Sorry, I should have phrased my question a bit better. I'm busy looking at laptops as well, and the only choices I get for resolution are 1920x1200 and 1280x800. Not sure which one to go for, 1280 seems to small, but 1920 is just insane.
that's a tough one. Anything lower than the native resolution will look like butt, however the pixel density of a 15" monitor at 1920x1280 is going to be astronomical. I used a 1600x1200 15" LCD (probably similar pixel density to your option) on a laptop for years and loved it, but other people that used my laptop complained about how tiny everything was. Anytime I wasn't able to run in the native resolution was pretty disappointing though. I'd really recommend you find somewhere that has a 1920x1280 laptop on display and play around with it.
Or is this for a 17" laptop?
Mephistopheles on
"Friends are just enemies in reverse."
- Gary Busey A Glass, Darkly
One thing to consider when making this consideration too is the Apple student discount. Seeing as you're headed into college you'll qualify for it once you've got a student number, and it'll knock ~$100 off of any laptop you wish. Not a huge difference in price, but does bring them a bit closer to the 'cheap Windows laptop' option. That is, assuming the PC manufacturers don't have similar discount programs. I checked the Dell and HP and could only find deals on a select few business machines, but not their entire laptop line. Apple also tend to run back-to-school specials in autumn that are quite nice. When I bought my Macbook I got the discount plus a $200 iPod for free after rebate.
Yeah, with a student discount and back-to-school sales Apple hardware, at least their laptop line, becomes no more expensive than equivalently equipped* Dells.
Also, I almost forgot...the OP didn't ask, but most people don't realize that you can generally get a one-time increase in your cost of attendance for the purchase of a computer. At my school it just involved filling out a form and providing a copy of the receipt. The increase in cost of attendance should, theoretically, increase any financial aid you're receiving. Unless your family makes enough that you're not receiving anything, in which case I guess you're hosed. But it's definitely worth looking into. Though at my school you only had 30 days after purchase to apply for it.
And you can do this at any point during your degree, you don't need to do it at the beginning. And I believe you can do it once per degree (so again for a second bachelors, and again for a master's, and again for a PhD).
* - Note this includes both hardware speed/power as well as form factor/weight/battery life. Obviously low-end Dells will come in way lower.
Sorry, I should have phrased my question a bit better. I'm busy looking at laptops as well, and the only choices I get for resolution are 1920x1200 and 1280x800. Not sure which one to go for, 1280 seems to small, but 1920 is just insane.
that's a tough one. Anything lower than the native resolution will look like butt, however the pixel density of a 15" monitor at 1920x1280 is going to be astronomical. I used a 1600x1200 15" LCD (probably similar pixel density to your option) on a laptop for years and loved it, but other people that used my laptop complained about how tiny everything was. Anytime I wasn't able to run in the native resolution was pretty disappointing though. I'd really recommend you find somewhere that has a 1920x1280 laptop on display and play around with it.
Or is this for a 17" laptop?
It's a 15.4" laptop. Unfortunately there's a 10% off deal expiring tomorrow, but bearing in mind that I'm finding Word on my 24" monitor a bit annoying and I semi-want to use it for gaming, I'll think I'll have to leave it.
Mac vs PC is largely subjective, which is why arguing about it is sort of silly. A Mac vs a well-built PC is going to be equally reliable and equally capable.
This is the thing though
A MacBook Pro is not on par with a Dell, it's on par with the higher end Lenovo and Toshiba models. Which cost as much as they do anyhow.
I'm all for saving money, but you're definitely sacrificing things when you go Dell.
Pheezer on
IT'S GOT ME REACHING IN MY POCKET IT'S GOT ME FORKING OVER CASH
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
Mac vs PC is largely subjective, which is why arguing about it is sort of silly. A Mac vs a well-built PC is going to be equally reliable and equally capable.
This is the thing though
A MacBook Pro is not on par with a Dell, it's on par with the higher end Lenovo and Toshiba models. Which cost as much as they do anyhow.
I'm all for saving money, but you're definitely sacrificing things when you go Dell.
Macbooks don't exactly have great build quality. Anyone whose seen one disassembled can vouch for that. So i'm really not sure what in your mind is putting them on par with a lenova...but then again toshiba's really aren't that great either.
Mac vs PC is largely subjective, which is why arguing about it is sort of silly. A Mac vs a well-built PC is going to be equally reliable and equally capable.
This is the thing though
A MacBook Pro is not on par with a Dell, it's on par with the higher end Lenovo and Toshiba models. Which cost as much as they do anyhow.
I'm all for saving money, but you're definitely sacrificing things when you go Dell.
Macbooks don't exactly have great build quality. Anyone whose seen one disassembled can vouch for that. So i'm really not sure what in your mind is putting them on par with a lenova...but then again toshiba's really aren't that great either.
Funny, my MacBook Air seems to have been built pretty well. As have several MBPs I've come in contact with.
It's not out of the question to compare it to higher end Toshibas and Lenovos.
Funny, my MacBook Air seems to have been built pretty well. As have several MBPs I've come in contact with.
It's not out of the question to compare it to higher end Toshibas and Lenovos.
Yet my 12" PowerBook (which was like a third revision) still slowly tore itself apart, presumably from heat buildup. And the replacement I got under warranty is warped now as well. And a minute or two with google suggests that mine is not an isolated incident.
They're better than bargain-basement Dells, of course, but aside from that they're pretty hit and miss.
Funny, my MacBook Air seems to have been built pretty well. As have several MBPs I've come in contact with.
It's not out of the question to compare it to higher end Toshibas and Lenovos.
Yet my 12" PowerBook (which was like a third revision) still slowly tore itself apart, presumably from heat buildup. And the replacement I got under warranty is warped now as well. And a minute or two with google suggests that mine is not an isolated incident.
They're better than bargain-basement Dells, of course, but aside from that they're pretty hit and miss.
Funny, my MacBook Air seems to have been built pretty well. As have several MBPs I've come in contact with.
It's not out of the question to compare it to higher end Toshibas and Lenovos.
Yet my 12" PowerBook (which was like a third revision) still slowly tore itself apart, presumably from heat buildup. And the replacement I got under warranty is warped now as well. And a minute or two with google suggests that mine is not an isolated incident.
They're better than bargain-basement Dells, of course, but aside from that they're pretty hit and miss.
Warped powerbooks/macbook pros are actually considered 100% normal by Apple support, even if your computer's lid looks like a fat guy sat on it for a month they still won't replace it
Warped powerbooks/macbook pros are actually considered 100% normal by Apple support, even if your computer's lid looks like a fat guy sat on it for a month they still won't replace it
They fixed my first PowerBook because it warped to the point that the strip of metal above the DVD slot started to protrude out, preventing proper insertion/ejection of discs.
The second one showed up just fine, but started to warp within a couple months. It's not so much an "anecdote" as a "known and documented issue that suggests that Macs are not, in all cases, known for fantastic build quality." The fact that this shortcoming survived through multiple revisions suggests that they don't really give a fuck, either.
However, I'm not speaking specifically of MacBooks or MacBook Pros, so it may not be entirely relevant.
Warped powerbooks/macbook pros are actually considered 100% normal by Apple support, even if your computer's lid looks like a fat guy sat on it for a month they still won't replace it
They fixed my first PowerBook because it warped to the point that the strip of metal above the DVD slot started to protrude out, preventing proper insertion/ejection of discs.
The second one showed up just fine, but started to warp within a couple months. It's not so much an "anecdote" as a "known and documented issue that suggests that Macs are not, in all cases, known for fantastic build quality." The fact that this shortcoming survived through multiple revisions suggests that they don't really give a fuck, either.
However, I'm not speaking specifically of MacBooks or MacBook Pros, so it may not be entirely relevant.
It's a limitation of the material used for the case. Metals expand and contract. If you're keeping it out of sunlight and within the safe operating temperatures noted in the manual, significant warping should be rare. Some warping is inevitable. If the warping interferes with the operation of the device, it will be remedied.
If you can't handle that, don't get a laptop with a metal casing.
Pheezer on
IT'S GOT ME REACHING IN MY POCKET IT'S GOT ME FORKING OVER CASH
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
Firstly, to get this out of the way, i have a macbook pro, i love OS X, however the build quality on the pro still isn't any better than most other notebooks. It has better aesthetics sure, but they still apply the thermal paste with a ladle and the materials themselves aren't inherently better than other manufacturers (even if your referring to metal casings, if something impacts a laptop hard enough to damage a plastic casing you have more serious things to worry about than how your outer chassis looks). The thing with thinkpads is they have extra screws, braces, and even spaces inside to help protect against impact damage, and ensure it doesn't fall apart due to the same thing. Macs have none of these, that doesn't mean the build quality is absolutely horrible, but its certainly nothing special
Warped powerbooks/macbook pros are actually considered 100% normal by Apple support, even if your computer's lid looks like a fat guy sat on it for a month they still won't replace it
They fixed my first PowerBook because it warped to the point that the strip of metal above the DVD slot started to protrude out, preventing proper insertion/ejection of discs.
The second one showed up just fine, but started to warp within a couple months. It's not so much an "anecdote" as a "known and documented issue that suggests that Macs are not, in all cases, known for fantastic build quality." The fact that this shortcoming survived through multiple revisions suggests that they don't really give a fuck, either.
However, I'm not speaking specifically of MacBooks or MacBook Pros, so it may not be entirely relevant.
It's a limitation of the material used for the case. Metals expand and contract. If you're keeping it out of sunlight and within the safe operating temperatures noted in the manual, significant warping should be rare. Some warping is inevitable. If the warping interferes with the operation of the device, it will be remedied.
If you can't handle that, don't get a laptop with a metal casing.
Don't be silly. I've seen enough Toughbooks, and other metal laptops, none of which were warped, to know that this is bullshit. My Pro arrived with a warped lid and an Apple rep reluctantly told me (after much back-and-forth and waiting on hold) that "they're pretty much all warped, it's within manufacturing specifications". I used to work at a company that serviced Sony, Panasonic, and Toshiba laptops and out of literally thousands of machines I've never seen a warped lid (unless the thing was dropped or some fat guy sat on it). The warpage appears to be limited to Powerbooks and Macbook Pros. Furthermore, heat does not appear to play a factor because the quantity of warpage doesn't ever change, even if I'm playing TF2 and that metal strip above the keyboard becomes burning hot.
My response to everyone that has problems with Macs: Just because it happens to you doesn't mean it happens to the other million or so people that own them. My sister in particular has the original Macbook Pro that came out in '06, and other than having to change the battery because, well, it got used to the point where it wouldn't charge over the course of two years, it's great.
Warped powerbooks/macbook pros are actually considered 100% normal by Apple support, even if your computer's lid looks like a fat guy sat on it for a month they still won't replace it
They fixed my first PowerBook because it warped to the point that the strip of metal above the DVD slot started to protrude out, preventing proper insertion/ejection of discs.
The second one showed up just fine, but started to warp within a couple months. It's not so much an "anecdote" as a "known and documented issue that suggests that Macs are not, in all cases, known for fantastic build quality." The fact that this shortcoming survived through multiple revisions suggests that they don't really give a fuck, either.
However, I'm not speaking specifically of MacBooks or MacBook Pros, so it may not be entirely relevant.
It's a limitation of the material used for the case. Metals expand and contract. If you're keeping it out of sunlight and within the safe operating temperatures noted in the manual, significant warping should be rare. Some warping is inevitable. If the warping interferes with the operation of the device, it will be remedied.
If you can't handle that, don't get a laptop with a metal casing.
Don't be silly. I've seen enough Toughbooks, and other metal laptops, none of which were warped, to know that this is bullshit. My Pro arrived with a warped lid and an Apple rep reluctantly told me (after much back-and-forth and waiting on hold) that "they're pretty much all warped, it's within manufacturing specifications". I used to work at a company that serviced Sony, Panasonic, and Toshiba laptops and out of literally thousands of machines I've never seen a warped lid (unless the thing was dropped or some fat guy sat on it). The warpage appears to be limited to Powerbooks and Macbook Pros. Furthermore, heat does not appear to play a factor because the quantity of warpage doesn't ever change, even if I'm playing TF2 and that metal strip above the keyboard becomes burning hot.
YOU JUST COMPARED A CONSUMER LAPTOP TO A PANASONIC TOUGHBOOK
AND YOU ARE USING THIS AS A COMPLAINT AGAINST ONLY THE LAPTOPS MADE BY APPLE
You are beyond the realm of reasonable discourse. Do you even know what the casings on Toughbooks use? It's fucking magnesium alloy. It drives up the cost of the laptop significantly, but it's what they use for the brake discs on fighter jets. Because it can handle that much heat without warping.
Apple's laptops use aluminum or titanium depending on which era we're talking about, and the sheets are much thinner. These are very different metals which react to heat in wildly different manners. You're comparing this to a laptop whose base model is considerably less fast and lacks many of the features of the MacBook Pro and which still costs $1000 more. $1000.
When you're willing to spend $1000 to get an exotic casing, then you can bitch about the metal warping a bet when it gets too hot.
The point remains, if it interferes with the device's operation, they'll warranty it. If it doesn't, stop sweating the small shit?
Pheezer on
IT'S GOT ME REACHING IN MY POCKET IT'S GOT ME FORKING OVER CASH
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
I am now sad that my laptop cannot be used as a brake disc on a fighter jet.
Way to bum me out, Pheez.
ElJeffe on
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that's a tough one. Anything lower than the native resolution will look like butt, however the pixel density of a 15" monitor at 1920x1280 is going to be astronomical. I used a 1600x1200 15" LCD (probably similar pixel density to your option) on a laptop for years and loved it, but other people that used my laptop complained about how tiny everything was. Anytime I wasn't able to run in the native resolution was pretty disappointing though. I'd really recommend you find somewhere that has a 1920x1280 laptop on display and play around with it.
Or is this for a 17" laptop?
- Gary Busey
A Glass, Darkly
Yeah, with a student discount and back-to-school sales Apple hardware, at least their laptop line, becomes no more expensive than equivalently equipped* Dells.
Also, I almost forgot...the OP didn't ask, but most people don't realize that you can generally get a one-time increase in your cost of attendance for the purchase of a computer. At my school it just involved filling out a form and providing a copy of the receipt. The increase in cost of attendance should, theoretically, increase any financial aid you're receiving. Unless your family makes enough that you're not receiving anything, in which case I guess you're hosed. But it's definitely worth looking into. Though at my school you only had 30 days after purchase to apply for it.
And you can do this at any point during your degree, you don't need to do it at the beginning. And I believe you can do it once per degree (so again for a second bachelors, and again for a master's, and again for a PhD).
* - Note this includes both hardware speed/power as well as form factor/weight/battery life. Obviously low-end Dells will come in way lower.
It's a 15.4" laptop. Unfortunately there's a 10% off deal expiring tomorrow, but bearing in mind that I'm finding Word on my 24" monitor a bit annoying and I semi-want to use it for gaming, I'll think I'll have to leave it.
This is the thing though
A MacBook Pro is not on par with a Dell, it's on par with the higher end Lenovo and Toshiba models. Which cost as much as they do anyhow.
I'm all for saving money, but you're definitely sacrificing things when you go Dell.
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
Funny, my MacBook Air seems to have been built pretty well. As have several MBPs I've come in contact with.
It's not out of the question to compare it to higher end Toshibas and Lenovos.
Yet my 12" PowerBook (which was like a third revision) still slowly tore itself apart, presumably from heat buildup. And the replacement I got under warranty is warped now as well. And a minute or two with google suggests that mine is not an isolated incident.
They're better than bargain-basement Dells, of course, but aside from that they're pretty hit and miss.
We can anecdote all day long back and forth, or
They fixed my first PowerBook because it warped to the point that the strip of metal above the DVD slot started to protrude out, preventing proper insertion/ejection of discs.
The second one showed up just fine, but started to warp within a couple months. It's not so much an "anecdote" as a "known and documented issue that suggests that Macs are not, in all cases, known for fantastic build quality." The fact that this shortcoming survived through multiple revisions suggests that they don't really give a fuck, either.
However, I'm not speaking specifically of MacBooks or MacBook Pros, so it may not be entirely relevant.
It's a limitation of the material used for the case. Metals expand and contract. If you're keeping it out of sunlight and within the safe operating temperatures noted in the manual, significant warping should be rare. Some warping is inevitable. If the warping interferes with the operation of the device, it will be remedied.
If you can't handle that, don't get a laptop with a metal casing.
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
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YOU JUST COMPARED A CONSUMER LAPTOP TO A PANASONIC TOUGHBOOK
AND YOU ARE USING THIS AS A COMPLAINT AGAINST ONLY THE LAPTOPS MADE BY APPLE
You are beyond the realm of reasonable discourse. Do you even know what the casings on Toughbooks use? It's fucking magnesium alloy. It drives up the cost of the laptop significantly, but it's what they use for the brake discs on fighter jets. Because it can handle that much heat without warping.
Apple's laptops use aluminum or titanium depending on which era we're talking about, and the sheets are much thinner. These are very different metals which react to heat in wildly different manners. You're comparing this to a laptop whose base model is considerably less fast and lacks many of the features of the MacBook Pro and which still costs $1000 more. $1000.
When you're willing to spend $1000 to get an exotic casing, then you can bitch about the metal warping a bet when it gets too hot.
The point remains, if it interferes with the device's operation, they'll warranty it. If it doesn't, stop sweating the small shit?
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
Way to bum me out, Pheez.