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macbook for student

  • 06-08-2009 7:26pm
    #1
    ya-ba-da-ba-doo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 884 ✭✭✭


    hi im heading to college next year and im thinking of buying the new macbook.

    This is the one i want to get. its the basic model for €891.81

    http://store.apple.com/ie-edu/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook?mco=MTE4MTY

    im pushing the budjet with this one as it is so please dont recommend a dearer one, i would just like to know if im getting value for money. im not going to be hit with loads of additional costs am i? i know ill have to get microsoft office student edition but is there anything else?

    could somebody tell me what iwork09, Aperture 2, Bento 2, final cut express 4 and filemaker 10 are?

    i dont need any extremely nice stuff.

    basically id like it to have a good, quick internet/broadband speed, wireless connecter, webcam, virus blocker, good memory for music, dvds, etc.. it can plat cd's dvd's, etc.. (it would be a bonus if it could burn cds/dvds too but im not bothered if it doesnt) ... and good graphics.

    i wont be using it for hardcore gaming or anything, i just want a good, reliable laptop and i really have a great feeling about this one.


    any help/ recommendations/ advice would be greatly appriciated.

    thanks a million.


    oh and a good battery life would be great.. thanks again.


Comments

  • #2
    Karoma
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,396 ✭✭✭✭Karoma


    ya-ba-da-ba-doo wrote: »
    im pushing the budjet with this one as it is so please dont recommend a dearer one, i would just like to know if im getting value for money. im not going to be hit with loads of additional costs am i?
    You're getting hit with an additional cost - the MacTax.
    i know ill have to get microsoft office student edition but is there anything else?
    Probably not? What course are you doing?
    could somebody tell me what iwork09, Aperture 2, Bento 2, final cut express 4 and filemaker 10 are?
    Look on the same website, or google it.
    i dont need any extremely nice stuff.
    Any laptop would probably do so.
    basically id like it to have a good, quick internet/broadband speed, wireless connecter, webcam, virus blocker, good memory for music, dvds, etc.. it can plat cd's dvd's, etc.. (it would be a bonus if it could burn cds/dvds too but im not bothered if it doesnt) ... and good graphics.
    Any laptop would probably do so.
    i wont be using it for hardcore gaming or anything, i just want a good, reliable laptop and i really have a great feeling about this one.
    Any "reliable" laptop would probably do so.


  • #3
    drunkmonkey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,696 ✭✭✭✭drunkmonkey


    keep an eye out on the apple refurb store in the uk, some very good bargins to be had, there as good as new, there's a macbook air there at the moment for less than your looking at the mac book for...

    http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/specialdeals/mac?mco=MTE2ODI


  • #4
    ya-ba-da-ba-doo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 884 ✭✭✭ya-ba-da-ba-doo


    Karoma wrote: »
    You're getting hit with an additional cost - the MacTax.


    Probably not? What course are you doing?


    Look on the same website, or google it.


    Any laptop would probably do so.


    Any laptop would probably do so.


    Any "reliable" laptop would probably do so.



    they probably would do. im doing a science course. i want this one because if i get a good laptop for the guts of 500-600 quid it would be grand but i dont wanta be waiting on a slow internet everyday, popups every week telling me it needs to be upgraded and viruses coming in all day. i've heard the apple customer service is second to none and its reliabitity is top notch. honestly it sounds like you have a grudge against mac pc's or something?

    can you back this apparent grudge up? any reasons for it?


  • #5
    ya-ba-da-ba-doo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 884 ✭✭✭ya-ba-da-ba-doo


    drunkmonkey wrote: »
    keep an eye out on the apple refurb store in the uk, some very good bargins to be had, there as good as new, there's a macbook air there at the moment for less than your looking at the mac book for...

    http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/specialdeals/mac?mco=MTE2ODI


    thanks. what are the refurbished models though? are they second hand or are they just older models? id have no problem buying an older model.


  • #6
    J-blk
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,906 ✭✭✭J-blk


    ya-ba-da-ba-doo wrote: »
    quick internet/broadband speed
    ya-ba-da-ba-doo wrote: »
    i dont wanta be waiting on a slow internet everyday, popups every week

    To be fair, a Mac over any other PC won't do anything for your broadband speed - that entirely depends on your ISP/package you are using. A sh**e connection will be just as bad on a Mac as it will be on any other PC... Pop ups in the browser are also to be expected on any system, unless if you install a good pop up blocker for your browser (e.g AdBlock Plus for Firefox)...


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  • #7
    Karoma
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,396 ✭✭✭✭Karoma


    ya-ba-da-ba-doo wrote: »
    they probably would do. im doing a science course. i want this one because if i get a good laptop for the guts of 500-600 quid it would be grand but i dont wanta be waiting on a slow internet everyday, popups every week telling me it needs to be upgraded and viruses coming in all day. i've heard the apple customer service is second to none and its reliabitity is top notch. honestly it sounds like you have a grudge against mac pc's or something?

    can you back this apparent grudge up? any reasons for it?

    It's not a grudge. It's not a judgement on people who want to buy Mac. It's common sense. You can get a faster laptop for 500-sampriceasthebasicmacbook, but then speed isn't really a pressing factor in the requirements you listed. You did specify that you're a student - saving money and getting similar/better spec. hardware seemed like a good suggestion. It doesn't have to run Windows. If you had your heart set on mac, you should have made it clearer: posting in the Mac forum was a good first move, but then the complete ignorance of the product threw me off. Apple Customer Service is fine, except if your product suffers from a well-documented but denied known issue. Then again, other laptop manufacturers have great support.
    I thought you had to actually own a mac to be a fanboy. Screw this. Buy what you want. Why ask for advice if you've already made up your mind?


  • #8
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,693 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    ya-ba-da-ba-doo wrote: »
    thanks. what are the refurbished models though? are they second hand or are they just older models? id have no problem buying an older model.
    They are usually machines which have been repaired. At worst there might be a few scuff marks or imperfections on them but they should work perfectly. Same warranty and if you aren't happy you can return it. I've heard it said that they go through more testing than the brand new machines. They may be either current or last gen models. Keep an eye on the store as stock may vary from day to day. You can't avail of your student discount on them however.
    im not going to be hit with loads of additional costs am i? im not going to be hit with loads of additional costs am i? i know ill have to get microsoft office student edition but is there anything else?
    There are some free alternatives to MS Office that might be worth considering. E.g., NeoOffice and OpenOffice.

    iWork is Apple's suite of Office apps. It's nice but perhaps not the best for compatibility.
    (it would be a bonus if it could burn cds/dvds too but im not bothered if it doesnt)
    It can. All Macbooks come with a superdrive.


  • #9
    conchubhar1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,653 ✭✭✭conchubhar1


    worth every cent

    use my macbook all the time and it is great to use :)


  • #10
    J-blk
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,906 ✭✭✭J-blk


    Sad Professor wrote: »
    They are usually machines which have been repaired. At worst there might be a few scuff marks or imperfections on them but they should work perfectly. Same warranty and if you aren't happy you can return it. I've heard it said that they go through more testing than the brand new machines. They may be either current or last gen models. Keep an eye on the store as stock may vary from day to day. You can't avail of your student discount on them however.

    In some cases, there hasn't even been a repair done at all on a refurbished system but it simply was a custom build that someone returned for pretty much any reason - it then gets sold as a refurbished unit.

    They are great deals to be had and I've had a refurbished MacBook Pro in the past with no problems at all...

    The only limitation with refurbished machines is that you buy it as is, you can't reconfigure the RAM/HDD, etc but on the new unibody systems it is so easy to do yourself that it hardly matters... It's not too difficult on the older systems either, with the exception of the old shape MacBook Pros, which do not have an easily upgradeable hard drive...


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