Buying a new laptop! Looking for some advice.

[Kumbai]

Hey~

So I'm wanting to buy a new laptop for university and I'm just wondering if people could suggest something that would be worth me getting. I'm not very good with the hardware side of things... I'm in the UK btw.

Would I be better going for a Mac or should I stick with Windows. Moneywise isn't an issue for me so spending a bit more on something that will last me for a good while isn't too big of a concern. I have 4-5 years left on my degree so if I could get something that will last me that would be dandy.

It will mainly be used for doing coursework, streaming videos, porn and some general game playing (I'm a bit of a Sims whore).

Any help would be great

Thanks

[octopus]

If you want to play games, macs are out of the question.

I don't know if the sager laptops are available in UK, but like the other laptop threads I'd recommend them.

[Isiolia]

If you want to play games, macs are out of the question.

I wouldn't say out the question - but considering that the top end GPU they offer is the 6750M, which sits more at the upper end of midrange...there are far more cost-effective machines (especially since that GPU is only on the higher end 15" MBP or the 17").

Would I be better going for a Mac or should I stick with Windows

The only real reason to go with a Mac is because your coursework requires the use of Mac-only software, such as Final Cut Pro. Strong personal preference or having used the platform for a long time (and thus having an investment in software/etc), to me, are also fairly good reasons, but not everyone would agree =P

Moneywise isn't an issue for me so spending a bit more on something that will last me for a good while isn't too big of a concern. I have 4-5 years left on my degree so if I could get something that will last me that would be dandy.

If money isn't as much a concern, pay for a good warranty. Accidental damage, next-day service, etc, from a company that actually offers it (Apple doesn't). It'll likely add a few hundred (dollars anyway) onto your purchase, but if you ever need it, it'll be worth every cent.

Alienware might be a decent consideration for you - not because of the name so much, but due to them actually being fairly decent gaming machines that you can get covered under Dell's comprehensive warranty. In my experience, they tend to be one of the better companies to get service from provided you pay for their better warranties. For Dell labeled, theXPS is probably decent if you like the design (I don't), or stick with their business models (Latitude, Precision).
HP is hit and miss, but their Envy series may suit you (nice industrial design if that's what you like about Macs). I'm somewhat leery of the brand due to reliability issues with models I've had at work, but everything has some issue or another.

I'd say to avoid Sony. Their service is shit, even with an extended plan.

[The Stig]

You sure money won't be an issue? You'll be paying £9000 out your ass come next year, or are the prices fixed if you joined in before prices went up?

Otherwise, Alienware m17x hands down if you don't plan to carry it around with you (I recommend not to unless you're build like Arnold).

I've checked John Lewis, looks like they took out all the extreme laptops and replaced it with average Joe laptops. I'll hunt around for other recommendations if possible.

[Kumbai]

You sure money won't be an issue? You'll be paying £9000 out your ass come next year, or are the prices fixed if you joined in before prices went up?

I took 2 years out to work full time so I had money for uni since I have no family support (besides my retired grandmother). If you start before the rates go up then you pay that for your entire course. I have a scholarship for my first year anyways so makes it a bit cheaper.

I'm doing a chemistry degree so as far as I know it will not be requiring any special software.

I currently have a Dell XPS M1530... I killed it with FFXI and leaving it on for like 4months straight... has alot of problems now so I'm wanting something completely new... I used to FFXI on my PC and use my laptop for other stuff and my laptop would still die every 6months after me having it for about a year so I wouldn't get another Dell.. had too many bad experiences with them between my PC, my laptop and my grans netbook... which is mainly why I was looking at Macs since I like using them and everyone I know that has had one wouldn't go back to a PC.

[KCem]

You sure money won't be an issue? You'll be paying £9000 out your ass come next year, or are the prices fixed if you joined in before prices went up?

/offtopic
If are enrolled to start this September, you'll be paying the old rates, and it's fixed for the duration of the course. If you enrol to start in 2012, you will be paying the new fees (£9000+)

[Maguspk]

Macs are really great laptops but you will be overpaying. I think the 15" MBP is a pretty solid deal though, and if you upgrade to an SSD you get rid of the 5400 RPM drive bottleneck and end up with a very solid machine. There is something to be said about the weight of a laptop though, you will find youself not wanting to carry it around places sometimes so consider carefully the form and weight. You can dual boot a Mac into Windows too so if you are not without access to the more popular OS with more applications/games if that is a worry for you.

[*Shinzon*]

Ok I'm gonna hijack Kumbai's thread, and ask a similar question. I'm close to deciding on whether or not I'm going to go to law school this year and I'm looking for a Laptop myself that would be durable and not terribly expensive. It needs to just be able to handle heavy word processing and multitasking like browsing and be a decent media player for videos and things of that sort. I'm thinking of maybe building a new pc later on for gaming but I don't do a lot of heavy pc gaming currently so I'm not terrible concerned with it having beefy graphics but maybe just enough to be passable. I guess I'd just be looking at something midrange in terms of performance, any ideas?

[Gredival]

OP if you ride your machines hard, they wear out faster. That is an inescapable part of hardware. It is easier to deal with when working with full PCs, but laptops are built to be portable and even behemoth notebooks like the Alienware m17x are compressed. This means that heat is even harder to deal with.

Mac's are extremely streamlined and I can only imagine this being a bigger issue with that uniform aluminum case. However if your original post is really the limits of what you will do, I don't think a gaming notebook is truly necessary. I don't recall the Sims requiring high end graphics last I recall.

I think you are generally safe to go with a mid-range or a more portable solution with hybrid graphics. However a) you should invest in a good cooling solution, b) you should consider going higher end than what you require so that you aren't pushing the system to its limits every day and c) be mindful of system stress you are imposing on it, especially say during hot summer weather.

Number one thing I always point out for students getting a machine is to keep weight in mind. It's annoying lugging around something like the m17 to class everyday. You don't realize the benefits of a smaller laptop with hybrid graphics until the weight is, literally, off your shoulders.

Ok I'm gonna hijack Kumbai's thread, and ask a similar question. I'm close to deciding on whether or not I'm going to go to law school this year and I'm looking for a Laptop myself that would be durable and not terribly expensive. It needs to just be able to handle heavy word processing and multitasking like browsing and be a decent media player for videos and things of that sort. I'm thinking of maybe building a new pc later on for gaming but I don't do a lot of heavy pc gaming currently so I'm not terrible concerned with it having beefy graphics but maybe just enough to be passable. I guess I'd just be looking at something midrange in terms of performance, any ideas?

The only things you really need for Law School are Word, Firefox (to be on Google Chat all class), and when exams come around Electronic Bluebook. Your machine will be defined by the level of game you want to run and the quality of graphics you want those games on.

Give me a bare minimum of gaming to work with here. As I said above, consider weight. Especially in law school you'll be spending a lot of time between classes, the library, and probably a coffee shop.

[Shibo]

I did a lot of searching around when I decided to buy my laptop last year, and ended up going with an ASUS. I go to college for computer science, so I do a lot of multi-tasking on it, work processing, gaming, coding, watching movies / streaming, etc. I have had like no problems with it whatsoever in the year and a half I have had it (except for a loose monitor cable that occasionally causes flickering, but I only see it once a month or so and I could've prolly gotten it fixed before my 1 year warranty was up, they do offer 2 year extensions, but I am a cheap bastard). The only thing that sucks about it is the battery life is awful, but I am always in a lab or my dorm room, or somewhere I can plug it in at, but ASUS does make laptops with battery life in mind.

For both people looking to buy one in this thread, just check Newegg's ASUS section of laptops. Also if you plan to really do any gaming at all and money isn't really an issue, try to get one that comes with an actual graphics card and not that shitty intel gma 4500 (I think that is the current on board model)

[highhigh]

ASUS is always my vote.

[Bethany]

I took 2 years out to work full time so I had money for uni since I have no family support (besides my retired grandmother). If you start before the rates go up then you pay that for your entire course. I have a scholarship for my first year anyways so makes it a bit cheaper.

I'm doing a chemistry degree so as far as I know it will not be requiring any special software.

I currently have a Dell XPS M1530... I killed it with FFXI and leaving it on for like 4months straight... has alot of problems now so I'm wanting something completely new... I used to FFXI on my PC and use my laptop for other stuff and my laptop would still die every 6months after me having it for about a year so I wouldn't get another Dell.. had too many bad experiences with them between my PC, my laptop and my grans netbook... which is mainly why I was looking at Macs since I like using them and everyone I know that has had one wouldn't go back to a PC.

Go with a MacBook Pro and get Apple Care. You can game causally on Macs just fine. Hell, most games are released on Mac and PC anymore. As far as durability goes, they are very durable, and you can manage the fans if need be for intense usage where heat would be an issue. If you already are familiar with the OS and like using them as you said, then it's a no brainer. The two best reasons I can give for going with a Mac for school are as follows.

If you purchase your MacBook Pro and Apple Care, you are set for the next three years with practically any issues that arise from your purchase. You get friendly, localized (non outsourced to India like Dell) phone support, as well as face to face support at any of the United Kingdoms 29 Apple Store Locations. Apple is number one in computer customer service, usually ranking 80-90% satisfaction versus say Dell with 50%.

The second reason I can give is resale value. If you take care of your MacBook Pro, owners easily are able to resell them with minimal depriciation, unlike every other laptop. If you time it right, you can even make back a larger portion of the initial cost by selling it with a couple of months left on your Apple Care plan. The plan is transferable and potential buyers are comfortable knowing if something is wrong they can easily get it repaired at no cost to them. You then purchase a newer model with with very little added extra cost.

We used to be a Windows PC home for many years. We went through Compaqs, HP, and finally Dell. Every single one was headache after headache. After dealing with Dell's tech support for like the tenth time, we had it. We then went the build your own, but even that was more trouble than we were willing to keep putting into it.

Finally in 07 we went Apple, and have not looked back since. Even the slightest problems have been fixed, and completely to our satisfaction. To give you an example, one of the little rubber grip feet on one of our MacBook Pros fell off. I called Apple and asked about the possibility of buying another little foot, they laughed at me and said no problem. The gentleman said it was covered with Apple Care for free, took my info and said replacement kit was on the way.

The call to Apple was on Monday afternoon, Wednesday morning FedEx was at the door. Little things like that impress me. It's no lie that the Apple Premium you pay is a lot, but you get what you pay for. That enough is going to keep us loyal customers.

[Zansho]

I can eschew Bethany's comments regarding Apple's customer service - they are, without a doubt, probably the best when it comes to that.

I have several Apple products - Ipad (1st Gen), a MacBook Pro, and a G5 Tower - all for my photography work. I've had the laptop and the G5 serviced, but I bought the extended Apple Care plan, and the folks from Apple took care of me, from day one. My laptop had to have a hard drive replaced - the store replaced it right on the spot, with transferring all my files over that same day. Eventually, there were a couple of other issues with the laptop - I took it back, (about 2 years later) with about a week left on the Apple Care plan, and they pretty much said the laptop is done - and handed me a new one with comparable specs, AND transferred all my files over. NO COST TO ME WHATSOEVER.

In comparison, I've had a Dell XPS 1530, and Dell's customer service is terrible. Had to get a motherboard replaced twice, and on the third time, I told them I was tired of playing the motherboard lottery, and they should just send me a new computer since I'm still covered under warranty - they said "let us keep fixing this one!" Fuck that. I had them fix it the last time, then promptly sold it on Ebay when it arrived to my door.

I do have a PC laptop now that I use for playing games (Sony Vaio) like FFXI, but in all honesty, the bulk of my work is on Mac. Yes, it's expensive. But you're getting top notch customer service, in addition to a quality product.

[Isiolia]

If you purchase your MacBook Pro and Apple Care, you are set for the next three years with practically any issues that arise from your purchase. You get friendly, localized (non outsourced to India like Dell) phone support, as well as face to face support at any of the United Kingdoms 29 Apple Store Locations. Apple is number one in computer customer service, usually ranking 80-90% satisfaction versus say Dell with 50%.

As long as it's not your fault. Apple doesn't offer accidental damage coverage. Incidentally, most upgraded warranties use localized tech support as well.

My first experience with Apple support was similar to yours - I called them hoping to get a replacement key, and they sent me a keyboard no questions. I was impressed.

'course, years (and hundreds of tech support claims) later, I realize that those kinds of parts are essentially disposable anyway. Most companies will send them during the warranty period with no question. I have a fair stack of the rubber feet for Dell D600 series because I used to tack them onto nearly any tech support request. /shrug.

Meanwhile, Apple's support just doesn't cover things where they count. For example, say you close your laptop on an ear bud (happens more often than I'd like) and it cracks. What's that Applecare going to do for you? Absolutely nothing. $700 repair (for a $150 LCD). Had you paid for the Dell comprehensive warranty? Next day fix. Heck, I had one person who stepped on her laptop on the bus, cracking the screen...had it replaced...10 days later she did it again. Replaced.

With PC support, you usually get what you pay for. For what you pay for Applecare, it's inferior to most PC OEMs. IE, Applecare for a 15" MBP is $349. That falls between a 3 and 4 year Advanced service plan for a 15" Dell XPS, which covers accidental damage, and includes on-site repair, which is another thing Applecare doesn't do.

One thing you do get though, is the walk-in support at the Apple Store. Provided you have an Apple Store nearby. A friend of mine who works at one touts that as a big advantage for the platform for certain types of users. Granted, they might only wind up referring you to a third party tech to do something for you, but it's better than paying out the ass for Geek Squad.
For those of us who wouldn't frequent either, it's not really worth it. The only issue I've had with my Macbook was a problem with OS X, and was fixed by a point upgrade after a couple months (Airport card would disable, couldn't enable, full format didn't fix it, was one of the early 10.6 issues). Applecare would just have resulted in an "engineers are working on it" answer, like the more recent MBP freezes.

[Bethany]

Isolia is right, it's true that Apple Care does NOT include accidental damage. It's been my experience though that people with Apple products tend to take better care of their tech. I guess paying the premium keeps that in the back of your mind to be careful. That being said accidents do happen, and it can hurt in the bank account if its your fault. It's just going to be a matter of personal opinion if the pros of having to deal with getting your total coverage from Dell outweigh the cons. I can safely say there were times when dealing with Dell that even though it was fully covered, I would have been willing to pay to just make their customer service nightmare end.

The rubber feet example I used was just my most recent dealings with Apple Care. I know the parts to replace it cost them pennies, but it was nice to have it arrive so fast and be hassle free.

The time before that though I had an issue with the top LCD not sitting flush when closed on my 17". It was not that way when we got it, it just was something that showed up over time. I called and the Apple Care specialist said they would need to check it and asked if I would be willing to take it in for an appointment or if I would like it overnighted back to Apple at their cost. I chose the Apple Store, went in and met with them. They saw me right away and took a look at it and saw it wasn't closing flush. They also noticed that when it was opened the lid movement was not as stiff as it should be.

They told me to have a seat and they would call me back when they were done. After about ten minutes they called me over and Said they were unable to fix it there at the location, so instead they had Apple approve a replacement. It was going to take them about two hours to upgrade the memory to the same as what I had, and move my files. For the inconvenience they were offering me an in store gift card for $20, and space in a training class for iLife that was about to start. If I wanted to leave and come back they would call when they were done. Again, little things like that mean a lot. True I had to take time out of my day to go there and wait, but I got a newer MacBook Pro, learned a few neat things i could do in some of my programs, and used the gift card for a new phone case.

You can get Apple Care for 15" and 17" MacBook Pros from Amazon for $240. If you want even cheaper you can get them on E-Bay for $150-200. The E-Bay ones are done in bulk with no retail box however, and just emailed codes.

There are always going to be people for PC and against Mac, or vice versa. For me personally, I prefer Mac and Apple in general. It's just easier having multiple Apple products in the ecosystem for my family.

[*Shinzon*]

OP if you ride your machines hard, they wear out faster. That is an inescapable part of hardware. It is easier to deal with when working with full PCs, but laptops are built to be portable and even behemoth notebooks like the Alienware m17x are compressed. This means that heat is even harder to deal with.

Mac's are extremely streamlined and I can only imagine this being a bigger issue with that uniform aluminum case. However if your original post is really the limits of what you will do, I don't think a gaming notebook is truly necessary. I don't recall the Sims requiring high end graphics last I recall.

I think you are generally safe to go with a mid-range or a more portable solution with hybrid graphics. However a) you should invest in a good cooling solution, b) you should consider going higher end than what you require so that you aren't pushing the system to its limits every day and c) be mindful of system stress you are imposing on it, especially say during hot summer weather.

Number one thing I always point out for students getting a machine is to keep weight in mind. It's annoying lugging around something like the m17 to class everyday. You don't realize the benefits of a smaller laptop with hybrid graphics until the weight is, literally, off your shoulders.




The only things you really need for Law School are Word, Firefox (to be on Google Chat all class), and when exams come around Electronic Bluebook. Your machine will be defined by the level of game you want to run and the quality of graphics you want those games on.

Give me a bare minimum of gaming to work with here. As I said above, consider weight. Especially in law school you'll be spending a lot of time between classes, the library, and probably a coffee shop.

You know, for me it's probably not even worth really considering a high end machine for gaming, I like having a PC and when I build my next one I'll probably build it to handle heavy gaming. The biggest things for me would be decent processing power, and ram. I usually have a lot of tabs open on firefox and I need to be able to work with multiple documents and not have the machine lag up on me. Basically the machine should just have decent video capability and be fast.

[*Shinzon*]

Here are some of the things I've been looking at.

Found one of these on newegg: http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/07/l...-x120e-review/

http://www.amazon.com/MSI-CR650-016U...f=pd_rhf_p_t_1

Just found these two today on Gizmodo:

http://www.techdealdigger.com/pr/che...hdd-deals/5376

http://www.techdealdigger.com/pr/che...ram-deals/5380

edit: Adding this one I just found, this one looks like a promising buy and I'd like to buy one soon as not to worry later so if anyone can look at these and let me know what they think I'd greatly appreciate it. I can also wait if people think there might be better deals on better machines in the future.

http://www.amazon.com/Acer-LX-RD502-...pr_product_top

[wyrmtung]

You're getting more than just specs when you buy a Mac. You get a more intuitive OS that "just works." If you stick within the Apple ecosystem then you know they will all plug and play. I am completely Apple (down to the paycheck) and I feel I'm spoiled because adding a peripheral to my system is as simple as turning on the device. I don't need to know code or advance systems knowledge.

Another thing you get with Apple is the customer service. You buy a Mac at an Apple Retail store and they will set up your system for you, transfer your old data from your PC, and give you hands on training on your system. All complimentary. The retail store will also fix your system, in many cases for free.

I had a friend that dropped her iPhone and cracked the screen. She got it from Best Buy so she went back there to get it fixed. They said it wasn't covered by warranty and she would have to pay for the repair. She took it to AT&T and they gave her the cold shoulder. Finally she went to the Apple Store after I told her she should have gone there first and they swapped out her phone with another phone. No questions asked and no charge.

Had another friend who had defective optical drive. She took it into an Apple Store and they said it was about 2 months past its warranty. They told her they would repair it for free anyway. (She said she name dropped me but I doubt that it had anything to do with their decision.)

Of course, your mileage may vary.

PC people like to talk about hardware specs and price. I say you get what you pay for, and I also say not everything about a product can be listed on a spec sheet. There's a reason why customer satisfaction is so high on Apple products. Maybe some people can be dismissed as Apple fanboys but we can't all be fanatics right? No amount of advertising and koolaid is enough to overcome a product that does not deliver. And a poor product would certainly not lead someone to keep buying from the same manufacturer.

[Isiolia]

Of course, your mileage may vary.

PC people like to talk about hardware specs and price. I say you get what you pay for, and I also say not everything about a product can be listed on a spec sheet. There's a reason why customer satisfaction is so high on Apple products. Maybe some people can be dismissed as Apple fanboys but we can't all be fanatics right? No amount of advertising and koolaid is enough to overcome a product that does not deliver. And a poor product would certainly not lead someone to keep buying from the same manufacturer.

My first Mac was a Performa 6320CD, which I bought in '96. Since then, I've always had a relatively current Mac (in fact, the Performa is the only one I don't still have). I've been doing IT for over a decade, supporting both Macs and PCs. I'm not exactly a fanboy for either side. There's stuff I like about either -though Apple hasn't exactly been catering to my user demographic much lately. Oh, gosh, just let me make my Mac act like an iPad with Lion, opleaseoplease ::

One thing to remember about Apple Store stuff is that it's only relevant if there's an Apple Store near you. The nearest one to me is over two and a half hours away, in another state. It's certainly better than what you have for most big box PC places (smaller shops vary), but most people aren't going to drive that far just to take a number at the Genius Bar.

There are a lot of reasons people would buy, and keep buying from Apple. It's not necessarily because they make exceptionally good products all the time. The majority of die-hard Mac users I know seriously don't know anything else. It doesn't take hinging on every word out of Cupertino to have irrational brand loyalty. There's a lot of Apple rhetoric that's steeped in vastly outdated or simplified information as well. My friend that works at an Apple Store was causing me a lot of facepalming when he visited last (which was inconvenient, as I had my wisdom teeth taken out while he was here). Granted, those of us who actually have something of a clue when it comes to computers are a harder sell on something that "just works".

[The Stig]

Kumbai: If you're going to buy a laptop, I suggest trying John Lewis if going the none apple route, the 2 years warranty/gaurantee you get with them are seriously handy. I saw a few £1000~ laptops, one of them a Sony (£1100) that's stashed with an i7, 6gb RAM and what I believe to be a rather high end GFX card (Radeon 58xx), for some reason work has blocked the site and I can't link it, I saw it last night before bed. I'll try to speak to one of the guys to get it unblocked.

Otherwise, the way you guys talk about apples kinda is making me want to get one!!