I have seen a lot of hype about heat issues on the MacBook (and MacBook Pro), the keyboard design and layout on the MacBook, and so on. I ignored these rumors and ordered a Macbook anyways and have been using it for the last three days. Allow me to straighten some things out here for those of you who may be skeptical of buying a MacBook due to some of the rediculous rumors people have been spreading about this fine machine.
Heat Issues:
I cannot say for the MacBook Pro as I have never touched one. However, as far as MacBooks go, there is no "heat problem." It runs at normal temperatures; if you take any old PC notebook and a MacBook and run them both for the same amount of time under the same amount of strain and touch the bottom of both of them, they will feel pretty much the same. The MacBook is no hotter than any other normal notebook I have ever encountered in my life. There are no heat issues. I have even seen some go as far as to say that they had to put the notebook on a desk because the heat got too unbearable. This is extremely exaggerated. The MacBook doesn't get that hot; I have been using mine on my lap for the last three hours straight and I feel fine. Don't believe the hype.
Keyboard Layout:
Let me start off by saying that people create hype about the MacBook's keyboard based solely off of pictures, and most have never even tried typing on it. It looks different than other notebook keyboards, yes, but let me assure you that the keyboard is just like any other notebook keyboard in existence as far as spacing between the keys is concerned. I can type just fine on this thing, and it is no harder than typing on any other notebook keyboard. As a matter of fact, I would even say that the MacBook has the finest keyboard that I have ever encountered on a notebook. I actually find it easier to type on it than on a standard keyboard. It may take a day or two to get used to, but once you do you will most likey come to love it.
I have also heard people say that the MacBook is uncomfortable to use. Once again I strongy disagree with such a statement. This is the most comfortable notebook I have ever laid hands on. I love it. Everything is confortable and easy to use, even the trackpad (with the exception of this minor issue).
Gaming:
Finally, gaming. I have not yet been able to get my hands on a Windows XP CD with Service Pack 2 included, so I have not yet been able to boot up windows and try to game with my MacBook. The only game that I have installed so far is World of Warcraft (Mac version). It runs extremely slowly, but that is because Blizzard did a horrible job coding the game for Macs. I have done much reading in the World of Warcraft official forums on this topic and have seen repeatedly that in Windows the game runs fine, just not at top-notch settings. Once they boot into OS X, however, their framerate drops down to about 14 frames per second even on the lowest settings; pretty close to what I have found in playing World of Warcraft on my MacBook. Basically, if you are looking for a gaming laptop, don't get a MacBook (obviously). This notebook will run older and/or less demanding games just fine in Windows, however (eg. World of Warcraft, Half-Life [not 2], Battlefield 1942).
Hopefully this post cleared up some concerns for those of you looking to puchase a MacBook. In conclusion, I would just like to say that if you doubt anything that I have stated in this post, go to an Apple store and try the MacBook yourself. Just don't base your opinions of the MacBook on pictures and reviews, and take "news" of the MacBook's flaws with a grain of salt, as I have found a vast majority of them to be false and deliberately overexaggerated. The MacBook is not perfect in any way, but it is easily one of the best notebooks currently on the market for educational/business/standard home computing uses.
Heat Issues:
I cannot say for the MacBook Pro as I have never touched one. However, as far as MacBooks go, there is no "heat problem." It runs at normal temperatures; if you take any old PC notebook and a MacBook and run them both for the same amount of time under the same amount of strain and touch the bottom of both of them, they will feel pretty much the same. The MacBook is no hotter than any other normal notebook I have ever encountered in my life. There are no heat issues. I have even seen some go as far as to say that they had to put the notebook on a desk because the heat got too unbearable. This is extremely exaggerated. The MacBook doesn't get that hot; I have been using mine on my lap for the last three hours straight and I feel fine. Don't believe the hype.
Keyboard Layout:
Let me start off by saying that people create hype about the MacBook's keyboard based solely off of pictures, and most have never even tried typing on it. It looks different than other notebook keyboards, yes, but let me assure you that the keyboard is just like any other notebook keyboard in existence as far as spacing between the keys is concerned. I can type just fine on this thing, and it is no harder than typing on any other notebook keyboard. As a matter of fact, I would even say that the MacBook has the finest keyboard that I have ever encountered on a notebook. I actually find it easier to type on it than on a standard keyboard. It may take a day or two to get used to, but once you do you will most likey come to love it.
I have also heard people say that the MacBook is uncomfortable to use. Once again I strongy disagree with such a statement. This is the most comfortable notebook I have ever laid hands on. I love it. Everything is confortable and easy to use, even the trackpad (with the exception of this minor issue).
Gaming:
Finally, gaming. I have not yet been able to get my hands on a Windows XP CD with Service Pack 2 included, so I have not yet been able to boot up windows and try to game with my MacBook. The only game that I have installed so far is World of Warcraft (Mac version). It runs extremely slowly, but that is because Blizzard did a horrible job coding the game for Macs. I have done much reading in the World of Warcraft official forums on this topic and have seen repeatedly that in Windows the game runs fine, just not at top-notch settings. Once they boot into OS X, however, their framerate drops down to about 14 frames per second even on the lowest settings; pretty close to what I have found in playing World of Warcraft on my MacBook. Basically, if you are looking for a gaming laptop, don't get a MacBook (obviously). This notebook will run older and/or less demanding games just fine in Windows, however (eg. World of Warcraft, Half-Life [not 2], Battlefield 1942).
Hopefully this post cleared up some concerns for those of you looking to puchase a MacBook. In conclusion, I would just like to say that if you doubt anything that I have stated in this post, go to an Apple store and try the MacBook yourself. Just don't base your opinions of the MacBook on pictures and reviews, and take "news" of the MacBook's flaws with a grain of salt, as I have found a vast majority of them to be false and deliberately overexaggerated. The MacBook is not perfect in any way, but it is easily one of the best notebooks currently on the market for educational/business/standard home computing uses.
