Calling all computer geeks... Advice Please

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HrryUpNwait

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I am looking to buy a computer for med school next year and I have it narrowed down to 3 models.

1) The HP Pavillion 1285dx.- Looks like a beast to me (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9166323&type=product&id=1218041149114) $1,129

2) The Macbook at a comparable price to the HP(http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9375115&type=product&id=1218093608530) $1,199

3) The Macbook Pro with comparable features to the HP but a high price (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9375106&type=product&id=1218093607929) $2,299

Which is the best choice? Or is the best choice not here? I feel like that HP is an amazing computer for the money, but I wanted to refer to people who know more about computers than I...
 
I vote HP...not a big fan of MACs, maybe more user friendly but less bang for your buck.
 
Personally, I bought a used Macbook Pro (previous generation) for about 1000. I plan on using it at school and travel. For studying at home, i am buying a 24'' external monitor.

Why go all out on a laptop with features you will never use. I'm assuming you're not a gamer or graphic designer or anything. I would suggest Option 1 or 2 depending on operating system preference.
 
The HP PC should do you well. The only issue is that some programs hate Windows 64-bit. With Mac, you could avoid that by getting Boot Camp and using XP on it o.o
 
i, personally, am going with a netbook and a self-built desktop for kicks. i think i'll hackintosh the netbook and keep the desktop as a pc. which is kind of a bad idea. but **** it
 
HP is easily the best bang for your buck out of the three. Id go wit that. Why pay more to get less?
 
Are you going to be carrying these around with you or what?

The Macbook pro is comparable to the HP except that:
- HP is much, much cheaper and has a bigger screen
- Macbook pro is smaller/lighter and will probably have a longer battery life (say, 2.5 hours vs. 1.5-2 for HP - don't believe any battery life specifications in print, they are bald-faced lies)
- the 13" Macbook is a great computer if you want to carry it with you all the time and don't play video games or edit HD video.
 
Keep in mind the HP is a desktop replacement and is not exactly going to be fun to carry around (7.6 lbs). Try looking at a smaller Dell like the M1330 or M15 series.

Macs are OK, but Windows based machines give you the most bang for your buck.
 
I bought a refurbished Dell M1330 (suggested in the post above mine) and I LOVE it! It's a great little machine, incredibly powerful and light, gets about 2 hours of battery life even on full brightness while watching video on Hulu.
 
ChubbyChaser said:
I vote HP...not a big fan of MACs, maybe more user friendly but less bang for your buck.
Click to expand...

That's actually not true. When they do a long term cost analysis, the apple products tend to last longer and get bogged down less over time then the windows counterparts. I've seen people running osx leopard on ibooks from 7 years ago. Try running vista on a 7 yearold hp laptop.
 
HrryUpNwait said:
I am looking to buy a computer for med school next year and I have it narrowed down to 3 models.

1) The HP Pavillion 1285dx.- Looks like a beast to me (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9166323&type=product&id=1218041149114) $1,129

2) The Macbook at a comparable price to the HP(http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9375115&type=product&id=1218093608530) $1,199

3) The Macbook Pro with comparable features to the HP but a high price (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9375106&type=product&id=1218093607929) $2,299

Which is the best choice? Or is the best choice not here? I feel like that HP is an amazing computer for the money, but I wanted to refer to people who know more about computers than I...
Click to expand...

It really looks like you went out and pulled 3 random computers off the internet. These things have nothing in common (screen size, memory, even the operating system you're up in the air on.) I would think about a few things.

1) What's the most important things about the computer that you're looking for? Huge screen size to watch lectures (cough cough movies), or are you looking for something small and portable with a long battery life (so you can sit in Starbuck's and try to be an attention *****)

Are you going to be playing video games? If so a dedicated graphics card might be worth your trouble.

Also you might want to set a price limit for yourself. Do you really need a $2300 computer? Your school probably allots $2,500 - $3,500 in your financial aid package to a computer, but you really don't need to spend it all. I would much rather buy a great HP and have the money that I saved from not getting a Mac and buy a 22" monitor along with a 42" LCD TV.

Just some things to think about.
 
Good points. I am thinking I might want to go with one of the Macs. I like the dependability and will I really need all that memory? I don't play video games or really do anything on my computer besides study and go on the internet. I think a small 13" macbook might be the way to go. I can even get a Macbook Pro for like 1099 with my student discount and that comes with a free iPod touch. Anyone have any objections to a medical student getting a laptop that isnt souped up with RAM and memory and stuff? I think when I reach 10,000 powerpoints I can put it on a memory stick or get an external hard drive...


PS- If I can save money on a laptop I am not going to blow it on a 42" TV. It is still loaned money that I don't really want to multiply unnecessarily- haha.
 
whatever u do dont get the regular macbook, if u have the money, get the pro.. if u like ur 1000$, then get the HP.... HP will have better video quality, and can deifnitely be used for gaming...

the MB pro has double L2 cache, making the processor very fast... but the HP has centrino 2 processor which makes up for the lesser L2 cache...

I would say the HP is a better deal, but Macboooks are way cooler and get way less viruses. I have always been a PC fan, but if u have the money, get the macbook pro.

Besides, the HP won't be a laptop.. trust me.. it'll be a replacement desktop..

its 17" screen makes it 2 pounds heavier than the macbook, and HP's are notorious for terrible battery life, especially with Nvidia graphic cards..
 
HrryUpNwait said:
Good points. I am thinking I might want to go with one of the Macs. I like the dependability and will I really need all that memory? I don't play video games or really do anything on my computer besides study and go on the internet. I think a small 13" macbook might be the way to go. I can even get a Macbook Pro for like 1099 with my student discount and that comes with a free iPod touch. Anyone have any objections to a medical student getting a laptop that isnt souped up with RAM and memory and stuff? I think when I reach 10,000 powerpoints I can put it on a memory stick or get an external hard drive...


PS- If I can save money on a laptop I am not going to blow it on a 42" TV. It is still loaned money that I don't really want to multiply unnecessarily- haha.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't limit yourself to Best Buy, either. Go to HP.com and customize a computer. You can get a great computer (much faster/better than the MacBook for ~$1000). Honestly though for what you describe you could probably get away with a $500-$600 computer.
 
How much hard drive space does a med student really need? I don't store movies and I have maybe 100 pictures and 500 songs.
 
I've seen academic discounts for the previous-model MB with the Intel graphics card at $799, including an iPod, which is a reasonable price for a computer that runs very well. I'm using a similarly configured computer, and the graphics chip is good enough to run Netflix and some older games (it might run newer ones too, but I don't play that many games) on my 1680X1050 display. Processing power is not limiting for most things that I do, with the possible exception of running MS Excel 2008, which is a bloated and terrible piece of software. On 2GB of RAM, I can run Windows in VMWare Fusion, and while I wouldn't run CAD software through the virtual machine, it is good enough to run most basic Mac and Windows applications simultaneously (and you can use Boot Camp to run that same partition at native speed if you absolutely have to). With the antennas on and the display dim, I can get about 4.5 continuous hours of use, or if I'm just putting it to sleep, I often get all I need out of it at work without bringing the charger. The upfront price, including the rebates, for the older model is pretty reasonable, assuming the deal I saw wasn't actually for a very old model that is better used as a paperweight these days.

EDIT: I don't do graphics intensive work, and the Core 2 Duo this MacBook is running is more than enough to handle the engineering and bioinformatics computations I do for work. I personally don't recommend spending the money on the large laptop screen. They are expensive and make the computer heavier. Buy an external monitor for the price difference, and you'll get the screen space plus the portability when you need it.
 
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I personally prefer sony vaios 😍! I am not much of a computer geek per se, but most of my computer oriented friends agree that vaios are great. I have the 17" which is kinda big for carrying around all the time, so I would suggest the smaller screen.

It is super fast if you include the Intel Centrino Duo with it. But, if you want it for gaming on occasion, then I would suggest you get the series with the at least 2G memory. The space is up to you, I think that 150G would be more than sufficent for taking videos, recording lectures, and all that jazz.
 
I have recently converted to mac products over the past 4 years and can truly say that I've never been more satisfied. I agree with an above poster who argues that macs have a longer shelf-life in terms of useability and tend to be able to handle newer and newer technology even while the hard drive fills up over time with my garbage.

I've owned the same macbook pro for just about 4 years and it still runs everything I need it to run. Spend a little extra, customize the macbook pro and with the educational discount, you can get a 13" MBP for around $1600 with a TON of excellent hardware. I'd spend a little more and by spending $1600 you will practically guarantee yourself a durable and dependable machine through the duration of medical school.

After that, who cares? lol

Also, in terms of battery life, the new MBPs get upwards of 6 hours, simply incredible. If the OS intimidates you, bootcamp + WinXP is definitely a viable option. Just know that this will negate the benefit of "less viruses on a mac".

Lastly, if you become hellbent on getting a PC, no problem-- get anything by a Dell. The past two years they have seriously declined in quality according to several network analysts I know who have recently stated that their companies "no longer support Dell" because Dell does not stand by their products when they become defective and instead suggest that anything but its hardware is the cause of the problem. This may be anecdotal, but it's something to consider.

Happy hunting!
 
geek? i will not be spoken to like this.
 
BUILD YOUR OWN!!!

I did. Found cheap parts on newegg and in the end it came out to be ~750 but was comparable to computers ~1500 at Circuit City, etc. It literally takes no more than 2 days to assemble everything and you can find instructions anywhere. Plus, it ends up being more "upgradable" in the long run and you don't get ripped off on anything. I stopped buying computers when I realized everything I bought ended up being out of date in literally 2 months. The only really expensive part is the operating system.

EDIT: My bad, just realized you were talking about laptops. Advice still stands for desktops though 😛

For a laptop, honestly, just buy an alienware. Compare the specs to Macs and you'll see what I mean.

http://www.alienware.com/products/a...Code=PC-LT-AREA51M15X-AI1&SubCode=SKU-DEFAULT

Both are 1200 but
Alienware >Mac in Ram and chipset (additional 1,200 for 8GB?? fsb is 800mhz for both, haven't tried ddr3 so can't say anything about that)
Alienware >Mac in graphic card

that's just personal preference though, no offense to Mac intended
 
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LuciusVorenus said:
BUILD YOUR OWN!!!

I did. Found cheap parts on newegg and in the end it came out to be ~750 but was comparable to computers ~1500 at Circuit City, etc. It literally takes no more than 2 days to assemble everything and you can find instructions anywhere. Plus, it ends up being more "upgradable" in the long run and you don't get ripped off on anything. I stopped buying computers when I realized everything I bought ended up being out of date in literally 2 months. The only really expensive part is the operating system.

EDIT: My bad, just realized you were talking about laptops. Advice still stands for desktops though 😛
Click to expand...

If he was that good, he wouldn't be asking some SDNers about what laptop to buy, lol.

Though, I agree, Newegg is the bomb and so is Fry's electronics 🙂
 
FuturaDocta said:
If he was that good, he wouldn't be asking some SDNers about what laptop to buy, lol.

Though, I agree, Newegg is the bomb and so is Fry's electronics 🙂
Click to expand...

I love the Roman thing Fry's has going for it. But I hear it's a different theme for every store so not sure you know what I'm talking about haha.
 
LuciusVorenus said:
I love the Roman thing Fry's has going for it. But I hear it's a different theme for every store so not sure you know what I'm talking about haha.
Click to expand...

Hahaa. I noticed that. There is one Fry's that has a bunch of Cows in the front that use to puzzle me when I was younger.

They are different though. I know there is one that is kinda in the ghetto, where have to check to make sure the software comes with the package.
 
HrryUpNwait said:
I am looking to buy a computer for med school next year and I have it narrowed down to 3 models.

1) The HP Pavillion 1285dx.- Looks like a beast to me (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9166323&type=product&id=1218041149114) $1,129

2) The Macbook at a comparable price to the HP(http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9375115&type=product&id=1218093608530) $1,199

3) The Macbook Pro with comparable features to the HP but a high price (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9375106&type=product&id=1218093607929) $2,299

Which is the best choice? Or is the best choice not here? I feel like that HP is an amazing computer for the money, but I wanted to refer to people who know more about computers than I...
Click to expand...

None of those. Ideally you should should shop around for a week or more until you come across a good deal. In terms of Windows laptops, Lenovos are great and last a long time. What I did was to wait until they had a deal, ransacked the internet for coupon codes and got like 25% off, AND added a student discount on top. Bottom line - $1700 laptop cost me under $1000. You could do the same. This is even cheaper and better quality than what you can build. I don't recommend building a laptop because the parts are not standardized enough to make the build easily upgradable. By contrast, building a tower is a great choice and is pretty easy - you can do it in couple of hours once you get used to it. Good luck.
 
I use a 2006 HP Pavillion (3GB RAM, 2.4GHZ Quad core processor) and still absolutely love it. It has been almost 4 years and I haven't had a single problem with it. It seems that the HP gives you the most computing power for your $$. Unless you have the know-how to build your own computer (as Lucius suggested), I would go with the HP.
 
Also for all of the Macs last forever talk: you can make any computer last forever, but you can also kill any computer in a short amount of time.

True story, my friend bought an HP, it broke after 4 months as the fan died which led to overheating issues and other parts went. He then bought a Mac, and after 4 months what happened? The fan broke and other pieces went due to overheating.

I still have my HP from 5 years ago, it works wonderfully. I don't really use it anymore though because I prefer a tablet.

But this "bogged down" stuff is crap; if you know what you're doing your computer won't be bogged down at all.
 
I have a macbook pro and a desktop PC, for what it's worth.

For your needs, getting a regular 13in macbook sounds like a good bet. They are small, light, have good battery life, and tend to be extremely reliable. If you don't do alot of gaming or high end processing (think video, audio, or photography), it will have more than enough power for you, and if you do those things occasionally, it should be fine.

If I didn't use my laptop for games and music production, I would have definitely gotten the 13in macbook; they are very, very solid for an everyday notebook.
 
BBender716 said:
I have recently converted to mac products over the past 4 years and can truly say that I've never been more satisfied. I agree with an above poster who argues that macs have a longer shelf-life in terms of useability and tend to be able to handle newer and newer technology even while the hard drive fills up over time with my garbage.

I've owned the same macbook pro for just about 4 years and it still runs everything I need it to run. Spend a little extra, customize the macbook pro and with the educational discount, you can get a 13" MBP for around $1600 with a TON of excellent hardware. I'd spend a little more and by spending $1600 you will practically guarantee yourself a durable and dependable machine through the duration of medical school.

After that, who cares? lol

Also, in terms of battery life, the new MBPs get upwards of 6 hours, simply incredible. If the OS intimidates you, bootcamp + WinXP is definitely a viable option. Just know that this will negate the benefit of "less viruses on a mac".
Click to expand...

And? If people wouldn't sling shot their PCs around the room I'm pretty sure they last over 4 years as well. I've been using my windows laptop for 3 already and I am also running Windows 7 (latest operating system) on it. And it didn't cost me a fortune up front either.

As for the battery life talk, you can also get PCs that are designed to sustain a longer battery life or that come with a better, longer-lasting battery to begin with. And I'm still positive it's cheaper than the macbook pro.

OP, there really is no reason to pay that much money for less. Even if you won't necessarily use all the features now, you have no idea what your needs will be in the future. Why take less than what you pay for just because you won't use it?
 
HrryUpNwait said:
Will I really need all that memory? I don't play video games or really do anything on my computer besides study and go on the internet.

Anyone have any objections to a medical student getting a laptop that isnt souped up with RAM and memory and stuff? I think when I reach 10,000 powerpoints I can put it on a memory stick or get an external hard drive...
Click to expand...

I am not positive, but I think you may be confused about the difference between a storage capacity and memory (RAM). You do want to get as much ram as you can! If you'll be running, let's say, office 2007, as updates come down the line, they begin to use more and more memory. This is one way your comp can get slow even if your pattern of usage has almost not at all changed .

You should either build that 13" mac yourself on a mac site, and toss in 2 gb RAM and make sure it's expandable to at least 8, or just spring for 3,4 or 6 gigs just to start, that way you wont have to worry about the (incredibly easy) process of installing more memory. Don't skimp now, you'll be bitching in two years about how long it takes for your computer to boot up.

As a PC AND Mac user, I say the 13" notebook by mac is sweet. the fans are in the back so it doesn't get too hot on your lap, and as long as your comfortable with the mac software, (which is pretty easy to figure out though I felt like an idiot for months as I learned) its small, light and easily fits in your backpack with no extra stress on your back.

If you only have 500 songs...i guess 160 gig hard drive would be fine, but really, its just tiny. you've gotta get something bigger, at least 250. Who knows what crazy programs theyre going to ask you to install on your comp when you're working in radiology and you have to take some images home. You want to have room for it.
 
Oh yeah, that's another thing people talk about frequently--the weight of a laptop. What are you guys going to be doing with these things? Running races? Who cares if one weighs 3lbs more than another one? You'll be caring it in your arms for about 30 seconds and in your backpack for a few minutes and then you'll slap it on the table like every other laptop and the weight means nothing.

But seriously, who would pay hundreds of dollars for a difference of 3 lbs?
 
Narmerguy said:
Oh yeah, that's another thing people talk about frequently--the weight of a laptop. What are you guys going to be doing with these things? Running races? Who cares if one weighs 3lbs more than another one? You'll be caring it in your arms for about 30 seconds and in your backpack for a few minutes and then you'll slap it on the table like every other laptop and the weight means nothing.

But seriously, who would pay hundreds of dollars for a difference of 3 lbs?
Click to expand...

You ever try transporting a 17" or 19" monster around? Sometimes it's hard to find a carrying case for something that big.
 
Narmerguy said:
Oh yeah, that's another thing people talk about frequently--the weight of a laptop. What are you guys going to be doing with these things? Running races? Who cares if one weighs 3lbs more than another one? You'll be caring it in your arms for about 30 seconds and in your backpack for a few minutes and then you'll slap it on the table like every other laptop and the weight means nothing.

But seriously, who would pay hundreds of dollars for a difference of 3 lbs?
Click to expand...
+3lb is a pain if you're carrying it around all day in a bag. They may not feel heavy when you're cradling it in your arms sprinting to a meeting, but if you need to dump it into a messenger bag with books for a day of classes before heading off the library and then walking home, it can be downright painful on some days.
 
go with the mac. best computer ever. and they just came out with the new generation
 
RaginRajon said:
I use a 2006 HP Pavillion (3GB RAM, 2.4GHZ Quad core processor) and still absolutely love it. It has been almost 4 years and I haven't had a single problem with it. It seems that the HP gives you the most computing power for your $$. Unless you have the know-how to build your own computer (as Lucius suggested), I would go with the HP.
Click to expand...

thats a pretty sick build for a laptop from 06. too bad the celtics don't want you any more
 
Say whaaaatttt?! They won't be trading Rondo unless Dwyane Wade, Lebron, or Bosh is coming to Boston (I hope)

And yeah, it's a sweet comp but it was pricey at the time. 🙂
 
they tried to trade rondo and allen for rip, stuck and tayshaun. detroit rejected. i heard they are trying allen and rondo for amare and barbosa
 
The HP is at least 150% as powerful as the Macbook Pro for half the price. The smaller Macbook doesn't even compare.
 
JimmerJammerMrK said:
The HP is at least 150% as powerful as the Macbook Pro for half the price. The smaller Macbook doesn't even compare.
Click to expand...
Well if the OP wants a heavy 17'' to leave mostly at home, I think it's a fine purchase. A decision needs to be made as to whether all those extras on the HP are necessary since the OP admittedly doesn't use the computer for much.

Perhaps portability is more of an asset than hitting higher benchmarks.
 
MossPoh said:
That's actually not true. When they do a long term cost analysis, the apple products tend to last longer and get bogged down less over time then the windows counterparts. I've seen people running osx leopard on ibooks from 7 years ago. Try running vista on a 7 yearold hp laptop.
Click to expand...
Windows 7 runs perfectly fine on 7 year old laptops...but try again.



And to the OP, get a PC, but not that one. Look at a lenovo 13-14". If you want a bigger screen for home, buy one. If you want something to play games, don't get a laptop. You can get some killer deals on lenovo or pretty much anyone's laptops right now that simple make buying a mac look like burning money then pissing on it.
 
HrryUpNwait said:
I don't play video games or really do anything on my computer besides study and go on the internet.
Click to expand...

🙁🙁🙁

But then again, you wouldn't have time in medical school probably 🙂

If you just need it for the internet though, all this spec talk will probably mean nothing to you. I mean unless you're running Vista you're not going to really notice a difference between 2 GB of RAM and 4 GB of RAM. Just go for something nice and cheap that you like. I sometimes use my antique Sony laptop that I got for 400 a couple of years back and it does the internet job just fine to be honest.
 
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