuracies. You can find them on nearly all forums.

[Scumbag]

Pretty typical Windows experience - which is my Windows using friends consider it 'normal' to reinstall Windows every 3-4 months.

 

That is a crock of shit. The computer I am using now is 4.5 years old with no re-install. My recently retired laptop is about 3 years old with no reinstall. This is my normal experience. The people that I know who have to do re-installations regularly is due to them downloading dodgy software.

 

Quite clearly you like Apples. That is fine but you need to be fair. Most reviewers I looked at before buying my new laptop had Windows machines ahead of Apples.

.... and of course, there's always this kind - "hate Apple" with little real justification or steeped in inaccuracies. You can find them on nearly all forums.

Unlike you with Apple....lol

[DaffyDuck]

That is a crock of shit. The computer I am using now is 4.5 years old with no re-install. My recently retired laptop is about 3 years old with no reinstall. This is my normal experience. The people that I know who have to do re-installations regularly is due to them downloading dodgy software.

 

Your experience is atypical. 

 

Either you know how to configure your system and maintain it (which I suspect) or someone who knows how to, set it up for you.

 

The typical experience applies to the average user who does not understand (nor care to) what it takes to make a Windows installation foolproof. Out of the box, they are NOT safe, secure or reliable.

 

Which is sorta pathetic for Microsoft, since it doesn't take much to fix it.

[DaffyDuck]

As a quick tip/hint - what it takes to moderately safeguard a Windows machine.

- Create an Admin account with (obviously) administrator rights. By default, Windows sets up the first account as an admin account (which is where the problems start.)
- now set up your 'daily driver' account, and make it a regular, non-admin account. This is the account you will use.

- be sure to set up DIFFERENT passwords for both of these accounts (Windows defaults to creating accounts without passwords).
- now, configure your 'daily driver' account to be the one that Windows automatically logs into upon restarts.

 

This simple configuration eliminates 75% of most problems - i.e. self-installing malware, as under the default admin account, anything can self-install without so much as alerting you. In this more locked down configuration, before anything happens, the system will pop-up an Admin login window, and ask you to authenticate.
 

- install Chrome. Make it the default browser. Remove IE from the task bar.
- install AdBlock Plus on Chrome, as well as IE.

- turn all three options of AdBlock Plus to ON.

- install Facebook Add-on to AdBlock Plus.

- install YouTube Add-on to AdBlock Plus.
- install Hitman.Alert browser security

- install BitDefender TrafficLight in each browser

 

That alone, locking down the browsers, helps with additional security holes. AdBlock Plus does a pretty admirable job.

 

- next, install BitDefender - you can get away with the free BitDefender installation, albeit spending $60 on the combo Hitman Pro and BitDefender Internet security is not a bad idea. This is really just there to provide a nice wrap-up. If you can, I would purchase the three-year license.

- now, ask Siri to remind you of your license renewal in 3 years (or one year, depending).

 

- install eMclient e-mail program. No, really, trust me on this - Outlook is NOT a good email client. Install eMClient, never look back. It has better SPAM filters, and doesn't allow script executions. Plus, it actually works, and has full exchange calendar and contacts support. Free for non-commercial use.
 

NOW, your Windows system is moderately safe (you can never make it damn-fool proof - some people will still override this to install some 'needed' porn video codec, or some 'cleaner' that someone sent them in email.

[jed§]

Bloody hell, though. Just reading that did my head in. So basically there 2 types of computers - Apples and Mac's. You can't use one and have the features of the other without buying stuff and messing about a lot. I have an old computer which I use just to store pictures on. It's not connected to the internet. When it was I installed N...ton Anti-virus. I don't want to spell it out in case it gets into my system and won't go away, because that happened to this old computer. Every time I switch it on it says, "Your Nor... anti-virus is out of date' I tried to get rid of it a few years back when a friend came round, with his help. He's a top computer analyst. He couldn't get it to go away. We think computers are very sophisticated. They're probably still in the same stage of development as the motor car was in the 30's. The French government language dept was deciding whether to call a computer 'la' or 'le'. Those who argued for the feminine form said 'la' because if you ever made a mistake with one it never let you forget it and 'le' because if you wanted it to do something for you all you had to do was turn it on.

[Touchagrey]

My prescription:

 

First take inventory of what you will be doing with the computer. Browsing? Email? Video production? Programming? Wanking companion?

 

Then decide on software that's within your budget and does the jobs you decided in the prior step.

 

Then think about where you're going to use the computer. Only at home on your desk? On the airplane a lot? In a hotel room a lot? In the crapper? Size might matter.

 

Then you can think about what computer will run the software you chose, will accomplish the tasks you want, and will do what you want where you want.

 

Chrome, Safari, and Firefox are all available on either Windows or Mac. Up to you. Windows machines tend to attract more malware, and even with strong protection, you need to be vigilant about anything resembling software that you download as well as suspicious links in emails and on unfamiliar webpages.

 

I own and use both, but strip down to just an iPad when traveling for pleasure. (Note to self: need to use iPad more often...)

 

If you're not using specialty software that only runs on Windows, AND cost is no object, a Mac is probably what you want. But if you want to spend half as much and can handle some clunkiness and the increased risk of software social diseases, a Windows machine would be better.

[ricktoronto]

So im looking for advice for my next purchase.

Ok, Ive had a 15 inch macbook pro for about 5 years and im looking to move on. After trying some friends windows laptops

i find them to feel cheap and "clunky", definiately a long way behind the macbook IMO, im also a big fan of safari and not liking google chrome or any of the others. Any info those who've done the switch or would put their money on another heavy hitter would 

be appreciated.

Unless it is broken there's not much point in buying a new MBPro just because yours is 5 years old.

Make sure it has max RAM and switch to an SSD and leave it.

Windows machines suck ass as does Windows generally and those netbooks depend on an always on internet connection which is not usually the case. 

[DaffyDuck]

Unless it is broken there's not much point in buying a new MBPro just because yours is 5 years old.

Make sure it has max RAM and switch to an SSD and leave it.

Windows machines suck ass as does Windows generally and those netbooks depend on an always on internet connection which is not usually the case. 

 

Agree on both points ;-)

 

Yes, if your Macbook Pro has the ability to accept an SSD drive (or one of the new SSD Hybrid drives from Seagate), an upgrade will practically give you a new MBP. Ditto with upgrading the RAM - if your model accepts 16GB of RAM, do that. 8GB of RAM is the minimum. If your system tops out at 4GB or 6GB, sell it and buy a new one.

[Scumbag]

Your experience is atypical. 

 

Either you know how to configure your system and maintain it (which I suspect) or someone who knows how to, set it up for you.

 

The typical experience applies to the average user who does not understand (nor care to) what it takes to make a Windows installation foolproof. Out of the box, they are NOT safe, secure or reliable.

 

Which is sorta pathetic for Microsoft, since it doesn't take much to fix it.

Hogwash! All I do is make sure it has good virus protection and be careful what I install. I always run on an administrator account and my desktop is on 24/7 connected to the internet. I only recently had an issue with a program that hijacked my browser. It took 5 minutes to fix and it was my first issues for perhaps 10 years.

 

IMO anyone who uses good virus protection and only installs programs from reliable sources will have no issues on Windows 7 or 8. Certainly no need to reinstall it every '3-4 months'.

 

BTW a note on using Adblock. A lot of material on the internet is provided free of charge with the imposition of adverts. If revenue is not enough from these ads then the content will disappear as it costs money to produce and provide. That is the case for this forum as well.

[filibuster]

BTW a note on using Adblock. A lot of material on the internet is provided free of charge with the imposition of adverts. If revenue is not enough from these ads then the content will disappear as it costs money to produce and provide. That is the case for this forum as well.

 

If it wasn't for folk taking the piss, there wouldn't be the demand for Adblock.  From one of the more popular Thai forums ... 55 'kin ads on one page ....

 

[apter]

99% of the time I'm on a Windows machine as the main softwares I use don't run on Macs and there's no real point in running parallels.

 

Stopped using big capacity HDs a while back. Get all my machines setup with SSDs and use externals for any storage I need.

 

Horses for courses. My designer insists on Macs, my developers prefer Windows machines.