Should I buy a Macbook 13?

Tulipone

Tulipone

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Chris
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I am having a mid life crisis - I am thinking about buing one of these:

White 13-inch MacBook.
2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
2GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM - 2x1GB
120GB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm
SuperDrive 8x (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Keyboard (British) & User’s Guide (English)

Decided that it is best to derisk the process from PC to iMac - just scared. If I go fully Mac, then I'll upgrade and change media from CS3 PC to CS4 Mac.

I have used DOS/Windows since Dos 5 and been UNIX and Windows SysAdmin for a long time before going into a consultancy role. Never had cause to own or play with a Mac ever (nasty insecure things). Decided if Hacker can manage, I probably can!

Am I going to wish that I spent more on a web browsing/office appication/occasional photo editing machine? I have a discount with Apple - would a 676 quid Windows laptop be better or worse? The latest Mac Office costs (from work) around 18 quid so that is not major.

One last bit - should I get Aperture 2? What does it give me that CS4 would not?

Thanks in anticipation.

Chris
 
Hey Chris

1stly, I am not one of these anti-PC people who will criticise XP/MS etc for the sake of it. However, 18 months ago I was in your position and I can say with my hand on my heart that I have never ever regretted the decision to go with Mac and OSX. Now, each of my family have a Macbook (4 of us), and we're delighted with what we have.

Personal preference of course, but I love my Mac, as does my wife, my son and my daughter.

Go for it... you won't regret it.
 
theMusicMan said:
Hey Chris

1stly, I am not one of these anti-PC people who will criticise XP/MS etc for the sake of it. However, 18 months ago I was in your position and I can say with my hand on my heart that I have never ever regretted the decision to go with Mac and OSX. Now, each of my family have a Macbook (4 of us), and we're delighted with what we have.

Personal preference of course, but I love my Mac, as does my wife, my son and my daughter.

Go for it... you won't regret it.
Click to expand...

...the cheapie white Mac book 13" you have with similar specs?

Chris
 
Aperture is more a library-organisation app with a few of the more common editing tools. Many people find they process 95% or more of photos in Aperture and only switch to Photoshop for those shots that require the extra editing power.

Oh and getting a Mac should be a no-brainer nowadays ;) I have an earlier revision of the white MB and it does me just fine. (Will be needing a new HD at some point but they're easy to swap out)

hope that helps
 
Yep Chris, we all have 13" Macbooks.

Admittedly I have upgraded mine to have an internal 250GB drive (photography and music you see) and 2GB RAM, and my son has just upgraded his new Macbook (bought this Christmas) to 2GB RAM, but my wife and daughter have the base 13" white models, and are both delighted with them.

I have an Apple airport extreme which provides my home WiFi network, and we all have ipods which we can share music from. Jen (wife) has a new iPhone and, well... to be honest, they just work!! No resetting, no blue screens, no drivers to manage... they just work.

I use Lightroom 2.2, as well as Photoshop CS3 for my photography stuff, as well as Cubase S4 and many soft synths for all my music and synth stuff.

I love the Mac, and would not buy another PC. Nothing against them, but love the Mac aesthetic, experience and overall usability.
 
Yes!

4 years of OS X and i can still say I detest every moment i spend on Vista computers.

p.s. I have a SR white MacBook now and it's top notch, doesn't quite have the build quality my iBook 12" had.
 
The 2.4 option appears to be only with the aluminium macbook - and is significantly more money. The White 13 macbook is 676.20, the 2.4 ally macbook is 1058 (with upgrades as standard).

If I should consider the second option and disregard the first, it's out of budget and no longer an option. If I am spending that I go for a 24" iMac and have done.

Again, grateful for advice.

Chris
 
Personally speaking, I'd say go with it ONLY if there was something about OSX that appealed over Vista/XP/Win7.

Macs are nice machines, but at the price point you are talking about, a better spec could be had from going PC.

My money would go on a PC, but I'm typing this on a Macbook so I'm just choc-full of contradictions.

Cheers,
James
 
Moos3h said:
Personally speaking, I'd say go with it ONLY if there was something about OSX that appealed over Vista/XP/Win7.

Macs are nice machines, but at the price point you are talking about, a better spec could be had from going PC.

My money would go on a PC, but I'm typing this on a Macbook so I'm just choc-full of contradictions.

Cheers,
James
Click to expand...

I guess that this is the million dollar question then. Does the quality of the Mac OS balance things out if the spec of the Windows PC is better?

Chris
 
I am not sure one can compare the performance of a PC v's a Mac on speed etc. Sure, the size of the hard drive or the amount of RAM of course can be compared, but the speed of the processor and overall performance I don't think can be easily compared.

I have a 2GHz Macbook, with 2GB RAM, and a 250GB drive, and it's faster than any laptop I have used. I can also say that XP runs faster on my Mac in a Parallels window, than it does on my Dell Latitude. I use XP on my Mac because MS Project isn't available on Mac so I am forced to use it under XP on Parallels on my Mac.

The 'quality' on the other hand, well that's an immeasurable difference. No drivers to install, no BSoD's (none, ever), no faffing about, no waiting for response (turn on and it's there within seconds - net 'n all), no crashes (except Firefox, sometimes - but not the OS, just Firefox). In my opinion there's no comparison between using a Mac machine and a windows machine.

Your call of course...
 
theMusicMan said:
I can also say that XP runs faster on my Mac in a Parallels window, than it does on my Dell Latitude.
Click to expand...

This is where my logic fails me. I would have thought that the hardware is hardware and XP would run equally well on either an intel mac or PC. If XP runs better on a mac then it must be the quality of the build of hardware rather than the quality of the operating system?

I am not trying to find an issue - and suspect that said mac will be in my grubby hands tomorrow or Saturday. Just keen to understand.

Chris
 
The point being that there's no noticeable difference in performance in modern day machines. I still say go for it, you won't regret it.
 
I've got a white Macbook, it's great! I wouldn't say that they are over priced, try finding a quality PC laptop with the same specs (13.3" not 15.4") and there aren't that many! My Dad's Sony Laptop cost more than a similarly specced Mac and he has to endure Vista...

Another option you may not have thought of is to get a cheap second hand Mac to make sure you get on the with OS. I got a 12" iBook for £100 off eBay and used that for about 6 months before I switched, I found that I was using it for all my email and surfing, despite a pretty powerful PC sat in the other room because the Mac was so much nicer to use. Now my Mum is using that laptop.
 
Moos3h said:
Personally speaking, I'd say go with it ONLY if there was something about OSX that appealed over Vista/XP/Win7.

Macs are nice machines, but at the price point you are talking about, a better spec could be had from going PC.

Cheers,
James
Click to expand...

I have to say I have had this debate a gazzilion times on the Internet and in real life and when it comes down to buying a computer (just like a camera :p ) it isn't just about the Specs!

As for a reason for OS X. The biggest reason for me is workflow (not just Photography but all workflow) as OS X doesn't seem to get in my way whereas XP and especially Vista do.

Oh and the new alu MacBooks (and MBPs) rock!
 
Apple have just quietly updated the white macbook as well, the spec is now very close to the entry level alu macbook but starting at £719. I switched to a macbook air then a 2.4 alu macbook and upgraded to 4gb memory. I hate having to use windows even just the wait when it goes into standby etc. It does cost a premium but ive never regretted changing to mac.
 
Euan said:
Apple have just quietly updated the white macbook as well, the spec is now very close to the entry level alu macbook but starting at £719. I switched to a macbook air then a 2.4 alu macbook and upgraded to 4gb memory. I hate having to use windows even just the wait when it goes into standby etc. It does cost a premium but ive never regretted changing to mac.
Click to expand...

Most importantly, it now has a much better graphic card:
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2009/01/21/apple_tweaks_macbook_spec/
 
I have the 13" Macbook but have put 4 gig ram in and a 250 gig drive. Whilst it's hard to do performance comparisons I can tell you that the Sony RAW processor can open and display a RAW file about 4 times faster on my Macbook than it can on my 3GHz Dual Core Vista machine with 3 gigs of ram. I've no idea why as that seems like too huge a difference to me but it's true.

The only downside to the Macbook is that the screen isn't too great for very critical photo viewing. I'd recommend an external CRT monitor for such tasks.
 
Talking to Apple, it sems that iLife 09 will come with it, but I will have to pay £7.95 for postage and packing. When asked if I could buy iLife at the same time as the Mac I was told that I could. If I can buy it with it, why can I not be given it if I am entitled to it?

I understand that it is nice of them to offer an upgrade - not sure why they just could not send it to me for free, else have the disks in store to collect.

Chris
(Now wondering if Apple is the way forward!)
 
Bottomline is there are Macs out there that were made before iLife 09 existed. These macs come with iLife 08. Apple are letting you upgrade to 09 for P&P cost.
 
bradleysmith said:
Bottomline is there are Macs out there that were made before iLife 09 existed. These macs come with iLife 08. Apple are letting you upgrade to 09 for P&P cost.
Click to expand...

The laptop I am looking at was announced the same time as iLife. My problem is more the customer service aspect. I can buy it but even though I am entitled to it, I have to pay. If the resupply was able to send stock to a shop, why not shove in a load of oem disks? They also managed to move vast numbers of laptops to the shops.

If I buy the laptop it is with the view of replacing my PC with an iMac (or the replacement) also. As I have maintained and built my own PCs for ever (anyone else remember the Z80 kits?) and my move to Apple is significant. Not buying the parts and putting them together - no real Customer Service to worry about when you are doing the build youself.

Apple are not letting me upgrade to 09 for P&P cost - in real terms they are selling me something that I have already purchased.

Chris
 
I thought the white and black macbooks were discontinued and the range was replaced with the aluminium ones. There is no mention of the white macbook on the apple site which suggests these are EOL items. It probably has iLife08 pre-installed. The current base macbook has a 160gb hard drive and a dvd burner

iLife09 was only announced at the Macworld expo a fortnight ago.

The upgrade may be coming from elsewhere and someone has to pickup the carriage costs.
 
I have an iMac 24" and just bought a new 13" macbook for college. Would never go back to a pc.
Its an easy choice, just do it.
 
Whilst I see where you're coming form Chris I think you'll find it's very easy to get hung up on this kinda thing. I remember moaning endlessly that MS wouldn't allow me (in windows media player) to rip to MP3 without buying an external encoder. And that Windows, out the box doesn't let you watch DVDs or even write my own programs. Macs come with Soooooo much more stuff for free that not getting the very latest version of iLife for free is a small detail really. Of course, what's a small detail to one is an insurmountable problem to another...
 
andrewc said:
I thought the white and black macbooks were discontinued and the range was replaced with the aluminium ones. There is no mention of the white macbook on the apple site which suggests these are EOL items. It probably has iLife08 pre-installed. The current base macbook has a 160gb hard drive and a dvd burner

iLife09 was only announced at the Macworld expo a fortnight ago.

The upgrade may be coming from elsewhere and someone has to pickup the carriage costs.
Click to expand...

http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook?mco=MTE3MjA

The white one on the right - it is the latest mac offering.
 
To me, this just looks like the EOL version of the last generation Macbook, except they've given you a superdrive instead of a combo drive.

I would agree that the old macbook seems better value than the new alloy ones.
 
You should get a macbook, from what you have said, only if you want something differet and a change from windows pc's - the osx environment, to me, is much more user friendly, simpler to use and less clutter orientated.
 
andrewc said:
To me, this just looks like the EOL version of the last generation Macbook, except they've given you a superdrive instead of a combo drive.

I would agree that the old macbook seems better value than the new alloy ones.
Click to expand...

They have upgraded the graphics to nvidia so its in line with the alu macbooks as well. from what ive read on the net its just being kept as an entry level model.
 
Thanks for all the input - I have enjoyed the debate. Tomorrow I go to Cambridge to commit (or not). Will update after the purchase (or non purchase!).

Chris
 
Tulipone said:
I am having a mid life crisis
Click to expand...

:lol: I know that feeling. 48 today. :shake:



Tulipone said:
Decided if Hacker can manage, I probably can!
Click to expand...

:bat: :bat:


Chris, in all seriousness, having had my iMac for a week I must say I am besotted! As I said to someone earlier this week everything just .......works! I can't think of any other way to describe it. With regards to your Macbook I can't help you there but I will say I have noticed a huge increase in processing speed over my old PC which had the following spec (most of which means nothing to me):

AMD X2 4200+ - Dual Core CPU
2GB RAM
ATI X1950pro 256mb GFX Card
Soundblaster XFI Xtreme Music
36gb Western Digital Raptor Drive (OS) - 10k RPM
500Gb Seagate Data Hard Drive
DVD-RW Drive
Multi Card Reader
Arctic Cooling Freezer 64 Pro Cooler
Hiper 530w Modular PSU
Antec Nine Hundred Xtreme Gaming Case
11 usb ports, SPDIF onboard sound (coax & optical)

I have a Photoshop 'all in one' action which used to take about 32 seconds to run on the PC (even longer on my older one) and I tend to use this as a very unscientific way of benchmarking speed, the same action takes just 6 seconds(!) on the iMac with 4 gb of RAM (8 seconds with 2gb). I know absolutely zilch about hardware etc but I find this astonishing and already I am thinking about getting a Mac laptop later in the year for mobile use. I suppose what I am trying to say is just get the Mac - you won't regret it and if I can make the change, anyone can!
 
I switched a few years ago and have never regretted it. Our stable of macs includes a white macbook which I use mainly for holidays and I love it.

As said above, everything just works - and without the blue screens, lock ups and need for reboots. Are they overpriced? When you consider that they have all the blue screens/lock ups/reboots removed before shipping ;) I think that is well worth a small premium.

I've never heard of anyone moving from a mac???
 
Hacker said:
:lol: I know that feeling. 48 today. :shake:
Click to expand...

Happy Birthday! You youngsters can pick up these things far faster than I though and I have got to the age when I worry. :'(

I thought that you were in a similar industry to me?

Chris
 
2blue4u said:
I switched a few years ago and have never regretted it. Our stable of macs includes a white macbook which I use mainly for holidays and I love it.

As said above, everything just works - and without the blue screens, lock ups and need for reboots. Are they overpriced? When you consider that they have all the blue screens/lock ups/reboots removed before shipping ;) I think that is well worth a small premium.

I've never heard of anyone moving from a mac???
Click to expand...
I have read somewhere that someone did move back to PC from a Mac, but this is absolutely not the norm. Far more people move from PC to Mac and are very happy with the move. If it were 50/50 then that would indicate an even playing field in terms of user expectations, but we all know it's not 50/50... it's more like 99.99/0.001 or greater - which sort of illustrates the the fact that those who do move, are totally satisfied and expectations are met.
 
i have to say i've been in a similar position to you having used pc's extensively for years, also dabbling with macs on occasion and i have to disagree with everything everyone has said really, i found the mac a remarkably annoying piece of kit to use, i'd go for the best spec hardware you can find for your money and then install your operating system of choice on it

at the end of the day i buy a computer to do the job i need it to do and if i find mac os getting in my way then it's not for me, if you purchase one i just hope you don't find the same problems i did.
 
Its horses for courses really, i love my mac and os x but it did take a bit of getting used too.
 
After all the deliberation, soul searching and miserly debate, it turns out that the Apple stores do not yet have any stock of the new white macbook. The guy that I spoke to also recommended that he would not recommend CS3/4 or either the new or the old white book - the dilemma is put on hold until stock comes in (or the new iMac is announced).

Chris
 
Hmm, I'm sure there are plenty of people running Photoshop on white Macbooks...

FWIW I'm not (can't justify the cost for something I'll hardly use), but I run LR2 with no problems.
 
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