Buying a Mac Laptop

[Doubleshadow]

I decided after one technical difficulty too many with my old computer to buy a new computer of the variety mentioned in the thread title to take to graduate school. Thing is, I know next to nothing about Mac OS or laptops. I know I need a network port, a wireless port, and a printer port, and I'll need all the programs one would get in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel) plus Mathmatica and HyperChem.
If anyone could give me an idea of what a good model and price for a laptop that can do what I described is, I would much appreciate it. It would also be nice if it didn't spontaneously combust at the first hint of concussive force.

[Kenshin17]

Well a few things.

First, don't even worry about knowing how to use OS X. Its easy, easier then Windows in my opinion. I could wax poetic about this point but I will leave it at that.

Mac come standard with LAN (network), and Airport (Wireless) so your covered there. Macs do NOT come with the old parellel connectors for printers, they do however have a healthy number of USB ports.

You can get Office for Mac with Word, Excel, Powerpoint, but NOT Access for about 150 (though you may wanna hold out for the new version later this year that is a universal, so it will run better on Intel Macs.

I have no clue about Mathmatica or HyperChem so my guess is they are Windows only.

A good model for you since I am guessing you do not game or do serious grpahics stuff is probobly the MacBook line. they start at about $1099 I think. If you want more graphics prowess you would have to go with a MacBook Pro.

Here are the MacBooks: MacBooks

Screen size is also an issue. If you want a bigger screen you will have to go MacBook Pro.

MacBook Pros: MacBook Pros

I am not sure how well they handle drops, but asside from a toughbook I don't know of any laptops that can take a real serious beating. Macs do have a sudden motion sensor that I hear is to stop the hard drive if it moves to sudden, but I don't know how well this works nor am I about to risk 3000 dallors to find out XD

I have banged mine a few times and it doesn't seem to be effected in the slightest.

And now My personal recommendation: BUY A MAC XD

Ok more realistic, if those two programs you mentioned are Windows only and you MUST have them, then buy a PC. If they are Mac also or if you can live without them, go Mac. Thats my personal view. I would go to the homesites of those two programs, Mathmatica and HyperChem, and see if they make Mac versions.

[Etoh*the*Greato]

I have a tendency to drop minemore than I like, and it always makes me angry for the rest of the day, but as far as I've observed, it handles better than other laptops I've seen when dropped. Just expect the frame to be bent up a bit.

[mechana2015]

Another option, since you seem to be in the technical spectrum of the professional/college life, is to use bootcamp (http://www.apple.com/macosx/bootcamp/), a free software for intel based macs, and aquire a copy of windows XP and you'll be able to run windows specific programs on windows side, and everything else on the mac side of the mac laptop.

I personally suggest the Macbook Pro, as it has larger hard drives, a more robust graphics card (the macbook's is integrated into the motherboard, and takes a chunk of the RAM ), larger screen options, and has a metal case and chassis that seem to be rather resiliant. I have the predecessor to this computer and it's served me well for three years of very intense operation.

[Etoh*the*Greato]

You might wanna wait until later to buy a mac, though. This fall The new OS X will be coming out. Bootcamp will come standard in a non Beta format by then. Wait until you can get that.

[mechana2015]

You might wanna wait until later to buy a mac, though. This fall The new OS X will be coming out. Bootcamp will come standard in a non Beta format by then. Wait until you can get that.

A very good point Etoh. I'm waiting on buying a new mac until then, though I'm looking at a Mac Pro, not a laptop.

[Mithrandir]

I have seen pleanty of people who like to run parallels, which will run both windows and OS X at the same time. That or bootcamp is your best bet for running your windows apps.

Tangent: If you get a mac book pro, they come with an extra DVI output on them.

I just got one at work; it's pretty cool.

[Raiden no Kishi]

A few points that have probably already been made:

1. Mac OS X is crazy easy to use. It's very, very intuitive. I love it to death.

2. If you get the latest models [MacBook/Pro], they can run Windows [although you will need to have a copy of Windows, just like a PC].

3. If you don't need a particularly large screen, I'd go with a black MacBook. The black finish looks to be about the best as far as looking good. I have a metal-finish PowerBook and it will scratch if you're not careful ~ the MacBook Pro has the same finish, so it should be similar. However, there are plenty of ways to practically carry one and keep it looking "SO GOOD!".

4. Macs are awesome. If you get one, you'll like it. ^_^

.rai//

[chibiphonebooth]

i have a macbook pro.

I LOVE IT.

get one. I COMMAND YOU.
seriously, it's so nice and smooth, and runs so nice. seriously, best investment ever.

i got one for christmas.

seriously though, i was a die-hard PC fan, and I was always like I WILL NEVER GET A MAC A;LWKEIEG.

and then my parents got me a mac for christmas cause i needed one for art college.

my life became wonder.

[blkmage]

The thing about Macs is that they may frustrate you if you expect it to behave like Windows. The hardest thing to learn in any other operating system, really, is that the Windows way is not the only way to do something. Often times, Windows will do something ridiculously unintuitive, but the only reason you expect it to be done that way is because you've been used to it for so long. If you get past that, it'll be fairly quick to learn.

[Mithrandir]

[quote="chibiphonebooth"]seriously though, i was a die-hard PC fan, and I was always like I WILL NEVER GET A MAC A]
Some of you might find this hard to believe, but *I* was this way only a few years ago. Before Apple released OS X.

[Etoh*the*Greato]

Also, once you get your Mac, Quicksilver for the win.

Seriously, I've been using PCs my whole life. I built my current desktop when I was in highschool and spent much time keeping it abreast of the latest technology. The first night I used the laptop I worked with it for about ten minutes and said, "My word, what have I DONE?! I can't take this thing back now, the box is opened!" After my initial trepidation, I suddenly got the hang of it, and I've been in love ever since.

[Kenshin17]

I love the installation and unistallation. I was not aware that installing and uninstalling could be easy XD Windows is ridiculous about installing. Macs its painfully easy. Drag and drop. Seriously that all there is to it XD I love OS X.

Gods gift to computer geeks is Unix.

[Etoh*the*Greato]

I love the installation and unistallation. I was not aware that installing and uninstalling could be easy XD Windows is ridiculous about installing. Macs its painfully easy. Drag and drop. Seriously that all there is to it XD I love OS X.

I'd had a difficult time believing that's all there could be. I kept looking for a "add remove programs" setup.

[Kenshin17]

Indeed. Microsoft makes things more complicated then they have to be. That has gotta be the highlight for me.

Wanna get rid of a program? Just trash it. No registry to worry about, just a couple of library folders XD

[Puguni]

However, a word of caution: MacBooks, at least Pros, have a heating problem. I can't run Photoshop without the fan at full power, which doesn't seem to alleviate much.

[Kenshin17]

Odd....haven't had one problem with mine. And I live where it is hot, humid and generally not conducive to computers. Quite frankly I am stunned at how well my Mac keeps the heat away from my fingerses.

[chibiphonebooth]

my macbook pro can get hot, but nothing wearing pants wont prevent.

I mean, if you go placing your pro on your legs without pants, then yes, it'll hurt, but it's s'all good in the hood if you wear your pants, yo.

for some reason- i turned ghetto right there? <.<

>.>

*slinks away*

[Kenshin17]

Truth, I use mine on a table most of the time, no problems then.

[chibiphonebooth]

i have mine on my lap all the time.

sometimes when i wear skirts, i put a pillow between my legs and my lappy.
so my legs dont go 'EYEM ON FIIIYYYYERRRRRR!!1!11!12"11!!

but its really no problem. XP

also, i think one of my faves about macs- besides the add/remove applications thing (so darn easy)
is the hot corners.

I love how one corner makes all the windows open just go away so i can see my desktop, and the other corner shows me all the windows i have open.

it's SO HELPFUL.

instead of minimizing everything and being like WHERE IS THAT DOWNLOAD SCREEN?

i can just roll my mouse over to the corner and see.
its like happiness in a can.

[Puguni]

my macbook pro can get hot, but nothing wearing pants wont prevent.

I always put the tablet on a hard surface, because I'm afraid of breaking it because it's expensive and because the handbook told me not to because it would interfere with ventilation. ;3; Maybe I'm being paranoid.

I don't have a problem with me burning my skin, but rather the operation. It acts weird when it's super hot. Sometimes I suspect it has turned my Airport off.

[chibiphonebooth]

hm, wierd.

maybe you should get that checked out. :/

i actually had a wierd problem with mine, the magnetic charger thing melted itself. XD
so i had to get a replacement one. ;-;
I got it for free though.

but it was weird because it just... melted. i saw all the wires and everything.

[Kenshin17]

First gen magsafes did have that problem

Mine doesn't seem to have any problem with heat. It gets hot with extended use, but its never hot where I touch it, ie keyboard and trackpad.

[Etoh*the*Greato]

[quote="chibiphonebooth"]hm, wierd.

maybe you should get that checked out. :/

i actually had a wierd problem with mine, the magnetic charger thing melted itself. XD
so i had to get a replacement one. ]
The Macbooks as a series are known for getting a lil hot. Honestly, all of them do. It's nothing to worry about, just the normal shunting of heat. If you're honestly worried about it, they make fan stands for laptops that you can buy and put at the station you work the most at. As for the charger melting... That's... Yeah, wow. That sucks, for sure, but that's the coolest product breakdown I've ever heard of!

[Raiden no Kishi]

The heat issue is probably also related to the computer's metallic skin. I have the Pro's predecessor, the G4 PowerBook, and they warned about heat in much the same way. It gets warm, but I always wear pants. Unless I'm wearing my uber-comfortable kilt. ^_^

.rai//

[Etoh*the*Greato]

the heat issue occurs in both the macbook and the pro. It's part of that whole "quieter laptop" thing. The fans they have are fewer. I think they were looking for alternative cooling ideas.

[Mithrandir]

On my most recent acquisition, it appears the entire back of the laptop is *open* when the screen is up. This should allow a great deal of airflow, but it makes me nervous around drinks, etc.

[Etoh*the*Greato]

Drinks make me nervous anyway. *coddles his Macbook*

[Cardinalman]

I decided after one technical difficulty too many with my old computer to buy a new computer of the variety mentioned in the thread title to take to graduate school. Thing is, I know next to nothing about Mac OS or laptops. I know I need a network port, a wireless port, and a printer port, and I'll need all the programs one would get in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel) plus Mathmatica and HyperChem.
If anyone could give me an idea of what a good model and price for a laptop that can do what I described is, I would much appreciate it. It would also be nice if it didn't spontaneously combust at the first hint of concussive force.

one you dont need to know a whole lot about mac osx, I have mac and i dont know a whole lot but it is easy to use and you dont really have to worry about virises is because OS is built strong unlike Windows, Two I would recomend going to macmall.com,net, or org to get a good deal on computers and programs and other stuff

[Mithrandir]

Actually, if you are a student, try you college bookstore or asking for the student discount from the apple store. In my experience, apple doesn't really allow people do discount their stuff much.