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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > Buying my first mac - need advice

Buying my first mac - need advice
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beamerxl
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Jul 18, 2006, 08:13 PM
 
I've used Windows my entire life and have never really had any complaints about it, but I'm looking to buy a laptop and think I might like to give Macs a try. Unfortunately, I know absolutely nothing about them, so I hope you all can lead me in the right direction .

First and foremost, I'm looking for something cheap, preferably less than $1000. I noticed that the cheapest off-the-shelf Mac laptop is right over $1000, so I wouldn't mind looking into older models that might fit my needs.

I'm looking for something light and easy to carry. Some of my friends have laptops that are so clunky they may as well be carrying around their desktop. I don't want something so small that I need to pull out a magnifying glass to see, but you get the idea.

I'd basically be using it for web surfing, typing notes in class, and basic music/movie playback. There's a chance I could use it for video editing, but it isn't a primary concern for me. I am a physics students and I will be using a few processor-intensive applications like Mathematica and Matlab, so I'm not sure how well those types of program mesh with Mac software/hardware.

One question I had: is it possible/easy to network a Mac laptop with my Windows desktop for file sharing?

Also, please help clarify my understanding of Boot Camp. It lets me install both Windows and Mac OS on my computer, and choose to boot one of the two whenever I wish? Basically, I can run my Mac like normal, but always have Windows around in case there's something I can't get to work right on Mac? Do I need a certain generation of laptop to be able to run Boot Camp?

So, what type of laptop would you recommend for me? I am very computer knowledgeable, so don't be afraid to throw out technical terms.

Thanks!
( Last edited by beamerxl; Jul 19, 2006 at 12:01 AM. )
     
mduell
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Jul 18, 2006, 09:43 PM
 
I think the recently-released MacBook is right for you. Amazon has it for $999 after $100 MIR. It's about 5 pounds, has a 13" screen, and should have plenty of uumph for Matlab and Mathematica (both of which are available for OSX). The previous low-end laptops (iBooks) used PowerPC G4s, which have now been deprecated; if you're really in a pinch for cash it would work, but the MacBook is a much better all-around laptop (dual core, widescreen, Intel based).

File sharing between the two platforms is relatively painless.
Yes, you understand BootCamp correctly.
     
Case
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Jul 19, 2006, 12:53 AM
 
For a cheap and good laptop I would recomend the Powerbook G4 12" version. Its a great little computer.
     
pheonixash
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Jul 19, 2006, 01:02 AM
 
Originally Posted by beamerxl
I've used Windows my entire life and have never really had any complaints about it, but I'm looking to buy a laptop and think I might like to give Macs a try. Unfortunately, I know absolutely nothing about them, so I hope you all can lead me in the right direction .

First and foremost, I'm looking for something cheap, preferably less than $1000. I noticed that the cheapest off-the-shelf Mac laptop is right over $1000, so I wouldn't mind looking into older models that might fit my needs.

I'm looking for something light and easy to carry. Some of my friends have laptops that are so clunky they may as well be carrying around their desktop. I don't want something so small that I need to pull out a magnifying glass to see, but you get the idea.

I'd basically be using it for web surfing, typing notes in class, and basic music/movie playback. There's a chance I could use it for video editing, but it isn't a primary concern for me. I am a physics students and I will be using a few processor-intensive applications like Mathematica and Matlab, so I'm not sure how well those types of program mesh with Mac software/hardware.

One question I had: is it possible/easy to network a Mac laptop with my Windows desktop for file sharing?

Also, please help clarify my understanding of Boot Camp. It lets me install both Windows and Mac OS on my computer, and choose to boot one of the two whenever I wish? Basically, I can run my Mac like normal, but always have Windows around in case there's something I can't get to work right on Mac? Do I need a certain generation of laptop to be able to run Boot Camp?

So, what type of laptop would you recommend for me? I am very computer knowledgeable, so don't be afraid to throw out technical terms.

Thanks!
Hi,

I was pretty much in the same situation as you. The only laptops I found under $1000 were a few Dells and Toshiba's. (I can't stand those brands).

I needed something which had a high level of durability, and the only Windows Laptops that fit the bill were ThinkPads, which are oh so expensive. Also, having owned a ThinkPad, I wanted some change.

I figured $49 (at the education store) over the $1000 I was spending wasn't that big a deal, considering I would be saving on accessories like a Webcam and stupid software like anti-virus solutions and the like.

I can tell you that the MacBook will live up to your expectation and more. My initial plan was also to install BootCamp incase software needed for college wasn't compatible, but I've found that there's always a suitable (and most of the times better) alternative.

I networked it with my ThinkPad and my desktop just an hour after getting my MB, and it was painless and effortless (infact, it was easier than setting up sharing between a Fujitsu tablet and the ThinkPad).

Just my 0.02.
     
muaddib420
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Jul 19, 2006, 11:51 AM
 
i was also in the same boat: windows user. some experience with an apple IIe way back when i was in college and a dorm roomie had one. also, i had never owned a laptop either.

i've had no regrets in getting a macbook. yeah, there has been a small problem here and there, but i think they're maginified because the machine works so well and looks so nice that when a problem does come up, it's unusual.

i don't think you should get an older non-intel mac. the new processors are much faster than the old G5's and you wouldn't be able to run windows via bootcamp or virtualization (parrallels) if you needed to for some reason later on.

good luck, get the macbook, you won't regret it. oh, i'd buy it from an apple store if you're close-by. that way, you can return it much easier than if you ordered by mail.
     
Jawbone54
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Jul 19, 2006, 02:58 PM
 
I'd definitely suggest a MacBook as well. You can get them for around the $1000 price range, and even if you couldn't, it would be worth the additional $50 or so. Despite the problems that people keep ranting about in the MacBook forum, it's still a fabulous little computer. I have several friends that own them, and they love them.
     
craigb6
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Jul 19, 2006, 03:29 PM
 
Originally Posted by beamerxl
One question I had: is it possible/easy to network a Mac laptop with my Windows desktop for file sharing?
This is something I've been wondering. I know that the Mac HDD is HFS+ formatted and Windows can't read this (without MacDrive or similar), if a Windows PC is networked to it can it read/write to the Mac HDD? Similarly if the Windows PC is NFTS formatted, I know Macs can read files, but cannot write, does this not apply in a network situation?
MacBook 2.0GHz | 2GB RAM | 80GB HDD
http://craigb6.blogspot.com/
     
GILBERT948
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Jul 19, 2006, 04:11 PM
 
Originally Posted by mduell
I think the recently-released MacBook is right for you. Amazon has it for $999 after $100 MIR.
I'm not seeing the $100 rebate from Amazon. Where is it?

Joe
iBook 800 G4 640MB 10.3
iBook 600 G3 256MB 10.2.8

15" 1.5 ghz 1gig mem, 80 gig 5400 HD, 128 vram POWERBOOK.
     
mduell
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Jul 19, 2006, 06:57 PM
 
Originally Posted by GILBERT948
I'm not seeing the $100 rebate from Amazon. Where is it?

Here's what I see:

Originally Posted by Amazon.com
Apple MacBook MA254LL/A 13.3" Notebook PC (1.83 GHz Intel Core Duo, 512 MB RAM, 60 GB Hard Drive, DVD-ROM/CD-RW Drive)- White
Other products by Apple Computer
(13 customer reviews) More about this product

Price: $1,099.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. Details
Rebate: $100.00
Price After Rebate: $999.99
Rebate forms for recent purchases
     
GILBERT948
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Jul 19, 2006, 09:43 PM
 
Originally Posted by mduell

Here's what I see:

I knew I was going blind!! Now there is proof!

Thanks Mark,

Joe
iBook 800 G4 640MB 10.3
iBook 600 G3 256MB 10.2.8

15" 1.5 ghz 1gig mem, 80 gig 5400 HD, 128 vram POWERBOOK.
     
Dillon-K
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Jul 20, 2006, 01:36 AM
 
I guess I'm a bit out of place here since I don't have a MacBook yet, but I would definitely advise what the others said and get the new technology one... to be honest, if you're coming from a PC world, the G4 processor will seem ancient to you... And don't be freaked out by all of this complaining in this forum. Basically, people aren't going to post how much they love their MacBooks as much as people who have problems with their MacBooks will post about them. .
Black MacBook 2.0GHz Core Duo, 1GB RAM.
Logitech V270 Bluetooth mouse, Brenthaven Metro (black).
     
foodog
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Jul 24, 2006, 10:35 AM
 
You can read / write in both direction using SMB (across a network) The reason it is different, in a nutshell, is the host operating system is doing the interfacing with its locally connected drives. The MAC can read / write to the NTFS partition because Windows is actually doing the reading and writing and vice versa.

Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by craigb6
This is something I've been wondering. I know that the Mac HDD is HFS+ formatted and Windows can't read this (without MacDrive or similar), if a Windows PC is networked to it can it read/write to the Mac HDD? Similarly if the Windows PC is NFTS formatted, I know Macs can read files, but cannot write, does this not apply in a network situation?
     
Tarcat
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Jul 24, 2006, 01:34 PM
 
I would get a MacBook. The basic one is $1049 for edu customers. If you really must be below a thousand try to get a refurbished one. The iBook it replaced was a very dated computer, is several times slower, and is not worth the cost savings. You will kick yourself for getting one and its usable lifespan will be a lot shorter because it already is so dated and getting near to being obselete.
     
irockdabari
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Jul 24, 2006, 03:38 PM
 
beamerxl,

I'm a Mech. Engineering student, I will be using MatLab soon. Just wanted to give you this heads up on MatLab

http://www.mathworks.com/support/sol...ution=1-25L41S

Basically it says that there is no support for MatLab running under Rosetta (Apple's Mac OS X PPC environment emulator. I don't think it would be anything to worry about, but it was something to think when Ibought my 12" PB last April. Don't let it be a very big decision maker.
iMac G4 800Mhz 256 MB, 12" iBook G4 1.0 Ghz 768 MB, 12" PowerBook G4, 1.5 Ghz, 1.25 GB RAM
     
   
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