Laptops

[CelineChic]

You all seem to know what you're talking about when it comes to laptops. All I know is that mine is a silver Dell and it has buttons

 

[Arksiel]

ibooks/powerbooks are quite quiet... I leave mine on all night, while my BF turns off his PC because it is a crazy loud monstrous machine! but this thing is whisper quiet.

Ibooks are great, but ALWAYS upgrade the ram. you should have a minimum of 512mb of RAM. OSX is really designed to run off of nothing less. and while I never recommend buying cheap ram, dont get it from the apple website because it is so over-priced.

everything said and done, I payed about $3000 cnd for my laptop after taxes and a ram upgrade. I have a combo drive, not a superdrive, sometimes I wish I had the super but my friend's powerbook overheats when he uses it (mind you, it is a first generation superdrive)

my favourite feature of the OSX software is Expose - other users can probably attest to this, but if I have 80 pics in photoshop, I just drag my mouse to the top right corner of my screen, and expose 'tiles' everything for me - creates small icons of everything so it can all fit on the screen at once. 80 windows open on an XP machine would be too much because you would have to click through it.

if you are just looking for a laptop for papers and such, I would get the 12 inch ibook, with a ram upgrade. you can get the full suite of microsoft office software for mac, the main compatibility issues lie in games - there is a LOT of software for macs. the 12 inch size would probably be ideal because it would be easy for you to tote to classes if need be, pop it into a bag, and you are not as much of a theft target with a laptop bag - any messenger bag will do, just get a 'wallet' for the lappy to prevent it from scratching.

::

 

[ATTITUDE]

ibooks/powerbooks are quite quiet... I leave mine on all night, while my BF turns off his PC because it is a crazy loud monstrous machine! but this thing is whisper quiet.

Ibooks are great, but ALWAYS upgrade the ram. you should have a minimum of 512mb of RAM. OSX is really designed to run off of nothing less. and while I never recommend buying cheap ram, dont get it from the apple website because it is so over-priced.

everything said and done, I payed about $3000 cnd for my laptop after taxes and a ram upgrade. I have a combo drive, not a superdrive, sometimes I wish I had the super but my friend's powerbook overheats when he uses it (mind you, it is a first generation superdrive)

my favourite feature of the OSX software is Expose - other users can probably attest to this, but if I have 80 pics in photoshop, I just drag my mouse to the top right corner of my screen, and expose 'tiles' everything for me - creates small icons of everything so it can all fit on the screen at once. 80 windows open on an XP machine would be too much because you would have to click through it.

if you are just looking for a laptop for papers and such, I would get the 12 inch ibook, with a ram upgrade. you can get the full suite of microsoft office software for mac, the main compatibility issues lie in games - there is a LOT of software for macs. the 12 inch size would probably be ideal because it would be easy for you to tote to classes if need be, pop it into a bag, and you are not as much of a theft target with a laptop bag - any messenger bag will do, just get a 'wallet' for the lappy to prevent it from scratching.

::

THANKS.
so Apple isn''t only stylish..
it's also a good buy?

Yeah, here in Europe
it's cheaper.. also.

 

[PinkSunrise]

Thanks a lot to everyone for being so helpful, Im afraid I dont know too much about computers...
Can you buy the Microsoft program for Macs at almost all stores?? (A&B sound, etc.) Im mostly just looking for one for papers and such..i usually dont play on much games on the comp. I just go to tfs So everybody that has an Ibook likes it??? Thanks Arksiel, you really helped out a lot

 

[Arksiel]

hey, anytime my geekdom will help others, I am more than happy to share . as far as purchasing the microsoft office suite, I see that you live in victoria..

http://wheretobuy.apple.com/cgi-bin/zb/ZipBurst.acgi

london drugs is good to deal with if you can't get into an apple-only reseller. that link should give you a great number of options. also, once you get your machine, you can download a program called limewire (quite like kazaa). I grabbed office off of that untill I could afford it... being a student you might want to do the same. I had to wait a few paychecks after I got my machine

the other thing I completely forgot to mention is the virus factor.... there are only 50 known viruses for mac, from what I have heard. These are not even for OSX, they are for the previous versions of mac OS, like Classic, OS 9, and so on. I have never had a virus on this computer, which is nice since I previously worked on (and still own) a windows xp machine that is bug-ridden almost constantly. The 24 hour phone support with Apple is quite good from what I have heard, but I have never needed to use it.

oh, and do yourself a favor and get a usb mouse... and as pretty as they are, do NOT buy the apple mouse, especially if you are a first time mac user... the lack of right click even pisses me off. if you want an alternative, besides the millions of mice out there, these, if you dont mind me saying, are damn sexy:
http://www.dvforge.com/themouse.shtml

there is a bluetooth model available as well now.

 

[PinkSunrise]

Oooh they are sexy..and no Viruses?YAY!!!!!
My friend has limewire and she says it works pretty well...why did you get a RAM upgrade? (and because im so unaware of almost everything computers..what is RAM?)
Thanks

 

[Arksiel]

RAM - is a form of memory. it is where the computer stores files and such while it is working on them, and it effects the speed of applications, and how fast a computer performs a task. for instance, photoshop, final cut pro, cubase, are all RAM intesnsive programs.

you can have a screaming fast processor, but without enough ram, your computer will 'bottleneck' so to speak - like sucking a milkshake from a large glass through a thin straw.

 

[PinkSunrise]

ohh ok thanks..do you recomend a certain # or type?

 

[Arksiel]

well, for standard uses, 512 mb of RAM is good, since the laptops come standard with 256, you just need another stick of 256. Kensington is a good, well priced brand for RAM. It is extremely easy to instal ram in these computers, but I would recommend spending the extra money and installing it yourself!

 

[evexa]

Friggin Macs. Trust you fashion junkies to go for looks =/

 

[SJPdeux]

I seem to go through a laptop a year being an abuser of machines... I am on my third notebook. I have had it for a month and I love it. I bought myself a siemens pro v2020. doubled on the ram as well. wi-fi means I carry it everywhere! you just buy credit in advance like your mobile and pay as you go. brilliant! And i can burn music and dvds to my hearts content! and its encased in titanium ! what more can a gal ask for?! Picked up a stylish jil sander case to transport it and all! but best of all it is utterly silent.
Laptops seem cheaper over this side of the pond imo

 

[PrinceOfCats]

ohh ok thanks..do you recomend a certain # or type?

DDR! Go DDR (or better). This can't be said too many times. Seriously, you could have 1 gig of SDRAM and it would still be rubbish.

As I've already said - Macs are a total rip-off. They cost more for less performance.

 

[PinkSunrise]

ok Prince, what do you suggest in the non-Mac range then?? Just trying to get everyones opinions,

 

[PrinceOfCats]

Depends what you want. If you want your laptop to look good then perhaps you should by a Mac or a Sony VAIO. If you don't want a Mac but you do want someone to help you if it explodes then buy from a large reputable firm. If you just want the most bang for buck then go for some tiny unheard of company that has dirt-cheap prices.

 

[Arksiel]

Pink - if you end up going for a computer besides a Mac, go for a Vaio or a high-end HP. I wouldn't recommend a cheap laptop because it is easier to 'screw' a laptop up so to speak. there are tons of unknown companies that make awesome PC 'built to order' desktop machines, but you want a laptop from a big name because there is more that goes into the manufacturing of a laptop - more things that can go very very wrong.

As for Prince's performance thing, I 100% agree that games on Mac suck big time. but once again... as someone that owns both a PC and a Mac (stitting side by side on the same desk no less) I lean towards a Mac.

whichever you buy, always read consumer ratings and reports, because the internet is overwhelmed with them! and I hope you find a model that suits your needs.


Cyn

 

[PinkSunrise]

Thanks Arksiel..why do you have two computers? just curious..well i guess ill have two once i buy my laptop..

Im thinking maybe a 12/14 inch Ibook...

 

[ATTITUDE]

I've post here before.
I also think about the ibook g4 12inch..
Or is there a better stylish and working laptop
not to expensive?

 

[Drowned]

Stylewise I think Sony's are best from the pc department but they are quite overpriced.

And then there is of course Acer's ferrari laptop.

 

[ATTITUDE]

Stylewise I think Sony's are best from the pc department but they are quite overpriced.

And then there is of course Acer's ferrari laptop.

What's the price then?

 

[Arksiel]

technically the second computer is my boyfriends, but since everything he owns is 50% mine, and everything I own is 50% his ...

I also have a computer at my parents place...