Any changes expected in MacBook?

I've been a lifetime Windows user and am REALLY considering Macbook.

I have a few questions:

1) Will the MacBook have any changes in the near future? I mean Dedicated Video? Santa Rosa upgrade?

2) How well does bootcamp or Parallel work with win XP? Can I install most xp aps and windows hardware? or am i pretty limited?

I know the MBpro 0ffers Santa Rosa, and dedicated chip but I really can't dish out $2000.

$1300 is my limit.

So basically when can we expect a refresh? I really can only wait about 2 months or so before really needing a laptop.

 

there's a suspected refresh of the MB in October....

 

I hope so

 

1) The MacBook may get an update in October. Most likely there won't be a re-design, and most likely there won't be dedicated graphics. Expect Santa Rosa and possibly LED-backlit screens though.

2) Any application that works on Windows in other PCs, will run on Windows on a Mac.

What do you plan to use the Mac for? Because for a lot of the tasks, the MacBook already has lots of power to run it. Of course, graphics-intensive tasks will be impossible, or not as great.

 

60% of it will be for school work, Internet browsing, watching lectures and so on.

other 40% is mostly for watching movies X264 encoded, Divx, and also audio and so on. Also encoding and burning movies, this would be minimal as I would use my desktop for this.

I have returned both my dell computers and jumped on the HP deal. But the more I look into the MAC with Parallels, I want to return the HP and just get a macbook and call it a day. I get $100 off with my uni and also the free ipod nano.

But I can hold out till october if I need to.

 

question is do you really need the ipod nano?

 

Yeaps, that's the thing. The Mac + free iPod promotion will end on September 16th, and won't resume until next back-to-school season. Note the Student Discount is year-round, but the free iPod Nano is not.

I would say wait until October. While you cannot take advantage of the Mac + free iPod promotion then, at least you get Leopard pre-installed.

 

not really, it was just a bonus. Could really care less about the ipod nano.

 

If you looking to run Parallels on the MacBook the primary concern is amount of RAM. 2GB of RAM is really a most to use XP and OS X simultaneously, and more is better. Also note that VMWare Fusion seems to be less resource hungry than Parallels so it is certainly an alternative, but is more geared toward corporate use than consumers. VMWare also supports both cores in the virtual machine while Parallels currently only supports 1 core.

 

I've got 2x1gb ddr2 667 200sodimm

is this the same RAM macbook uses? my guess is yes due to it using C2D.
so ram is not an issue. if apple could sell one without RAM, i'd gladly deduct that lol.

 

Yeah, that's the RAM the MacBook uses.