Technology Mac or PC?

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Which kind of laptop do you think is better for medical school?

  • Apple MacBook

    Votes: 44 67.7%

  • Windows PC

    Votes: 21 32.3%
  • Total voters
    65
  • Poll closed .
I

Instant Noodles

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Which one do you think is better for medical school?
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Which one do you like better? There is very little reason to pick one over the other that is specific to medical school.
 
Macbooks dont crash and catch viruses!
 
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pdeco1 said:
Macbooks dont crash and catch viruses!
Click to expand...

Amen. My PC crashed and burned when I was studying for Step 1 (which is NOT cool when using an online question bank for prep, might I add). I now have a Mac, which has been lovely.

But really, pick whichever one you like personally...from the school perspective, you'll mostly use your computer for looking up references, making powerpoints, or writing an occasional paper...all things that can be done equally well with either type.
 
call up your school and ask them what the recommend. they'll know what kind of programs you'll need to be running, what other students have used, etc. plus they may even be able to tell you where to get the best deal (sometimes schools get discounts)
 
I've owned both. Apple laptops have great displays and battery life. If Apple made a convertible tablet, I probaby would have gotten it.

However, since they don't make those (the iPad doesn't count), I vote for a Tablet PC. You can write on powerpoints and pdf files. So instead of carrying around reams of paper, you download the lecture notes and annotate them during class. Plus you can record the lecture while you do so...
 
Mtnbiker said:
I've owned both. Apple laptops have great displays and battery life. If Apple made a convertible tablet, I probaby would have gotten it.

However, since they don't make those (the iPad doesn't count), I vote for a Tablet PC. You can write on powerpoints and pdf files. So instead of carrying around reams of paper, you download the lecture notes and annotate them during class. Plus you can record the lecture while you do so...
Click to expand...

An alternative to that if you have a MAC is to download the lecture notes and annotate them using preview. That's what I did. You can't draw diagrams and stuff, but you can type things, put in arrows, etc... Not as convenient as a tablet, though.
 
If I were to buy a Macbook Pro, 15" screen for school right now, is there enough difference between the 2.4 & 2.6 GHz models to justify paying extra for more power?
 
thedoctor8706 said:
If I were to buy a Macbook Pro, 15" screen for school right now, is there enough difference between the 2.4 & 2.6 GHz models to justify paying extra for more power?
Click to expand...

No you won't notice a difference with what you use it for in medical school. Save yourself the money and go with the 2.4
 
oknevets said:
Mac is good for reliability and entertainment purposes
but a windows pc gives flexibility. there's a lot more to do with a windows pc than a mac can offer
also, i think more people use a windows pc so file sharing would be easier if you are using a windows pc as well
Click to expand...

The 90's called...they want their "Mac vs. PC" argument back.
 
oknevets said:
Mac is good for reliability and entertainment purposes
but a windows pc gives flexibility. there's a lot more to do with a windows pc than a mac can offer
also, i think more people use a windows pc so file sharing would be easier if you are using a windows pc as well
Click to expand...

Except rare are the files that are not compatible between those two systems, you can either emulate Windows if you really have to or find a Mac version, which is rather simple these days.

But following your argument, a Windows PC gives flexibility without being good at reliability? ;) Sounds like a serious issue. :laugh:

Either way, it depends on your tastes.
 
Pc - because it will be less expensive for when you install linux on it ;-)
 
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Don't care. Well, kind of. I'm a little bit of a tech guy, I like Windows 7, I'm using OS X on a MBP right now, and I have no allegiance to either -- but I do admittedly like Win7. Fedora was at version 4 when I first dual-booted it and realized how ****ing clueless I am at a terminal.

No OS is bulletproof (that includes you, Leopard/Snow Leopard people), Windows 7 is not insecure in the hands of someone with a little bit of common sense, and whatever works for you the smoothest is the best one. Pros and cons for either.
 
<sarcasm>
If you want to fit in with your yuppie colleges go mac, they are very much in right now. Social suicide for you if you dont have a MBP and an iPhone without a very good excuse as you will be looked at like a subhuman by your peers who want to live like doctors as medical students. But honestly its 'cool' to own a mac these days, you want to be cool right?
</sarcasm>

Although I used sarcasm tags, I would warn you there is quite a bit of truth in there as well, up to you to decide.

I help troubleshoot my friends Mac computers. I've never actually owned one. This should tell you the basis of their decision on owning one.
 
justaregularmed said:
<sarcasm>
If you want to fit in with your yuppie colleges go mac, they are very much in right now. Social suicide for you if you dont have a MBP and an iPhone without a very good excuse as you will be looked at like a subhuman by your peers who want to live like doctors as medical students. But honestly its 'cool' to own a mac these days, you want to be cool right?
</sarcasm>

Although I used sarcasm tags, I would warn you there is quite a bit of truth in there as well, up to you to decide.
Click to expand...

(disclaimer: I'm on a MBP but am a Windows 7 fan, and a Linux fan despite being a novice with it. I also have no allegiance to any tech company, and almost every_single_problem I have had short of hardware failure on any OS was my own damn fault.)

A lot of Windows users are ****ing clueless about even the basics of information security, will install every executable they come across ("ooh, look, poundmycomputerintheassprison.exe!"), have seven toolbars in IE, and wonder why things go wrong.

Seeing as how we're playing the stereotype game, I figured we might as well get on equal footing. :thumbup:
 
exi said:
(disclaimer: I'm on a MBP but am a Windows 7 fan
Click to expand...

I run Windows 7 at work. The best thing I can say about it is that it sucks less than Vista, which isn't saying much. It's still Windows.
 
justaregularmed said:
<sarcasm>
If you want to fit in with your yuppie colleges go mac, they are very much in right now. Social suicide for you if you dont have a MBP and an iPhone without a very good excuse as you will be looked at like a subhuman by your peers who want to live like doctors as medical students. But honestly its 'cool' to own a mac these days, you want to be cool right?
</sarcasm>

Although I used sarcasm tags, I would warn you there is quite a bit of truth in there as well, up to you to decide.

I help troubleshoot my friends Mac computers. I've never actually owned one. This should tell you the basis of their decision on owning one.
Click to expand...
Umm, no. I was all over Windows until my Dell POS imploded last year. I switched to Mac because of the better quality hardware in their notebooks. I will stay with them for ever for the intuitive, well-functioning, non-glitchy OS. Period.

For my personal use (which includes Office and web browsing), it really doesn't get much better than a Mac.
 
The argument between which is better is really a moot point. Buy one you can afford or if you've been using Windows all your life then go try something new and buy a Mac. But if your reason to buy a Mac is because "OMFG, I got another virus and this damn Windows crashes all the time" then I think you should really consider why the heck your machine is crashing and getting infected with viruses in the first place. Randomly downloading things off websites of unfamiliar origin tends to do that to people's machine(s). My point is Microsoft Office will always be Microsoft Office regardless of the platform, and PDF will always be PDF. Better save that $ to buy a nice stethoscope if you have no pressing reason to get a Mac.
 
Blue Dog said:
I run Windows 7 at work. The best thing I can say about it is that it sucks less than Vista, which isn't saying much. It's still Windows.
Click to expand...

Really? I like it quite a bit. Then again, I'm one of those who never had any substantial issues with Vista, much less XP before that.
 
1UP said:
I'd like to see this justified.
Click to expand...

Um, well the outside of my dell POS laptop simply broke down. Hinge broke apart, mouse pad broke twice, outside screen cover cracked, and everything flexed and creaked upon opening and closing. All this in the span of one year with no drops or falls. Compare it to my aluminum body MacBook Pro which has zero of the above damage or outward durability issues in the same time frame.

I wanted something that I could carry around without it falling apart. I'd say that the MBP fits the bill there.:laugh:
 
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Jolie South said:
Um, well the outside of my dell POS laptop simply broke down. Hinge broke apart, mouse pad broke twice, outside screen cover cracked, and everything flexed and creaked upon opening and closing. All this in the span of one year with no drops or falls. Compare it to my aluminum body MacBook Pro which has zero of the above damage or outward durability issues in the same time frame.

I wanted something that I could carry around without it falling apart. I'd say that the MBP fits the bill there.:laugh:
Click to expand...
I see, so anecdote it is.
 
it really depends on you....I used to build computers and always had PCs/laptops with windows. Last year I got a Mac. If you love to play around with the operating system and hardware and don't mind to do constant upkeep and such, windows is for you. If you want something that just works and doesn't require you to do much for it then go for a Mac. IMO a Mac works for you and makes your life easier, a Windows-based computer will require you to do stuff for it if you want it to work right.
Also, Apple gives you a higher quality product. The power supply is not a 1 pound brick like the other manufacturers, but a small and light little thing. The battery life is the best (and does not require extra batteries like other manufacturers do). Time machine is IMO the best backup system hands down. It's small things, but they do add up.
 
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1UP said:
Great. My fee is $5000 to secure the necessary hardware and software as well as my time. Let me know when you have the funds.
Click to expand...

uh i'll just stick to people's biased and unprofessional opinions for free then...:smuggrin:
 
The skinny-
Home Consumer laptop (including apple laptops) designed lifespan - 1-3 years.
Enterprise (business class) laptop designed lifespan - 3-5 years.

The rational for this is that business generally replace technology every 3-5(or more, I've heard of 7 for desktops) years so if you make a laptop(or desktop) for a company that doesn't last until their next upgrade period they wont buy from you again.

So if you are looking for a computer thats going to last, don't buy a home consumer grade laptop.
 
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Jolie South said:
Um, well the outside of my dell POS laptop simply broke down. Hinge broke apart, mouse pad broke twice, outside screen cover cracked, and everything flexed and creaked upon opening and closing. All this in the span of one year with no drops or falls. Compare it to my aluminum body MacBook Pro which has zero of the above damage or outward durability issues in the same time frame.

I wanted something that I could carry around without it falling apart. I'd say that the MBP fits the bill there.:laugh:
Click to expand...

Sure, if you compare the lowest end PCs to a Mac, of course it won't compare favorably. It seems like a lot of people are so happy with their Mac purchases because they finally bought a decent computer. My Thinkpad runs great with both Windows XP and Ubuntu 10.04 because it was a good computer in the first place.
 
I was going to do more teaching but it I think I would be wasting my words. My last lesson will be this:

PC = Personal Computer.

Your Apple MacBook is as much of a personal computer as a Dell Latitude, please stop the perpetuation of this elitist ignorance.
 
JacobSilge said:
Sure, if you compare the lowest end PCs to a Mac, of course it won't compare favorably. It seems like a lot of people are so happy with their Mac purchases because they finally bought a decent computer. My Thinkpad runs great with both Windows XP and Ubuntu 10.04 because it was a good computer in the first place.
Click to expand...
Exactly.
 
justaregularmed said:
I was going to do more teaching but it I think I would be wasting my words. My last lesson will be this:

PC = Personal Computer.

Your Apple MacBook is as much of a personal computer as a Dell Latitude, please stop the perpetuation of this elitist ignorance.
Click to expand...

I think many of us probably know that -- it's just been around so long, it's used as a short way to say "Apple-made PC vs. various other manufacturer PC?" But yeah, bugs me too.
 
exi said:
I think many of us probably know that -- it's just been around so long, it's used as a short way to say "Apple-made PC vs. various other manufacturer PC?" But yeah, bugs me too.
Click to expand...

maybe windows vs mac would fix it? but in the apple commercials they even did it as "i'm a mac" "and i'm a pc".
 
JacobSilge said:
Sure, if you compare the lowest end PCs to a Mac, of course it won't compare favorably. It seems like a lot of people are so happy with their Mac purchases because they finally bought a decent computer. My Thinkpad runs great with both Windows XP and Ubuntu 10.04 because it was a good computer in the first place.
Click to expand...

Um, I grew up in a household with a man that lived and breathed Windows based computers. I remember tooling around on a computer at the age of 6. We had no less than 5 computers in the house, all of which were built by my dad who worked in IT for 30 years. I've also had several Windows based laptops. The last one is just the one that threw me over the edge. I'm definitely not coming from a computer illiterate background here (though I don't build or tinker).

The thing is I always thought Windows was great and up until I bought my Mac a year ago I was trashing Mac with the rest of you. The fact is I couldn't be more satisfied with my Mac. From the construction to the OS, I've been 100% satisfied.

If that makes me a "fan boy," then so be it. :rolleyes:
 
Jolie South said:
Um, I grew up in a household with a man that lived and breathed Windows based computers. I remember tooling around on a computer at the age of 6. We had no less than 5 computers in the house, all of which were built by my dad who worked in IT for 30 years. I've also had several Windows based laptops. The last one is just the one that threw me over the edge. I'm definitely not coming from a computer illiterate background here (though I don't build or tinker).

The thing is I always thought Windows was great and up until I bought my Mac a year ago I was trashing Mac with the rest of you. The fact is I couldn't be more satisfied with my Mac. From the construction to the OS, I've been 100% satisfied.

If that makes me a "fan boy," then so be it. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

i notice this all the time. people go from windows to mac and vow to never go back. i wonder if it'd be the same if i could find someone that went from mac to windows? it seems like most people start with windows, hear about this magical mac, and switch. then a few start with mac, only hear crap about windows, and stay mac. i'd really like to hear what someone who did the mac to windows switch has to say.
 
I recently gave OS X a try on Power Mac hardware after being a dedicated Windows user for a long time (I started a thread in this forum about it). I liked some things about it (and disliked others). Overall I felt there was no compelling reason to switch. I also fundamentally disagree with Apple locking its OS to its hardware.
 
Jolie South said:
Um, I grew up in a household with a man that lived and breathed Windows based computers. I remember tooling around on a computer at the age of 6. We had no less than 5 computers in the house, all of which were built by my dad who worked in IT for 30 years. I've also had several Windows based laptops. The last one is just the one that threw me over the edge. I'm definitely not coming from a computer illiterate background here (though I don't build or tinker).

The thing is I always thought Windows was great and up until I bought my Mac a year ago I was trashing Mac with the rest of you. The fact is I couldn't be more satisfied with my Mac. From the construction to the OS, I've been 100% satisfied.

If that makes me a "fan boy," then so be it. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I apologize if my comment came across as insinuating that you were computer illiterate. It's just that the main anecdotes I hear levied against PCs tend to revolve around some POS Dell driving someone insane prompting switching to a Mac. I know this well because I almost did just this before I went to med school, but my school insisted that we have a PC for so I instead went with a nice Thinkpad (with minimal bloatware to boot) and was pleasantly surprised that most of my issues went away.
 
Why would a Mac notebook last only three years? If you get the bottom of the barrel MB and never upgrade the HDD or RAM it is going to be slow with the demands of new software in a few years. If you upgrade it and aren't requiring the latest Photoshop to work correctly with your lower end processor or the latest games then it should work fine for most cases.

All of this of course assumes you buy a Mac when it first comes out and aren't buying at the end of the cycle. That adds that at least you had the latest that was being offered by Apple. The same goes for the Windows world. I'm impressed by HPs latest machines and you can find great deals out there. After going through and fixing Windows 7 to work how you want it and finding an antivirus that isn't intrusive or resource-heavy then all is well. I personally wouldn't use it but it would be good for most people.
 
TMP-SMX said:
I'm impressed by HPs latest machines and you can find great deals out there. After going through and fixing Windows 7 to work how you want it and finding an antivirus that isn't intrusive or resource-heavy then all is well. I personally wouldn't use it but it would be good for most people.
Click to expand...

my friend just bought an HP that looks and feels a lot like a Mac Powerbook.
Extremely close in price too. However, if you want 10 hrs of battery life you need to buy the extra battery, which makes the laptop as thick and heavy as a laptop from 8 years ago, and the power supply is bigger and heavier than my 5 year old Dell. If Apple can give you a great small battery and a small power supply, why can't other companies?
 
plauto said:
my friend just bought an HP that looks and feels a lot like a Mac Powerbook.
Extremely close in price too. However, if you want 10 hrs of battery life you need to buy the extra battery, which makes the laptop as thick and heavy as a laptop from 8 years ago, and the power supply is bigger and heavier than my 5 year old Dell. If Apple can give you a great small battery and a small power supply, why can't other companies?
Click to expand...

Hp makes a laptop that almost lasts 24 hours, Dell 20 hours. Bam. Macbook put to shame.
 
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justaregularmed said:
Hp makes a laptop that almost lasts 24 hours, Dell 20 hours. Bam. Macbook put to shame.
Click to expand...

Actually, those products were announced two years ago. The impressive battery life was only attainable with a heavy large-capacity battery, a pricey low-power LED display, and a costly solid-state hard drive.

Know anybody who bought one tricked out like that..? I don't.
 
justaregularmed said:
Hp makes a laptop that almost lasts 24 hours, Dell 20 hours. Bam. Macbook put to shame.
Click to expand...

can you provide a link to where I can actually purchase them? I'm really curious, as my friend who just bought her HP with the bulky extra battery got the top of the line laptop they offer.
 
plauto said:
can you provide a link to where I can actually purchase them? I'm really curious, as my friend who just bought her HP with the bulky extra battery got the top of the line laptop they offer.
Click to expand...

Again, that was a 2-y/o machine. Currently, HP only offers one laptop with more than a 10-hr. battery life (18 hrs.) Not sure if it's their top-of-the line machine, but it looks suspiciously like a MacBook.

http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/s.../notebooks/leftnav_battery_life_over_10_hours
 
Blue Dog said:
Again, that was a 2-y/o machine. Currently, HP only offers one laptop with more than a 10-hr. battery life (18 hrs.) Not sure if it's their top-of-the line machine, but it looks suspiciously like a MacBook.

http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/s.../notebooks/leftnav_battery_life_over_10_hours
Click to expand...

The battery life numbers for the Envy line are grossly exaggerated. That's one thing Apple does right -- their claims are pretty close to real life, at least in my experience / from reading third-party reviews.
 
Blue Dog said:
Again, that was a 2-y/o machine. Currently, HP only offers one laptop with more than a 10-hr. battery life (18 hrs.) Not sure if it's their top-of-the line machine, but it looks suspiciously like a MacBook.http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/s.../notebooks/leftnav_battery_life_over_10_hours
Click to expand...

Per CNET, "HP's upscale Envy 13 looks and feels like an expensive status symbol, with performance and features that impress us--but its high price makes it a tough sell over the similar-looking MacBook Pro."
 
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