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Getting a new computer...
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Baninated
Join Date: Jun 2008
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Hi-
My computer has seen better days. I'm looking into getting a new one. I currently have a Dell, but want to switch over to a Mac. What do you guys recommend for a new Mac user?
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Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: May 2003
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give us your needs. As you are posting here, you are likely interested in a laptop. Apple offers 4 different core models each targeted to a different niche.
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Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Standing on the shoulders of giants
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Whats your budget? Makes a big difference in what you can buy.
Have you looked at refurbs?
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Minneapolis, MN
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Best deal, IMO, would be a refurbished MacBook with a DVD burner. Doesn't really matter which model you get as long as it has a DVD-R Superdrive. They're marked down quite a bit from the $1300 price tag it costs to get a new MacBook with DVD-R.
If you want to look at the price and specs available, go to Apple.com/store and look at the special deals section in the lower left corner.
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"That's Mama Luigi to you, Mario!" *wheeze*
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Senior User
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: NY
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Are you looking for a desktop or a laptop. If you were to go with a refurbished like Luca suggests then I would agree on the superdrive. It really depends on what your needs. The Mac mini is sort of the training wheels for switchers. If you were looking at a laptop and aren't going to be using really intense applications then I would say go with a Macbook. I own one myself and it does everything I need it to do, including Photoshop CS3. It really all depends on your needs and preferences. Good luck! 
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Status:
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I'd say go with the MacBook even if you're not sure you will need the mobility. It's basically a slightly faster version of the Mini that doesn't even cost much more, once you factor in the cost of a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. The other nice thing about the MacBook is that it's very easy to upgrade the hard drive and RAM - you can do it yourself without voiding the warranty.
It's $950 for a refurb 2.16 GHz MacBook w/ DVD-R, 120 GB hard drive, and 1 GB of RAM. You can upgrade to 2 GB of RAM for about $50 (buy from Other World Computing or NewEgg). The mini, on the other hand, doesn't even seem to be available on clearance. A brand new one at 2.0 GHz with DVD-R, 120 GB hard drive, and 1 GB of RAM is $800.
So it's slightly slower and lacks a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, and it's only $150 cheaper (to be fair, it's $500 cheaper than a brand new MacBook, but the current version of the MacBook with DVD-R also has 2 GB of RAM and a 2.4 GHz processor).
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"That's Mama Luigi to you, Mario!" *wheeze*
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Truckee, CA
Status:
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Like SEkker said, we need a description of your application needs. Without that info, responses are meaningless. E.g. are you a busy DSLR photographer who will use heavy graphics apps and move many GB of data, or will you just run light-duty apps like Office and Firefox? Do you need portability or a desktop solution?
-Allen Wicks
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Senior User
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: NY
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Originally Posted by Luca Rescigno 
I'd say go with the MacBook even if you're not sure you will need the mobility. It's basically a slightly faster version of the Mini that doesn't even cost much more, once you factor in the cost of a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. The other nice thing about the MacBook is that it's very easy to upgrade the hard drive and RAM - you can do it yourself without voiding the warranty.
It's $950 for a refurb 2.16 GHz MacBook w/ DVD-R, 120 GB hard drive, and 1 GB of RAM. You can upgrade to 2 GB of RAM for about $50 (buy from Other World Computing or NewEgg). The mini, on the other hand, doesn't even seem to be available on clearance. A brand new one at 2.0 GHz with DVD-R, 120 GB hard drive, and 1 GB of RAM is $800.
So it's slightly slower and lacks a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, and it's only $150 cheaper (to be fair, it's $500 cheaper than a brand new MacBook, but the current version of the MacBook with DVD-R also has 2 GB of RAM and a 2.4 GHz processor).
Well said, another reason why I would consider the Macbook.
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Forum Regular
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Charleston, SC
Status:
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WirelessPro,
As indicated above, it all depends on your budget and intentions. I generally strongly recommend getting a refurbished model, as you can get a great deal on a machine that has already had any problems repaired while still maintaining a full warranty. There is a buyer's guide here, about halfway down the page.
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Status:
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"That's Mama Luigi to you, Mario!" *wheeze*
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