Macbook vs Vaio

both great laptops, but I'd go for the Mac, I may be biased because I'm a Mac user in general, but I'd say it's worth the extra £200. One tip I'd give for getting the price down a bit is to never get upgraded RAM from Apple - they charge through the nose for it. Buy it with the least RAM possible and then go to crucial.com and get as much as you want/need. IIRC Apple will install it for you free of charge if you take the laptop and the new RAM to one of their shops.

 

Apple has a trade-off, though, the majority of the time you're paying a 400% overhead for the actual hardware they're trying to sell you. A lot of Macs offer outdated tech from around two years ago. Two years is a long time in the technology world. The times of Macs being high-end machines are over, but they still expect people to pay a premium price for an average experience.

Also, as for what Chip said... Results may vary, just like on PC's. I've heard both Mac and PC horror stories. I've heard of Mac users switching to Windows and singing praises and vice versa. It really comes down to what you're going to be doing with the computer and what your personal preferences are. If you're planning on customization of any kind, you can rule out a Mac immediately. Macs also run hot, due to their chassis--while stylish and cool--are horribly heat inefficient--this is true for MacBooks and iMacs. The display covers up the fans and they're flat. Both huge no-nos for cooling. Macbooks overheat quite a bit if you do anything high-end on them. If you're going to be gaming, while Macs have been getting more support recently, their library is still very underwhelming.

 

This is why I will never touch anything with an Apple logo on it. I like to have control of what I own, which Apple tries to make as difficult as possible.

 

go for mac i use my pc for gaming and my mac for everything else. i had my mac for about a year now and it is still running like first day boot up

 

You should go beyond the sticker prices and also consider the long-term costs associated with owning either system. For example, are you planning to insure your laptop beyond the original manufacturer’s warranty? If so, how much would it cost to insure either system? What kind of repairs would the insurance cover? If not, how much would it cost to make the usual repairs to either laptop, like replacing the keyboard or the screen? How much would any added peripherals you expect to buy cost for either system (some are compatible with both)?

Just something to consider. If price is no object, then just disregard everything I’ve written.

 

Yes, I have the Macbook Pro you're considering. It is definitely worth the money if you ask me. Apart from it being faster than any PC I've ever used, It hasn't had any of the problems I get on Windows and I havent had a single virus. I actually got is for 950 pounds, so I'd say the 1100 is dollars.

Good luck =D

 

RAM doesn't speed up the computer, atleast not indefinitely. It just stores things that have already been processed (by the processor) so they don't have to be processed again. Typically you won't go over 4GB of RAM usage at any one time unless you have multiple high-weight programs open at once, such as 3D modelling, Photoshop, newer games etc.; the uses that you've listed probably won't ever go above 2GB though. Any RAM that isn't being used does absolutely nothing for you whatsoever.

Processor speed affects how fast things actually get processed. i5 should be perfectly fine for what you do; you will see negligible difference between it and an i7. If you plan on doing any dedicated gaming or graphics work then an i7 may be worthwhile, otherwise I would just stick with the i5.

 

The Pros and Cons of a mac vs pc is retarted these days.

If you know nothing about keeping a computer running well and dont want to play games or use software that is windows only then get a mac, their laptops while have many reported hardware issues are decent for what you get.

From what you have described its what you would go for, but also keep in mind what you will want to do on your computer in the next year or so.

Macs are better for Graphics and media? myth. Macs run smoother? mostly a myth, all depends on how you run your PC. They have just as many errors as a PC, dont be fooled into thinking they are faultless.

Sony is a good brand but your also paying for their name almost as much as you are for mac.

4g is becoming the standard for RAM but 2g is perfectly fine, anymore then 4g for a laptop and what you will be using it for is a big waste. i5 is more then enough for your needs and for a laptop. i7 would just be for bragging rights in your case.

 

I have a MacBook for home and one for work and I've been a Mac user since the early 90's. I have a couple of apps that require Windows so I have Windows running under VMware fusion. A few weeks ago I switched my VM from Windows XP to Windows 7.

I am really liking Windows 7, it is light years beyond Windows XP.

If I was in the market for new laptop a Lenovo ThinkPad running Windows 7 would be a strong contender. The main draw to Mac for me is that it is built on Darwin, which is FreeBSD with a Mach kernel. I spend a lot of time in terminal.app as I use a lot of the GNU utilities on a daily basis.

I've tried Cygwin on windows, but I find it lacking.

My biggest gripe about the Mac is that it is so damn conspicuous. Instead of a glowing Apple on the back they would have just put a glowing steal me sign.

 

I'd say go PC, specifically ASUS because their customer support is great. As long as you treat your PC well and use some intuitive thinking when deciding how to travel with it safely, you shouldn't have many problems. I'm not a fan of the oh so popular catch phrase, "they just work" when someone talks about apple/macs. Yeah, my pc works just fine, too. I've had my ASUS since September and haven't had one problem with it. That's not a long time, but it counts for something.

If you want to take a look at the numbers, I bought my computer in September through newegg for about $750. The cheapest mac is "only $999." My ASUS has twice the harddrive space, twice the memory, and a 16 inch screen instead of a 13 inch screen. You'll have to spend about $1500 for a mac that has comparable stats to my pc. Windows 7 is pretty great. Windows in general is likely to be more compatible with pretty much everything your school does because schools want to save money, too.

That said, just go with what you want, what you think will work better for you, and what you think makes sense. I just want PCs to have a good standing debate on here because I'm a PC guy.

 

I have to stop you here, Chip. Don't buy into that myth that Macs have a superior OS that is impervious to spyware, viruses, and that it's the best thing ever. HARD TRUTH: Mac OS X isn't a godsend. In terms of speed, it isn't faster than Windows 7. They're pretty much the same. Everything else, in terms of the user interface is purely opinion and preference-based.

Chip, if you don't have antivirus for your Mac because you think it's superior to Windows, you are truly ignorant and are simply in no position to be giving out computer advice. Get antivirus. Now. Any computer, whether it has Windows, Mac, Linux, or Unix, is vulnerable to malicious software. There is no such thing as the "ultimate OS." Every OS is developed by humans and humans make mistakes--Apple makes plenty of mistakes, let me assure you of that.

The reason why Windows appears to be more vulnerable is because it's the most popular OS. If Mac OS X was suddenly the most popular OS tomorrow, there would also be a huge spike in the amount of malicious software being targeted toward Mac.

 

+1. Also never take advice from someone who keeps there system running for a week straight(Chip) XD. But then again that is what macs are for, people who do stupid shit and dont know how to look after their computers. No wonder your PC never worked, its called overheating.

 

I just ordered a Sony vaio series C 14 inch, neon orange laptop.
I'm excited!
I go for PC's because you get more stuff for less money and my dad is a big computer maniac, so he likes to customize things. I also am just used to them, I like the way they work and I just don't have the extra money to dish out for a mac with the same specs as the PC I want.
Plus I'm a gamer so mac's wouldn't work for me.
It's all based on personal preference I guess. I know many mac haters and many pc haters. I know many mac lovers and pc lovers. Neither is better than the other I think. They just have different pros and cons.

 

Good lord people...

Both Apple and Sony make HORRIBLE laptops and computers. The Mac is more expensive than the Vaio because ALL Apple products are overpriced because of the brand name. Macs are horrible, horrible computers; more so than Vaios but I've known people who have owned a Vaio and have horror stories as well.

Save yourself the hassle (and the money) and get a god damn Asus.

The "Macs never get viruses" thing is bullshit; There are anti-viruses for Macs and they detect viruses just like any other computer.

The OS is close-sourced and just as reliable as any other OS. There's a lot less customization though due to it being close-sourced. And the GUI is just clunky but I GUESS that's preference.

Macs do not "work way better"; it depends on the specs and how stupid the actual user is.

 

I also got an Asus. I have a G72GX-A1. I didn't have the best experience with them--the first time.

I originally started with a G71GX-A1. The fan broke and I sent it in to get fixed. It took four months before I got a laptop back because they were "waiting for parts." Eventually, they sent me a G72GX-A1. It's a G71GX-A1 essentially, except with an upgrade to the HDD. My G71 had 640GB of space and my G72 has 1TB. I guess that makes it worth it in the long-run.

A few months ago, the fan broke in my G72. And I was like, "Not again." However, this time I sent it in and got it back within a week. Customer service was MUCH better and were really helpful and kind. Asus must have done some work on it because it's much better than what it used to be.

 

No matter what your looking at buying you should always do your research into brands and models, Just because its a good brand doesnt mean its a good model.

Looking on here for your computer needs probably isnt your best option, you would be much better off looking at a pure computer forum and posting what your looking for and your price range and they will point you in the right direction.