Med School and Laptops (PC vs. Mac)

[Isoprop]

there is definitely not a need to upgrade to Vista. i just like it much better. i don't know what i would do if i lost my sidebar or had to go back to organizing my start menu! i also looooove my flowing creek desktop background - i love putting videos as my desktop background

anyways! i find it prettier, easier to navigate, WAY easier to find things, more efficient, and i love the game that came with it... haha

i'm playing devil's advocate here but...

a lot of mac-fans say the same thing about their os. they love the layout and design and the features that microsoft doens't offer. they spend the extra money to have these features. and asofar as the customizability, if an apple computer has everything a user wants, why would he/she want to customize?

i guess what' i'm saying is that everyone has different needs and tastes. each operating system has its good points and bad points. at the end of the day, a laptop is a tool and not a lifestyle.

except ubuntu. ubuntu rules them all.

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[foreverLaur]

But then Apple hardware market share would plummet.

I'm a fan of Apple and have been since I was a kid but I'll be the first to admit that their stuff is overpriced. Fortunately living in Cupertino has meant that I've never had to pay for a single piece of Apple hardware but even when friends ask me, I have a hard time ignoring the price/poor customer service that is consequence of Apple's arrogant corporate philosophy.

When they work well, it's great. Better than great. But when something breaks, you don't want to have to be on the defensive.

That is why the Dell warranty is so great. I tell them something isn't working right and they instantly have a tech at my house replacing the part. I even get them to come to replace a keyboard hehe. Sometimes, computer illiterate tech support in India can work to your favor. When I did real assistance with a real problem, I call the US based 24/7 tech support line to speak to a native English speaker in Texas.

The accidental damage is great. I "accidentally" dropped my computer in a puddle of water while walking to class. Dell barely even questioned me before replacing almost every piece of my laptop. I should do that and sell it as "almost new" in a few years.. hmm...

 

[foreverLaur]

i'm playing devil's advocate here but...

a lot of mac-fans say the same thing about their os. they love the layout and design and the features that microsoft doens't offer. they spend the extra money to have these features. and asofar as the customizability, if an apple computer has everything a user wants, why would he/she want to customize?

i guess what' i'm saying is that everyone has different needs and tastes. each operating system has its good points and bad points. at the end of the day, a laptop is a tool and not a lifestyle.

except ubuntu. ubuntu rules them all.

if you don't have a need to customize then you are one of those people that just want a computer and don't know much about the actual hardware in them. my roommate just bought her first Mac. I looked at the specs on the box and wanted to steal it and return it for her. She paid $722 more than I paid for my Dell and my Dell is probably twice as fast and efficient.

If you think a Mac is "cooler" then by all means buy one... but wait until you have a job and the extra money to blow. When you need a fast efficient computer with great tech support and a warranty when things go wrong (aka when in school)... go with a PC. You can save a ton of money, know it will get fixed fast when it breaks, know you won't lose your laptop for repair purposes, and know that it will be compatible with everything.

 

[nick_carraway]

That is why the Dell warranty is so great. I tell them something isn't working right and they instantly have a tech at my house replacing the part. I even get them to come to replace a keyboard hehe. Sometimes, computer illiterate tech support in India can work to your favor. When I did real assistance with a real problem, I call the US based 24/7 tech support line to speak to a native English speaker in Texas.

The accidental damage is great. I "accidentally" dropped my computer in a puddle of water while walking to class. Dell barely even questioned me before replacing almost every piece of my laptop. I should do that and sell it as "almost new" in a few years.. hmm...

Yeah I mean customer service from Dell (usually), Amazon (always), Logitech (mostly), Bose, Shure, Fry's, eVGA all ensure repeat customer service because you make the request and with minimal hassle (if at all), and you've got your replacement or your credit.

Apple customer service has only impressed me once and made me furious me two other times. I'd love to give them my money or have my friends give them their money but they CS policies do cause a few warning bells to go off.

 

[luv2sd]

pc

 

[foreverLaur]

There aren't many problems with the Creative cards. There was a performance hit in the first two or three drivers after Vista launch. Currently, though, there are just a dearth of features in the Vista drivers which is documented in Creative's own driver info.

Weird then, that the problem was fixed when I removed my Dell Creative card and replaced it with one directly from Creative.

Also, it is a compatibility issue as well. I reinstalled my OS and did a dual boot with XP and Vista. It worked great on XP so it definitely is a Vista driver issue. However, with NOTHING installed on Vista, the sound card worked great. Immediately after installing any software, I had the sound issue. If I uninstalled it, the problem was fixed.

My problem was that every 45-60 seconds the sound would be very laggy and broken up... like my entire computer was lagging behind, except it was just the sound. This would last for 5-7 seconds. It was an endless cycle. It didn't matter if it was iTunes, a CD, my tv tuner, AIM sounds, etc. Also didn't matter if I used different sets of speakers of headphones.

Weird. So weird. Oh well... I returned my 8 month old Dell for a 100% refund and custom built myself the PC of my dreams so it all worked out of the best!!

 

[foreverLaur]

Dell makes some powerful **** but they're too heavy or too bulky. I have a Latitude D800 and it's falling apart because the plastic that they use sucks.

This is making me unleash the big NERD inside of me. I don't think it is the time or place for it.

I have an XPS laptop so it isn't made out of plastic. My fiance's inpsiron had one problem after 3.5 years of owning it where the plastic around the LCD screen started to come loose. He contacted Dell and they replaced the part and it is good as new now. I have never owned a Business laptop from Dell, but I haven't heard anything too great about them. I much prefer the Inspiron/XPS line. My XPS laptop is sooo tiny. I sometimes have to check my bag to make sure it is in there because my bag is so light. Maybe the Latitude line isn't as light and streamlined in design.

macs are pcs now, sucka

I don't think anyone will ever convince me to give up good tech support, loose many customization options, and pay an extra $500+ for a Mac. There isn't anything a Mac does that my PC can't (at least anything that I would have a remote interest in doing).

 

[Isoprop]

I think it's unjustified to pigeonhole mac users as "just want a computer and don't know much about the actual hardware in them."

When we are talking about performance vs price, there are other operating systems that work lightyears better than Windows.

There are other points I wanted to make, but I'm tired.

Point = People are different. Mac or PC or whatever, one size does not fit all.

 

[nick_carraway]

I think it's unjustified to pigeonhole mac users as "just want a computer and don't know much about the actual hardware in them."

When we are talking about performance vs price, there are other operating systems that work lightyears better than Windows.

There are other points I wanted to make, but I'm tired.

Point = People are different. Mac or PC or whatever, one size does not fit all.

 

[NoUse4aName1286]

Bought a new macbook this year. Will NEVER go back to windows. PERIOD. I had a dell inspiron before this, and the number of programs I had to run daily to keep it going smoothly was ridiculous. Admittedly, Dell did fix the major problems i have had; in three years, the hard drive has crashed, the O.S. has crashed (as in needed to format and reinstall everything) and the fans have failed. I gave it to my brother for his first year of college. The mac works much better, and for a COMPARABLY EQUIPPED PC, it costs the same with your student discount. Lastly, my MacBook boots up in under a minute, whereas my old Windows (and, in fact, all the windows computers we've ever had) take forever to come to life. The Operating System is cleaner in design and smoother overall, and I have yet to have any compatibility issues with any windows people (using Office for Mac). Just my two cents.

 

[45408]

you'll save your money and get the blue screen grief

I haven't had a blue screen in years. Nice try though.

 

[45408]

I think it's unjustified to pigeonhole mac users as "just want a computer and don't know much about the actual hardware in them."

When we are talking about performance vs price, there are other operating systems that work lightyears better than Windows.

There are other points I wanted to make, but I'm tired.

Point = People are different. Mac or PC or whatever, one size does not fit all.

I know plenty of Mac users who are very good with computers, but none of them are med students at my school. Everyone I know (AT MY SCHOOL) who got a Mac laptop did so because it looks cool and came with a free Nano.

And yes, depending on what you're doing, some OSs are better than Windows, but you're really bashing Windows hard, when it works very well for the vast majority of people. Lockups and crashes are rare, unless you're doing something taxing on the system. Even still, if it locks up, Firefox will restore your last browsing session, Word will autosave, etc. I don't lose anything if I have to reboot. I also know plenty of Mac users whose OS has frozen up repeatedly on them.

 

[estairella]

This thread has already gotten quite embarrassing, so I will save everyone the trouble:

1) Macs vs PCs is not the same as Mac OS'es vs Windows
- yes a Macbook can dual-boot to Windows, so the argument that Windows is better does not fly
- PCs tend to be cheaper and much more customizable
- arguing which OS is "more efficient" is really a moot point, as someone has pointed out, if you want efficiency, go with a Linux distro (heck Ubuntu ships free CDs)
- when talking about Macs vs PCs hardware compatibility issues DO matter, despite foreverLaur's insistence that "Windows Vista has never given me a problem" "oh but it's all Dell's fault that its crappy soundcard can't support Vista"

2) People who use Macs are not all idiots with too much money to blow
- let's face it, most of the new cool purty features on Vista are just trying to emulate the latest Mac OSes - it does not follow that you are dumb just because you like purty things, and really, the price difference is not THAT staggering: consider how many people you know buy $200 sunglasses, why don't you call them out for being a consumer *****?
- the fact is, given the widespread proliferance of computers, nobody should have to EXPECT to be "computer literate" to use a computer without getting a virus/spyware/etc. -> when I buy an iron, I shouldn't feel like I know how the internal system works so that I don't burn my clothes, I trust that the 4-step insert will tell me what I need to know... so yes, Macs are easier to use, that's not a bad thing
- graphic designers need a Mac

3) People who use Windows will not all get virii/spyware/malware/BSOD/etc.
- this argument would work if you're talking the era of Windows 98/ME
- but most people and institutions use Windows XP, which shows remarkable stability (why did M$ extend support for XP? because businesses demanded it), as it is based on the NT kernel, which was designed to compete with Unix
- people who are not very computer literate, will, however, get an assortment of baddies within a month of being on the internet -> someone will suggest they get a Mac instead -> voila, contributes to the perception that Mac users are dumber

4) Macs don't crash
- yes they do? I've never understood this argument. That's like saying, "you should buy a BMW because BMWs do not stall"

Personally, I would say, get a PC if you are computer literate, need customization and can avoid all the associated risks of using Windows + Internet (don't go with a Linux distro because the only things Linux are compatible with are text files). If you get a PC because you think it's cheaper, then it could turn out to be quite the mistake when the CPU fries during your USMLE exams because you haven't changed the thermal paste in 3 years, haven't monitored internal BIOS temperatures and ignored the increased fan sounds. I would get a Mac if you want something that works with most things, don't need a hot gfx card, have the money for it, and don't mind looking a little elitist and/or stupid.

/PC user for many years
//grew up on Macs
///have tried Ubuntu - it was great but couldn't recognize my laptop's wireless card so it was also useless

 

[TheLesPaul]

I'm with isoprop...ubuntu rules! Lol...I used to run gentoo, but then I just got sick of having to fix something everytime I installed software/hardware/anything minor.

Macs are NOT more expensive than windows computers. If you build the same quality windows computer, you will come out the same price (as nouse said). Not only are you getting the hardware, but amazing programs like garageband, etc. This makes the deal for me - I do a lot of home recording/video editing/webpage design, and macs are just so much better for that.

I run XP and haven't crashed/gotten spyware in 2-3 yrs - it's all about the user. However, I still drool when I visit the campus apple store, and plan on getting a macbook pro for med school. For basic everyday things, both are fine.

I'm not sure where you're getting the idea that mac support sucks. They also will overnight you a part, along with a postage-paid box to mail your broken part back. In fact, they do this with the entire laptop itself, if your situation requires. The beauty is, if you have just a software issue, you do have the opportunity to go to an apple store and get that fixed without having to go through the process of mailing your laptop back in.

The problems with windows come up when you start dealing with under-the-hood issues like network integration (and driver issues, which we've discussed). Networks are horrible in windows - they are finicky, don't work half the time, and don't tell you what's wrong with them.

Anything beyond the normal user experience is much better taken care of in macs, b/c you can always go to terminal and fix yourself up like programmers have done for the past 30 yrs. The windows command prompt is impotent.

 

[etf]

But then Apple hardware market share would plummet.

I'm a fan of Apple and have been since I was a kid but I'll be the first to admit that their stuff is overpriced. When friends ask me for purchasing advice, I have a hard time ignoring the price/poor customer service that is consequence of Apple's arrogant corporate philosophy.

When they work well, it's great. Better than great. But when something breaks, you don't want to have to be on the defensive.

as an extremely pleased aapl shareholder, i am glad to see people buying their stuff even when they consider it overpriced (it's really not).

customer support sucks. that's why any time i have a problem, i relegate it to american express. i recently had to take my macbook pro in for a hard-drive replacement, and the "genius" at the bar sort of gave this smug grin when he thought i'd have to fork over $400 because i didn't have applecare and my warranty had expired. i told him amex had it covered, and he quickly cowered in shame.

comparing mac to pc is like comparing HMS to Hopkins (threads we will see start popping up on sdn come march). there's always going to be folks that will pick HMS simply because of the name, even though Hopkins is just as good. In the end, harvard usually wins because it's just a little cooler. same with the apples, for now.

 

[Kthanksbye]

If your Mac breaks, you do what... take it to the Apple store, wait for it to be fixed, and go pick it up? If my Dell breaks, I don't have to even get up. I chat online with smeone, they overnight a part to me, and the next day a tech comes to my house and fixes it on-site. I'd hate to lose my laptop with all my notes on it while in the midst of studying for an exam...
Oh and I am yet to find a person who is pleased with how well the Parallel thing works. Most my friends find it extremely problematic. Down the road, if you want a Mac go for it. While you are in an education setting that is PC based... make your life easy and get a PC. Med school is hard enough... why complicate it?

I agree with everything except the part about Dell. I will never buy another Dell as long as I live. I ordered a computer for my dad through them and they sent it without a working video driver for the screen I chose. It booted up to a scrambled egg screen. Couldn't use it. They said it was a known issue with that combination of motherboard, video driver and screen, and they were working on a new driver which would be ready in February. This was October. So I offered to pay for a screen upgrade to fix the problem, I just asked that they send someone out to install it. They refused to replace anything except with the exact parts I had originally ordered, which wouldn't work. I was on the phone with them for hours. They wouldn't budge. They insisted I wait 6 months to use a brand new computer. I ended up returning it. Never, never again. Dell = hell.

 

[Depakote]

Throw in a few plug-ins, and there isn't anything that IE7 can do that Firefox can't, or at least not anything I've ever tried to use.

I tried a few things to make it work... I eventually just wound up needing to go with the ie tab extension (internet explorer running in firefox).

 

[45408]

Personally, I would say, get a PC if you are computer literate, need customization and can avoid all the associated risks of using Windows + Internet (don't go with a Linux distro because the only things Linux are compatible with are text files). If you get a PC because you think it's cheaper, then it could turn out to be quite the mistake when the CPU fries during your USMLE exams because you haven't changed the thermal paste in 3 years, haven't monitored internal BIOS temperatures and ignored the increased fan sounds.

I don't know anyone whose CPU has fried on them unless they were overclocking it, in which case, yes, you are an idiot if you overclock it and haven't checked its temperature. Heck, if you overclock it, you should have a temperature sensor on your desktop or on the outside of your case. My family and their business has used dozens of PCs over the past decade, and we've never once used thermal paste or fried a component. I definitely need customization - I don't know anyone who has ever built their own Mac (can you even order the components?), but I know tons of guys who have built monster PCs for surprisingly low cost.


And there are a lot of reasons I haven't upgraded to Vista....I don't think I will until they're on the second service pack...

 

[Isoprop]

I know plenty of Mac users who are very good with computers, but none of them are med students at my school. Everyone I know (AT MY SCHOOL) who got a Mac laptop did so because it looks cool and came with a free Nano.

And yes, depending on what you're doing, some OSs are better than Windows, but you're really bashing Windows hard, when it works very well for the vast majority of people. Lockups and crashes are rare, unless you're doing something taxing on the system. Even still, if it locks up, Firefox will restore your last browsing session, Word will autosave, etc. I don't lose anything if I have to reboot. I also know plenty of Mac users whose OS has frozen up repeatedly on them.

i honestly didn't mean to bash windows. i was trying to point out that windows is certainly not the final solution for everybody. windows certainly has its weaknesses like any OS. sorry, but you can't tailor to everybody. both windows and macs are adequate operating systems for many users.

 

[FurmanJon]

the above is true. Each to his or her own.

...yet it's amazing how long this thread will go on, fighting tooth and nail trying to propagate personal preference as superior.

red and blue, red and blue...

 

[nick_carraway]

customer support sucks. that's why any time i have a problem, i relegate it to american express. i recently had to take my macbook pro in for a hard-drive replacement, and the "genius" at the bar sort of gave this smug grin when he thought i'd have to fork over $400 because i didn't have applecare and my warranty had expired. i told him amex had it covered, and he quickly cowered in shame.

Agreed. Going with a good retailer/good credit card is a life saver for consumers. Apple might not think your Macbook's peeling front bezel is a big deal but Fry's will and Citi doesn't really give a crap what your problem is as long as you send them a nice letter and some pretty pictures.

i honestly didn't mean to bash windows. i was trying to point out that windows is certainly not the final solution for everybody. windows certainly has its weaknesses like any OS. sorry, but you can't tailor to everybody. both windows and macs are adequate operating systems for many users.

Definitely. If you don't want to deal with the tiny annoyances that could happen in life (and let's face it--are more common on a Windows machine), then you can get a Mac. It wouldn't be an uber-customizable gaming behemoth, but it will get the job done and smoothly at that due to Apple proprietorship. In fact, PC Mag recently showed that the Macbook Pro runs Vista the fastest out of any laptop on the market (including Alienware, Dell).

The most you would have to do if you bought a Mac laptop is to go out and get yourself a stick or two of more RAM to dramatically increase the performance of your stock unit. Most people can handle that even if they aren't very computer literate. Sure, it costs a premium for the cosmesis and your extra money doesn't get you much in the way of customer service, but that's fine for some people.

On the other hand, if you like technology to the extent of keeping up with it and constantly improving your rig, then you'd want a PC desktop. But changing the chassis, swapping the video cards, replacing power supplies, rearranging cables, checking airflow isn't for everyone and it's nearly impossible to do with a Mac unless you've got a Mac Pro <drools>

 

[thRob]

Lots of bad info in this thread.

You can get a Vista laptop for less than $350 if you buy at the right time. At least three come up for less than that if you search for "laptop" on the fatwallet.com forums. I've been using one such machine since february as my primary rig and have had ZERO blue screens, crashes, etc using only AVG free antivirus. I leave it on for days at a time too! Microsoft really got their act together with Vista.

Looking again on fatwallet, the cheapest macbook (NOT refurbished) that comes up is for more than $1,500. Thats more than 4 of the aforementioned windows laptops

For people about to go into debt > $100,000, buying a macbook is a smart choice if and only if the macbook will offer significant compatibility over Vista. In my opinion, it does not. You are welcome to disagree.

 

[foreverLaur]

I am going to stick with Vista not giving me problems. My "Vista" sound card issue was solved when I replaced the Dell version of the sound card with the original Creative version of the sound card. Therefore, not a Vista issue.

If you are a graphic designer, heavy web designer, artist, or musician, a Mac is a better route for you. If your primary use is anything else, a PC is generally better designed for your needs.

Like I have saids before.... I believe a PC is a much better choice for a student.... undergrad and med school. PCs are much more inexpensive (until someone finds me a Macbook for 12% off + $425). All schools I know of are Windows/PC based so it makes things easier as well. Later, after you graduate, if you want a Mac, go for it. While you are being educated by a PC based program and in massive debt, save yourself the headache and money and buy a PC.

I just bought my sister a brand new Dell Inspiron laptop. 2.2 GHz Core 2 duo, 2 GB of RAM @667 MHz (upgraded myself), 160 GB hard drive, 256 MB graphics card, Vista Ultimate, 9 cell main battery (w/ 6 cell backup), DVD +/- RW drive, USB TV Tuner for $899 with free shipping and a 4 year warranty (includes at home service, accidental damage protection, and theft recovery). Please someone show me where I can get a similar Macbook for a similar price??

 

[TheLesPaul]

Lots of bad info in this thread.

You can get a Vista laptop for less than $350 if you buy at the right time. At least three come up for less than that if you search for "laptop" on the fatwallet.com forums. I've been using one such machine since february as my primary rig and have had ZERO blue screens, crashes, etc using only AVG free antivirus. I leave it on for days at a time too! Microsoft really got their act together with Vista.

Looking again on fatwallet, the cheapest macbook (NOT refurbished) that comes up is for more than $1,500. Thats more than 4 of the aforementioned windows laptops

For people about to go into debt > $100,000, buying a macbook is a smart choice if and only if the macbook will offer significant compatibility over Vista. In my opinion, it does not. You are welcome to disagree.

I don't know where you're getting that info from. The cheapest macbook from apple.com is $999.

Anyway, the reason why I wouldn't choose windows is because the OS itself does many things crappily. Even if you're not a musician, I bet you will have to plug into a large network somewhere. Setting up filesharing, internet sharing, and network drives is as simple as plugging it in on a mac. Forget about the average user doing it on windows - it requires detailed knowledge of how windows handles each connection.

Or even if you want to connect to 2 separate networks at once - with windows, it will automatically assume that the last network you add has a direct internet connection, and cut off your internet if your first network is the one with the modem. It's all very arcane, and you have to dig around to do it.

I'm not bashing windows OS, but I would disagree that getting a PC is optimal (even for a non-artistically inclined student) for various reasons (except for maybe cost).

 

[foreverLaur]

I don't know where your getting that info from. The cheapest macbook from apple.com is $999.

It is $1099 and doesn't include a warranty. You'd have to be insane to purchase a laptop without a warranty as a student. It is also hard to compare the two because there are many components of a Macbook that aren't available on the website. With a warranty, the cheapest is $1,348.00

 

[TheLesPaul]

I was including the education discount (we're all students/will be students, no?). So with warranty, +$240.

But the unix basis makes it all worthwhile, IMHO.

 

[plauto]

Just my 2 cents:
if you are running windows and never got the blue screen consider yourself lucky, vert lucky. You are the exception. I am a PC guy and the only reason why I stick with it is that they are cheaper. I firmly believe that, at least in this case, you get what you pay for. If money were not an issue, I'd be typing on a Mac right now.
Aside from that, just wait till you get to med school. Some schools' IT depts will offer no support if you don't have what they recommend.

 

[Abilene85]

I got a good deal on a Dell Latitude. It came with Vista Ultimate. I haven't really had any problems with it, except 2 moments of frustration.

1) I had to figure out to "Run as Administrator" to get my WoW updates. I didn't want to waste time updating, I just wanted to play.
2) I spent 30 minutes online to figure out how to save my Word file in compatibility mode so I could open it on my desktop, which runs an older version of Windows. By the way, the pretty little circular logo in the upper left corner of Word is apparently the drop down menu...I never would have figured that out.

I find Vista is pretty much the same as Windows XP, except that it's trying to look all trendy and Apple-like, with cute little ding sounds and idiot-proof triple confirmations for installation of programs. I guess the new start menu is better organized, but I am used to the logic of my own organizational chaos. I'm not particularly into Vista. If I wanted pretty and Apple-like I would have bought an Apple (which, thanks to my iPod, I will NEVER do). But the OS runs quickly on my computer and it gets the job done.


As far as which to get for medical school, I would suggest waiting until you know where you will end up. Some schools "give" you a specific computer, others have minimum requirements, some will only service PCs, and some don't care if you have a laptop or not. Just keep watching for specials - maybe grab one through your undergrad school before you graduate (this is how I got mine at almost 50% off).

 

[maestro1625]

oh man... whoever talked about having a laptop with a pentium 4... yeah that was me in undergrad. I had a Sager laptop that was more of a portable desktop. It weighed a ton, and it had a battery life of about 15 minutes, but it was at least quite powerful, and I've never seen a better screen on a laptop (1600 horizontal pixels on a 15 inch screen). Still, I would never do that again. I like the portability of my craptop I have now.

I've seen OSX crash a bit too though... never underestimate your parent using a computer.

(though for 500 bucks, I have a backup computer for things like SopCast that can't be done on a Mac).

 

[TheRealMD]

i would really appreciate Steve Jobs if he would release the MAC OS for regular PCs, instead of the hacked versions out there that don't work most of the time

The reason why OSX works so well is because it doesn't have to deal with a billion hardware configurations.

Refurb macs: http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APP...e.woa/wa/RSLID?mco=AA9C1548&nclm=CertifiedMac

You have to check back often in the mornings because they go quick.

 

[NoUse4aName1286]

I don't know anyone whose CPU has fried on them unless they were overclocking it, in which case, yes, you are an idiot if you overclock it and haven't checked its temperature. Heck, if you overclock it, you should have a temperature sensor on your desktop or on the outside of your case. My family and their business has used dozens of PCs over the past decade, and we've never once used thermal paste or fried a component. I definitely need customization - I don't know anyone who has ever built their own Mac (can you even order the components?), but I know tons of guys who have built monster PCs for surprisingly low cost.


And there are a lot of reasons I haven't upgraded to Vista....I don't think I will until they're on the second service pack...

Mac's can be customized. Go to the website and try building one for the heck of it. MOST (not all) parts that a TYPICAL windows user would customize can be customized on Mac too (hard drive, CD/DVD drive, RAM, Graphics Card, and some software packages). Other than that, the majority (I point this out on purpose, recongnizing that some people are much more picky and educated about what they want) of people aren't too instrsted in customizing outside of these. On another note (though I'm sure someone will hop on here to complain as soon as I say this) I have yet to meet someone who has been unhappy with thier switch to a Mac. That said, iof it works for you, and you're not concerned about gaimg, then both work pretty well, and this is getting kinda ridiculous (interesting to note that reliability for Apple Desktops, NOT MACBOOKS (which score average), according to Consumer Reports is ranked #1 in the industry consistantly.

 

[Isoprop]

lest we not forget the network card issues people have been getting with vista. has that been resolved yet?

 

[bep207]

It is $1099 and doesn't include a warranty. You'd have to be insane to purchase a laptop without a warranty as a student. It is also hard to compare the two because there are many components of a Macbook that aren't available on the website. With a warranty, the cheapest is $1,348.00

both of your comments are wrong and represent why people who do not research what they are buying usually end up with Dell and HP computers

all Apple Computers come with a warranty
Macbooks are 999.00 for students

 

[maestro1625]

both of your comments are wrong and represent why people who do not research what they are buying usually end up with Dell and HP computers

all Apple Computers come with a warranty
Macbooks are 999.00 for students

umm, I'm an apple fan, but the warranty that comes with the apples is garbage. You need to spring for apple care for it to be worthwhile.

 

[ChimpanzeeMinky]

umm, I'm an apple fan, but the warranty that comes with the apples is garbage. You need to spring for apple care for it to be worthwhile.

The standard manufacturer's warranty for pretty much *any* electronic device is garbage. The Dell purchasers need to be paying for an extra service plan as well if they are purchasing laptops.

As for desktops, an extended warranty is not necessary.

 

[bep207]

umm, I'm an apple fan, but the warranty that comes with the apples is garbage. You need to spring for apple care for it to be worthwhile.

i agree. applecare is well worth the price, especially with student discount.
i was just stating that apple computers come with the same amount of warranty as any other computer but with a much lower risk of failure.

 

[bep207]

if you don't have a need to customize then you are one of those people that just want a computer and don't know much about the actual hardware in them. my roommate just bought her first Mac. I looked at the specs on the box and wanted to steal it and return it for her. She paid $722 more than I paid for my Dell and my Dell is probably twice as fast and efficient.

If you think a Mac is "cooler" then by all means buy one... but wait until you have a job and the extra money to blow. When you need a fast efficient computer with great tech support and a warranty when things go wrong (aka when in school)... go with a PC. You can save a ton of money, know it will get fixed fast when it breaks, know you won't lose your laptop for repair purposes, and know that it will be compatible with everything.

Im surprised I overlooked another one of your false statements.

Apple Computers DO NOT COST MORE than Dell computers.

If you do not believe me, look up the specs for a MacBook and then go to Dell and build that exact same computer.
You will be within $50.

As far as service goes, you must have never been to an Apple Store or called 1800MYAPPLE
Apple is consistently ranked at the top in customer service.

 

[45408]

Mac's can be customized. Go to the website and try building one for the heck of it. MOST (not all) parts that a TYPICAL windows user would customize can be customized on Mac too (hard drive, CD/DVD drive, RAM, Graphics Card, and some software packages). Other than that, the majority (I point this out on purpose, recongnizing that some people are much more picky and educated about what they want) of people aren't too instrsted in customizing outside of these. On another note (though I'm sure someone will hop on here to complain as soon as I say this) I have yet to meet someone who has been unhappy with thier switch to a Mac. That said, iof it works for you, and you're not concerned about gaimg, then both work pretty well, and this is getting kinda ridiculous (interesting to note that reliability for Apple Desktops, NOT MACBOOKS (which score average), according to Consumer Reports is ranked #1 in the industry consistantly.

I'm not talking about getting good options on your computer - I'm talking about building one from scratch (I'm aware that you can't build a PC laptop either - I'm talking about desktops at this point).

 

[bep207]

Maybe you were saying the Dell was more expensive.....


Apple just doesn't make low end computers, therefore you never see them put an ad in the Parade insert of your local newspaper for a $499 laptop.

 

[foreverLaur]

Then you guys clearly don't know where to find the Dell discounts. I can get $700 off a Dell notebook any day of the week. I have gone back and forth between the two. With the student discount on the Mac and the student discount + coupons on the Dell, there is a huge price difference.

 

[richse]

The post quoted below was really good, I just have one point to addon the issue of getting an 802.11n wireless card. There has been a couple of huge roadbumps with getting "N" instated as a standard due to some intellectual property rights issues. You may want to hold off and make sure it does become a standard. Right now the "N" may end up in some format war similar to the one Blu-Ray and HD-DVD are currently having.

Right now you can get $425 off a Dell Inspiron notebook. As a student, you can get 12% off any HP or Dell notebook.

Personally, I'd recommend getting a 4 year warranty on whatever you buy. That way, you are guaranteed you will have a working laptop throughout medical school. Or at least do it for the first two years.

I would recommend Vista Ultimate. A lot of school networks won't let you connect unless you have the superb security of Vista Business/Ultimate and Business lackos all the multimedia features. Additionally... Vista Ultimate is just cool I have Home Premium on my laptop and Ultimate on my desktop.

I'd also recommend getting the biggest battery offered. Even with my tiny 12" notebook turned down all the way just having OneNote opened, I still only get about 4 hours of battery life with the biggest battery offered. I barely make it through classes!

Do NOT get an integrated video card. Especially with Vista, you will regret it later because you are stuck with it. I'd go with a 128MB graphics card. I couldn't even play The Sims on a 64MB graphics card.

I personally prefer Intel processors because they have a much bigger cache... and I notice a significant difference. I also can't find very many AMD notebooks that offer non-integrated graphics cards.

I'd buy a 1 GB of RAM and upgrade to 2 GB later. Most companies charge $100-$125 to upgrade from 1 GB to 2 GB which is absurd. I paid $60 for two 1 GB sticks of memory, installed them in under 2 minutes, and sold my two 512 MB sticks for $25 on eBay. Much cheaper!!

Definitely pay the extra to get the N wireless card vs the G wireless card. Even with G routers, you notice a big difference. The signal you pick up will be much stronger, you will pick up more signals, and there will be less interruption. Soon, the world will transition to N wireless routers as well and that will make it even stronger.


I have never understood the Mac craze. I can't figure out what makes them so fantastic. The reason that Mac's dont get viruses is because nobody writes viruses for Macs. PCs vastly outnumber Mac's so everyone writes viruses for PCs. If you get virus protection (which is FREE if you are a student) and don't click on silly popups then you won't have a problem. I was lazy and didn't even have virus protection for 4 month and still didn't get a single virus.
If your Mac breaks, you do what... take it to the Apple store, wait for it to be fixed, and go pick it up? If my Dell breaks, I don't have to even get up. I chat online with smeone, they overnight a part to me, and the next day a tech comes to my house and fixes it on-site. I'd hate to lose my laptop with all my notes on it while in the midst of studying for an exam...
Oh and I am yet to find a person who is pleased with how well the Parallel thing works. Most my friends find it extremely problematic. Down the road, if you want a Mac go for it. While you are in an education setting that is PC based... make your life easy and get a PC. Med school is hard enough... why complicate it?


Anyways - I own a small business that (1) helps people buy computers (2) educates people on buying computers and computer hardware (3) builds desktops so if anyone has any questions, feel free to PM me. I have built over 300 desktops and sold over 700 computers

Oh and that $425 off a Dell Inspiron notebook is good through Nov 1. PM me if you want that coupon code as well.

 

[ChimpanzeeMinky]

Then you guys clearly don't know where to find the Dell discounts. I can get $700 off a Dell notebook any day of the week. I have gone back and forth between the two. With the student discount on the Mac and the student discount + coupons on the Dell, there is a huge price difference.

Link please?

 

[richse]

more people, yes... is software designed for it, no.

You are really not doing any research before you post. Lots of software and webpages are customized for firefox instead of IE now. This has been a growing trend for a couple of years and it is only picking up speed as firefox surpasses IE in total usage.

 

[foreverLaur]

Well I have a G router. I have a G wireless card in my laptop and an N wireless card in my desktop. Sitting side by side, I get a MUCH stronger signal on the N wireless card even with a non-N router. I wish I had an N wireless card in my laptop even if I never had a N wireless card.

 

[foreverLaur]

-CS0R$WQL4MZG22 to save $425 off any $1,399.00+ Dell Inspiron notebook.
-FVPC0ZKW?XPR4L to save $250 off any $999.00+ Dell Inspiron notebook
-?861VP36RK?MTX to save $350 off any $999.00+ Dell Inspiron Desktop

plus, 12% off for a student discount. i also periodically get e-mails from Dell for additional discounts. i have never had a problem piling them on.

 

[Abilene85]

As far as service goes, you must have never been to an Apple Store or called 1800MYAPPLE
Apple is consistently ranked at the top in customer service.

I went to the Apple Store. They looked at my iPod and couldn't figure out what was wrong with it. Then they found out I use a PC and said that is why it broke (no joke). They said they couldn't help me (because I am a PC user) and I would need to call apple service. So I called and they took me through an hour of "push and hold these two buttons" despite the fact that the device's hardware was obviously broken. Again, they said that iPod is just not compatible with PC and that is why it broke. The product couldn't possibly be to blame. I yelled and got a free one. At least they came through in the end.

And on a funny note - my sister's friend worked for apple service and a woman once called in to say her iPod broke after she washed it. Turns out she plugged it into the wall and put it in a glass of water to clean it...

 

[Abilene85]

This has been a growing trend for a couple of years and it is only picking up speed as firefox surpasses IE in total usage.

Won't the teenage boys catch on and start writing viruses for firefox now?

 

[ChimpanzeeMinky]

Well I have a G router. I have a G wireless card in my laptop and an N wireless card in my desktop. Sitting side by side, I get a MUCH stronger signal on the N wireless card even with a non-N router. I wish I had an N wireless card in my laptop even if I never had a N wireless card.

That has absolutely nothing to do with the N standard, and a newer G card built to the same specifications as your newer (I am assuming it is newer since I can see no other reason for it being faster, aside from possible interference that you haven't mentioned) N card would give you similar performance.

 

[nick_carraway]

Well I have a G router. I have a G wireless card in my laptop and an N wireless card in my desktop. Sitting side by side, I get a MUCH stronger signal on the N wireless card even with a non-N router. I wish I had an N wireless card in my laptop even if I never had a N wireless card.

Man, I love my N-card. I have an N-router for the home and loved the speeds that my Macbook was getting so I just had to buy an adapter for the desktop as well and enable my Mom's Macbook Pro's N-card too.

Smoking fast. Can't wait for wimax. Mmm...

 

[nick_carraway]

That has absolutely nothing to do with the N standard, and a newer G card built to the same specifications as your newer (I am assuming it is newer since I can see no other reason for it being faster, aside from possible interference that you haven't mentioned) N card would give you similar performance.

True. Two G-cards side by side, if one was newer with better firmware, would be able to detect networks that the other could not see.