A few questions for a potential 'switcher'! Help!

Hi there, in my quest to find a decent laptop for uni next year i keep ending up with dissapointment. Basically i need....

14.1" preferred, slim/light 15 acceptable.
c2d
2gb ram
8600m GT
DVI output.

Is that really much to ask!

Anywho, i keep ending up with the new MBP. Unfortunately im a MAC hater (sorry ) so its becoming a hard choice for me.

The first question is, Vista? I intend to run x64 ultimate on it, is this possible? Will i have problems using windows apps on it office/.net stuff/developer studio etc.?
I guess its still the same hardware as a normal 'PC' laptop underneath now, but with MAC OS slapped on top. Are windows games good to go on it also?

Also, is linux a possibility? Use this a lot for developing, though not a necessity would be handy.

EDIT: Also, just heard about this 'ADC'. I am studying a degree in Computer Engineering (Meng), is this the kind of course that qould qualify? Also, what is the discount like, enough to displace the $99 signup fee?

Cheers for any help guys (and gals!).

 

Try checking out the Asus thread and ask about the A8Js Santa Rosa refresh.

 

Looks interesting, but unfortunately, Asus don't really know Europe exists! The A8J was never available along with 80% of there other laptops so i doubt it'll ever appear here!

 

If you're in Europe, check out the Zepto Znote 6224W - 14" 8600M GT.

You should be able to get your hands on a Compal IFT00 over in Europe too. I think it'll only have the 8600M GS at most though, but you can double-check. No DVI out either.

 

This was what i was heading for, but DVI output is pretty much a must. I want to use it with my Dell 2001FP monitor still, and vga looks pretty pants compared to DVI!

 

Well then dude you better quickly become a Mac lover vs. a hater if Apple meets your required specs. Do you REALLY actually HATE the Mac? Why? The reason I ask is because 2 things, I can tell a person that really knows nothing about the Mac OS just based on how you spelled it. It's not MAC, it's Mac. Trust me there's a difference. Second, people that say they hate the Mac is because someone told them to. If you have actually "used" a Mac you wouldn't feel like that.
There's not too many real reasons to hate it but I am curious.
P.S. You are very lucky that the Mac part of this forum is made of a majority of nice people. If I had went over to the Windows forum and said I am Mac user and I hate WINDOWS but wanted a PC laptop I would have gotten laughed at and got thrown a few choice profane words telling me to go away.

 

I have a Mac, and I can safely say... sometimes I hate it. The no right click thing just literally pisses me off. I prefer Windows over Mac, but I use both for various needs. Mac = my audio machine. Windows = my gaming, server, everything else machine. Neither systems are perfect.

Also to answer the original poster's question, I'd advise him to get a PC. I've taken Computer Engineering classes as well. These classes mainly use PC hardware and Windows/BIOS environments. PCs can be stripped down to the root (even in laptop form) and built up again - they're built this way. Also, if he gets into networking and wants to find a job, chances are that most businesses use Windows/Linux networks because... well they're better for it. Get an Asus c90 or clevo d900.

 

Thanks for the comments guys.

I dunno, i dont 'hate' mac as such, i just genereally dislike using it over windows given the choice. BUT this is because i don't know how to use it, i've never had time to get comfortable using it. Its something i wouldn't mind giving a go.

At the moment, the new MBP suits my needs on the hardware side bang on, although the software is slightly fiddly (by that i mean bootcamp + vista etc.) the build quality really appeals to me also.

Thanks for the suggestions of Asus c90, clevo d900. I'll check these out, but once again i doubt they'll be available in the UK .