college laptop???

Currently I am looking to replace my current 17 inch Dell E1705 with a smaller laptop that will be easier to carry around school. I've done a lot of research and I think I want to try a dell. Besides school work, the laptop will be used to amature music recording. I've tried this on the PCs and it was more complicated than I'd like. I've heard that garage band is a great piece of software and I'd like to give it a try. So my question is... should I get a Macbook or a Macbook pro. I really like having the newest and nicest stuff... however... I don't have that much extra money to spend. Right now I am on a Powerbook G4 that I rented from the school library so I could see how I liked apples older laptops. Its a great little computer. I don't think it is as powerfull as I want, but its so small that It would be great to carry around campus. Is the MBP too big or is there not that much difference from the macbook? Thanks for the help.

 

If you have enough money, I would suggest that you get a macbook pro, the macbook weights almost the same as macbook pro 15 inch model. I just get mine yesterday afternoon and I really like it.

 

If you want more options/advise, you should fill out the FAQ in the What Notebook Should I buy Section

 

i know i can get the student discount at my school that will drop it down to around 1800... thats still alot of money... is the pro enough to justify the price?

 

definitely.

if youre looking for a cheaper computer i suggest the dell 1530 or 1330
if you want really cheap, yet sstill somewhat portable i suggest the vostro 1400 with a 9 cell battery...still under 6 pounds.

 

yes the pro is great

 

what about the garage band software... does it work equally well with both pro and regular macbook?

 

I'd go with Macbook instead of MBP. Sure MBP is great but for college, can't beat MP. Its small and makes it easy to open it in the classroom. I'm sure you've used your 17" laptop in your classroom and know what I mean.

Just buy what is enough for your use.

 

Your post makes no sense. First you said you wanted to try a dell.

Now you're deciding if you should get a Macbook or a Macbook Pro?

I'm guessing you're trying to decide between the two so I'll give you my two cents. As someone mentioned before the MB and the MBP weigh about the same. MBP is great for what it can do with a 8600m GT, LED screen, backlit keyboard but it also is very expensive. You can get a Dell and save yourself a couple hundred bucks with a laptop that has the same hardware as the MBP. Since you're doing amateur music recording I'm guessing you wouldn't be needing the GPU the MBP offers so a MB would be a good choice for you.

Garage band itself is the same for both and I believe the hardware for MB can do everything the MBP does in GarageBand. This is a quote taken from the Apple website.

So just be careful about that.

 

thanks for all the help... i'll post over in the What Notebook Should I Buy? as someone else suggested

 

You can do your music stuff on MB easily. In my opinion, since you're tight on money, your needs don't justify a MBP. Get a refurbished macbook ($200 cheaper, and probably the best refurbishment program in the consumer laptop industry) and enjoy! And with the saved $600-800, go buy yourself a new cell phone, clothes, or a return ticket to paris... seriously!

 

if you do get the mbp, you will love it. i got one for college and its easy to carry and travel through airports with... and i love the fact that i didnt get the virus that was sent through campus email you wont regret it either way you go! (mb or mbp)

 

i had the pro, sold it and bought a MB, spent the 600$ on car payments.

 

i'd go with either black macbook or MBP. you'll get sick of the white macbook very very quickly.

 

The MacBook Pro definitely isn't worth the money. Sure it has a dedicated GPU. But the dedicated GPU you get is not worth the $2000, especially when you look at PCs in the same price range that come with dual GPUs running in SLI with 512MB to 1GB of memory.

The MacBook Pros main drawback is the aluminum body. It scratches, dents, interferes with wireless (compared to the amazing wireless signal the MacBook gets), and... well, the MBP's aluminum shell will definitely keep you hot a cold winter night.

The MacBook is definitely the better buy. It's (slightly) smaller. But its cheaper, its built better (don't have to worry about that slight bump giving you dented case and voiding your warranty), wireless is considerably better.. If gaming is an issue at all, then a Mac isn't for you at all, as you'll get something much more powerful for even less than the MacBook by going with a Windows machine.

Your best option is to use your student discount to get the middle white MacBook. Your discount will take it down to $1199. That's probably the most reasonably priced of all the Macs.

It'll run cooler than the MBP, be just as fast for what you're using it for, be slightly lighter, slightly smaller, and.. most importantly, a lot cheaper.

But if you're willing to drop the cash on a MBP, and want something smaller than your 17" Dell, you can always check out the Dell Inspiron 1520. You'll get a system more powerful than the $2000 MBP, and almost up there with the $2500 system, for less than the regular cost of the middle white MacBook. With the 9 cell battery you'll get the same battery life and all of that.

If you want to record music and care about quality, you're going to need an external soundcard for either a Windows notebook or MacBook. Garageband is okay, but nothing spectacular.

But in all honesty, the MacBook is your best bet. Especially with the student discount. If you don't want an internal DVD writer, you can get the entry level MacBook for $999.

Edit: I forgot. One thing you should think about is warranty service too. Honestly, that is where Apple fails compared to Dell. AppleCare is only open for a few hours M-F, unless you live near an AppleStore. But even if your system needs repaired, they still have to send it in. Dell's extended warranty (DellCare) offers on-site repair and LoJack for computers as standard, as well as accidental damage coverage. If you system gets stolen and beat up, it'll be tracked down and Dell will fix it free of charge. If your MacBook (or Pro) gets stolen, you can get LoJack seperately, but Apple will tell you that you're out of luck and will even cancel your AppleCare extended warranty if theres any accidental damage (or dents if you have the MBP).

 

Good job, Sauron. I'd have to agree, and add that another non-mac alternative, besides the Inspiron 1520, is the Lenovo T61. Cheaper than the MBP with the possibility of discounts, solid computer, rugged, you have the option for both dedicated or integrated GPU, good wireless capability, runs cool, light, etc.

 

if the 15" MBP had a 1680x1050, id be more inclined to fork over the extra dough, but not for 1440x900. i had a MBP a while ago, and it was just not worth the price, so i sold it. that and i disliked the locking mechanism.

i like the white MB, ive had 2 now.

 

Have you even owned a Macbook Pro? I've had mine for almost a year now and I have no scratches or dents, and its had its fair share of bumps. I get better wireless signals than my Dell friends, and always get a solid connection, even on the 6th floor of my library. The heat is not an issue at all and is overexaggerated. I've used Macbooks before and the heat is just th e same. I agree that the Macbook may be more durable, but given the right amount of care, both models will hold up extremely well. The white Macbook looks like a toy in my opinion...but still an excellent machine.

 

I wouldn't buy a MacBook Pro Theres MUCH better out there for the price.

As nice as OS X is, its simply not worth the money when Windows notebooks that cost $2000, $2500, and $2800-$2900 come with 1GB of video memory with 2 GPUs in SLI, blu-ray burners, combo HD-DVD/blu-ray drives, HDCP certified HDMI outputs (most Windows notebooks under $1,000 come with this, however) etc.

Other manufacturers offer better warranties too. Let's not overlook the fact that AppleCare actually closes at 6PM on week days and is closed on the weekend.

What other manufacturer can get away with that and still call their support "world class" and have their fanboys talk about how great it is?

HP offers up to 4 years of accidental damage coverage along with coverage for peripherals as well. Essentially, you can buy a computer, digital camera, printer, and another accessory and they will all be covered under the same 4 year warranty with accidental damage coverage.

Dell offers 3 years of accidental coverage, next day on-site repair, and Lo-Jack for Computers.

Both Dell and HP have 24/7 phone support.

Apple offers.... 3 year extended warranty, which they void if a MacBook Pro has dents. No accidental damage coverage, their repair centers (like Flextronics) have been known to destroy systems, and Apple will require you to send that system back out for repair (back to the same repair center) multiple times before they'll finally step up and replace it.

AppleCare is closed on weekends and after 6PM Pacific. Phone support with Apple will sometimes lead to an outsourced call center and sometimes not, just like HP.

I know plenty of people who own MacBook Pros, and PowerBooks. I have yet to see one that wasn't more than a few months old and didn't have some kind cosmetic damage like scratches or dents. You can also find hundreds of posts on several forums complaining about MBPs denting and scratching.

The heat issue is certainly not overblown. Especially if you have used Windows notebooks prior to owning a Mac. My MacBook's bottom enclosure can easily reach 38c under normal usage. Thats sitting on a desk. 35c is normal while using it as a "laptop".

My C2D 2GHz HP dv6500t with a GeForce doesn't even get warm to the touch after hours of gaming.

In fact, theres a thermal video you can find on youtube that shows the bottom of the MacBook Pro being white hot, over 35c.

That is TOO HOT to be used as a laptop.

As for the MacBook looking like a toy. Well, that's personal opinion. I don't like the look of the MacBook Pro. It looks cheap, it can be damaged too easily.. and who wants to use a system that can get dented? Aluminum is a very poor design choice for a computer, considering the damage that can be done to the system as a result.

Oh and all of my MacBook Pro owning friends definitely envy the wireless signal I get with my MacBook My HP with an Intel Pro Wireless card gets just as good of a wireless signal as all of my MBP owning friends.

 

SauronMOS, as I have said before, the forum argument just doesn't work. Forums are meant for asking questions and getting them answered. Obviously, those with issues will post a thread about it, in an effort to vent or to try and solve the issue. Those who don't have any issues usually don't post a thread about it; most don't even go to forums at all. The ones with problems are much more vocal. So using the amount of 'complaint' threads on a forum doesn't really work, as that's what forums are for. Its the same story for any company, not just Apple or even the tech industry.

 

But if you see a lot of similar complaints about a product, then you see a pattern, no?

I agree with SauronMOS. As a general rule, apple products are more expensive than their competitors for no logical reason. The same stands for the MB as well (although you can always get it cheaper under certain circumstances. For ex, i bought mine refurbished, so that was $200. But I bought it right after Santa Rosa came out, and this laptop was actually $400 cheaper than it was a day before). You can USUALLY get more with $X if you spend it on a Windows operating system. But Usually, not always. Some Sony laptops have similar configs to the MB but are priced the same or even higher. Same goes for Lenovo, although with the T61 you can find a dedicated graphic card for the price of a MB.... and you can get different discounts.

The warranty coverage is true as well... Apple's is horrible compared to what's out there. Sauron already mentioned why, I'm not going to elaborate any further.

But overall, I think a MB is worth the money if you can get it for cheaper (refurbished, student discount, etc.). It's stylish, it's the right size, OS X, bright screen (though a higher resolution would be nice, even on the 13.3"), and it's super quiet.

 

MB 2.2 is the sweetspot, and the base model even better.

macs are comparably priced to anything else.

 

Yes, that is true. However, it seems often SauronMOS uses the forum as "evidence" that problems affect a large percentage of customers. All products have defects, and the higher the volume, the higher the amount of defects, even if the percentage was the same. It creates a false impression that a product is full of defects.

Apple sold over 2 million Macs last quarter. If 1% of those were defective, that would be 20'000 defective Macs. If 10% of those users with defective Macs went on forums, that's 2000 customers with defective Macs complaining on the forums, which will create the impression that the product is full of problems, but in reality is only 2000 users out of 2 million Macs, or about 0.1% of the total amount of Macs sold.

I'm not saying Apple's products don't have defects, I just disagree with SauronMOS' reasoning and use of forums as a means of evidence that it is true.

 

alright... thanks for all the help... please continue

I've come to realize that I mainly want this laptop for recording my music... and a class distraction. I've posted over in the What should I by section... and a lot of people are suggesting PCs over Macs. This weekend I will go to the macstore and see these two laptops for myself. And from what i can tell from this forum is that I should see if i can use my student discount or used macbook to get my moneys worth???

 

yes, student discount or refurbished macs (I wouldn't consider refurbished laptops with other manufacturers).
And I think your best choices are Lenovo's T61 and the MB... but then again I'm a mac-lovin' IBM (now Lenovo) person.

 

does anybody have experience here with garage band?

 

also one more question... right now I use my dell laptop to hook up to my tv to watch videos and music for parties... just want to make sure... this is possible with a MB right?

 

SauronMos is obviously against the MBP. In regard to his comments on Apple's warantee, I cannot comment as I've never had to call them. His comments and opinions that the Macbook Pro dents and overheats easily is serisouly flawed in that he has never even owned a Macbook Pro, so take what he says with a grain of salt. Whatever you choose, make sure you are happy with it, and its a decision that you made.

Also, the Macbook Pro is a premium product. Although it may not have the best hardware, people usually do not buy them to have a desktop processor or dual SLI video cards, nor are they looking for such power...they simple want a nice Mac.

Its like buying a car like a BMW. Sure, for the price you can get a much more powerful Ford, but people still buy BMWs because they want a nice BMW.

 

Tippytoe，it is possible that you can connect your macbook with a TV, but I am afraid that you have to buy an extra cable to let you hook up.
In my personal feeling of owning a macbook pro (just get it 3 days ago), I do not have the complain of the heat, though sometimes it is getting very hot in the area under the screen, I think that it is because of the vent. I usually use it on my office desk and I do not touch the bottom.
I do not stand here speaking some good words for Mac, I just want a laptop that can finish what I want to accomplish, I do not want to be bothered by all the technical problems.
I am glad that I have chosen my Macbook Pro, I think that this is the most beautiful investment in my whole life.
By the way, I use my macbook pro for latex, writing my dissertation.
Hope that this helps some people.

 

That's not a surprise, as Mac users are a minority . And its true that for most of the tasks you listed, any notebook will do fine, and not just a Mac. That's why more people suggested PCs, as they most likely are Windows users themselves, and the tasks you listed are pretty general.

 

Yes, I use it occasionally as a hobby. Quite a lot of fun . Its easy to use, and really good for those who want recording software.

Yes, you can. You will unfortunately need to purchase a connector though, as the MacBook has a Mini-DVI port and needs a Mini-DVI to x to connect to an external display.

 

And as I have said before, your argument against my statement doesn't work.

As sepandee said, if you see a lot of similar complaints about a product, then you see a pattern.

As I pointed out in the past, the vast majority of problems you see posted by Apple owners are hardware issues. Everything from not booting to MBPs shipping from the factory with warped cases.

You also need to check out more forums than this one For example, Apple's own forums seem to have just as many people who have NOT had problems helping those who have had issues.

The main reason your argument against mine doesn't work is, again, the vast majority of problematic posts made by Apple owners are regarding hardware issues. As I said in the past, check out Dell, HP, and other PC manufacturer-related forums and you'll see that the majority of those posts revolve around SOFTWARE issues, with the occasional "my system won't turn on!" or "my system is stuck in an endless bluescreen/reboot cycle!"

That tells you something right there.

You can try to say "2000 people blah blah blah", but the content of the posts and the differences between the issues Apple owners have and Windows users have...... that shows the true story.

Thank you for agreeing

You're exactly right. The MB is a very nice system, if you can get it cheaper. In my opinion, the white MacBook with DVD writer, 160GB HDD, 2.2GHz C2D, and 2GB of RAM would be perfect at $999. Offer 80GB, DVD writer, 1GB of RAM, 2GHz C2D at $799. OS X doesn't justify the premium we pay now, especially when you consider that the optical drive cannot be replaced by the user (and the HDD cannot be in the MBP).

I do honestly like my MacBook. The only issue I have with it is that it was $1408 and it had no dedicated GPU. It should be considerably cheaper for what it is. I thought I would be okay with the integrated GPU at the time I purchased it. But as time went on, I realized I could have gotten a much better PC from Dell or HP for the same, or even considerably less.

Not at all. Not when you look at the fact that you can get a Dell Inspiron that is in the same league as the $2500 MBP for around $1200. Or that you can get an HP with a dedicated GPU for well under $1,000.

And that both HP and Dell offer better integrated GPUs at even lower prices.

Don't bring the "size" into the argument because the MacBook really is not that much smaller than your average 15.4" notebook.

Again, look at what I said. You're trying to bring numbers into the situation again. But that just doesn't work. Look at the content of the posts. The vast majority of posts on PC related forums revolves around software issues. Yet the vast majority of problem posts on Apple related forums revolve around hardware issues, and the number of posts are generally the same. Spend a few minutes browsing MacRumors and Apple's own support forums and see just how many problems are hardware related. Then spend some time browsing some HP and Dell related forums and see how many are "my webcam won't install right!"

I find this funny. "He doesn't own one! Don't listen to him!" While you're at it, you better warn against doing a google search on the issue because there will be countless links in the results that backup everything I have said.

The fact that I don't own a MacBook Pro is irrelevant. My statements come from EXPERIENCE using close friends MBPs. As well as, again, a simple google search. You can find endless results on google where people have been denied warranty service because a small bump created a very small dent (and it happened months before the failure that required service).

Don't believe me about the heat issue? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kv38uGj0PhY Pause it at 1:17 and look how hot the bottom of that system is. Somebody in the comments tried to say that the system is hot there because thats where the power comes in. If you look at pictures of the MBP taken apart, thats where the CPU and "cooling" system are.

The MacBook Pro is anything but a "premium product". The fact that you compare it to a BMW makes it very difficult not to burst out laughing.

Imagine if BMW made a car with all of the flaws the MBP has. Can you imagine how unhappy customers would be if cars shipped from the factory that had warped bodies, and then BMW tried to deny them service saying they caused the damage, the same way Apple tries to tell customers with warped MBPs (brand new, unused) that they caused the damage? Or if the BMWs were designed in a manner that caused the driver to get uncomfortably hot and they had to pull over on the side of the freeway for 20-30 minutes to let the car cool down before they could drive it again?

The "benefits" of the MBP are its greatest weaknesses and keep it from being a "premium" product. The aluminum casing is prone to warping, denting, bending, and just all around damage. The case also gets extremely hot, as demonstrated in that link I posted. Both of these claims can be backed up by a google search. Let's not forget the craze that started after the original MBPs were released where people were pulling their system apart to properly apply thermal grease to help them run cooler.

The small size contributes to the heat issues. Thanks to the design and small size, it can't have a proper cooling system. In the Windows world, it would be very difficult to find a machine made by a major manufacturer that didn't have a fan and vents on the bottom that pull heat up and away from the user and out the back of the machine. Systems from all of the major manufacturers have a proper cooling system that takes air in and pushes out. While the MBP (and MacBook) have an exhaust fan with no proper airflow. As a result, the heat spreads out along the bottom, instead of being drown up, away, and out.

That small size can also contribute its death. With such small casing, a hit in the right place can kill it.

Also, I'd hardly consider the MBP "premium" based on the specs alone. $1999 for a 15.4" system that has a 128MB GPU and 120GB of HDD space? Consumer notebooks in that price range will have larger screens, 2-4x more video memory, HD-DVD/blu-ray drives, SLI GPUs, etc. Not to mention Apple markets it as their "professional" notebook, which puts it even farther behind PCs. "Professional" PCs in that price range will come STANDARD with multi-year warranties that include next day on-site repair, mobile versions of workstation GPUs that are generally just rebadged consumer GPUs that are more powerful than those in all of the MBPs, as well as being built better.

If the MBP is such a "premium" product, why doesn't Apple offer good service? Their extended warranty for the MBP costs more than Dell's consumer warranty that offers 3 years of next day on-site repair, as well as 3 years of accidental damage coverage and theft tracking. AppleCare gives you.... 3 years of being able to call M-F until 6PM Pacific, hoping not to get somebody in India, and sending the system away for repair and hoping Flextronics doesn't destroy it like they did mine and many others over at macrumors. A lot of companies that offer 3 year standard warranties with their business notebooks will offer "premium" warranties that extend it another year, as well as covering additional items, and even "fly to" repair service that will be there next day wherever you are, instead of just your home or business.

HP's consumer warranties even give you 24/7 phone support, and you can get faster service, as well as up to 4 years of accidental damage coverage on the computer and 3 extra accessories.

For being such "premium" products, Apple sure is unwilling to stand behind them and offer good service for them. They sure are willing to take your $2500 for that MBP and then $350 for AppleCare, but they are extremely unwilling to give you guaranteed support or let you call after 6PM.

The fact that they don't want to stand behind their products, even if you buy their extended warranty, worries me more than anything else.

And most importantly of all............ the fact that I went through more trouble with Apple getting my system replaced after the repair center had DESTROYED it and damaged it multiple times, than I did with HP when the system simply died and they just didn't repair it, makes me question any future Mac purchases and leads me to wonder how people can say Apple's support is great. I imagine that if I didn't live in California (land of very strong consumer protection laws), I probably would have had to sent it out many times and end up dealing with a scratched system, bad DVD drive that was made worse by the "repair", and a half functioning mouse button that wasn't even put on the system right.

Yes, do not pay full price for the MacBook. They are nice computers, but they should be realistically priced at least $300 less than what they are now. Refurbished is like new from Apple. In some cases, it is new. Somebody just bought the system and didn't like it, so they returned it... and Apple cleaned it up, tested it, and put it back out for sale.

But, honestly, if you do care about quality while recording music, you are going to need an external soundcard. The built-in sound on the Mac is not very good at all.

And really, if you're going to be carrying it around school in a bag and using it in class.. then you do need to think about durability and the fact that the MacBook is going to make those 90 minute classes extremely warm for you.

Recording music on the Mac won't really be any easier than it is on a PC. GarageBand is only so widely talked about because it ships with the Mac. It's not any easier to use or more intiutive than any tool you'll find for free on a PC. If you get into recording seriously, then the defacto standard for recording and mixing music, Pro Tools, is on the PC as well as the Mac.

Unfortunately, you'll need an adapter for everything with the Mac. If you want to connect it to a TV, you'll need the mini-DVI to S-Video adapter. If you want to connect it to a monitor, you'll need either the mini-DVI to VGA or DVI adapter. But then you have to be sure your monitor is DVI-D compliant. If you want to connect to an HDTV, then you'll need the mini-DVI to DVI adapter with a DVI to HDMI adapter, unless the TV has DVI. Or if it has VGA, then you need the mini-DVI to VGA adapter. Keep in mind that the average PC has VGA, S-Video, and HDMI built-in.

 

Want to add one more thing here. It was said that the MacBook is priced competitively compared to similar PC notebooks.

Most of the time, the ridiculous argument of screen size and overall size is used, despite the fact that the MacBook itself is only slightly smaller than 15.4" notebooks and pretty hefty for its size.

Anyway, the Dell XPS M1330 is now $1259 configured with a 2GHz C2D, 1GB of RAM (can buy 2GB yourself for $50 for either the Mac or XPS), 120 GB HDD, DVD writer, 9 cell battery (same battery life as a MacBook in a real world situation), and a GeForce 8400M GS.

The standard 1 year warranty includes in-home next day repair with parts and labor, 24/7 phone support for the year, and 1 year of LoJack for Laptops.

Compare that to Apple's 1 year warranty. After 90 days you have to provide a CC number before they'll diagnose hardware issues. Software issues are not covered after 90 days. Oh, and AppleCare closes at 6PM on weekdays and is closed on the weekends.

 

oh wow!!!!!!!!!

 

Wait for the ultraportable in January! Looks like it should have a great price entry point and would be perfect for a college setting where you don't want to lug a charger around all day.

 

how does the macbook compare with the powerbook G4?

 

Well, the MacBook has more processing power than the G4, but the G4 has a bigger screen (as well as is aluminum, much like the current MacBook Pros). I'm not sure, but I think the Powerbook G4's graphics are still better than the MacBook's Intel GMA X3100.

I would go with the MacBook, if you ask me.

 

just thought of something... what about a 12" powerbook g4? if I could get that real cheap... i could have a tiny light laptop for class and have the mac operating system to mess around with and garage band... is the powerbook going to be too slow for me? I know nothing about it so please enlighten me.

 

If you could wait a bit, there's rumours of a new Apple ultraportable coming out at Macworld 2008 .

 

I agree with you for the most part here. Some companies just have different warranty policy workings, and it shows in the above post!

dell has been by far the best in terms of support in my past. I simply wanted OSX, and bought a macbook. I did love the 1210 i had before too.

 

I would have to agree with toshibadude about the mbp having excellent wireless signal reception. I just bought a mb this monday and my brother has a mbp, and we pretty much get the same wireless signal reception at home and at school. Its true that the aluminum case is easily scratched but it shouldn't be a problem if you take good care of your things. As for dents, just don't drop your 2000 dollar investment, buy a decent case to protect it. You won't get any dents unless you drop ur notebook =).

 

the powerbook 12inch is still pretty good if all you use it for is email and surfing the internet. The problem with it is that the resolution is only 1024x768 which makes reading large pdf files a real chore, also on the old models there is no 2 finger trackpad scrolling or right click. Also, the powerbook isn't really that much lighter than the macbook. To me there isn't much of a difference between 4.1x pounds and 5.0 pounds. Definitely get the macbook if you have the money.

 

Yeah, I wouldn't worry about having issues with wireless reception on the MacBook Pro.

As for dents and scratches, I agree...I mean, it really depends on how you treat your things. I know people who break their iPod earbuds in a few months or less, and I've been using my iPod earbuds daily for two years and they're still not broken (knock on wood ). It really depends on how you treat your stuff.

 

Theres always the unavoidable accident that can dent or scratch your MBP that you'll have no control over no matter how good you treat your system.

 

Well, that can happen to anything, can't it? I mean, you could always have spilled water by accident onto a Dell, or HP...you could have dropped your Thinkpad on the street and have it run over by a car...you could have the notebook snatched from you and smashed to pieces by some mob...I mean, that's true but it applies to everything in life...

 

Actually if you compare other 13.3'' notebooks, the MB is right on target.
The MBP is a little expensive though but, it's sleek & has good build quality.

 

Thats a little extreme. But even so, the PCs that are in the same price range as the MBP would be able to take the abuse a lot better.

Not to mention you'd be covered for the damage. Apple would tell you that you're SOL.

 

Not when you compare it to the XPS M1330 Same price as the MB, same battery life, dedicated GPU, optional finger print reader, better warranty options and much better first year warranty.

 

yeah but look at the user ratings on this website, cnet, etc. Personally, I would never buy a laptop that has a rating below 75% from 50 users or more. Official reviews mean nothing to me... they just kinda direct me at what to look at, and if the user ratings of an officially well-reviewed laptop is poor, then GONG.

 

Well, I don't really look at user ratings myself. Or, I do, but I don't really base it on that. As I said before, the users with bad products usually will rant about them, whereas the ones with good ones are satisfied and just get on with their life...therefore, I usually don't look at these as much "statistics".

Like for example, CNET had a page for the iPhone before it was released. It got an about 6 rating, because it was split between the fanboys and the haters. And the iPhone wasn't even out yet, so how could they rate it properly?