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Good inexpensive laptop for Windows? (700 or less?

Mac laptop or windows laptop?

  • Im going away to college in september, and I need to start saving for a laptop of some sort. I figured I could just get away with using my iPad, but I won't risk it. So my question is, spend over a thousand dollars on a MacBook pro, or spend maybe 700-800 dollars on a windows laptop? I've had horrible experiences with my gateway laptop and dell laptop, but the price for the MacBook is just crazy high and I dont know if Its worth it to spend that much on just a computer. (I'm 18 years old and jobless, 1000 dollars is a lot for me, haha) I need people's opinions on what would work best for a college student, and last me four years at least.

  • Answer:

    Just be sure you get the correct hardware: -- Firewire 800 for fast copying to an external HDD, plus target disk mode. -- Thunderbolt for even faster (20 x USB 3.0 speed) copying, plus target display mode. -- Aluminum uni-body enclosure for durability. -- EFI firmware instead of BIOS (for faster boot time, and the option of running all software) If you get the correct hardware as above, it doesn't matter. Any computer company that doesn't give you the correct hardware is ripping you off. Don't pay for poor hardware. It should also have the option of running both Windows and OS X with no strange hacks. Any computer that has the ancient BIOS system instead of EFI will be a problem, so don't get tricked into buying some old-style hardware that has BIOS and can't easily run all software (All software means Windows 7, plus iMovie, iPhoto, Photo Booth, Face Time, GarageBand and iDVD. Don't get stuck with a computer that can't use all of this software.)

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MAC FTW. . . trust me its worth it :)

Alexis

IMO windows goes all crappy and slow after sometime, macbook pro is worth the money. only thing you'll miss out majorly on mac are the high end games! if you are not a gamer, mac it is! its soo beautiful you'll fall in love with it!

Ram

get windows! more app and software support!

F.E.A.R.

If I were you I'd get a HP or Toshiba.

Tux

I have been working with computers my whole life and I know all the ins and outs. Macbooks cost twice or thrice the price of the windows equivelant. For that massive price you get outdated hardware, an unreliable laptop, and the stress of having to find the mac-version of programs all the time, if there even is one. A windows pc for $400 has the same hardware as a $1000 macbook. What do you get for all that extra money? You get a shiny case. That is all. Apple fans are known to be almost religious about apple products and blindly praise all products that have anything to do with apple.

Peter

Mac. It's easy to use. I would recommend the Macbook air. When in college, what you really want is a light laptop. Also, you have consider that there will be many group mates (well, college has many projects) who insist on using Keynote to "wow" the prof. If you are the person in the group who does not have keynote, you will have problems editing the slides. Macs last really long and are less prone to viruses (although there is no such thing as macs being immune to viruses) I made my decision to buy a mac based on the fact that it was pointless to have so many windows laptops. With a mac, I can toggle around with different softwares. Also depends on courses - for IT related and engineering courses, Windows are preferred. For business, arts, law - go Mac Mathematics - Buy Windows. Macs are not really compatible with excel add-in softwares like phStat2. If you feel comfortable with windows, stick with it.

Velten.S

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