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Recommend me a laptop!

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XtRemE11
Posts: 5680 - Karma: 246
So its time for me to get a new laptop, just thought id ask here and see what you guys recommend.
Im looking for something pretty travel friendly, i do a lot of traveling so something a little smaller, and with good battery life would be ideal. i'll be using it for a little of everything, work, picture/video editing, music, etc..

so far ive just been looking at the 11 or 13 inch macbook air, and the 13 inch macbook pro with retina display. but im definitely open to the other options. it seems like everything non mac is pretty hit or miss, some people i know get a PC and love it, ive used some that seemed great, and im fine with the OS, but some have nothing but problems, my friends asus literally fell apart after a month.
and i will probably dual boot if i get a mac..
Feb 18 2013 11:04AM
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BrewskiJr
Posts: 5738 - Karma: 1,478
Whatever you get don't get an HP. They suck. I feel like a Mac would be your best bet for what you need it for. If you only need to do very basic functions on the dual boot (write a paper, single sheet excel documents) then a Mac is probably what you want.
Feb 18 2013 11:10AM
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.AR6rider.
Posts: 15976 - Karma: 8,799
.
Feb 18 2013 11:12AM
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introvert
Posts: 4718 - Karma: 1,482
Fuck Macs.




Get any laptop with an i7 processor and Nvidia Geforce GPU.
Feb 18 2013 11:14AM
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Stainr
Posts: 1186 - Karma: -1,150

No.

Mac pro./thread solved

Feb 18 2013 11:21AM
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XtRemE11
Posts: 5680 - Karma: 246
why only very basic functions on the dual boot?
Feb 18 2013 11:23AM
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HitTheJim
Posts: 787 - Karma: 399
If you're willing to spend that money on a mac then go for it

Feb 18 2013 11:27AM
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corona
Posts: 12803 - Karma: 32,817
if you want to spend 2 or 3 grand, get a mac. if you want to spend 800-1000 for the exact same computer in a different case that'll last just as long, get a higher end lenovo, toshiba, asus, acer, sony, etc etc.
Feb 18 2013 11:28AM
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BrewskiJr
Posts: 5738 - Karma: 1,478
Dual boot does not have the same power as a normal PC does (don't believe what anyone tells you otherwise). In a lot of my business classes here in college we have to use Microsoft Excel/Access/Word very heavily. A ton of people here have Mac's and their computers literally could not handle it. Yeah, you can run Word and write a multi-page paper, but anything more involved than that will run extremely slow or crash. The Mac users in those classes either end up renting a PC, going to the library for a PC, or using a friends PC when it comes to these processes.

Its just a pain in the ass if you plan on using it for that. But you said you were going to use your laptop for editing and stuff which is much better compared to most PC's.
Feb 18 2013 11:29AM
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corona
Posts: 12803 - Karma: 32,817
that's because they're using boot camp. if you did a true dual boot right from the get-go by partitioning the drive when it was empty and installing windows on one partition and mac on another but installing them independently of each other then there would be no problem.
Feb 18 2013 11:35AM
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stezybake[D]oven
Posts: 370 - Karma: 36
mac i doubt ull be disappointed
Feb 18 2013 11:37AM
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BrewskiJr
Posts: 5738 - Karma: 1,478
Thats exactly what my roommate did sophomore year. He was a real techy so he wasn't worried about it at all at the start of the semester, yet he still borrowed my Dell for all the homeworks/projects.
Feb 18 2013 11:40AM
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XtRemE11
Posts: 5680 - Karma: 246
1700 for the pro with retina and 1300-1400 for the air. yeah its still pretty expensive, but i can also write this off as a business expense as thats what ill be using it for most the time :) so price isnt a huge concern, but still, no reason to waste money if i dont have to.
Feb 18 2013 11:43AM
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doGelyst
Posts: 2492 - Karma: 509
I just went from a macbook to a PC laptop and ive been very happy. I've usually had my desktop (PC) around but always had a mac mobile, figured id switch since win7 is pretty solid. I got a Lenovo w/ an i7 , 8GB ram, gt 555m. It was only $600 as well. If I wanted similar specs in a mac, I'd be paying $1k+ (its a 15" tho). I'd def recommend Lenovo if you decide to go PC. And to anyone who claims macs are better for editing / video & photos, etc.........That is just a myth these days and just boils down to knowing how to use software.
Feb 18 2013 11:49AM
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grapejuice3000+
Posts: 2132 - Karma: 1,985
literally every pc ive had has stopped working within three months. i just dont get it, but it seems like macs dont really have that problem

Feb 18 2013 12:00PM
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Phil-X-
Posts: 7205 - Karma: 14,399
No.
Feb 18 2013 12:04PM
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BrewskiJr
Posts: 5738 - Karma: 1,478
You must buy shitty PC's. Let me guess. You went to best buy and bought one the sales rep recommended?

My Dell Latitude has been going 5 years strong. Never had to have it serviced, and still get HOURS. yes. Multiple HOURS of battery on a single charge (still from the OG battery). The only thing that is possibly wrong is it gets hot decently fast, but a new fan or internal dusting would probably fix that and keep it going for another couple years.

If you're gonna throw down money on a laptop at least do some research bevfore you pull the trigger. If you're going to impulse buy just get a Mac and save yourself the hastle. Otherwise, actually do research and talk to people who have had models that last long term. Every laptop will work great the first couple months. Its what happens after that really matters.

b
Feb 18 2013 12:04PM
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Dlud
Posts: 938 - Karma: 544
I've found that macs are more reliable and will probably stick around longer, but there is so much more you can do with a higher end windows computer. I would check out Lenovo for sure, my IBM thinkpad from 2001 can still run essential tasks. I currently have a MacBook 13inc, but in all honesty, I wish I had something that could do a little more. Do you're research before buying
Feb 18 2013 12:12PM
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Dlud
Posts: 938 - Karma: 544
Fuck *your
Feb 18 2013 12:13PM
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grapejuice3000+
Posts: 2132 - Karma: 1,985
thats exactly what ive done
Feb 18 2013 12:16PM
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Leafs2323
Posts: 355 - Karma: 195
ASUS makes an efficient laptop. i have some sort of ASUS and i love it
Feb 18 2013 12:17PM
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49566738265
Posts: 0 - Karma: 7,704
I've owned dozens of laptops over the years, and my 15" Macbook Pro has been the strongest. If you are going to be travelling a lot, the aluminum case is absolutely unbeatable when it comes to durability. No other laptop I've ever had survived drops on concrete with simple scratches.

You will pay for a MBP, but you'll get an insanely nice screen and outstanding reliability and durability. Since money isn't too big a concern for you I say MBP, that's the only downfall and you've conquered it.
Feb 18 2013 12:31PM
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XtRemE11
Posts: 5680 - Karma: 246
a couple people have recommended lenovo, ive used a couple and its really the only PC ive handled that feels as solid and well built as a mac. so one of their many models would definitely be an option for me. they are a lot closer to mac pricing, but for good reason. anyone have advice as to which specific models to look at?
Feb 18 2013 12:39PM
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DeRizzo
Posts: 3827 - Karma: 3,485
15" MacBook Pro

I couldn't be happier.
Feb 18 2013 12:42PM
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howlongcanausern
Posts: 4982 - Karma: 1,737
i manage ~200 computers and 30 servers for a living. these threads are all the same, just buy a fucking mac. nobody is going to convince you to buy a pc
Feb 18 2013 12:43PM
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corona
Posts: 12803 - Karma: 32,817
Yes. Only real difference in the guts is the motherboard, which you can get equivalent or better for almost any other laptop. everything else is the exact same. same intel processors, same graphics cards, same hard drives, same wireless cards, all readily available to put in any laptop you want. Same guts, different case.
Feb 18 2013 1:01PM
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HungryHypocrite
Posts: 765 - Karma: 939
if you go for a mac, take the MBP.. if you do photo/video a lot get the 15 inch..
I wouldn't get the retina, I dont think the retina and ssd is worth the lack of a good screen and the customiseability, i have 1500GB in mine right now if you know what I'm talkin bout
Feb 18 2013 1:26PM
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howlongcanausern
Posts: 4982 - Karma: 1,737
whether mac or pc invest in an ssd and keep all your movies/large files on a USB thumb drive or external HDD
Feb 18 2013 1:32PM
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corona
Posts: 12803 - Karma: 32,817
definitely don't do this. use external HD. flash stick memory degrades over time.
Feb 18 2013 1:35PM
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howlongcanausern
Posts: 4982 - Karma: 1,737
im not aware of a storage medium that does not degrade over time.

although HDDs are fairly reliable, all it takes is one bump off a desk and BAM lost all your shit.

of course this discussion is moot because nobody backs their shit up and shouldn't have to because macs just work and never fail *rolls eyes*
Feb 18 2013 1:41PM
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corona
Posts: 12803 - Karma: 32,817
well I've had flash sticks with pictures on it that I've just left without touching and having a lot of corrupt files after only a couple years. a hard drive will not degrade nearly that fast. it'd take a couple decades.
Feb 18 2013 1:45PM
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Phil-X-
Posts: 7205 - Karma: 14,399
Macbook Pro = $1,500 (roughly) = 4-5+ years easily
Windows Laptop = $600 (average) = 2-5 years max


Sure windows laptops can last longer, but then you need to spend more then $1200
Feb 18 2013 1:47PM
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Mitchell.
Posts: 1650 - Karma: 630
LOL!
Feb 18 2013 1:50PM
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BrewskiJr
Posts: 5738 - Karma: 1,478
Its true... You can deck out a PC for the same price as a basic Mac. I bought an extended battery for my Dell and i still get several hours on a single charge.....Oh and its 5 years old.
Feb 18 2013 1:57PM
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corona
Posts: 12803 - Karma: 32,817
my dad still has a windows 3.1 laptop from I think 1993 that runs perfectly fine. he still uses it for stuff too. it's older than 9/10ths of the people who posted in this thread. There's also a windows 95 laptop that's in perfectly good working condition that's from 96 or 97. most people I went to school with bought a laptop for their first year of uni 5 years ago. I was the only one whose had to buy a new one now afer 4 1/2 years of putting it through hell. It was also an HP, which is probably the least durable.
Feb 18 2013 2:03PM
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XtRemE11
Posts: 5680 - Karma: 246
im pretty set now on a 13 inch macbook pro, even with the retina display, its not much more than a similar quality PC.
Feb 19 2013 11:29AM
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Mitchell.
Posts: 1650 - Karma: 630
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Feb 19 2013 11:47AM
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Mitchell.
Posts: 1650 - Karma: 630
good call, you may not need the retina display, especially if you want to keep budget down.
Feb 19 2013 11:48AM
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Kooky_Lukey
Posts: 1002 - Karma: 1,966
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Feb 19 2013 12:05PM
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Kooky_Lukey
Posts: 1002 - Karma: 1,966
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Feb 19 2013 12:05PM
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chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,121
my last macbook was awesome. It lasted me 5 years. In that time I upgraded the ram, upgraded the hardrive, and was going to upgrade the battery before I killed it.

my current macbook pro is non-upgradable. I am stuck with 8gb ram and 256gb of storage and one battery. When anything goes, or when 8gb becomes inadequite, I will need to buy a new computer.

Macs are NO LONGER a good option for long-term use. They will last longer than a cheap windows laptop, but you won't see many people rocking 7 year old macbook pros like you do now.

That being said, there are only two windows-free laptops I like right now. One is the 13" dell, the other is a 14" ZaReason. Everything else is bulky and plastic and doesn't fit my lifestyle. I wish that 14" existed when I bought this rMBP. Just got linux running on metal. It's not yet usable with this screen. Need to wait till a distro gets the scaling for the screen done.
Feb 19 2013 12:39PM
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Randy_Quench
Posts: 5447 - Karma: 4,343
refurbished 13 inch mbp with the dual quad core i7. cheap (relative to a new mac) and quick.
Feb 19 2013 12:40PM
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chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,121
I love the retina display. Really the difference is amazing. This is no doubt the way all laptops will be in the future. If you want to get a computer to last you the next 5 years, I would highly recommend getting a high res screen. I think the res on this thing is a bit overkill, but I wouldn't buy less than a 1080 screen on a 14"-15"
Feb 19 2013 12:45PM
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Laurent.
Posts: 10056 - Karma: 25,313
Get a Mac, if you really want a purely windows based machine get a Lenovo Thinkpad in the same pricerange as a Mac.
Feb 19 2013 12:48PM
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chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,121
where are you buying an $800-$1000 high end laptop that matches the specs of a 2k-3k mac?

I think the difference is more like $1600 vs $2200 for similar guts.
Feb 19 2013 12:48PM
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Mitchell.
Posts: 1650 - Karma: 630
yeah thats true, just trying to think budget wise
Feb 19 2013 12:50PM
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Mitchell.
Posts: 1650 - Karma: 630
but keep in mind the Mac O/S is excellent at optimizing system specs, the memory they use is fast and real quality, rather than 8GB just to say it has 8GB, it has a very nice high quality ram chip in the system that will still be very efficient in the coming years when 8GB slowly begins to be considered obsolete. Also, my bet is that 8GB will be considered obsolete in 5-6 years, which is a responsible time frame for upgrading your computer. Just my thoughts
Feb 19 2013 12:57PM
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theblackrod
Posts: 2162 - Karma: 575
I just looked and there was a really good thread somewhere about this, but I couldnt' find it.

My recommendation: Lenovo Think-Pad. T410S I believe I have. Excellent computers. i7 core processor and i upgraded the RAM to 4 gigs from 2. Love the thing.
Feb 19 2013 12:58PM
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chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,121
Fair enough. But if budget is a concern I would not consider a (new) macbook at all. Will you be using the computer for school? What kind of phone do you have?
Feb 19 2013 1:01PM
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7springsprod
Posts: 2661 - Karma: 3,181
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Feb 19 2013 1:06PM
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chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,121
This is safari, with one tab open, using over 5GB of RAM on my macbook.

Click for larger image

My computer uses about 1.3GB of RAM just running OSX. It uses less than half of that running Ubuntu 12.10 (which is by no means a lightweight OS). My last laptop only shipped with 2GB ram. The only thing that mac OSX is excellent at is optimizing battery life because they have very good graphics switching.
Feb 19 2013 1:07PM
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