Anyone buying a computer?

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Get a laptop with wireless ethernet built-in.

A Windows laptop that isn't Centrino (Intel's wi-fi chipset uses the old standard, add your own) or one of Apple's aluminium Powerbooks with the Airport Extreme.

I'm personally a MacOS X guy, so I'll be getting the 15" Powerbook when it's refreshed in a couple months.
 
I say desktop. The students I have asked have all told me that a laptop isn't necessary in med school. And if it is your primary computer you need the power and functionality of a desktop.

If you do get a desktop build your own or have a friend build you one. I built my first last year and I love it and its about half price of a comparable Dell or HP.
 
I'm graduating this year, and I just bought a laptop. Always had desktops, but I'm really happy I went portable. First and second year a laptop is nice for classes (we had a few where you could follow along with lectures/slides on CD). For clinical rotations, its nice to have something portable for presentations (also goes for residency).

Yes, you can get more bang for the buck with a desktop, but puters have gotten so advanced that you can get a laptop with plenty of memory, etc. Most of my friends who have desktops are gamers, so they need tons of memory. My baby is Pentium 4, 30GHz, 256 RAM (expandable to 512). And, I no longer need my desk, which is great!
 
Unless you're a gammer, just buy the lowest priced laptop w/ a celeron processor. celeron's are pentium 4's w/ less cache memory. otherwise, they'd exactly the same circuitry. w/ standard applications, it won't make that noticeable difference when using ms office, etc.

-i suggest geeting a laptop w/ a 15 in screen, dvd-cdrw, 20-40 gb hd, 256 mb ram, etc.
-buy one of the toshiba's at best buy. after rebate, they'll see for like $800-900. a comparable laptop at dell would run nearly twice as much.

-don't fall for the centrino gimmick! it's a mass marketing campaign more than anything. unless u like to carry ur laptop everywhere u go, it's not gonna make a difference. more battery life w/ less battery consumption? NOT necessarily cuz manufacturers make SMALLER batteries. Thus, u still get the standard 3 hrs or so on a charge w/ a 40 kwh centrino laptop versus a 50-70 kwh celeron/pentium 4 laptop.
 
anyone have experience with sager laptops?

is it possible to purchase directly from odm's like clevo?
 
if you want a laptop because you plan on taking it to class for notes u better keep it under 6 pounds or youll be pissed in a month lol. centrino's (intel's newest) have battery life from 3-7hours long. a p4-m 2.4ghz can maybe get you 2.5 hours IF you put it on really conservative power settings. advertised battery life != real life performance. i had a 15" toshiba last year cause i could burn cds, watch dvds, play games, etc on it. i thought it was great as a desktop replacement, do everything machine (but in reality it was big and heavy and battery life sucked). if u want it to do everything then just get a desktop. if u want to use it portably go small and light, like centrino/tablet pc. i tried using mine to take notes, but most every lecture they start drawing diagrams or tables so id hand write half my notes. that lasted about 2 days, lol, then i went back to pen and paper.
sager makes great desktop replacement computers, but they use desktop processors in a laptop case so its heavy, big, and battery life sux.
the samsung x10 (so sexay), dell 600, and ibm t40 (6.5hr battery but really expensive) are all centrinos that would be great for portability, battery life, and power.
 
Originally posted by antiveggies
if you want a laptop because you plan on taking it to class for notes u better keep it under 6 pounds or youll be pissed in a month lol. centrino's (intel's newest) have battery life from 3-7hours long. a p4-m 2.4ghz can maybe get you 2.5 hours IF you put it on really conservative power settings. advertised battery life != real life performance. i had a 15" toshiba last year cause i could burn cds, watch dvds, play games, etc on it. i thought it was great as a desktop replacement, do everything machine (but in reality it was big and heavy and battery life sucked). if u want it to do everything then just get a desktop. if u want to use it portably go small and light, like centrino/tablet pc. i tried using mine to take notes, but most every lecture they start drawing diagrams or tables so id hand write half my notes. that lasted about 2 days, lol, then i went back to pen and paper.
sager makes great desktop replacement computers, but they use desktop processors in a laptop case so its heavy, big, and battery life sux.
the samsung x10 (so sexay), dell 600, and ibm t40 (6.5hr battery but really expensive) are all centrinos that would be great for portability, battery life, and power.
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i hear you....but i don't plan on using my laptop for taking notes...i pretty much want a desktop replacement so i can take it back and forth with me to cali whenever i go home....not too worried about bettery life either as it will always(for probably 90% of the time at least) be plugged into an outlet.
 
if you have enough money, you can buy a superlight notebook (~3 lbs). the screen size will be small and the specs will be less, but good enough to run office apps + internet stuff. i'd also get a modest desktop for more robust applications to supplement the notebook if necessary.

the reason i say is because the superlights are the only ones i can stand carrying around. and if you use a notebook on your desk only (those massive 15 inch, 8lb beasts), it kinda defeats the purpose anyway, especially with desktop lcd prices nowadays.
 
Starting next year, UC Davis Med is supposedly requiring students to bring a laptop to lecture with them. But I haven't heard of any other school with this rule.
 
I use a desktop at home and take notes on my Palm with a portable keyboard. Having a Palm or Pocket PC is key during your clinical rotations and residency. I take notes on the Palm as a typed "Memo". When I need to search quickly for a topic, I can find it in less than 15 seconds using the built-in search function. This is helpful to refresh your memory during discussions and morning rounds. Additionally, no laptap will weigh less than a Palm/Pocket PC and the portable fold-up keyboard. My Palm also has 256MB of memory and can store more than a decade's worth of notes.

Taking notes on a laptop is not that useful because you won't have access to it when you're on call or working in the clinics. The Palm is better, and you'll be able to download a pharmacopia and reference texts like Harrison's Internal Medicine and the 5-Minute Clinical Consult.
 
EXACTLY what Yogi Bear said.

Unless you're a gamer or get down and dirty with graphics manipulation (ala Paintshop) then a low end laptop should make you pretty happy. It doesn't take that much juice to view histology slides or read email.

Jason
 
So what are the basic specs that one would need in a laptop? I want to get one, but I am not sure just how much processor speed and hard drive are good.
 
Jefferson, where I will be heading next year, is actually a wireless campus so that is a place where it really makes sense to have a laptop b/c you can be on the web in the dorms, in the classrooms, labs, etc. I went with Dell b/c Jefferson supports Dell and I wanted to be able to get on site help. I have to say though the Dell customer service/sales has been pretty shi$$y! Their tech people have been great though. I got the combo DVD/CD-rewritable drive so I am excited to eb able to watch DVD's and burn CD's and I also got a free memory upgrade b/c of the promotions they were having....
 
I'd choose desktop (iMac lamp comp... takes up very little space, and easier to transport at beginning/end of year), because overall it'll be a better investment (its far easier to upgrade desktops; laptops have to be replaced for the most part). But I'd assume that most med schools are wireless (my ugrad is partially wireless-- in the most useless places (computer labs), and on one residence hall when the sun's shining), so I could see how that would be useful. Depends on where you'd end up using it most.
 
i was th inking of just using my thinkpad from college, but seeing as though it is Pentium I, 166 MHZ, 2 G hard drive, 32MB RAM, and running on Windows 95, i guess i should think about getting a new one.
 
for those of you looking for laptop/desktop deals,

go to this site

Then in the search box, type in 'laptop' or 'desktop'....

You get all kinds of great/current deals... (w/ good specs)
 
Originally posted by Yogi Bear
don't fall for the centrino gimmick! it's a mass marketing campaign more than anything
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Correct, if you buy a laptop you want to avoid Centrino. The "Centrino" moniker is a marketing campaign for Intel in which computer manufacturers are allowed to label their laptops as "Centrino" and use some of Intel's marketing money if they include the new Pentium4-M processor (good!), supporting 855 chipset, and Intel's wireless 802.11b circuitry (bad!). The problem is Intel's wireless circuitry doesn't include the better 802.11a standard and can't be upgraded, so over time you'll be stuck with less range, slower speeds, etc. Most Windows manufacturers make a version with "Centrino" (for folks who mindlessly buy into the marketing) and a version without (for people who know something about these chipsets).
 
Go w/ Toshiba. My only gripe w/ toshiba is the battery sucks on them. Dell has the best/cheapest batteries.

In terms of reliability, I'd advise against a Dell unless you're willing to dish out $200 for 3-4 year extended warranty.


http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,334332,00.asp
Fujitsu, which previously lacked enough responses for us to report, picks up market share in this year's survey and ends up with a B overall; only it and Toshiba have better-than-average scores for repair frequency?in this case, 8 percent of units needing repair in the past year. Since 29 percent of Dell's notebooks needed fixing and the overall notebook average is 21 percent, Fujitsu's survey debut is noteworthy.
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It never ceases to amuse me how people know don't know much about computers end up dishing out 2k-3k to the the top-of-the-line computers when all they do is type documents, listen to mp3's, chat on aim, and browse web pages.

My suggestion is to get a sub-$1000 laptop. Save the extra $500 that you would have spent on a similarly-equipped dell laptop and buy a dell axim pda instead. Get the $250 axim (often $200 after coupons/rebates)). throw in a 256 mb compact flash card for $50. Then get a folding keyboard for like $50 more. w/ this $350, you'll have a super-portable device u can stuff in pocket of ur backpack to type notes, listen to mp3's, even acccess the wireless internet w/ an optional CF-based 802.11b card. this will also beat any pc in battery life.

Possible deals at bestbuy.com

=====================================
http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?e=11216734&m=488&cat=494&scat=495

Hewlett-Packard Pavilion Notebook with Mobile AMD Athlon? XP Processor 1800+

Price = $1000 - $250 rebate = $750

Model: ze4315
Mobile AMD Athlon? XP processor 1800+ with QuantiSpeed? architecture* and AMD PowerNow!? technology for optimized battery life
*QuantiSpeed? architecture operates at 1.53GHz

256MB 266MHz DDR SDRAM for multitasking power, expandable to 1.0GB

15" XGA TFT display

30.0GB enhanced-IDE hard drive

DVD-ROM/CD-RW combo drive

ATI Mobility RADEON 4X AGP 3D graphics; 64MB shared DDR SDRAM video memory; S-video TV-out

Integrated 10/100Base-T Ethernet card with RJ-45 connector

V.90/V.92 high-speed modem

Weighs 7.25 lbs./about 1.6" thin for easy portability; high-capacity LiIon battery and AC adapter


===================================

Toshiba Satellite Notebook with Intel? Celeron? Processor 1.8GHz
Model: 1135-S125
http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?e=11215186&m=488&cat=494&scat=495

Price = $1100 - $300 rebate = $800

Intel? Celeron? processor 1.8GHz

256MB SDRAM for multitasking power, expandable to 1.0GB

15" TFT active-matrix display

30.0GB enhanced-IDE hard drive

DVD-ROM/CD-RW combo drive

Integrated Intel? 852GM chipset with 32MB video memory, Direct 3D and OpenGL support; TV-out

Integrated 10/100 Ethernet LAN

V.92 high-speed modem with data and fax support

Weighs 6.8 lbs./1.7" thin for easy portability; removable, rechargeable LiIon battery with AC adapter
===================

Toshiba Satellite Notebook with Intel? Celeron? Processor 2.0GHz
Model: 1135-S155
http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?e=11214063&m=488&cat=494&scat=495

Price = $1200 - $250 rebate = $950.

Intel? Celeron? processor 2.0GHz

512MB SDRAM for multitasking power, expandable to 1.0GB

15" TFT active-matrix display

40.0GB hard drive

DVD-ROM/CD-RW combo drive

32MB internal integrated Intel? 852GM video memory, with Direct 3D and OpenGL support

Integrated 10/100 Ethernet LAN

V.92 high-speed modem with data and fax support

Weighs 6.2 lbs./1.7" thin for easy portability; removable, rechargeable LiIon battery with AC adapter
==========================================
 
oh yah,

if you're into mp3's, you could get a 1gb cf card for around $200. that'd give you access to about 200 songs.
 
Yogi is right about everything he has said. I personally would get a laptop over any desktop because they are very affordable now and do not clutter up desk space, plus its portable. I would also suggest getting something lightweight, even if it costs extra.

I bought a desktop replacement last year, a fully loaded Toshiba Satellite, that I absolutely love except for the battery life, but it weighs a ton and is a pain in the a$$ to carry. Looking back, I probably would have spent a liitle extra to get the Protege model that is much more portable.

The Toshiba laptop that Yogi is talking about from Best Buy is perfect for 95% of the people looking for a laptop. Its also more than a person needs to run Word, Excel, and e-mail. Plus you can play DVD's and burn CD's with it just as well as any high end desktop.

If you are into MP3's make sure you get a laptop with good speakers. Mine has Harmon/Kardon speakers with a little subwoofer underneath, and its sounds a million times better than standard laptop speakers.
 
I've noticed that some schools have student computing requirements. For example, they may require a desktop with a few specs. I assume that you've already checked into any Creighton requirements but just in case someone else here hasn't checked the reqs for schools that they might be going to.
 
Originally posted by calipremed
I've noticed that some schools have student computing requirements. For example, they may require a desktop with a few specs. I assume that you've already checked into any Creighton requirements but just in case someone else here hasn't checked the reqs for schools that they might be going to.
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Drexel has a requirement that all students have a laptop. They even include the cost for it in their financial aid budget.
 
yeah I am in the process of deciding whether to buy a desktop or laptop. right now I have a laptop but it is pretty crappy and out of date. I am pretty torn, cuz I like the portability of the laptop, but I feel like I would get more bang for my buck if I go with a desktop.

not sure what to do? I don't think NYU has specfic requirements....

-curlyq
 
If you're not a computer person, go for a cheap desktop.

If you are, wireless will be everywhere in the next couple of years. Go laptop.
 
Sony makes some of the sexiest computers around. Where's the VAIO love?

I have a GRX600 custom built laptop. I got the works because I had to suffer for a LONG time with a really crappy computer. Sure, it has next to no battery life and it weighs nearly 10 pounds, but the 1600x1200 resolution 16.1 inch screen is GORGEOUS. And it burns DVDs!!! 😎 I could have gotten a similar desktop for cheaper, but I commute often between school and home, and I can't function without my computer around! It's not a bad gaming PC either, and how many laptops can claim that?

I 😍 Sony!
 
also,

unless u have a lot of spare change, get the cheapest laptop possible and save the rest for peripherals or save the extra money to buy a newer laptop in the future. i.e. instead of getting a fancy dell, use the extra $500 to buy yourself a scanner, digital camera, good printer, etc. technology's constantly improving so don't fall pay too much to get the extra 25% performance boost. i.e. for the extra 400 mhz of a P4 2.4 GHz compared to the celeron 2 Ghz, expect to pay like $1000 more.
 
Originally posted by xaelia
Correct, if you buy a laptop you want to avoid Centrino. The "Centrino" moniker is a marketing campaign for Intel in which computer manufacturers are allowed to label their laptops as "Centrino" and use some of Intel's marketing money if they include the new Pentium4-M processor (good!), supporting 855 chipset, and Intel's wireless 802.11b circuitry (bad!). The problem is Intel's wireless circuitry doesn't include the better 802.11a standard and can't be upgraded, so over time you'll be stuck with less range, slower speeds, etc. Most Windows manufacturers make a version with "Centrino" (for folks who mindlessly buy into the marketing) and a version without (for people who know something about these chipsets).
Click to expand...

no. that is not true. Centrino uses an entirely redesigned CPU with pathways and instructions designed specifically for mobile use. it is NOT a p4-m, the centrino's drop the4 and are just pentium m or "centrino". yes the 802.11b standard is soon to be replaced by the a/g standards but it isnt "bad", its just slower but unless you are on a 100mbit wireless connection, or are downloading movies to your lappy u wont notice that 11mbs vs. 54mbs. u have to have bulitin intel for the centrino name, but every comp. manufacturer gives the choice of adding an 802.11a/g for like $20. you are not stuck with the b standard, thats why laptops have pcmcia slots
here is a good review/ explanation
and celeron is also a much handicapped version of the p4-m, so simply saying a 2.4 p4-m is "only" 400mhz faster than a celeron 2.0 is wrong. it is much more than a mhz difference
 
Originally posted by antiveggies

and celeron is also a much handicapped version of the p4-m, so simply saying a 2.4 p4-m is "only" 400mhz faster than a celeron 2.0 is wrong. it is much more than a mhz difference
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it IS only 400mhz faster than a celeron. anyone care to disagree? 😀

anyways, performance isn't determined by mhz alone--the bus speed as well as the connected drives (i.e. ATA or ultra-ata Hard disk, RAM type, etc) will also play a part.

across the board, Pentium 4's and Celerons are the SAME design. The BUS speed's are the same. architecture is the same at 400 MhZ. The only "disability" of the Celeron is 256 kb LESS in Level 2 Cache. For most users, the difference between 256 kb cache isn't gonna make a difference.

The Centrino processors are, for the most part, derivitives of the Pentium III mobile design that incorporates features of the P4. Only difference is that Centrino's have 1024 kb Level 2 Cache.

-The mobile processors (P4M) have some extra features like lower voltage cosumption, decreased mhz ("SpeedStep") when on batteries, ect. to extend battery life.

In summary, the only difference of processors:
Celerons: (~2 Ghz) 256 kb L2 Cache
Pentium 4 (Up to 3.06 Ghz): 512 kb L2 Cache
Pentium 4M (Up to 2+ GhZ): 512 L2 Cache
Centrino (Pentium M, Up to 1.6 GhZ): 1024 kb L2 Cache



==========
Processor Brand
Intel? Pentium? 4 processor

Processor Speed (MHz)
2.6GHz

System Bus
400MHz

Cache Memory
512KB L2 on-chip cache

===============

Processor Brand
Mobile Intel? Pentium? 4 processor - M

Processor Speed (MHz)
2.2GHz

System Bus
400MHz

Cache Memory
512KB integrated on die Level 2
==========
Processor Brand
Intel? Pentium? M processor

Processor Speed (MHz)
1.3GHz

System Bus
400MHz

Cache Memory
64KB integrated on-die L1; 1MB integrated on-die L2

=========================
Processor Brand
Intel? Celeron? processor

Processor Speed (MHz)
2.0GHz

System Bus
400MHz

Cache Memory
256KB integrated on die Level 2
==========================
 
another thing, the "centrino" name is also a gimmick that people often identify "inappropriately" (myself included in the previous posts). the code name of the processor is "banias" aka "Pentium M". Centrino is a trademark used to describe the whole package--the processor, MB, and MOST IMPORTATLY, the Intel 802.11b network card. Thus, manufactureres that don't use Intel's network card can't call their computers Centrinos. To me, that's a gimmick..hehe
 
Actually, I thought the Centrino is a totally new type of processor in terms of architechure and design. Though it has similar features as the P4, its really nothing like it or the P3. I read the article that antiveggies has a link to when the Centrino first came out, and its quite impressive. My next laptop will most likely be a Centrino, hopefully they will have the a/g standard built in by the time I get it, if not there is always the upgrade via the pcmcia slot. It only costs about $60 for a wireless g pcmcia card.
 
yes, solidgold, it is. see page 4 or so of my linked article

and yogi i know you are right, the only difference is a halfsized cache, which for anyone using a laptop for just notes/word is great. but for a lil more you could get a great desktop replacement that can do everything (like gaming 😀 ) much faster than a celeron.
celeron+gaming=teh noes

im just tryin to help people that dont know much about computers and want a do-all computer (p4-m) or super portable (centrino). i just dont see how a celeron could be justified, the money you save vs performance youd get by a p4 is not great enough anymore.
 
TomsHardware liked the Centrino. I've read about them, they get very good performance, plus extra battery life and integrated Ethernet. Still waiting to read a couple more reviews, but that's the way I'm leaning.
 
you all will be wishing you had spent the extra few hundred bucks and bought a Dell when it comes time to deal with customer service when your computer breaks down (inevitable)
 
you guys seem to know a lot about computers, and since i am a computer idiot i have a few questions. how long of a warranty would you guys recommend getting. and here are a few super cheap computers i found at overstock.com . what do you think?

http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?PAGE=PROFRAME&PROD_ID=440431

http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?PAGE=PROFRAME&PROD_ID=49170

http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?PAGE=PROFRAME&PROD_ID=47106

i need a laptop since its required at the med school i'm (probably) going to, but i wouldn't use it for anything fancy. now i notice these computers run on a windows 98 or 2000 operating system. does this matter at all? again, computer idiot here, thanks for any help.
 
Good topic going on.

I'm torn between a PC and a Mac laptop. Does anybody know how a 1GHz G4 compares performance wise to a 1.8 GHz Centrino laptop? I know back in the day, Macs were almost twice as fast as a comparable PC.

Just don't know how to compare.
 
Originally posted by simpleG
Good topic going on.

I'm torn between a PC and a Mac laptop. Does anybody know how a 1GHz G4 compares performance wise to a 1.8 GHz Centrino laptop? I know back in the day, Macs were almost twice as fast as a comparable PC.

Just don't know how to compare.
Click to expand...

I am interested in this too. More importantly, what about software. Does anyone have a Mac and find it to be a disadvantage in terms of software availability/compatibility.

I just bought a multifunction laser printer and networked my PC and my wife's Mac to the printer. The Mac part has had major compatibility issues.

I would like to buy a Mac laptop so that my wife and I can share, but I am worried.

Any comments?
 
word to your mothers 😀....

i wanna know the pros and cons of the mac vs pc debate too. is it better to go with a powerbook over a pc notebook?
 
Originally posted by gogiants
you guys seem to know a lot about computers, and since i am a computer idiot i have a few questions. how long of a warranty would you guys recommend getting. and here are a few super cheap computers i found at overstock.com . what do you think?

http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?PAGE=PROFRAME&PROD_ID=440431

http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?PAGE=PROFRAME&PROD_ID=49170

http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?PAGE=PROFRAME&PROD_ID=47106

i need a laptop since its required at the med school i'm (probably) going to, but i wouldn't use it for anything fancy. now i notice these computers run on a windows 98 or 2000 operating system. does this matter at all? again, computer idiot here, thanks for any help.
Click to expand...

hey, i wouldn't advise getting a refurbished laptop. if you do, u would need to get extra warrany and stuff and end up paying like $200 more. the ones you linked here are all really old computers---dating back like 2-3 years. $500-600+$200 warranty = $700-800. the processor speed is only like a PIII 500 mhz. Just spend $100-200 more and get either the $750 HP or the $800 toshiba i mentioned earlier. a 2 ghz celeron here is 3-4 times faster than a PIII at 500 mhz. another problem w/ refurbished products is that their batteries are also likley refurbished. given that batteries last 1-2 years before they croak, you'll also run into battery problems. another problem w/ the 2-3 year laptops is that you aren't getting the latest parts and might suffer hardward/software incompatbility down the road once schools migrate to xp.
 
Originally posted by UCLAMAN
word to your mothers 😀....

i wanna know the pros and cons of the mac vs pc debate too. is it better to go with a powerbook over a pc notebook?
Click to expand...

technically, u can also run windows programs/windows on MacOS w/ connectix (sp?) windows emulation software. however, big Bill and MS recently acquired that company that makes the emulation software (i wonder why 😀). so, we might see the end of that in a few months, just like the playstation emulating software company was bought by sony and subsequently disappeared.

a toste to WIntel! :laugh:
 
Originally posted by enamine
you all will be wishing you had spent the extra few hundred bucks and bought a Dell when it comes time to deal with customer service when your computer breaks down (inevitable)
Click to expand...

i've had my toshiba for four years and so have my friends and nothing's been wrong w/ it. consistent w/ our experience, pcmag annual reader survey (see my link above) reveals that Dell laptops are over 3 times more likely than toshiba laptops to be returned to be fixed. w/ such a rate, u'd definitely need to get extra warranty if u buy a dell. however, if u buy a mass produced laptop like toshiba, the chances of running into problems will be much less.
 
I sense a flame war brewing. This ought to put the DO/MD battles to shame.

I switched to a Mac about 2 years ago. I have never once regretted the decision. Mac OS X is awesome. It has never crashed on me. Not once.

I have an iMac and my wife has a iBook, both of which are networked wirelessly together and to the main cable modem. We have a laser printer on the network also.
Apple's laptops are phenomenal. But don't believe me, there are plenty of independent reviews on the net about them. I am so impressed by my wife's iBook that when I start med school I will get one for myself also.

As far as software, I have MS Office for Mac OS X (full file compatibility with Office for Windows), Internet Explorer, etc. I have never found myself wishing I had a PC so that I could accomplish a certain task. More Mac OS X software is added every day.

Theres none of that activation anti-piracy crap like XP has either. I know I sound like a zealot (well, I am🙂 ) but people should know that there is an alternative to Micro$oft.
 
Originally posted by Echinoidea
I sense a flame war brewing. This ought to put the DO/MD battles to shame.

I switched to a Mac about 2 years ago. I have never once regretted the decision. Mac OS X is awesome. It has never crashed on me. Not once.

I have an iMac and my wife has a iBook, both of which are networked wirelessly together and to the main cable modem. We have a laser printer on the network also.
Apple's laptops are phenomenal. But don't believe me, there are plenty of independent reviews on the net about them. I am so impressed by my wife's iBook that when I start med school I will get one for myself also.

As far as software, I have MS Office for Mac OS X (full file compatibility with Office for Windows), Internet Explorer, etc. I have never found myself wishing I had a PC so that I could accomplish a certain task. More Mac OS X software is added every day.

Theres none of that activation anti-piracy crap like XP has either. I know I sound like a zealot (well, I am🙂 ) but people should know that there is an alternative to Micro$oft.
Click to expand...

so is the pc the md or the do? 😀 i never understood why apple refuses to add a second mouse button. i guess pc users are just more adept at manipulating both fingers to control their computers. 😉
 
The single button mouse issue is really the sticker for me. I right-click all the time and it makes things much easier. Plus, PCs are always less expensive (to a comparable MAC), cheaper to upgrade and have MUCH more software available for them. I do a lot of video editing and there are a ton of freeware programs on the net that are just not available for the Mac. If you're going to do any gaming, I'd also go with the PC. If you're going to pirate software, I'd go for the PC.

XP is incredibly easy to activate. You just type in the activation key and that's it. XP is a very stable and easy OS (operating system) to operate.

Plus, PC users have bigger brains than MAC users. I'm not a zealot or anything....
 
if you want a cool looking laptop get a mac. cause thats about all they are good for. high priced sexy cases but not much else. 🙂 why would u want a mac? almost every school uses pc's now, the amount of software for a pc is much greater than for a mac, and as for speed the mac is nowhere near a pc's capability. i'm not sure what draws people to the mac except the pretty icons and one gigantic mouse button.
and that anti-piracy crap is a non-issue unless you are FCKGW'ing it (which is a non-issue now 🙂 )
i thought about a mac, i looked at em. but for one im so familiar and comfortable with a pc i didnt want to change. i can get virtually any software for the pc, and run it much faster than a mac can. and any accessories you buy for a mac... $$

take this standard imac (90day support, 1yr warranty, NO wireless)

$1,499.00

900MHz PowerPC G3
512K L2 cache @900MHz
256MB SDRAM memory
40GB Ultra ATA drive
ATI Mobility Radeon 7500
32MB DDR video memory
Combo Drive
Built-in 56K v.92 modem
AirPort ready
Up to 6 hr. battery life

vs this standard dell pentium4 laptop (3yr support/warranty and wireless)

$1,505.00
Inspiron 1100: Intel? Pentium? 4 Processor 2GHz
14.1 XGA
256MB Shared DDR
40GB Ultra ATA Hard Drive
Microsoft? Windows? XP Home
Integrated Network Card
Internal 56K Modem
24X CD-RW/DVD Combo Drive
External TrueMobile 1150 PC Card (Wi-Fi Certified)
 
I have both a pc and a mac. there are pros and cons to each, and i think its just what you are more comfortable with.

PC: pc's are nice because you won't have any trouble finding compatible software and hardware. XP is good - however, there are still some noticible bugs in the OS that can be annoying. i am also annoyed by the microsoft stuff that gets rammed down your throat (hello, i don't WANT messenger to send me pop-ups all day). but that isn't such a big deal if you know how to go in and change your settings. for standard word processing and internet surfing, PC's are great. but i also think they are kind of basic in that they don't seem to make an effort to do anything *special*. in terms of power, the latest pentium is about as fast as a g4.

MAC: the nice thing about mac's is that they are easy. there's not a lot of extra stuff that you will probably never need to worry about. OSX.2 is an awesome operating system (especially if you use the safari internet browser - i hate pop-ups!). you still have MS office if you want it (probably the most important MS software you'll need) but you have to pay quite a bit for it. since OSX is unix based, you also get the power to do some coding and unix manipulation if you're into that. compatibility with other apple products is amazing - my apple will detect any wireless airport network w/in a half mile radius and automatically connect me. ipod's are pretty cool. if you like to shoot home movies or play with digital photos - macs are nice for their ease of use in making these things look really nice. what i really like about my mac is i'm always finding new things that impress me. (you get that "ooohhh, someone was really thinking about the end user when they made this" feeling) unfortunately, if something is not compatible with macs, you're in trouble. and you CAN right click - you just hold down the mouse and move it slightly to the right.

anyway, bottom line is that both are good systems, but you should really look into what's most compatible with your school. Drexel requires a laptop running XP because they are going to be handing out software that only works on a PC (I'm assuming), so that's what i'll be buying for school. i will miss my mac, those extra little "nice" features make using the computer more fun. but computers are made for work, not fun, and you've got to pick what will work best for you.

just my 50 cents.
🙂
 
Originally posted by antiveggies

and that anti-piracy crap is a non-issue unless you are FCKGW'ing it (which is a non-issue now 🙂 )

vs this standard dell pentium4 laptop (3yr support/warranty and wireless)

$1,505.00
Inspiron 1100: Intel? Pentium? 4 Processor 2GHz
14.1 XGA
256MB Shared DDR
40GB Ultra ATA Hard Drive
Microsoft? Windows? XP Home
Integrated Network Card
Internal 56K Modem
24X CD-RW/DVD Combo Drive
External TrueMobile 1150 PC Card (Wi-Fi Certified)
Click to expand...

:laugh: I love that the whole FCKGW key has become so popular. If you want a fairly cheap Dell laptop keep watching www.techbargains.com. They have the most ridiculous deals.

Example:
Budget Notebook

Inspiron 1100 Notebook Celeron 2Ghz Free 256MB upgrade/20GB, Free CDRW or DVD upgrade, 14.1" XGA Screen XP Home $899 - $100 auto discount - $100 rebate = $699 shipped free. Combo DVD/CDRW only +$49.

Click Affordable Mobility, Customize it on cheapest, Free 24x CDRW or DVD/6 months ISP - Continue, Continue, Add to cart

http://www.techbargains.com/news_displayItem.cfm/20630

This is the type of deal that I see just about every week. Just to recap this deal:

$750.00
Inspiron 1100: Intel? Celeron 2 Ghz
14.1 XGA Screen
256MB Shared DDR
20GB Ultra ATA Hard Drive
Microsoft? Windows? XP Home
Integrated Network Card
Internal 56K Modem (maybe)
CD-RW/DVD Combo Drive

That's a pretty sweet DEAL for only $750. There's one $100 rebate and Dell is really good about rebates. Go to www.ebates.com and you'll get an additional 2% off the total.
 
The "iBook" (not iMac) is an Amazing computer. When I finally decided to buy it a couple years back, I was still uncertain as to whether I was making a smart decision. I mean, 95% of the computer using world doesn't use apple computers. But there was nothing else like it for Video Editing (a huge hobby of mine) so I finally bit the bullet and bought the pretty white notebook.

Two years down the road I've NEVER been happier with any computer I've owned. I repeat - I've NEVER been happier with a machine! What makes it amazing is the OSX operating system and the suite of apple programs that come with it. (iTunes, iMovie, iPhoto)

Since playing with my iBook, 2 of my friends have bought iBooks as well - testifying to how great these machines are. I've never had a computer that was so impressive it inspired friends to buy the same EXACT computer. (it's not often you can say that about a computer)

Like pwrpfgrl said, everyone needs to decided what best fits your needs. As for me, I'm going to upgrade to the 15' Powerbook like Xelia, when it comes out.

As for the speed issue: unfortunately its an exaggeration to say 1Mhz mac = 2Mhz Pentium. My 500Mhz G3 iBook runs about the speed of a 833Mhz Pentium.

If you're a serious gamer then you should think about a desktop PC, like AntiVeg suggested.

PS: The New iPods come out on Friday!!! They're even sweeter than the originals and the same iPod is compatible with both Apple and Windows.
 
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