Should I buy a MacBook Pro?

[Anthony Parsons]

Its not that your Mac is 'built better' (In that the hardware is different or anything), it is that it was built to work together, and that you didn't know what you were doing when you built or bought your PC.

Exactly my point. I did not state the hardware is better, I stated that the mac is engineered where the majority of PC's are not. Please don't try and tell me that a computer tech sitting in a shop building PC's knows anything about electrical engineering, because they don't. My family specialises in the electrical industry, and I am also a specialist in microprocessor control (not current these days as retired). Mac engineer the product... simple as that. A tech building a computer wouldn't know his arse from his foot when it comes to engineering the parts they put into a PC. Hence you're better to go with an engineered computer than a custom / local solution from a computer shop.

I agree Dell are not engineered systems, HP I believe do similar as Apple, being they specifically build their systems and engineer them so they work optimally.

The majority of DIY'ers these days, the sheer abundance of part available for interchange, etc... the moment a person opens their PC or takes it to the local shop, engineered or not, that engineering is out the door with inexperienced eyes swapping part with new one's, 99% of the time not the identical part, and you know the outcome. A mac is repaired only at a mac authorised repairer, with the exact same parts only, no substitutes. If a repairer does that with mac, they won't be an authorised repairer long.

 

[Forsaken]

Exactly my point. I did not state the hardware is better, I stated that the mac is engineered where the majority of PC's are not. Please don't try and tell me that a computer tech sitting in a shop building PC's knows anything about electrical engineering, because they don't. My family specialises in the electrical industry, and I am also a specialist in microprocessor control (not current these days as retired). Mac engineer the product... simple as that. A tech building a computer wouldn't know his arse from his foot when it comes to engineering the parts they put into a PC. Hence you're better to go with an engineered computer than a custom / local solution from a computer shop

Sorry, but Mac hasn't engineered the majority of their parts in a long long time. Casing, logic board, and wiring are about it, and god knows they've had issues with poor casing.

The reason Mac offers a built-as solution is because their systems are built from the ground up to be supported by their logic board (motherboard). This provides the stability and the only hardware advantage over a PC.

Mac only supports the hardware they -choose- to support; Windows chooses to support all hardware to the best of their abilities.

The rest of your post isn't worthy of a response, as its another assumption; I know plenty of techs that have a background in Engineering. Just because someone is a tech does not mean they do not have the capabilities to do something, they usually do not have the chance to do so. You'd be surprised at some of the work backgrounds of interns that pass through my works programs (One of the interns that is likely to get employed in January is from a small computer store in a small town in Northern California), and the abilities they have.

 

[dutchbb]

I haven't had any issues with 'poor casing' both with my MBP and cinema screen. If anything, Apple/Mac casing is the best I have ever had/seen. And I'm dealing with lots of different PC brands on a professional level. So this must have been something that is not wide spread, the problem you are referring to.

Does Apple engineer all their parts? Of course not, why should they? Their job is to configure and design the best possible computer and OS, not to engineer a CPU or a HDD.

 

[Elizabeth]

I haven't had any issues with 'poor casing' both with my MBP and cinema screen. If anything, Apple/Mac casing is the best I have ever had/seen. And I'm dealing with lots of different PC brands on a professional level. So this must have been something that is not wide spread, the problem you are referring to.

Does Apple engineer all their parts? Of course not, why should they? Their job is to configure and design the best possible computer and OS, not to engineer a CPU or a HDD.

Before my HP turned into a brick, I had to have it serviced, the case started separating, a KNOWN issue. At one side, it literally came apart. Thankfully, I don't keep anything of importance on my primary hard drive cause they reformated it.

 

[David McHenry]

The new mac book air is quite nice. It's an ipad sized notebook with serious enough hardware for me to do what i want, without having to invest in an ipad and then pay $80 or something for some wireless keyboard, etc.

I wouldn't mind replacing my powerbook and 24" imac with a new macbook air and 27" display.

Really? With no CD/DVD drive built in and only 64GB of storage at the low end, and 2GB of ram? You'd be better off to spring the extra $200 on a Macbook Pro. You'll get twice the RAM, same video, 4 times the storage, and 2' more of screen size. Not to mention the 2' larger screen for when you're away from the display.

Personally I think they missed with the Macbook Air. It's priced to high, and you're basically paying for a large iPad with a built in keyboard for twice the price.

 

[David McHenry]

I haven't had any issues with 'poor casing' both with my MBP and cinema screen. If anything, Apple/Mac casing is the best I have ever had/seen. And I'm dealing with lots of different PC brands on a professional level. So this must have been something that is not wide spread, the problem you are referring to.

Does Apple engineer all their parts? Of course not, why should they? Their job is to configure and design the best possible computer and OS, not to engineer a CPU or a HDD.

There used to be a huge problem where the casings where coming apart before they went to the unibody design I believe.

Since then I dont think they've had the issues.

 

[Floris]

Nope, I haven't used my cd or dvd players in the computers since 2004.
The mac systems come pre-installed with the os, and there's no need to reinstall it every 6 months.
Upgrades go over the net, and any third party os can be done via image or dvd over network.

And like I said, 64gb is just fine. All my data is stored on the mac pro server or via cloud services. My powerbook from 2005 for example had the os on it, on the 80gb hdd, and had 40gb free space. it's still 40gb free space. So 64gb will do just fine.

And also, I agree withthe $200 upgrade to full fledged macbook pro system as being the other option.

I am considering either small form factor, always on, nice and fast, for $1000
or for more money the full system with bigger screen and extra bells and whistles, etc that I don't relaly need.

If I would go with a macbook pro if there was no 11" air one, i would go with the 13" but if i want the extras, and not the benefits of the air,i would go with the 15" anyway, which is not just $200 more.

So it's just an option, a decision - small factor 11", light, fast and quiet with better battery life macbook air. Or an equally awesome macbook pro 15".

or the air vs the ipad.

at the end of the day i already have a few devices, and no iphone or ipad yet. so there's certainly no rush with this.
But if i can sell the imac and powerbook i am seriously considering replacing it with the mbair.

 

[Forsaken]

There used to be a huge problem where the casings where coming apart before they went to the unibody design I believe.

Since then I dont think they've had the issues.

There have still been heating issues with some of the unibody cases, as well as a few hardware issues that were because of cases.

I don't think there have been any serious ones where they had to recall the systems in the last few years, but they have had them, and people do still complain about certain models.

 

[David McHenry]

Nope, I haven't used my cd or dvd players in the computers since 2004.
The mac systems come pre-installed with the os, and there's no need to reinstall it every 6 months.
Upgrades go over the net, and any third party os can be done via image or dvd over network.

And like I said, 64gb is just fine. All my data is stored on the mac pro server or via cloud services. My powerbook from 2005 for example had the os on it, on the 80gb hdd, and had 40gb free space. it's still 40gb free space. So 64gb will do just fine.

And also, I agree withthe $200 upgrade to full fledged macbook pro system as being the other option.

I am considering either small form factor, always on, nice and fast, for $1000
or for more money the full system with bigger screen and extra bells and whistles, etc that I don't relaly need.

If I would go with a macbook pro if there was no 11" air one, i would go with the 13" but if i want the extras, and not the benefits of the air,i would go with the 15" anyway, which is not just $200 more.

So it's just an option, a decision - small factor 11", light, fast and quiet with better battery life macbook air. Or an equally awesome macbook pro 15".

or the air vs the ipad.

at the end of the day i already have a few devices, and no iphone or ipad yet. so there's certainly no rush with this.
But if i can sell the imac and powerbook i am seriously considering replacing it with the mbair.

That is a neat feature, sharing the CD over the network isn't it!

If it came down to the Air vs iPad. I'd have to chose Air. Having the keyboard, and ability to hook peripherals up without having to buy 5082 different adapters wins.

 

[wii]

The new Macbook Air looks fantastic, maybe I should just buy the small 11.6" as my first Mac?

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[steven s]

I think 11" is too small unless you intend to use it as a netbook.
Does the Airbook even accept DVDs?
My 15" Macbook Pro is fine for when I'm away from my desk, but at home I connect it to a 24" Cinema display.
I found 17" too big to travel with for personal use.

 

[wii]

Yes, it would replace my 10" ASUS netbook.