Laptop Purchase: Apple or Dell?

Does anybody have any experience with Apple or Dell laptops?
I need to buy a laptop for my schoolwork (I am a ChemE graduate student by night and an employee by day (and a dad and husband all the time!)).

I have always been a Windows guy, but I am seriously tempted by the Apple laptops. I have visited the local Apple store and they just seem to be very well designed and logical.
I can get a student discount from Dell, but the idea of buying a fast Windows machine and then loading it up with tons of anti-spyware, anti-virus, and anti-adware programs seems really anti-productive.

I would use it mainly for wordprocessing and spreadsheets and internet surfing. Any thoughts?---Marc

PowerBook all the way man! iBooks are nice too, but if you are serious about your comp then get the powerbook. IMHO Dells are cheaply made.

I like Apple. They make a quality product with great design and functionality. I use Windows because it offers more bang for the buck and there are more software titles, especially games.

Spyware and antivirus are becomming a fact of life. The main reason windows machines are over-run by such malware is because there are more of them. Eventually, even Apple owners will need to be more vigilant in their safe computing.

Which to buy? I'd buy the one that best meets your needs. Sounds like a cheap Dell is the best choice here. Then again if you sit working at your computer for long periods of time and become obsessed with that sexy Apple you could have purchased, then you should have got an Apple.

I have a pretty sexy windows machine, a Voodoo laptop, and I still find myself looking fondly at the Apples.

Just some thoughts,

Greg

Powerbooks are by far the best made laptop available. Don't let anyone fool you into thinking that you wont be able to run the programs you need to. I use a Powerbook everyday in a corporate environment & I run all sorts of proprietary software easily with my Powerbook. Never have I been more happy with any computer than I am with this Powerbook. Apple hits it right on the head when they say "Mac's, they just work".

Indeed they do!

Dell /// Apple


Dell Ultimate Mobility 700m/// Apple 12" Powerbook
12.1 Wide screen XGA TFT /// 12.1 Wide screen XGA TFT
1.6 ghz Mobile Pentium /// 1.33 ghz PowerPC G4 Velocity engine
512 mb DDR SRAM /// 768 mb DDR SRAM
30 gig Hard Drive /// 80 gig Hard Drive
24x CD Burners, DVD Rom /// 4x DVD Burn & Read, 24x CDROM
Integrated graphics /// 64 mb NVIDIA Geoforce Go5200
802.11 b/g /// 802.11 b/g
Extra Battery included $130 value /// Bluetooth included as standard
(Bluetooth wireless mouse available)
4.1 pounds 1.5" thick /// 4.6 pounds 1.16" thick,10.9"w x 8.6"d
$2129 DELL //// $2224 APPLE

From dell.com/aug 2004 /// From Apple.com/Apple Store

That sounds like votes for the Apple.

[ QUOTE ]
Double_A said:
Dell /// Apple
1.6 ghz Mobile Pentium /// 1.33 ghz PowerPC G4 Velocity engine
512 mb DDR SRAM /// 768 mb DDR SRAM


[/ QUOTE ]

Is it fair to compare processor speeds and memory from a Windows machine to an Apple?

I used to sell computers to corporate America about 5 years ago and never had too much respect for Apple. Most people back then thought that they were more like toys unless you were heavy into desktop publishing. From the response so far it looks like things might have changed a little. In some ways that's good because I was never a big fan of Bill Gates. Maybe it's just old prejudices but if everything was equal I would lean more towards a PC platform then an Apple. Just my two cents.

I' rading this on a 1.4 g I-book G4, and I can tell you this is one sweet machine. Maintaintence free and good looks to boot, not to mention the near-immunity from viruses and pyware. I recommend it. The one nice thing about Macs is that they work well year after year, unlike the degrading performance in Windows systems if you aren't an expert at maintaining the system.

[ QUOTE ]
MicroE said:
[ QUOTE ]
Double_A said:
Dell /// Apple
1.6 ghz Mobile Pentium /// 1.33 ghz PowerPC G4 Velocity engine
512 mb DDR SRAM /// 768 mb DDR SRAM


[/ QUOTE ]

Is it fair to compare processor speeds and memory from a Windows machine to an Apple?

[/ QUOTE ]

Nope.

In an informal test a Mac owner that my family knows did, he showed that at the same processor speed, the Mac is around 2 times as fast in processing the same tasks.

Though by the same token you can't compare the Pentium M clock speed to the normal Pentium 4. Their pipeline architectures are very different.

I'd also like to mention that you SHOULD be able to get a student discount from Apple as well. They generally offer a nice cut from the normal price.

[edit] I'd also like to throw in my vote for Apple. The powerbook is one heck of a laptop. I don't personally own one but three of my friends do, and they are definitely sweet machines.[/edit]

Apple??? Very funny. Stick with the standard. Stick with anything other than Apple. Want a walkman? Get Apple. For computers though stear clear.

I never thought to ask Apple for a student discount. Hmmm.

Yeah, the student discounts are pretty good.

Apples are good for pie If you want a computer, go Dell. They also have student discounts. I've lugged my Inspiron half-way around the world, no problems. When it's time for a replacement years from now, I'll buy myself another Dell.

... from your intended use, are you sure you want a top-of-the-line laptop? You may satisfy your computing requirements by buying last year's models off eBay.

As far as customer service, I dont like Dell. I bought my first real computer based on the Support that they had and how good they seemed. I was never impressed by their knowledge about anything. I was told I would get callbacks within an hour of hanging up with them on a open issue with my computer...a month later, I called them back asking about the issue. That conversation opened like this, "Yea, I was supposed to get a callback about my computer." Tech - "Well you need to give them sufficient time, sometimes they are on another call that does not let them call back immediatly." Me - "Well, I dont know about you, but I think a month is enough time to fix anyone elses issues..."

That is a dead serious quote(s) from the conversation we had. They didnt know what was going on. Then, as for their computer, it wasnt that bad of a machine, but I was unsatisfied how they customized their parts to fit only their cases. Now I know that this is a desktop I am talking about here and you are wanting a Laptop, but it just confirms my thoughts on Dell in general. Anyhow, you couldnt put a new motherboard in their cases. The standoff screws holes and motherboard screw holes werent the same as ordinary motherboards. Then again, this was 3 years or so ago, perhaps they have changed such stuff.

Just cause I am more open to other computer related objects shall I say, I would go with a Apple Laptop. I have gone from using Windows to now, Linux, and would like to try yet something else new, such as an Apple. I dont know much about them, but I do know that they are nice from other educated opinions I have heard.

Cameron

DO u want a nice warm lap (Apple Ibook) or a scorched lap (Pentiums) !!!???

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Depends on what you'll be running to some degree even these days. Apples are a little "sexier" to use for most students but I still don't see a lot of students around here, and very few of my co-workers, using an Apple product. See if maybe you can rent or borrow one for a few days and also see what the other folks in your department are using.

Speaking from experience, btw, since I have just replaced my kid's laptop, I'd strongly advise that you ask about how much of the system (whatever the operating system and/or maker) is proprietarial. It turned out that it was less expensive to replace the entire laptop than to repair it. Many, but not all machines have elements that can only be replaced with parts from the manufacturer. Ask and be sure. We found a local firm that builds custom systems or customizes existing manchines to really fit your needs.

The kid's happy and I'm not totally broke. Heck, I can even buy a cup of regular coffee at work every third morning. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/broke.gif

I am also in grad school (biomedical engineering) and I'm in charge of the lab's computers (12-15 Windows desktops and laptops). But I bring my own laptop back and forth everyday -- it's a G4 ibook.
I could probably list reasons all night long, but here's a few:

The ibook never has the kind of problems that I have to fix daily on the windows machines. crashes, inexplicable slow-downs, lost internet connections, unrecognizable drives, virii, spyware, etc.

As a UNIX-based system a whole range of open-source software written by academics for academics is available to me. Reference managers, modeling and mathematical packages, file converters, voice recorders, etc. Often my colleagues ask about how to get something done, and I show them how I would do it on my Mac. Their next question is always, "Can I get that for Windows." And the answer is almost always, "No" or "Not without paying for it." If you do go with a Mac, PM me and I'll send you a list of the most useful free/cheap software for grad school. I've also seen chemical modelers, though I don't really use them.

The new elements of Tiger are also very useful for academics: specifically, Spotlight and native PDF markup.

Macs hold their value much better. I recently sold my 2 year old ibook G3 for $150 less than it cost me to buy a new ibook G4.

I don't think I'm exaggerating to say that for the same money you might get a pentium processor that would save you fractions of seconds for certain applications, but you'll be using an OS that will cost you HOURS of extra maintenance.

The Apple OS X has an elegance that makes it just more enjoyable to use. Maybe I just sound like a fanboy, but I think if anyone who uses both OS's for any length of time, will understand.

When someone asks me to fix their computer, my stock answer is, "Well, here's your problem...you have Windows installed." /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

It's not all roses; there some negatives too:

1. Commercial hardware and software is rarely discounted. You don't find the free-after-rebate deals that you can get for Windows.

2. Most peripherials will work just by plugging them in, but occasionally some devices from smaller companies won't have drivers. I have a laser pointer that works as a mouse without any special drivers, but I can't program it to have different actions with different programs.

3. If there is a specific software package that you absolutely have to use and that is Windows only, you have to think carefully about how to handle that. Virtual PC or borrowing a computer might work, but they are not optimal.


Anyway, for your needs I would strongly recommend an Apple machine. Specifically, it's hard to beat the value/performance/size combination of the 12" ibook. If you won't be carrying it around everyday, and want a little larger screen, go with the 15" powerbook.

I have a 17 Inch 2nd gen G4 Powerbook 128MB VRAM, 512 MB RAM.. DVD Writer etc... etc... I dont like it at all for general word processing or browsing use (which is your intended use)... rather... I prefer it for a Professional Use.. like DV Editing, Sound Processing & Other Multimedia Stuff .... Also, its far far more expensive than Windows based system. (atleast in India)

for a General Use.. I would prefer a Compaq/HP Machine, Presario series... with Intel's 745 to 765 processor (1.5 to 1.8 GHz) 2 MB L2 Cache, about 512 MB RAM, 128 MB/256 MB Video Card, 16X DVD Writer & 80 GB HDD ... it also has about 5 - 6 Hours of Battery Life, Intelegent Li-Ion Battery also has inbuilt Wireless, Bluetooth etc ... (Intel's Centrino Tech) ... Its thin, Light & simple... Windows XP Professional with SP2 Preinstalled should make life a lot more easier.. add to it.. Microsoft Office Suite... and you are there to go... Oh... dont forget FireFox Browser... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif