Yet another laptop advice thread...

[Naveg]

I know there are way too many of these, but the problem is that technology changes so quickly you need a new one every time .

Anyways, here's the scenario. I need a laptop for a summer program I am doing this July. I don't know whether I should buy now or wait, and what I should go for.

Here are my needs/preferences/limitations:

• My preferred budget is around $2500 canadian
  
• I want something that has reasonable mobility (as in weight)
  
• Screen size is not a major concern
  
• Specs should be powerful enough to last a good 3 - 4 years
  
• I am not a gamer, so graphics is not a major concern

I have been deeply considering waiting on the iBooks that are apparently due in June, but I don't want to find myself paying more than I need to for OSX and good looks. If I can get the power for less money, I'd rather do that.

Anyhow, let me know of any suggestions or advice you guys have, including links to relevant sites.

Thanks alot!

[wtd]

Unless something really dramatic changes, you won't get the power of OS X without Apple branded hardware.

As for waiting... wait until new iBooks come out, if you can. If you don't want one, the other options will almost certainly be better and cheaper as well.

[Naveg]

Well, if running OSX isnt such a priority for me, do you recommend going for a cheaper windows laptop? If so, which do you recommend.

[1of42]

Some of the Asus laptops are good, and have the quality to last at a good price. I'm not a major lappy person tho, so I don't remember speific models off the top of my head.

[wtd]

Naveg wrote:

Well, if running OSX isnt such a priority for me, do you recommend going for a cheaper windows laptop? If so, which do you recommend.

Possibly. But I think that you'll find that for the quality of the hardware, Apple's laptops are fairly price-competitive. Yes, you can can get cheaper, but there's a good chance it'll be cheaper for a very good reason.

I think the best advice any of us could give you is to wait as long as you can. The technology is not going to decline, and it will get less expensive.

[md]

An apple laptop might be expensive; but compared to any other laptop I would say it is the one market where their product really is worth the price. Great support and excellent hardware. If I had the money I know I'd get one.

[apomb]

another option is build one to your own specs ... Aopen has a nice little kit you can order and then just buy the rest, put on a nice Linux distro, and i bet you can get a damn good configuration, for < 2500 bucks, you could make quite the laptop. heres an example:Mandriva on an Aopen Barebook

[Naveg]

The thing i've noticed with Apple is that they are living in 2002 when it comes to RAM. How is it that products considered top of the line come standard with only 512 MB? As far as upgrades go, Apple charges you a fortune. If i could get an Apple notebook with 2 GB's RAM for a reasonable price, I would certainly consider it.

[shorthair]

just add your own ram later.
its so 2002 to get hte manufacturer to do it for you.

if you want apple but want to air on hte cheap side.

order a student priced MacbookPro with no upgrades , or wait for the iBook and do the same thing.

then get a killer deal fro mNCIX , RFD , TigerDirect , NewEgg.

on HDD and RAM.
you will be flying for a good price.

[Andy]

you could get a barebone asus from ncix and just build on it, you'll save a bunch and learn alot

[rizzix]

get the new intel-based macs.. and run XP along side: http://www.apple.com/macosx/bootcamp/

[Neo]

Can you run OSX on a pc?

[rizzix]

Not legally nor optimally.

[apomb]

i love how Mac manages to be elitest, even when its trying to be accepting:

Mac Bootcamp sidebar wrote:

Sadly, Windows XP, and even the upcoming Vista, are stuck in the 1980s with old-fashioned BIOS. But with Boot Camp, the Mac can operate smoothly in both centuries.

and

Mac Bootcamp sidebar wrote:

Windows running on a Mac is like Windows running on a PC. That means it'll be subject to the same attacks that plague the Windows world.

i know this is true, i just find it funny that they are letting people do this, but obviously are hesitant in doing so.

[wtd]

CompWiz333 wrote:

i love how Mac manages to be elitest, even when its trying to be accepting:

Mac Bootcamp sidebar wrote:

Sadly, Windows XP, and even the upcoming Vista, are stuck in the 1980s with old-fashioned BIOS. But with Boot Camp, the Mac can operate smoothly in both centuries.

They're not wrong. The fact that Microsoft refuses to let go of the BIOS is truly pathetic.