Posted on 08/07/2013 4:44:53 PM PDT by patriot08
Please help me choose which laptop to buy:
A http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AM7MM4I/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
B http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0075ZRAKG/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A33O72BR8EJNQK
I want to go with 'A' but it comes with Windows 8- which I'm not used to (I have always used 7) and afraid of. I hear a lot of negative comments about it.
Get a Mac. It is simplicity itself and it works seamlessly with Apple TV, iPhones, iTunes, iTunes Store, and the App Store. What a magnificent ecosystem — it all just works.
My MacBook Pro is five years old. I reboot the OS about every 2 or 3 months.
On the other hand, every PC I’ve owned (and that is a lot going back 20 years) craps out with a sludged-up OS around 18 months. MS apps on my 18 month old Dell at work routinely tell me “So-and-So Stopped Working. Do you want me to fix the problem? This may take a while.” Then it goes off in the weeds for 10 minutes and nothing ever gets better. I’ve got all sorts of corporate registry cleaners, defraggers, AV, anti spyware, etc, but NONE of it helps.
Every app on a PC still insists on doing things its own way and there’s no consistency in the UI from app to app. What a waste of time always having to learn new UIs on apps.
By all rights, MS should have gone completely out of business 20 years ago for turning out such defective products.
The fact of the matter is, they are all made in China and almost all are crap. But I have to say that the Apple Mac is the best of the crap.
ignore the anti win 8 nonsense. Windows post 7 is a new deal, with faster timelines and better security. At some point the phone/tablet/computer will merge, likely 3-6 years out and you’ll only have 1 device. W8 no matter the version w8.1pro w8.1rt or phone have a 1 year upgrade schedule going foreword. The hardware requirements are less then W7, so all else equal 8 will be faster.
The new Intel processers (Hastwell sp) have the ability to automatically shut down parts that are not needed, giving battery life close to what you would expect of a tablet. Any touch screen Hastwell system should be fine, though the drive space will be less the you likely want because it will likely have a SSD. (that’s what a usb3 external drive is for) Another note, MS office has moved to a subscription model on win8 devices.
Another thing I’ve found from reading the tech blogs is likely your not going to be able to upgrade the system. maybe memory but nothing else. I’d look for a smaller form factor for mobility, with an external monitor and mouse/keyboard setup. That will let you use both the normal inputs your used to while learning the gestures and touch input that is a major part of W8/W8.1.
Unless you want an ipad do not buy a win8rt device, make sure its a pro.
Thanks, guys.
Very helpful.
Kind of funny. Back in year 2000, mostly used Linux with some Windows (95 & 98). Now, I am mostly on Mac, started when it was Tiger G4 on an iBook G3 but now Mac iMac on Lion - Intel. Had mixed feelings on how Mac went from the Power PC to Intel. Kind of funny, ran Linux on the PPC and it was pretty good. Also have several iMac G4’s, those were very interesting. In fact bought on with a 20 inch screen, had a new hard drive put in, like a 250 GB and then loaded Mac OS Tiger, Mac OS 9 and then Fedora Linux. THe Linux and Mac OS X partitions were the large and Mac OS 9 was a small partition.
I used to use nothing but Windows. Then I went through my third laptop in 2 years - An Acer and 2 Dells.
I'd been skeptical and afraid to do it, but finally took the plunge and bought a MacBook Air. I used to be completely against Apple mainly because I didn't like the "trendy" iEverything mentality.
I installed the Microsoft Office for Mac on it just so I could maintain compatibility with work and the like.
I love it. I love it so much I bought an iPhone 5 when I re-did my cell contract.
I let my buddy and his wife play with my MacBook when I first bought it.......they bought an identical one two days later.
It will probably take a couple of days getting used to your computer being "on" when you turn it on, using two fingers to "right-click," "x-ing out" on the left side of the window, and using "command" instead of control....but it's really simple and easy to use and worth the money.
“I do regret not buying one with a 10-key numbers pad.”
I got a big bargain in January on the demo model of a Toshiba and it had win 7 so I grabbed it. I do do a lot of numbers work, but I didn’t even think about the keyboard.
You can buy a detached number keypad, which is what I did. I wish logitech would make a good, wireless one, but the little cheapie one I got works OK. I think it was about $20, maybe less.
I can't say I am crazy about Win 8, but it does have some advantages over 7. If you simply install the free Classic Shell you will at least be able to get work done immediately. Classic Shell returns the Start button and bypasses the Metro interface that most people seem to hate.
http://sourceforge.net/projects/classicshell/
You might research whether or not Win 8.1 will fix whatever you dislike about 8. It may make Classic Shell unnecessary.
Son just bought a computer from here:
Very nice system that he got, configured the way he wanted with the OS he wanted. Bit more expensive, though.
I use Windows at work and home. Have for twenty years. I was sick of the small changes in in the operating system over the years. Windows 8 was the last straw. I wish them luck. Them Big Macs look like they should crank.
Do you mean she literally pawned it, at a pawn shop? If so, it sounds to me like they may have swapped out the battery, no?
I’m seeing a lot of folks throwing out their experiences and recommendations, but the most critical questions haven’t even been asked, let alone answered:
1) What do you want to DO with the computer? Is it just for web and email, is it a full desktop replacement, or something inbetween? Personal, business, or both?
2) What capabilities are most important to you? Processing power/speed? Battery life? Weight? Price? Screen quality?
I’d ask the OS-related question about whether or not there are any Windows-only applications that are “must have”, but frankly, between Parallels, VMWare Fusion, and/or Boot Camp on a MacBook or WINE/Crossover on a Linux notebook, odds are there’s a way to make that run anyway.
I’ve had a Sony and the video went out within weeks of the extended warrantee expiring. We have two Toshibas right now and the hard disk has crashed on the first on we bought.
I have Dells as work PCs and while not fast or flashy they do hold up pretty good.
What counts for me:
1. Battery life.
2. USB ports! I like three or four and on both sides and the back.
3. Backlit keyboard. Makes life easier.
4. Lighter is better, but not if I lose the rest of this list
5. Number pad. Anything with a number pad has the larger screen.
If I’m really using the laptop as a primary daily work computer I want a docking station and dual monitors. I schedule industrial jobs for a living.
I have decided to test the battery today. Starting with 3:28 left @ 95%. We’ll see what it does.
Like you both, I got an 13” Air a few weeks ago. Business usage is still on my company windows machine with Win 7 Enterprise, but the thought of going to touch screen 8 made me realize that if I had to learn a whole new interface, it might as well be Apple and save the grief.
My choice is not for everyone — good luck to all with what they can buy and want to use — but I have gone to the dark side.
I don't get it. Eventually the company is going to have to upgrade. Switching to the Mac for your personal computer is just going to end up making you learn a new interface twice, instead of once.
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