POLL: Macbook pro vs custom built desktop?

[Supergumby5000 5,000+ posts]

Title pretty much states it all. I was planning on buying a Macbook pro to replace my toshiba laptop, but my roomate offered to build me a computer.

ssoo, the options are a macbook pro, 15" version with a 23" moniter

OR

a custom build $1500-1800 CPU (windows) with two 22" moniters

either way ill be up or down, i'll either have a sweet laptop and no desktop (im gonna reformat my desktop now and prolly just give it to the parents because they need a new computer), or have a sweet desktop and and a not bad laptop (its just fine, but the battery life is kinda bad, and it has vista)

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[97gp 5,000+ posts]

If your gay then you should go with the macbook //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif

 

[Supergumby5000 5,000+ posts]

If your gay then you should go with the macbook //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif

I feel so much more intelligent now due to this enlightening comment

***.

but srsly, lets not get the apple and windows rivarly going now. we want ot talk facts here //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[bamaboy 5,000+ posts]

are you going to want to take it with you places, i have a dell xps 1330, and a custom built rig, i use both alot, but there is nothing my laptop cant do

im a fan of mac computers, not as much garbage on them, they work good and look nice, apple makes nice stuff

i vote mac...

 

[Supergumby5000 5,000+ posts]

i used my laptop a TON this summer (i was out of state all summer), and i used it a lot last year for note taking. This year however is strictly math and physics classes, so i wont need a laptop as much (although i always bring my toshiba with me, and it gets used)

kind of a toss up if you know what i mean hehe. either way its gonna be a situation where i have a nice *** laptop and an okay/no desktop, or a nice *** desktop and an okay laptop

my main concern about the desktop is i have a ton of movies and music, but i guess an external harddrive could solve that issue

 

[97gp 5,000+ posts]

I feel so much more intelligent now due to this enlightening comment

***.

but srsly, lets not get the apple and windows rivarly going now. we want ot talk facts here //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

Sounds like the macbook would be a perfect fit for you

 

[Jmac 10+ year member]

Title pretty much states it all. I was planning on buying a Macbook pro to replace my toshiba laptop, but my roomate offered to build me a computer.
ssoo, the options are a macbook pro, 15" version with a 23" moniter

OR

a custom build $1500-1800 CPU (windows) with two 22" moniters

either way ill be up or down, i'll either have a sweet laptop and no desktop (im gonna reformat my desktop now and prolly just give it to the parents because they need a new computer), or have a sweet desktop and and a not bad laptop (its just fine, but the battery life is kinda bad, and it has vista)

Depends on what you're doing ...
Obviously, if you plan on moving this thing, the Macbook Pro is going to be much more convenient. On the other hand, a $1500-$1800 desktop would fvcking decimate the Macbook Pro performance-wise and would allow you do run a much wider variety of software.

I'm curious as to why you'd run a 23" S-IPS display w/ the Macbook Pro but opt for a pair of incredibly inferior 22" TN displays w/ the desktop.

 

[Enellz 10+ year member]

Apple computers seem to run smoother to me. Love em both, but I would get the Apple

 

[Supergumby5000 5,000+ posts]

Sounds like the macbook would be a perfect fit for you

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/youreawesome.gif.a27e190c662afa8e2be5686b27bd1659.gif

anyways, the reason the custom desktop came into play is due to the price of the macbook. it is a **** sweet laptop, but at the same time for the same price i could get one hell of a desktop

 

[Supergumby5000 5,000+ posts]

Depends on what you're doing ...
Obviously, if you plan on moving this thing, the Macbook Pro is going to be much more convenient. On the other hand, a $1500-$1800 desktop would fvcking decimate the Macbook Pro performance-wise and would allow you do run a much wider variety of software.

I'm curious as to why you'd run a 23" S-IPS display w/ the Macbook Pro but opt for a pair of incredibly inferior 22" TN displays w/ the desktop.

i have a 23" samsung HD tv/moniter at the moment, considering getting rid of it for just standard moniters

 

[bamaboy 5,000+ posts]

what size is your toshiba laptop?

the macbook pro is a pretty strong laptop, a friend has a macbook air and it almost makes me want to get one, its crazy how thin it is

 

[Jmac 10+ year member]

Apple computers seem to run smoother to me. Love em both, but I would get the Apple

Smoother ?
Let's compare the potential systems for a second:

Macbook Pro vs. Custom Desktop

2.4 GHz Dual Core vs. 2.83 GHz Quad Core/3.33 GHz Dual Core (plus the option of overclocking)

2 GB of PC2-5300 vs. 4 GB of PC2-8000/8 GB of PC2-6400

250 GB 2.5" 5,400 RPM HDD vs. 300 GB 2.5" 10,000 RPM HDD + 1 TB 3.5" 7,200 RPM HDD

GeForce 8600M GT vs. ATI HD 4870/GeForce GTX 260

On what planet do you live on to think these 2 system would be even comparable in "smoothness" ? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif

 

[Supergumby5000 5,000+ posts]

what size is your toshiba laptop?
the macbook pro is a pretty strong laptop, a friend has a macbook air and it almost makes me want to get one, its crazy how thin it is

nothing special, i bought it for like $400 on sale at circuit city a year ago

1gig ram, 150gig hdd, 1.73 intel duo core, 256mb integrated graphics

 

[Jmac 10+ year member]

nothing special, i bought it for like $400 on sale at circuit city a year ago
1gig ram, 150gig hdd, 1.73 intel duo core, 256mb integrated graphics

Pick up a 2 GB stick of RAM for $30 to bring it up to 2.5 GB of RAM. It'll make a world of difference. Also, you may want to consider picking up a high-speed SLC NAND Flash based Secure Digital card (i.e. Sandisk Ultra III) to make use of Vista's Readyboost feature. It should improve performance by another 10-15% for another $25-$40.

 

[Supergumby5000 5,000+ posts]

Pick up a 2 GB stick of RAM for $30 to bring it up to 2.5 GB of RAM. It'll make a world of difference. Also, you may want to consider picking up a high-speed SLC NAND Flash based Secure Digital card (i.e. Sandisk Ultra III) to make use of Vista's Readyboost feature. It should improve performance by another 10-15% for another $25-$40.

I'm not quite sure if i know what this is if you dont mind explaining.

And i did think about just upgrading the ram if i did go the desktop route. the only issue is i rely on a laptop in the summer, and a 150gig hdd makes that kind of a pain. I guess i would still be money up if i bought a portable external though too hehe