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apple vs. windows - Page 2

post #21 of 45
8/6/04 at 1:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jnev_89
ok, i'm gonna be using it for photoshop, some gaming, some basic video editing, and all the basic day to day stuff like word processing, internet and e-mail.

thanks for the replies so far.

also, what's better a regular p4 or the new pention m? this comp is gonna be on my desk most of the time but i will be traveling with it a couple times a month
Check out the amd 64. Its more effiecient that the g4 or p4 for that matter. And it gives you battery life. I would recommend the acer ferrari 3200. It even has slot loading dvd rw drives like the mac. Except your not locked to one dvd burning format like that mac.
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post #22 of 45
8/6/04 at 1:26pm
Macs are nice, but you dish out a lot of extra $$$ for one.
Also the powerbooks are a generation behind the current best Mac has to offer, which would concern me.

The most important is to remember what it is you want to do. If you can do everything you want to on a Mac, then you are OK getting one. If you think you can get by with compatible programs watch out.

Also, Linux programs DO NOT run on Macs. You can try recompiling some of them, but most won't work... the architecture of the kernel, and process management is totally different.
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post #23 of 45
8/6/04 at 1:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by abf
Welcome to the family!


If you think about it, most any GNU/Linux distro with Gnome/KDE desktop will LOOK and FEEL like mac os x (minus that the taskbar turns into a menu for the program, are they so lazy they can't make the menus appear in the program itslef? Same goes for stability/virus and spyware issues. And with WINE (i should warn, still is in ALPHA phase and only estimated to be finished by the end of '05) you can run some Windows software and even games. (PS, OpenOffice.Org is an exelent alternative to MS Office)
Yes!!! I think almost nobody knows how KDE 3.2 (I think they are planning to release the 3.3) looks with Keramik activated, a good wallpaper from KDE-look.org, transparency activated, shadows and effects activated. Much better than WinXP, even with those fanzy window themes... The icons on linux are much better (PNGs that can be 128x128 or more, but this is the highest commonly available)
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post #24 of 45
8/6/04 at 1:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jnev_89
ok, i'm gonna be using it for photoshop, some gaming, some basic video editing, and all the basic day to day stuff like word processing, internet and e-mail.

thanks for the replies so far.

also, what's better a regular p4 or the new pention m? this comp is gonna be on my desk most of the time but i will be traveling with it a couple times a month

Go for a PM with the 2MB cahce. It'll give you the batterylife when you need it, but is also a really great machine. And for gaming, make sure you get an ATI chipset - I love Nvidia, but the mobile products really suck.

Mark "Stingray" Santora
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post #25 of 45
8/6/04 at 1:50pm
Thread Starter 
well, i'm still undecided, and will most likely stay this way until i actually order the thing! any other notebooks i should be looking out for? the cl56 i read has a bad screen and i read a horrible review of the ferrari on cnet.

thanks for all the help so far
jnev_89
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post #26 of 45
8/6/04 at 2:40pm
If weight isn't a major issue look at the Compaq R3000z. You can outfit one for $799 (Athlon XP) or if you want AMD64 it starts from $899 and there are many coupons available ($50 off any AMD product, $100 Mail-in Rebate, $50 any CTO computer over $999 and 6% APP if you qualify). The graphics arent the best (440go) but since you dont play the latest hottest games at the highest settings, that shouldn't be an issue. It runs very cool (temp wise), looks pretty good, has the best speakers i ever heard in a lappy and with a 12 cell batt you get about 3 hours of runtime (basic apps). The screen comes in SXGA or WXGA or WSXGA w/Briteview so it depends on your flavor, the wide screen is very good. It has an optional 4x dvd burner and 54g wifi. The HDs available are only 4200rpm, so guy the smallest possible (30gb) and swap it out for what your flavor is (weather you need the 7k60 or not). Also they overcharge for ram, buy the 256mb, and pick up another 512 kingston pc2700 from newegg for $100. Very worth-while upgrade. Again, only look at this choice is 8 lbs is not too heavy and if you don't plan on doing anything graphics hard core (the 64mb nvidia will choke on FarCry and the like)
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post #27 of 45
8/6/04 at 2:52pm
Thread Starter 
i want something a little better than that...i do play games and want at least 128 vram, and would prefer if the company i bought it from had all the options i want. i don't want to buy it and then have to get ram from one place and a hd from another. i want to buy it the way i like it on the spot and then a couple months/years/whatever down the road i can swap it out if i don't like it. **this is on a windows only obviously, i'd love it if i could do this on a mac**

also, i heard that compaq doesn't have the greatest service and has crappy quality.
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post #28 of 45
8/6/04 at 4:46pm
compaq is a rebranded Compal as far as i know (people that make the CL56 and the Powerbook also make the compaq) so the quality is actualy on par with the industry. The support isn't great that is true, once i had to call in about my HPNA network....what a nightmare!

If support and A+ service is important take a look at discountlaptops, they have a 10.0 out of 10 on ResellerRatings.Com and if you ask on these boards, the service is brilliant, and the prices aren't so bad either. If you are not exited about the CL56 screen look at the AOpen and the M6N, very good lappys.
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post #29 of 45
8/6/04 at 9:52pm
I currently own a G4 Titanium Powerbook and absolutely love it. Fact is, I just ordered a new Ferrari 3200 to replace it. Until apple comes out with a G5 processor for the pb (won't be until 2005 sometime), they will be continously playing catch up. I've never once had to deal with any viruses or ad-ware, like my roommate who's on a alienware machine, and love the way it looks compared to most PC's.....BUT....for the same price now, you can purchase a machine that will out perform a mac in most categories. Even rendering images on photoshop will be faster on a top end PC compared to a top end pb. As for games, mac's have always been notoriously bad at it.

Performance wise...if you're only thinking of a mid-tier PC, then I'd look into buying a used or refurbished ibook. Performance will be the same, but you'll have a much more user friendly OS. If you're thinking top of the line, then you won't find any mac out there that'll out perform a top end PC.

Note: this is all related to mobile computing. If you're thinking desktop...then by all means, go for the dual G5 processor offered by Mac....that machine just screams.
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post #30 of 45
8/6/04 at 10:22pm
You were saying your Dell gets spyware all the time. Well, that isn't Dells fault. It is completly yours. You downloaded it.

And about the 280 runtime on XP, must mean that guy never installed anything or even did windows update, which is majorly stupid.


I would go with a windows based lappie. Just because of the price. If i have the dough, I would dish it out for a Mac anyday,
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post #31 of 45
8/6/04 at 11:15pm
Thread Starter 
i get spyware from just browsing the new, without downloading anything. i'm not stupid, like i said earlier i have spybot, tuneup utilities, and norton running daily on my computer to delete all of it. even when everything's deleted (it'll only stay that for a couple days at most) my computer constantly crashes or starts running drop dead slow for no apparant reason. i don't know if it's my computer only, but my dad's dell does the same thing (albiet it is about 4-5 yrs old, whereas mine is only 2). usually i wait longer (or would like to) before i upgrade my computer, but i cannot deal with this thing. i'd love to get a dell, but i'm worried i'll have the same experiance as we have had on our 2 dell's at home. i may look into a sager 8790, it looks pretty nice. does sager have a webpage where i can configure it and maybe order it?

thanks
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post #32 of 45
8/6/04 at 11:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnsea
You were saying your Dell gets spyware all the time. Well, that isn't Dells fault. It is completly yours. You downloaded it.
Not always. If you buy anything from Logitech, they come with a driver CD. However, if you install anything from the driver CD, they slap adware and spyware onto your system. It is not always the fault of the user...especially when major companies and corporations use spyware/adware to "better serve your needs".
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post #33 of 45
8/7/04 at 12:06am
Quote:
Originally Posted by CoffeeShark
from your previous posts, it sounds like you've almost decided on a powerbook already. Which is great, sounds like everything you want to run will work well on the apple.

And as for Apple's being built better, I've picked up a lot of apples and PCs, laptops and desktops. Apples are built well, but they're built by one company, not many companies, like PCs. Build quality just depends on manufacturer, not on 'platform'. Dell isn't exactly known for their build quality, but there are many other companies that build solid machines.

From your experience, windows hasn't been good, and you're looking for an alternative, so go for the powerbook - you'll probably be happy with the usability and having all the software work together without having to mess with it. For me, XP is very easy, running Spybot and Ad-aware once a week doesn't bother me, and using the FireFox browser nullifies some of the IE vulnerabilities.

All I was saying, is that Apple pushes an air of perfection that it doesn't achieve in the real world, so don't expect too much.
There's also a lot to be said for NOT using the crappy install that comes on most PCs.

At my last job, first thing I did when we got a new system was wipe it. Factory images were always problematic.

When I did it, I knew it'd work. Much less headaches that way.

So my first suggestions to the thread starter is to try a CLEAN install and not Dell's.
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post #34 of 45
8/7/04 at 12:21am
Thread Starter 
where do i get a clean install? do i have to buy a new winxp disc?
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post #35 of 45
8/7/04 at 12:50am
Thread Starter 
i'm also looking at the dell i8600. after reading the reviews of it in the dell forum, it sounds really good. one glowing review after another. how is its multimedia performance (ie photoshop, video editing, gaming, etc) with the 7200rpm 60 gig hd, 512 ram, 128 vram and 2.0 ghz?

thanks
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post #36 of 45
8/7/04 at 1:42am
assuming the 2ghz is a dothan, it should be FANTASTIC! (not AMD64 3400+ great) but as good as it gets on the road. if the price and the looks is right....go for it!
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post #37 of 45
8/7/04 at 2:07am
Quote:
Originally Posted by CoffeeShark
Apples are built well, but they're built by one company, not many companies, like PCs
As they say, don't "compare 'apples' with oranges"
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post #38 of 45
8/7/04 at 3:26am
Thread Starter 
what exactly is a 'dothan'. i've seen it refered to more than once.

thanks
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post #39 of 45
8/7/04 at 3:41am
Dothan is a code name for the most recent Pentium-M design, also called a "core" name. The Pentium-M Dothan and Pentium-M Banias are the only two I've heard of yet, and differ on a couple of key issues: the Banias core has 1 MB L2 cache while the Dothan has 2 MB L2 Cache, and the Dothans use a 90 nm production process, not 130 nm like in the Banias.
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post #40 of 45
8/7/04 at 11:17am
Thread Starter 
is there any place where i can get an amd 64 bit processor? or would this use up too much battery power...?
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