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College laptop for €1500

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  • 17-07-2006 9:33pm
    #1
    zil
    Registered Users Posts: 317 ✭✭


    I'm looking for a laptop for when i go back to college at the end of the summer. Im going to be starting a computer course with a fair bit of java and c++ programming. I've been looking at the 2.0 ghz macbook with a gig of ram and a dell XPS M1210 (configured similar to the macbook). However im a little confused.

    When I specced the dell with similar componants to the macbook it turned out to be €300 more expensive and from several reviews i've read the macbook's battery life is close to twice that of the dell which is a significant consideration for me.

    If i get the macbook im almost certainly going to be using osx however whats to stop me paying €100 (educational discount) for xp and booting xp on the mac. It seems to me that if i did that i'd get a laptop with similar specs and a better battery life for €200 cheaper. Surely that can't be right?

    One other thing, from what ive read, coding java on osx is realativly easy to set up and well supported. However from a bit of googling i've haven't found too much info on c++. Does anyone have any experience of c++ coding on a mac.

    I'm not dead set on the macbook or the dell so if anyone has some other suggestions i'd love to hear them.

    Thanks for the help


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    #2
    jimmycrackcorm
    Registered Users Posts: 14,331 ✭✭✭✭jimmycrackcorm


    For development make sure you get a 17" wide screen ( for all those side panels). Also I'd think that a macbook would be a strange choice for development. It might look cool but a core duo dual booting XP/Vista and linux would be a much better bet. I know that you should be able to run xp on the mac but there are much cheaper options with other core duos.


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    #3
    rainbow kirby
    Moderators, Regional Abroad Moderators Posts: 26,928 Mod ✭✭✭✭rainbow kirby


    Java is really handy on OSX... haven't done any C++ on my iBook though. I'm about to upgrade to a Macbook Pro, but for the last year I've been doing all my coding on a 12" laptop and I've managed fine. :)


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    #4
    sceptre
    Registered Users Posts: 19,608 ✭✭✭✭sceptre


    zil wrote:
    However from a bit of googling i've haven't found too much info on c++. Does anyone have any experience of c++ coding on a mac.
    I've absolutely no experience of it at all on a mac but given that when you go all geeky you'll presumably be using any old text editor to type code and using gcc to compile there's no disadvantage to using the mac at all.


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    #5
    majiktripp
    Registered Users Posts: 2,471 ✭✭✭majiktripp


    The other thing about the price difference is that the M1210 is relatively brand new to Dell and they rarely if ever have good deals on newer technology or any offers of any kind.You could also save some money buying the mac book pro using the educational route too on apple.ie.I believe it saves you roughly €50 off the retail price from there wesbite.If you know anyone in the states I'd recommend you get the laptop over there (the mac that is) as the prices are rediculous here,I paid €599 for a mac mini (thats dollars remember) and its €627 here.With a €1500 budget though you have multiple options so keep scouting around and keep an eye on the dell weekly offers,something else might catch your eye.....


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