buying a brand new laptop?

2008-11-14 13:26:29 UTC

I would buy a PC with Vista and then install Linux on it and dual boot. You will get the best of both worlds... I would not buy a mac, here is why...

PC=Variety of specs, options, quality, prices, vendors, support

Mac=One vendor, limited options, still more expensive. Look below for more information..

Contrary to belief, Macs are not better quality. They use a lot of the same parts as PCs. Apple also has been changing suppliers to try to "lower the price" and thus lowering quality. Even with the lower prices, Macs still cost more, they spend a higher percent of budget trying to make it look pretty, and marketing.

Today, Macs use the same hardware as PCs. Why spend extra to get the same CPU chips, graphics cards and OS X isn't as secure as you think.. Look below.

WINDOWS ADVANTAGES:

Aprox 90% of the market is Windows. Most PCs include windows already pre-installed.

1) There are a number of websites that still require Internet Explorer to view and IE for Mac Stinks..

2) More supported peripherals (printers and other things you hook into the computer) on Windows.

4) If you like the Dock on OS X (Mac) google/yahoo rocketdock, objectdoc.

I Would also install Avira AntiVir, Avast, Comodo Firewall on the Vista since there are free versions.

LINUX ADVANTAGES:

1) Install Linux, and then get tons of stuff for free. Updates done, etc.. Linux is very easy and has tons of software that will be updated automatically. (Checking a checkbox in either two ways to install (Add/Remove or Synaptic Package Manager), search for something I want, check a box and click apply)

2) If you like the effects on a Macintosh go yahoo or google COMPIZ FUSION. It can do just about any cool effect a Mac can do and more...

3) If you like the Dock on OS X (Mac) google/yahoo Cairo Dock, avant window navigator.

4) Linux is MORE SECURE. I surf the internet and can even run some windows programs on Linux.

LINUX OS

If you are worried about viruses, spyware, security, Try Linux (it is free), I have included some information about Linux and links so you are not lost if you decide to try it.

Easily turn your system into a Dual booting computer with Linux, fast, safe and secure, easy to use (contrary to belief). You then get the best of both worlds (Windows with all of its supported products, freely go online without the worry)

My Recommendation would be either Ubuntu (Most popular and well supported linux), Kubuntu (KDE version of Ubuntu),

Freespire (has all windows codecs for watching videos, dvds out of the box),

PCLINUXOS (very nice Linux, easy to use and polished),

There are so many good versions of linux besides these.

PLEASE NOTE: In linux there are many forms of Windows Environments, the two main ones are KDE (K Desktop) and GNOME. Ubuntu uses GNOME, KUBUNTU is a KDE version of Ubuntu, PCLINUXOS, Freespire use KDE... The differences in the window environments (DESKTOPS) control how you configure, open close the windows, the appearances of the windows... linuxfoundation.org/en/OpenPrinting helps with printer support. ScreenCasts.ubuntu.com shows video and non-video help with learning to work with Ubuntu.

There are many good Linux distributions for different reasons, distrowatch.com, polishlinux.org, desktoplinux.com

are good websites for overall understanding linux.

Installing Linux in general is very simple and much more secure than OS X(Macintosh) and free.

Also, most Linux distributions have a LiveCD which means you can try without installing...

UBUNTU, KUBUNTU, FREESPIRE, PCLINUXOS, etc.. all have live CDS.

All you have to do is..

A) to download .iso file off the internet from the Linux website

B) burn the .iso file to a CD or DVD (Make sure your burning software can burn an ISO)

C) restart the computer with the CD in the drive

D) As computer is restarting, press on F12 Key a bunch of times to get a boot menu

E) Select the option to boot from CD or DVD.

ANOTHER QUICK NOTE: People have been able to run OS X on a PC since the PC and Mac use the same hardware. This is not legal and I would not recommend it for security and legal reasons

But, I have included a link to show you, purpose is to show that there is nothing special about the MAC.

A)Price...

A similar equipped PC is much cheaper to purchase than Mac. Lets use Dell (but you can compare with another PC Brand if you like)

*****************(LAPTOP)

Dell Inspiron Laptop $849 dropped to $799

15" Screen

CPU: (upgrade to) 2.1GHz Intel Core 2 Duo

Graphics: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100

Memory: 3GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM

Hard Drive: 320GB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm

Optical Drive: Blu-ray Disc Combo (DVD+/-RW + BD-ROM) - WRITES DVDS,CDS, READS Blue-Ray Disks

Macbook $1349 just dropped to $1224

13" Screen (SMALLER)

CPU: 2.1GHz Intel Core 2 Duo (SAME)

Graphics: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 (SAME)

Memory: (upgrade to) 2GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (LESS RAM)

Hard Drive (upgrade to) 250GBSerial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm (SMALLER HARD DRIVE)

Optical Drive: (DVD-ROM/CD-RW) - (Writes CDs, DVDs, cannot read Blue-Ray) (WORSE AND 1/2 SPEED)

****************(DESKTOP)

PLEASE NOTE: I am comparing Apple Mac's vs Dells best deal. If you decide that you must have an all-in one. The Dell all-in-one has more ram, wireless keyboard and mouse and equivalent to $400 for free making the Imac still more expensive when you upgrade the Imac to try to match. Personally I don't think the All-in-Ones are a good choice, and consider them overpriced, lack expandability and repairs both more expensive and require the entire computer.

PS: Apple knows that they must make Macintosh look different than PC so all Macs except the Mac Pro will not have a tower option. Apple's low end lacks expandability but it makes the Mac "look different", if Mac had a tower for low-end, more people would realize the similarities between the two.

Dell: (Right Now) Specs Below costs $809

CPU: 2.4 GHZ Dell Inspiron QUAD (4 Processor) CORE

SCREEN: 20inch Screen

MEMORY: 3GB Ram

HARD DRIVE: 500 GB hard Drive

OPTICAL DRIVE: 16x DVD/CD Read/Writer

GRAPHICS: (upgrade to ) ATI Radeon HD 2400 PRO 128MB

The Best Deal Mac is not the Mac Mini since it has no monitor, keyboard, mouse, very skimpy on options and setup... IMac is better price than the Mac Mini.

IMac ($1400)

CPU: 2.4 GHZ DUAL (2 Processor) CORE (SLOWER CPU)

SCREEN: 20inch Screen

MEMORY: (upgrade to) 2GB Ram (LESS RAM)

HARD DRIVE: (upgrade to ) 500 GB hard Drive

OPTICAL DRIVE: 8x DVD Reader/Writer (1/2 speed)

GRAPHICS: ATI Radeon HD 2400 PRO 128MB

************************END OF DESKTOP

B) SECURITY:

Mac OS X was hacked in 2006 under 30 minutes, and hacked within 2 minutes in a contest in 2008. Linux and Vista were not able to be hacked until another day when restrictions were lowered.

All macs are standardized with Cameras, if your system gets hacked, the hacker would more likely be able to turn on your camera.

Please Note: All OS's have vulnerabilities.

C) VIRUSES

The argument that OS X has less viruses is true, but that is against XP, BUT Mac OS X has viruses, a friend of mine has a virused Mac. As more users use Macs, more viruses will come out for it. Especially when users think "they are safe".

Google/Yahoo Mac Viruses

D) WINDOWS LICENSE is discounted with PCs

You do not pay the full price, for instance Dell -> you pay $50 or less for Vista Home Premium If you buy a Mac and want Vista, you pay full price.

D) EXPANDABILITY & REPAIR...

With AppleCare you have to put down $300 and there is no guarantee the computer will be fixed, may cost more.. Repairs are more expensive than PCs since the IMac, Mac Mini are compact units, and Apple charges a premium for their services. Some repairs can be done by another repair service but the compact design of the computer causes problems.

With an IMac, if the problem is with the monitor, the whole computer would have to be brought in.

IMac and Mac mini lack expansion.

E) PROBLEMS

Macintosh's are far from bug free. Sample of problems: Overheating Macbooks, OS X- not responding to keyboard, some units with 16bit screens, etc. Apple statistics are misleading since Mac users with problem machines are more likely to go out and buy a new computer than PC users. Apple is lowering prices which means you can expect lower quality than in the past. Apple had switched the manufacturers producing parts. OS X also has problems slowing down.

http://www.tuaw.com/2008/08/01/apples-quality-dwindling-my-macbook-pro-sob-story/

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Finds-Irony-in-Mac-OS-X-Getting-Hacked-Before-Vista-SP1-82135.shtml

http://www.ubuntu.com/

http://www.kubuntu.org/

http://www.freespire.org/

http://www.pclinuxos.com/

http://distrowatch.com/

http://polishlinux.org/

http://www.desktoplinux.com/

http://xwinman.org/gnome.php

http://xwinman.org/kde.php

http://www.linuxalt.com/

http://screencasts.ubuntu.com/

http://www.linuxfoundation.org/en/OpenPrinting/

http://www.avast.com/

http://www.free-av.com/

http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SwitchingToUbuntu/FromMacOSX

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SwitchingToUbuntu/FromWindows

Google/Yahoo OS X on PC

Kim I

2008-11-12 05:19:19 UTC

Well, most of the laptops on the market today are vista compatible. Laptops sold with an operating system (ex. Microsoft Windows Vista, Linux, etc.) already installed cost more than those without it. So you can just ask the sales clerk if you want an OS (operating system) to come with the laptop you're buying or not.

Also, I don't suppose that you can actually say that there is a clear cut "best" laptop. If you're a non-gamer looking for a laptop with a Vista operating system, you'd want to choose the specifications of the laptop. The bad thing about having to use Vista is that it requires a high RAM. A 512 MB RAM is the lowest required RAM for Vista, though you'd only get so frustrated at the very slow speed. I would recommend at least 1.5 GB RAM so you don't have to experience the very slow performance (although even with this much RAM, my laptop still slows down a bit but still works great enough for me). It would be cheaper if you buy a laptop with just 512 MB RAM and buy a separate 1 GB RAM and have it installed by someone who knows what he/she is doing (like the people in the store you're buying the laptop from). And you'd also probably want at least 80 GB of storage because Vista eats up a lot of space, not to mention all the other applications you're gonna install!

For the processor, you might want an Intel Core Duo or Intel Core 2 Duo to ensure a good performance from your laptop. Though this type of processor is also used by gamers, the applications we use today already require these types of processors to make it run smoothly and you'll have to admit, every once in a while you'd want to have fun on your laptop and install a few stuff that could make it run a little slower when used with other programs simultaneously.

For convenience as well, you'd also probably want your laptop to have a wireless connection and bluetooth (some laptops still don't come with bluetooth so you should ask a clerk if the laptop you're buying comes with one).

If you'd want to know which brand of laptop is the sturdiest, from experience, I would say a Toshiba. You can also choose from Asus or HP, but mind you, these are quite expensive laptop brands.

With regards to a Mac OS, I can't say much about that since I haven't really had enough time to tinker with it to say much, but where I'm from, a great majority of laptop/PC owners use Microsoft Windows, so I think that the Mac OS is quite difficult for me to use.

Well, that just about covers the basics of what you need to know. Good luck at finding the right laptop for you. ^_^

James

2008-11-12 04:43:34 UTC

If your not a gamer you can get any good laptop for the price of $400.00

I feel like apple laptops are media wise.. editing movies / music / photo etc.

Regular laptops are good for everyday use. you can get good ones for 400 but more bulky in size.. the smaller the laptop the more you have to spend.

I'd look at www.newegg.com or www.frys.com for laptops :)