Is the MacBook worth it?

Gael23

I know the MacBook is a fantastic machine but I don't know if I can bring myself to pay €1200 for one. Since I use my laptop for only general browsing and some college work is it really worth the money?

Torqay

No Apple computer "is really worth it", unless you value it as a lifestyle gadget. I'd rather buy the PCS UltraNote, for 200 yoyos less I'd get a quad Core i7, 16 GB, 240 GB SSD and a full HD IPS display. Mind you, the cheapest 15" Retina MBP with a quad-core CPU, 18 GB RAM and 256 GB SSD costs €2,450... thanks, but no thanks.

And for your needs much less is required. The same laptop with a Core i5, 8 GB RAM and 120 GB SSD costs €760. Saves you plenty cash for a nice holiday.

Eoin247

Unless you particularly like the Mac OS, it isn't worth it in my opinion. In general you can get a cheaper windows laptop with better specs. But if you really like the look and feel of using a MacBook then it may be for you.

Prodigious

Mac OS is beautiful, same with the build/design of the Macbook IMO. I bought one in 2010 and still use it. If I were you I'd have a look at adverts.ie and similar where you'd find them at more reasonable prices, rather than buying at the over the top prices in the apple store.

Gael23

What's the next best thing to a mac?

Smash The House

ryanf1 wrote: »

What's the next best thing to a mac?

To be honest, I think Macs are a waste of money but I get where you are coming from; you have money and since you can splash out on a fancy laptop, why not get a Mac and get the bling that comes with it.

There is no best thing to a Mac in that sense. When have you ever heard of someone boasting about their new Lenova or Asus laptop? Or how often have you looked at someone with any android tablet and said "wow I'd like one of them.

Long story short; you pay extra for the "wow" factor, even if there really isn't anything to go wow about.
You can always put window on a Mac if you get sick of mac os.

3rdDegree

Smash The House wrote: »

Or how often have you looked at someone with any android tablet and said "wow I'd like one of them.

Quite often, actually.

Corvo Attano

When have you ever heard of someone boasting about their new Lenova or Asus laptop?

You've never talked to me.

No OP I doubt it really is worth it. Like all big brands the premium pricing means there is a huge mark up. What do you really need?
I got my college laptop for €660 and that came with a GTX 660M, 8 gigs of RAM, 750 GB HDD and an i5 . More than sufficient.

Gael23

Smash The House wrote: »

To be honest, I think Macs are a waste of money but I get where you are coming from; you have money and since you can splash out on a fancy laptop, why not get a Mac and get the bling that comes with it.

Agreed but is there anything else as good in terms of quality for less eg Sony viao or Samsung? I just don't know if I can bring myself to spend €1200 on a laptop.

cannonballer

Yes they really are worth it. Much higher quality product than most others.
The OS is truly excellent.

Try refurb.me/ie for some good deals from Apples refurb site, and also if your a student go to the student site I think they give a 10% discount for students.

Smash The House

ryanf1 wrote: »

Agreed but is there anything else as good in terms of quality for less eg Sony viao or Samsung? I just don't know if I can bring myself to spend €1200 on a laptop.

Well then don't.
For basic uses €400/500 would be plenty and you'd easily get 4 years out of it if you kept it well. If your asking should you or should you not get a mac, you probably don't really want one at heart.

EazyD

Same predicament as yourself last year OP, went ahead with it and no regrets, go for the i5 as opposed i7, as by sounds of it your not doing any serious use with it!

Overheal

Macs are "worth it" if you are going to enjoy utility from the smoother experience relative to computers. I'm quite happy with the more cost effective PC approach. Macs do have good build quality etc. but they are still prone to failure just like anything, and they cost much more to repair when something goes wrong.

The other extreme is that kind of arsehole customer that has the throwaway attitude - buy a piece of **** and use it until it bites the dust. They're happier buying a new one ever 1-3 years, but they also have the most headaches dealing with wear and tear and having only basic features, meaning when they want to do something cool later (in previous years examples included, webcams, wifi, hdmi, bluetooth, etc) they didn't buy the nicer laptops that included what were at the time "bells and whistles" which became standard equipment. Because, anything can browse the web, but enjoyably doing so is another story. And thats just one thing.

Your best experience from mac is by going all in really. Get a time machine, the apple tv, and just go HAM on the setup. **** it. You have money. And the **** really does work pretty well together.

ASUS has a couple new good models out. I like this one. It even comes with an external subwoofer, about soupcan sized

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/15.6%22+Touch-Screen+Laptop+-+8GB+Memory+-+1TB+Hard+Drive/8937158.p?id=1218954926513&skuId=8937158&st=asus%20laptop&cp=1&lp=3

zenno

Purchasing a Mac is no different to purchasing a Versace shirt for €899 just to make you stand out, seriously over-priced with limited functionality away from the swarm of open-ended windows systems for 1 third the price. It's like a fashion statement in my opinion but all super-glued inside.

looking_around

zenno wrote: »

Purchasing a Mac is no different to purchasing a Versace shirt for €899 just to make you stand out, seriously over-priced with limited functionality away from the swarm of open-ended windows systems for 1 third the price. It's like a fashion statement in my opinion but all super-glued inside.

I agree with this!

I've used my partners mac for the last 6 months or so, and though the OS is nice(smooth), it just isn't worth the price. If you're using it for college, you WANT ms word, as college comps will be using office, and writing in another document software can mess up paragraphing etc which is annoying and hassle I'm sure you won't want.

For what you need it for, like others have said, you do not need to spend more than 500euro for a good quality, low spec laptop. Expensive doesn't mean better

Macs look nice, and if I had spare cash I'd get a macbook air myself. But since for the most part most people still end up needing a windows machine(or windows OS), it really isn't worth it unless you have money to blow.

(and contrary to popular belief macs can get target by virus too.. so that let them fool you with that! )

Gael23

My current laptop cost in the region of €600 and I've had it repaired 3 times costing a total of €240 over a 4 year period so I suppose given how durable macs are supposed to be it might be a good investment.
It is better to go for the pro or air or does it depend on personal preference.

5uspect

ryanf1 wrote: »

My current laptop cost in the region of €600 and I've had it repaired 3 times costing a total of €240 over a 4 year period so I suppose given how durable macs are supposed to be it might be a good investment.
It is better to go for the pro or air or does it depend on personal preference.

If you're in college there are educational discounts that amount to about 15%.

The Air is designed for those who want more portability. It's thin and light with an exceptional 11 hour battery life under moderate use. The Pro has a DVD drive and additional bulk, typically more performance. On the downside the Air has no Ethernet port and limited USB connectivity.

If you're on the road a lot consider the Air, if you're more desk bound the Pro makes more sense.

OS X is a fantastic OS, Windows really does pale in comparison. However if you want some of the nice features that OS X offers you could always just install Ubuntu.

As for those harping about needing MS Office for college work... /shudder.
If Microsoft can't even keep their own file formats in order across different software versions, I'll happy keep using open alternatives.

Corkbah

a macbook is worth it ...if you can afford it and want something that is functional and looks good.

there are plenty of machines out there which are cheaper which are also functional and look good...some of which are cheaper.

if you simply want a laptop for browsing the internet and general college work ...then you probably don't need a mac, most machines with decent ram and hard drives are capable of handling browsing the internet and doing college work, infact you could probably just buy any laptop and upgrade the Hard drive and RAM .... and it will function perfectly (do the looks of the machine matter really???)

of course you could always fit the machine with linux and have a machine which operates similar to mac (mac's operating system is apparently based from linux)

so essentially it comes down to if you want a machine which looks pretty or not - because if functionality is the main importance you can get a non-macbook cheaper.

I've been working with mac's for about 15yrs.

5uspect

OS X, while not open source, is build on Darwin, essentially an open source version of UNIX which grew from NeXTSTEP. Linux is also an open source version of UNIX which has grown into many, many flavours.

Of course UNIX is the granddaddy of them all and was build at Bell Labs back in the day with the development of C.

Comparing the evolution of the two is quite interesting. There's a mega timeline somewhere but I can't find it.

EDIT: This one will have to do:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/Unix_history-simple.png

mathepac

Smash The House wrote: »

... if you get sick of mac os.

OS X it hasn't been called mac os for a very long time. Windoze is still windoze.

I note that the arguments in favour of non-OS X boxes are the usual ones - "Oohh look at the hard-ware specs on that!" all of which miss the point of OS X.

Once upon a time we gathered timber and sawed it up and stored it and lit fires to warm ourselves and cook; now we click a button to start the central heating or the cooker. Put a price on the difference.

That's how windoze differs from OS X; OS X takes the work out of getting work done. Simplez.

looking_around

ryanf1 wrote: »

My current laptop cost in the region of €600 and I've had it repaired 3 times costing a total of €240 over a 4 year period so I suppose given how durable macs are supposed to be it might be a good investment.
It is better to go for the pro or air or does it depend on personal preference.

brand? acer/hp?

Like I said cost doesn't always determine quality. I had a netbook I paid 320 some years back.. it's about 5 years old now and still going strong with not an issue. It's an asus.

also, what di d you have to repair?

Don't assume that all windows will need constant repairs throughout it's lifetime. That isn't true.

The mac is generally a sturdier build, but sonys tend to be decent in quality. And there are a few brands doing aluminium body now.
Best increase on battery life is to make sure you get a laptop with haswell CPU(the new macs have them..for a lil cheaper other laptops have them too.)

As to pro or air, that simply depends on your needs.
But seriously consider software compatibility with what your college uses.

Tony EH

ryanf1 wrote: »

I know the MacBook is a fantastic machine but I don't know if I can bring myself to pay €1200 for one. Since I use my laptop for only general browsing and some college work is it really worth the money?

Nothing that Apple makes is "worth the money".

Gael23

looking_around wrote: »

brand? acer/hp?

Like I said cost doesn't always determine quality. I had a netbook I paid 320 some years back.. it's about 5 years old now and still going strong with not an issue. It's an asus.

also, what di d you have to repair?

I have repaired the power switch, screen cable and the charge port. The scree was under warranty though.
Its a Packard Bell easynote.

Prodigious

If I had the money now I'd opt for a Surface pro rather than a Macbook, especially for college.

Riesen_Meal

Tony EH wrote: »

Nothing that Apple makes is "worth the money".

Bull****....

I hate Apple generally, dont own an iphone or pad but yet I own a Macbook Pro - purely for Music stuff, I couldn't do what I need to do with music on a Windows platform....

I'm sure the same could be said about a graphic designer using Photoshop, he is hardly gonna have a Windows machine....

Will I Amnt

Fieldog wrote: »

Bull****....

I hate Apple generally, dont own an iphone or pad but yet I own a Macbook Pro - purely for Music stuff, I couldn't do what I need to do with music on a Windows platform....

I'm sure the same could be said about a graphic designer using Photoshop, he is hardly gonna have a Windows machine....

There are plenty of Windows machines that can run any of the DAWs or mixing software without any hassle, except Logic for obvious reasons.

Considering what the OP's needs are, I think he would be mad to spend on a Mac if price is an issue.
Just because you're spending €1200 on it doesn't mean it's going to run perfectly for years. I've got a €400 Toshiba machine that's never given me the slightest problem in 5 years and would be well capable of doing what he needs.

hfallada

OP buy it from amazon.co.uk and parcel motel it. Its about €200 cheaper than buying it here

Apple has a margin of around 30-35% on laptops. So a majority of what your paying for is just the brand

Torqay

Fieldog wrote: »

a graphic designer using Photoshop, he is hardly gonna have a Windows machine....

Did Adobe pull the plug on Windows???

A little FYI, Adobe kicked Steve in the groin, ending support for the Motorola chips, made him go hat in hand to Intel with the result that Mac OS X software is now running on the same hardware components as Windows software. (Which is rendering the old adage of superior Apple hardware absurd)

Besides, we're not talking about music or graphic design here but "only general browsing and some college work".

another question

I'll butt in here and give my 2 cents worth because I think I was in the same position as the OP is now. Last week I bought a Macbook Air for €1100 and I was delighted, until I turned it on that is. Now, there was absolute nothing wrong with it but I hadn't a clue how to use it. It was my own complete ignorance as I bought it because I want a 'MAC'. I loved how they looked, how they felt and all that is associate with the 'style' of them. I never gave much attention to the specs or the fact that it had a complete and utter totally different operating system. As a Windows user for all of time, I couldn't get my head around it. I had no problem spending the money on it and was bitterly disappointed that I couldn't do everything I wanted on it as soon as I turned it on but that was my total 'blind-vision' of 'I want a MAC - nothing else will do' and flop!.....I missed Windows and even though several people told me to stick with it that it would be worth, I actually wasn't prepared to. I never considered for one moment that I would actually have 'to learn' how to use it so I sent it back.


I'm currently considering the PCS UltraNote and the ASUS Zenbook. Both beautiful machines.

andrewdeerpark

My two cents worth, I have started using and repairing MACS lately because they are more popular and they are vastly overrated.

In all honesty I do not see why people rave about them, yes they are shiny and well built however not much better built than premium Windows laptops. The OS is not all its talked about, I have come across loads of MAC's with the OS running slow, full of crapware, have had issues with JAVA and ROS / Banking that were a right pain to fix, far simpler on a Windows machine.

Printer sharing with windows machines a pain when it does not work, CCTV camera remote access another pain, the list goes on....

Plus the new MACS are an absolute disaster to fix if you break the screen or need to tear it down in anyway. In fairness the old ones were easy to change hard drives, memory and the like, the new ones are all soldered to the board and full of glue that you have to melt.

I actually think its easier to fix Windows laptops.

another question

Does anyone hear have any opinion on the Asus Zenbook, cannot afford the full HD and touchscreen model but considering the UX31A model HD but not full HD, 1.4kg, i5 core model. It's beautiful and has Windows 8.

looking_around

ryanf1 wrote: »

I have repaired the power switch, screen cable and the charge port. The scree was under warranty though.
Its a Packard Bell easynote.

PB ...~shudders~, they're a disaster of a brand.

__
If you want names of good brands,
Asus, Sony, Samsung, Toshiba are brands I'd go for. Dell is also one that seems to be sturdy enough

Like I've said. Other brands are doing aluminium bodies. Check out some ultrabooks. You'll still save money compared to a mac. DON'T get a mac, just because it's a "mac".
Buy a windows machine of the same price, you'll get better specs and (in most cases) just as sturdy a build.

But, like others have pointed out, for your needs, even a mac is a waste of spec. They also overheat a bit(though that's a problem for ultrabooks altogether). I really think you'll regret the mac for general college work. The new win 8 (soon to become 8.1) has a very smooth OS, with faster startup times, and once you get used to it can be quite nice to use. It will be easier to get the learning curve on 8, than on a mac.

andrewdeerpark wrote: »

I actually think its easier to fix Windows laptops.

Thats the point, apple doesn't want just anybody being able to fix their computers :P

looking_around

another question wrote: »

Does anyone hear have any opinion on the Asus Zenbook, cannot afford the full HD and touchscreen model but considering the UX31A model HD but not full HD, 1.4kg, i5 core model. It's beautiful and has Windows 8.

Start your own thread or ask in this STICKY http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055887837&page=26

another question

looking_around wrote: »

Start your own thread or ask in this STICKY http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055887837&page=26

Posted it in the Sticky, thanks.

Tony EH

Fieldog wrote: »

Bull****....

I hate Apple generally, dont own an iphone or pad but yet I own a Macbook Pro - purely for Music stuff, I couldn't do what I need to do with music on a Windows platform....

I'm sure the same could be said about a graphic designer using Photoshop, he is hardly gonna have a Windows machine....

Well, I'm a graphic designer and I know what you've just typed is BULLSHIT...

Gael23

My sister has one and it looks really good I have no doubt about that but its jsut alot of money!
i actually have an Ipad so am somewhat familiar with the OS

Corvo Attano

i actually have an Ipad so am somewhat familiar with the OS

No your not. iOS isnt OS X

another question

ryanf1 wrote: »

My sister has one and it looks really good I have no doubt about that but its jsut alot of money!
i actually have an Ipad so am somewhat familiar with the OS

I wouldn't base being familiar with the os on having an iPad. I have had 2 iPhones and used the iPad on several occasions. You can make comparisons between the iPhone and the iPad but not between both those devices and the MacBook in my opinion.

Tony EH

Will I Amnt wrote: »

There are plenty of Windows machines that can run any of the DAWs or mixing software without any hassle, except Logic for obvious reasons.

Considering what the OP's needs are, I think he would be mad to spend on a Mac if price is an issue.
Just because you're spending €1200 on it doesn't mean it's going to run perfectly for years. I've got a €400 Toshiba machine that's never given me the slightest problem in 5 years and would be well capable of doing what he needs.

Absolutely correct and I really get tired of hearing from Mac fanboys about how "great" it's supposed to be for certain things (especially graphic design :rolleyes: ).

There's nothing a Mac can do, that a PC cannot do these days.

Apple products are overpriced shiny objects for the "look at me" brigade.

I'll put it like this for the OP, what do you want the machine for, what have you been comfortable with in the past and what do you friends use?

That should inform your decision.

gubbie

I have a MBP from 2009 which I got free from my brother who after using it for 3 weeks, decided he hated it and returned to his Dell Inspiron with Vista.

I love it. I love how it looks, the build and how it sits. And it doesn't feel aged I like the OS but it took some time getting used to and there's plenty I don't like about it. I hate that the software for it is either non existent or very expensive! I miss paint. And I hate having to spend even more money getting converters to add ports which are freely available on €300 notebooks.

Is it worth €1200? No. Not if you're using it for things that a 5 year old computer could do

Tony EH

another question wrote: »

I'll butt in here and give my 2 cents worth because I think I was in the same position as the OP is now. Last week I bought a Macbook Air for €1100 and I was delighted, until I turned it on that is. Now, there was absolute nothing wrong with it but I hadn't a clue how to use it. It was my own complete ignorance as I bought it because I want a 'MAC'. I loved how they looked, how they felt and all that is associate with the 'style' of them. I never gave much attention to the specs or the fact that it had a complete and utter totally different operating system. As a Windows user for all of time, I couldn't get my head around it. I had no problem spending the money on it and was bitterly disappointed that I couldn't do everything I wanted on it as soon as I turned it on but that was my total 'blind-vision' of 'I want a MAC - nothing else will do' and flop!.....I missed Windows and even though several people told me to stick with it that it would be worth, I actually wasn't prepared to. I never considered for one moment that I would actually have 'to learn' how to use it so I sent it back.


I'm currently considering the PCS UltraNote and the ASUS Zenbook. Both beautiful machines.

I had to work with a mac for business purposes for a number of years and I ****IN hated it. Explorer is MUCH BETTER tool than Finder will ever be and in general Windows is just more powerful and logical. I'm talking XP or 7 here.

Mac books may "look nice", but that's where it ends. For work, give me a PC any day of the week...

Mars Bar

I've been using Mac for 4 or 5 years now. It was recommended when I was doing a sound engineering course and now I'm doing video analysis and the software is only for Mac so it's been a huge plus for me. I had one foot in the door for an internship simply coz I have a Mac.

However, if you are only browsing and doing college work then it's really not worth the price. A windows will do that as well as a Mac will.

looking_around

ryanf1 wrote: »

My sister has one and it looks really good I have no doubt about that but its jsut alot of money!
i actually have an Ipad so am somewhat familiar with the OS

So you want one, because your sister has one?

Ipad OS is nothing like whats on the mac. They are quite different.

"it looks really good"
This is WHAT mac is JUST about. LOOKS.
Seriously, you can get ultrabooks, that look much the same with better specs for the same price. Or lower specs for cheaper.
Check out pcspecialist.co.uk, their ultranotes are quite sleek, but not shiny silver :pac:

Or just a take a flick through pcworld to see some ultrabooks (than order off amazon for a cheaper price).

I'll repeat from my earlier posts, if you have cash to blow and want the "cool-looking" mac, go for it. If however, you don't have money to waste, buy something much cheaper that matches your needs.

Riesen_Meal

Tony EH wrote: »

Well, I'm a graphic designer and I know what you've just typed is BULLSHIT...

Fair enough you use Windows for Photoshop, I'm not arguing about OS'es as a whole, nor am I saying that one is better than the other, I actually use windows daily and I'm a MCP so I'd be first to tell you how much I love Win 7, its rock solid...

I also have a 5 yr old Acer machine that cost only 400 quid that is still going strong today...

Just for music stuff the Mac is way ahead - and my MBP cost me 400 quid on adverts, they dont have to break the bank as I personally aint got 1.5k for a new one tbh, its 5 year old and seems to be performing better than than the Acer but that's probably just build quality tbh... I'm forever repairing something on the Acer....

The_Honeybadger

Fieldog wrote: »

Fair enough you use Windows for Photoshop, I'm not arguing about OS'es as a whole, nor am I saying that one is better than the other, I actually use windows daily and I'm a MCP so I'd be first to tell you how much I love Win 7, its rock solid...

I also have a 5 yr old Acer machine that cost only 400 quid that is still going strong today...

Just for music stuff the Mac is way ahead - and my MBP cost me 400 quid on adverts, they dont have to break the bank as I personally aint got 1.5k for a new one tbh, its 5 year old and seems to be performing better than than the Acer but that's probably just build quality tbh... I'm forever repairing something on the Acer....

In what way is it way ahead for music stuff? You can always install OS X on a PC anyway, the underlying components are much the same.

The problem when most people compare pc to mac, much like you are doing with the acer is that they are usually comparing a €1200 mac to a €300 Harvey Norman special that's probably riddled with unnecessary bloatware. In that case the mac wins hands down in every department. You really need to be looking at something from the dell precision or Lenovo t or x series at a minimum in order to do a fair comparison. Very little between them then. I've been doing "music stuff" on windows for years btw and never once had an issue.

Will I Amnt

mickeyk wrote: »

In what way is it way ahead for music stuff? You can always install OS X on a PC anyway, the underlying components are much the same.

The problem when most people compare pc to mac, much like you are doing with the acer is that they are usually comparing a €1200 mac to a €300 Harvey Norman special that's probably riddled with unnecessary bloatware. In that case the mac wins hands down in every department. You really need to be looking at something from the dell precision or Lenovo t or x series at a minimum in order to do a fair comparison. Very little between them then. I've been doing "music stuff" on windows for years btw and never once had an issue.

I'd like to know this too. Going back a good few years it might have been the case but not now. It's all in the software.

Prodigious

mickeyk wrote: »

In what way is it way ahead for music stuff? You can always install OS X on a PC anyway, the underlying components are much the same.

Waaaaaaayyyy easier said than done.

Corvo Attano

OS X dosen't like non Apple machines.

Torqay

Prodigious wrote: »

Waaaaaaayyyy easier said than done.

If it is too complicated for you, you can buy PCs with MaC OS X here. For €31 they'll ship to Ireland. needless to say, they're a LOT cheaper than Apple.

The_Honeybadger

Prodigious wrote: »

Waaaaaaayyyy easier said than done.

Fair enough, it can be done though. Still doesn't answer my question as to how it is superior for music applications. The standard answer from most mac fanboys seems to be that "it just is!".

melekalikimaka

Torqay wrote: »

If it is too complicated for you, you can buy PCs with MaC OS X here. For €31 they'll ship to Ireland. needless to say, they're a LOT cheaper than Apple.

a hackintosh is nowhere close to the cleaness of a mac.

i was windows for years, swore by them, then needed a mac for college.


now i just cant bear to use windows, its simply inferior in every way and so damn slow


worth every penny