Macbooks

chris_p · Oct 13, 2009

I've come to the conclusion my dell desktop is coming to the end of it's 5 year life and it's time to update and I've been looking at these macbook laptops.

Are they any good?

It's only really used for music, photos, internet.

To prevent it from getting all sluggish I'm getting an external hd to store everything.

Never owned a laptop, or a mac, so it's a little different hence the thread!

Are they recommended? I don't even know what spec etc to get lol, helpings.

The Boosh! · Oct 13, 2009

I moved from PC to mac and never looked back.

I have filled up 180gb of my 250gb HDD and its still lightning quick. No need for an anti virus either which slows systems down alot!

My advice would be to go into the apple shop and play on one. There are the poly carb ones (white) and then there are the uni body ones (aliminium).

My unibody is a right little machine. I can see it lasting forever... Oh and 3 years apple care for £50. Awesome.

Fletcher · Oct 13, 2009

I love my MacBook pro,it's so much better than my last HP laptop.

Gaz. · Oct 13, 2009

Same here, I use PCs at work, mac at home. I prefer the mac and won't buy a PC for home ever again TBH.

Adam · Oct 13, 2009

I'm getting a MacBook Pro next week hopefully, I will still have my gaming rig but the Macbook will be used the most around the house and taking away with me.

I am going for a 15" 2.66GHz with a 500GB HDD

chris_p · Oct 13, 2009

Well there's 3 pretty damn good reviews right there tbh.

Tempting!

I will have to go into a mac shop and find out some more.

What would people recommend me based on what I use it for?

I love that airbook purely for the design but that's a massive premium just for the style!

chris_p · Oct 13, 2009

Oh that's another question, will I be able to connect it to my tv via a pci cable? And then still be able to use the laptop keyboard? Will the screen be on the laptop and the tv then?

Adam · Oct 13, 2009

The Boosh! said:
I moved from PC to mac and never looked back.

I have filled up 180gb of my 250gb HDD and its still lightning quick. No need for an anti virus either which slows systems down alot!

My advice would be to go into the apple shop and play on one. There are the poly carb ones (white) and then there are the uni body ones (aliminium).

My unibody is a right little machine. I can see it lasting forever... Oh and 3 years apple care for £50. Awesome.

How did you get 3 year apple care for £50?

The Boosh! · Oct 13, 2009

Think you have to be a student/work for the NHS/a service.

Adam · Oct 13, 2009

Gay lol

Feirny · Oct 13, 2009

I've not used a PC for over a year since I got mine.

Pettsi · Oct 13, 2009

The Boosh! said:
Think you have to be a student/work for the NHS/a service.

Ya, i went into Apple, showed my payslip and they sorted me out for £49.99.

chris_p · Oct 14, 2009

So if I got my student girlfriend to sort that out I'd be laughing

Can anyone answer the pci cable question? Cheers.

Feirny · Oct 14, 2009

chris_p said:
So if I got my student girlfriend to sort that out I'd be laughing

Can anyone answer the pci cable question? Cheers.

I connect mine to my TV, get a little adapter with it, but I think it's VGA.

chris_p · Oct 14, 2009

Greggles said:
I connect mine to my TV, get a little adapter with it, but I think it's VGA.

what's vga sorry

I thought that was the audi,vw group haha.

Will the image then be displayed on both the laptop AND the tv then? And still be able to type etc on the laptop.

Pettsi · Oct 14, 2009

I use VGA.

You'll need one of these:

http://store.apple.com/uk/product/MB572Z/A?mco=MTEwMTY2MzY (Can get it cheaper elsewhere)

+ a VGA cable.

Your TV must have a VGA output to do this.

Barron · Oct 14, 2009

ive just ordered one last week.

Macbook Pro 13.3"
2.53ghz
4gb ram
320gb HDD

3 year apple care for £46
+ 15% off as i go to uni.

sorted

sneeks · Oct 14, 2009

Buy a 13" MacBook Pro, they look every bit as good as the Air but are more practical. Take your girlfriend with you and be sure and have her student ID to get a 15% discount in the Apple Store. You'll also be eligible for the cheap Apple Care. You can buy it in your name, nothing has to be in your girlfriends name.

TheEvilGiraffe · Oct 14, 2009

Macs FTMFW !

I have two. 20" iMac running a second 20" screen, and a 13" MacBook which is kept lean for when I'm at work on weekends / penthouse-sitting for my uncle / away for the weekend anywhere.

Having to use fookin XP at work makes me die a little inside every day at work :dapprove:

Keep an eye out for the refurb shop (bottom right side of the apple uk shop site) once you've figured out what you want. I bought both mine from there, and saved about 15/20% each.

You will not look back ! :approve:

meady100 · Oct 14, 2009

Damn, damn good. Mostly for the multitouch, just couldn't imagine using a laptop without it now, tbh.

Alexander · Oct 14, 2009

I've never properly used a Mac before.

How easy is the transition from PC to Mac, operating wise.

I want to get one but I'm so used to all the PC shortcuts etc I'm a bit optimistic.

withoutabix · Oct 14, 2009

very easy transition mate

will take getting used too obviously but honestly you wont look back! i cant stand even using my dads PC when i need to print things out windows just feels slow and lethargic in comparison

beatjunkie · Oct 14, 2009

Macbook all day long mate, had one around a year, and apparently they call my alloy one a pro now, i may buy a sticker to make it a rep ha!

Dafthead · Nov 21, 2009

Just got a MBP 13 and it's awesome

My company laptop won't be coming out of the bag unless i'm in work.

chris_p · Nov 21, 2009

I think I've changed my mind to mini mac now!

TheEvilGiraffe · Nov 21, 2009

Alexander said:
I've never properly used a Mac before.

How easy is the transition from PC to Mac, operating wise.

I want to get one but I'm so used to all the PC shortcuts etc I'm a bit optimistic.

Go play with them in the Apple store in Bluewater one evening

Or speak to me nicely.. I'll bring mine to the pub, text Robbos, he can buy me that beer and everyone's a winner

TheEvilGiraffe · Nov 21, 2009

Dafthead said:
Just got a MBP 13 and it's awesome

My company laptop won't be coming out of the bag unless i'm in work.

Give the company their laptop back .. just use the MB :evil:

LFCJosh · Nov 21, 2009

i just bought a macbook, first one.
absolutly love it.
its so user friendly and smooth.

and feels reliable. windows i was always just waiting for something to go wrong.
mac is always really stable.

got mine from pc world, got 6months to pay it off and theres only a £25 fee on top thats it.

FiDoDiDo · Nov 21, 2009

chris_p said:
I think I've changed my mind to mini mac now!

Why the Mac Mini? So nice being able to take your laptop out and about with you so you can use it where ever you want.

Bought a MBP a few months back and it's great, had a Power Mac before that and still have my PC for gaming.

Dafthead · Nov 21, 2009

Yeah I'd love a mac mini for the house but i'd never take one over a macbook.

Surprisingly easy to get used to OSX after windows.

Can't give the company laptop back unfortunately there's allsorts on there i need

chris_p · Nov 21, 2009

FiDoDiDo said:
Why the Mac Mini? So nice being able to take your laptop out and about with you so you can use it where ever you want.

Bought a MBP a few months back and it's great, had a Power Mac before that and still have my PC for gaming.

The only reason I was going for the macbook was purely for the fact I didn't want the desktop macs as they're built into the screen!

Discovered the mini and it's perfect. 95% of the time I'd have the macbook linked upto my plasma anyway so I may aswel get the mini, and save myself £700 with a slightly bigger hard drive

will6 · Nov 21, 2009

Yeah get a mac mini thats what i've got. PLug in a external hardrive but use firewire not usb 2.0 so much faster tranfer. Once you've got it all set up there's loads of software to download thats free loads of cool stuff. Check out:

http://www.plexapp.com/

Turns your mac mini in to a multi media centre check it out amazing stuff

chris_p · Nov 21, 2009

will6 said:
Yeah get a mac mini thats what i've got. PLug in a external hardrive but use firewire not usb 2.0 so much faster tranfer. Once you've got it all set up there's loads of software to download thats free loads of cool stuff. Check out:

http://www.plexapp.com/

Turns your mac mini in to a multi media centre check it out amazing stuff

I think I am mate

I assume things like torrents are still ok to use on macs? I don't want to pay for all my downloads, lol!

Justin · Nov 21, 2009

http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/campaigns/financeyourmac?mco=MTM3NDY3MDQ

Apple are doing 0% for 6 months if your interested.

will6 · Nov 22, 2009

Yeah i use torrents all the time. I use "vuse" best one out there. But if its plugged in to your TV check out plex best software im using on my mac plus its free. Also if you look around you can get MS office on your mac that works fine as a torrent

currie · Nov 23, 2009

^^ or not worry about piracy and download openoffice...

I have just moved over to a mac in the last 6mo. in my experience, most people who use a pc for surfing the net and printing things find it very easy to move.

from a more technical side, i often find myself using command prompt or wanting to change things in control panel, say ethernet settings for instance, its taken a bit of gettin used to as some things are hard to find cause apple have made it all "really easy".

BUT when you get into it, having used linux a fair bit there is nothing you cant do in terminal..

The Boosh! · Nov 23, 2009

currie said:
^^ or not worry about piracy and download openoffice...

I have just moved over to a mac in the last 6mo. in my experience, most people who use a pc for surfing the net and printing things find it very easy to move.

from a more technical side, i often find myself using command prompt or wanting to change things in control panel, say ethernet settings for instance, its taken a bit of gettin used to as some things are hard to find cause apple have made it all "really easy".

BUT when you get into it, having used linux a fair bit there is nothing you cant do in terminal..

I 100% agree with that point. It took me about 20 mins to work out how to delete a programme... With windows its a f**k about... Never thought all you had to do is drop it in the recycle bin on mac LOL

Lou · Nov 23, 2009

I'm going to look at MacBooks today when I'm at the Apple shop - whats best? Just the MacBook or MacBook Pro?

will6 · Nov 23, 2009

Lou said:
I'm going to look at MacBooks today when I'm at the Apple shop - whats best? Just the MacBook or MacBook Pro?

Depends what your going to be using it for. If your just going to be using it for everyday stuff internet., mail, itunes etc... Macbook will be fine easily

LFCJosh · Nov 23, 2009

macbook pro is aimed at the creative industry.
so professional music recording or graphic design work.

but if you do these things just as a hobby the macbook will cope fine.

i just bought a macbook and been recording some tracks on it.

Macbooks

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