Looking to get a new laptop for the wife.

Use case is pretty simple, word processing, email and surfing and it shouldn't be too huge. Good battery time is a plus.

1) Mixed on the Mac vs PC issue. Money being no issue I'd get the Mac, but at the lower end machines it seems like you're paying more for branding rather than performance.

2) Is there really much a difference between PC brands these days?

3) My assumption is that almost any average system will more than meet her needs for the next 3 years.

Thoughts?

-spence

Go for price and warranty.

not to :deadhorse: but all the extra money you're paying for a mac is only for the O/S...the guts are pretty much the same as any other laptop.

Dell is usually a decent purchase because their warranty is good and they are pretty customer friendly.

We've had a toshiba laptop that we've been pretty happy with for a couple of years now too...

No matter what you hear about a brand....someone will have a horror story about them.....every company has an issue at one time or another.

Bottom line is warranty....and a good Antivirus/Antispam/Firewall product, and your Laptop should be fine.

A lot of people blame their PC Problems on the hardware, but 99% of the time it's because they surfed somewhere they shouldn't have or downloaded something they shouldn't have.....and got a bad case of internet cooties.

do a search :fury: friggin left wingers want it all handed to them :rotf2:

I agree with TDF, I also got a toshiba a few years ago and I really like the screen on these machines, and have had no problems. IMHO a microsoft o/s crawls compared to an apple, but as you said you may be talking about a $1000 difference.

I hear Windows7 doesn't suck, in fact the guy I know who's been using it is very impressed with it.

Macbook - $800 after rebate - if you want a MAC, pull the trigger quick Apple Macbook (White) Core 2 Duo 2.26 Ghz, 2GB DDR3, 250GB HDD, SuperDrive, WiFi N, 256MB nVidia 9400M, Bluetooth, Webcam, 13.3" LCD, Snow Leopard, Unibody $800 After $200MIR At Mi - SlickDeals.net Forums (http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1637896)

If you want more bang for your buck, get Windows 7

Office Home for 3 computers $130 Newegg.com - Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 Licensed for 3 PCs - Business & Finance (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116135)

Go with the mac..
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

This is what I mean about a Mac....Look at this laptop from dell. Twice the Memory, and a larger HDD for $200 less than the Mac above. Includes the Webcam and Windows 7 also

The Dell Online Store: Build Your System (http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&oc=FNDOZX3&s=dhs)

Spence, here's a pretty good deal on a Mac. I think the rebate is a pre-paid Visa card and not a rebate check.
Also, you must pick it up in store, but they have a location in Boston.
Micro Center - MacBook MC207LL/A (http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0321997)

Yea, that's a pretty decent deal. About the same as a Dell with student package at Best Buy!

Heading up to Boston twice still this week, might just pick one up.

thanks,

-spence

Just ordered one...thanks guys.

-spence

This is what I mean about a Mac....Look at this laptop from dell. Twice the Memory, and a larger HDD for $200 less than the Mac above. Includes the Webcam and Windows 7 also

The Dell Online Store: Build Your System (http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&oc=FNDOZX3&s=dhs)

I have a friend that pre-ordered this for 499, loves it for his college kid

This is what I mean about a Mac....Look at this laptop from dell. Twice the Memory, and a larger HDD for $200 less than the Mac above. Includes the Webcam and Windows 7 also

The Dell Online Store: Build Your System (http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&oc=FNDOZX3&s=dhs)

I have a friend that pre-ordered this for 499, loves it for his college kid

The thing I like about Mac's is they will never get a virus 99% of the time

The thing I like about Mac's is they will never get a virus 99% of the time

This is especially handy with some of the websites I go on.. :devil2:

The thing I like about Mac's is they will never get a virus 99% of the time


Hmmm, I guess all those people buying anti-virus software for their macs are just throwing their money away.

They don't get the virus so much as they are carriers, kinda like prostitutes:rotf2:

Yeah, Inside Prostitutes.

I'd still buy a PC