Computer died - need a new laptop

[Pyrate]

Apple is really techically no better than a PC. All in how you set up your software

 

[robbie36]

His specs do not reflect what will happen when he saves money and does not get a Macbook pro. I think he can find a used one or even a new last years model that will fulfill his requirements. I have fought long and hard to avoid Apple products, but in the end I surrendered. Apple laptops are not perfect, but they are light years ahead of the PC stuff, And I'm not even going to speak about the abomination which is Windows 8. Whatever he gets PC-wise even with Windows 7 professional (a good operating system), will be totally inferior to the equivalent Macbook pro.

I kind of hate Apple, and wish I could use UBUNTU on a decent PC laptop, but you cant use LR in LINUX, and reliable, fast PC laptops are pure fiction in my experience.

I personally think it is misleading to imply that Macbooks are sprinkled with fairy dust. Macs and PCs are basically built with different configurations of largely the same components. I sincerely doubt that Macs with the same components as PCs run Windows noticeably faster. Various people who in response to a guy wanting a high powered laptop also implied that Macbook Airs or 13" retina Pros can do exactly what he wants which I highly doubt is true.

I just spent 3 hours helping a guy with his photos on a reasonably pimped out Retina 13" Pro (1TB SSD, i7 processor). The problem is that the processor is a 'U' (28 watts) and only dual core with no GPU (the 13" are ultrabooks not laptops). It took more than 10 minutes to run a surface blur on a 6 x 24MP shot panorama and that is something you dont want to go through more than once sitting in front of a computer. (I am not saying a similar specced Windows machine would have done any better). But if you want to do reasonably serious editing you do need a bit of power (which of course is available with a high specced 15" retina pro but at a price).

 

[Jermonic]

Apple laptops are not perfect, but they are light years ahead of the PC stuff, And I'm not even going to speak about the abomination which is Windows 8.

Here we go again. If you don't have anything serious to elaborate to the conversation, please cease to contribute. Light years ahead - in what terms? I don't hate mac and I don't hate PCs, but they each have good and bad sides.

Fx the lack of native cut-paste shortcuts on Mac OS is a serious filemanagement issue (last checked in Lion).

Also, the way Windows handles installation of programs is a disgrace (uncontrollable spread of files, registry entries and libraries - stuff leftover - don't even get me started on the uninstallers.... the list goes on, for both operating systems.

and reliable, fast PC laptops are pure fiction in my experience.

So my reliable/stable, fast and good looking windows 8.1 installation running on a Clevo laptop must be a flick of the imagination? Not ONE crash in 4 months so far, not even a program stalling. I love the evolution of PC's, we've surely come a long way.

 

[kwalsh]

I don't hate mac and I don't hate PCs, but they each have good and bad sides.

Definitely true. But don't try to tell the die hards from either side

Fx the lack of native cut-paste shortcuts on Mac OS is a serious filemanagement issue (last checked in Lion).

Fixed in Mountain Lion and later. Though implementation slightly different than windows, instead of using X to cut at the start of the operation you use C just as if you were going to copy. Then at the destination instead of just cmd-V to "paste" you use opt-cmd-V to "move".

 

[RDM]

Does anyone on this thread Know what PC stands for?

I already know, but I am just wondering if anyone else does..
They use to be called a Mac PC and a Windows PC.
Darn Apple had that "Get a Mac" campaign with Justin Long, got the whole world to call a Windows compatible (formerly IBM Compatible) Computer just a "PC" & Macintosh Computers just a "Mac".
Thereby fueling the ideal that Macs are something special "sprinkled with Fairy dust" and more than just a Personal Computer...

See what I did there?

 

[Jermonic]

Fixed in Mountain Lion and later. Though implementation slightly different than windows, instead of using X to cut at the start of the operation you use C just as if you were going to copy. Then at the destination instead of just cmd-V to "paste" you use opt-cmd-V to "move".

Ah, that is really good to hear. I can't believe how long they had that bug persisting (yes, that was a definate bug in my book hehe).

 

[silver92b]

Here we go again. If you don't have anything serious to elaborate to the conversation, please cease to contribute. Light years ahead - in what terms? I don't hate mac and I don't hate PCs, but they each have good and bad sides.


So my reliable/stable, fast and good looking windows 8.1 installation running on a Clevo laptop must be a flick of the imagination? Not ONE crash in 4 months so far, not even a program stalling. I love the evolution of PC's, we've surely come a long way.

Although it might sound like a bit of hyperbole, I am quite serious. My experience with PCs and Macs have taught me a lesson that did not particularly wanted to learn. I wanted PCs to be equal to or better than Macs. Alas, I learned the hard way that every PC laptop I've owned (about 7 various brands over the years) have been awful. They work fine at first and then they quickly degrade until they are slow as molasses and then they break.
The PC desktops have been a mixed bag. Most of them crapped out due to the OS becoming bloated/corrupt and some with mechanical failures. I have also used and still use UBUNTU (Linux) OS in my desktop workstation which is a Xeon powered HP machine running Windows 7 professional which is a very good OS (I need it to run CAD programs which unfortunately wont run on the Mac OS or Linux).

The 2 Macbooks I've owned have performed brilliantly for much longer times. The OS appears to be more stable and the build quality of the laptops is obviously superior. The one iMac I own did fail due to mechanical defects and it turned out to be a rather expensive paper weight.

I think my experience with these computers is serious enough to warrant sharing it with prospective buyers of such products. I cannot comment on your particular laptop and I congratulate you on having a good machine.

 

[silver92b]

Are you serious? It's the best OS Microsoft has made so far - rediculously stable, fast, good looking, start menu problem is remidied for free in 60 seconds with Classic shell. I'm getting annoyed with people just dismissing it, and spreading myths, because they haven't given it a chance. I wouldn't go back to W7, that's for sure. You might have other problems that I don't (fx: older hardware with insufficient drivers - I've heard that a lot - and it is true, as with all new OS'es).

I don't know what you are talking about. The W8 that came with my wife's new desktop is probably if not certainly the worst piece of feces ever tried to pass itself off as an OS. I have no clue what it is superior to or good for... Simply, it's almost impossible to use. The interface with the user is a baffling nightmare. I still cannot find files I need or programs I want to use. I have used everything from Basic, to MS DOS, to the first MS Windows and all the other variances of windows, I've also used several varieties of the Mac OS as well as several distros of Ubuntu. So if I find W8 unusable, it's not from lack of familiarity with personal computers.

Many of the Windows distributions have been awful, some are quite good. W XP was great, W7 is fine as well, W8 is unusable. I have no idea what Microsoft was thinking about when they produced that horrible OS. It might be the most advanced, efficient and stable Windows to date, but it is totally unusable. Based on my experience, I recommend staying away from it. Buy whatever machine you want, but make sure to buy a copy of W7 to install in it or be ready for a hideous time.

 

[Jermonic]

Install Classic Shell. Problem solved.

It takes 1 minute including download, and is free. Set & forget.

Without it, I agree on the unusability. For me, it's simply a non-issue to deal with, but I can understand novice users with a PC running W8 out of the box, wondering where the hell to click.

Although I can't believe that you suggest people to buy an outdated OS. Which I consider W7 to be, however decent people might find it.

 

[PMCC]

Although it might sound like a bit of hyperbole, I am quite serious. My experience with PCs and Macs have taught me a lesson that did not particularly wanted to learn. I wanted PCs to be equal to or better than Macs. Alas, I learned the hard way that every PC laptop I've owned (about 7 various brands over the years) have been awful. They work fine at first and then they quickly degrade until they are slow as molasses and then they break.

I don't understand. My 6 years old netbook (hardly the most fancy laptop) with Windows XP does not degrade. If anything, it runs faster than new due the the optimization I did.

Looks like it has more to do with the people using it.

 

[tyrphoto]

Although $500 above your budget, I'd go with a 15" 2.5GHz quad core i7 MacBook Pro Retina or you could look for one used if you need to keep within budget.

- 16GB RAM
- 512GB SSD
- NVidia GeForce GT 750M

Use Bootcamp to dual boot for OS X and Windows. Best of both worlds. :big grin:

I've been using Macs since 1984 and currently use four Macs at home (two 27" iMacs, Mac Mini, 13" MacBook Air). Although I don't consider myself an Apple ******, I do prefer Macs and OS X so my opinions may be biased a bit. However, I do have all but the Mac Mini, setup as dual boot with Bootcamp as there are times I need a Windows environment.