recommend laptop which has similar/same spec to a macbook?

[p1tse]

recommend laptop which has similar/same spec to a current macbook but at less cost?

 

[dc8900]

recommend laptop which has similar/same spec to a current macbook but at less cost?

that's also Apple or PC?

 

[p1tse]

pc laptop

 

[p1tse]

macbook white £816:

• 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
• 2GB DDR3 memory
• 250GB hard drive
• 8x double-layer SuperDrive
• NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics
• Built-in 7-hour battery
• Polycarbonate unibody enclosure

what's this spec like:
Samsung R530-JA01UK 15.6" Widescreen Laptop £449
Intel Pentium Dual Core Processor T4300 (2.1GHz, 800MHz, 1MB Cache
Genuine Windows (R) 7 Home Premium
4GB RAM Memory
320 GB Hard Drive

 

[dc8900]

macbook white £816:

• 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
• 2GB DDR3 memory
• 250GB hard drive
• 8x double-layer SuperDrive
• NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics
• Built-in 7-hour battery
• Polycarbonate unibody enclosure

what's this spec like:
Samsung R530-JA01UK 15.6" Widescreen Laptop £449
Intel Pentium Dual Core Processor T4300 (2.1GHz, 800MHz, 1MB Cache
Genuine Windows (R) 7 Home Premium
4GB RAM Memory
320 GB Hard Drive

The Samsung is a very nice laptop, but bear in mind you can't simply compare a Mac to a PC. On spec alone, for the same price as a mac, you will always get a more powerful PC or the same specs for much less. So unless, you really want a mac, go for the Samsung, as it seems more than capable, although it doesn't say what graphics it has.

 

[p1tse]

thoughts on this:

Currys - Shop for Laptops - Samsung R530 15.6" Home Computing laptop

and

http://www.currys.co.uk/martprd/sto...fm=2&sm=1&tm=0&sku=068744&category_oid=-37388

 

[dc8900]

thoughts on this:

Currys - Shop for Laptops - Samsung R530 15.6" Home Computing laptop

and

Currys - Shop for Laptops - Samsung R530-JA01UK 15.6" Widescreen Laptop

They are ok, 3.5 hours battery doesn't seem great

 

[p1tse]

not too much of an issue as it will only really be used for home base around the house

the £450 is out of stock

or should i save and go for a macbook pro (wish they just update the 13" base model already)?

 

[dc8900]

not too much of an issue as it will only really be used for home base around the house

the £450 is out of stock

or should i save and go for a macbook pro (wish they just update the 13" base model already)?

Well it depends on if you want to change Operating systems, if you have no particular desire to do so. Stick with a PC laptop as windows 7 is a very nice operating system. I use both windows and OS X, but in all honesty, I can only advise people to pay the Apple premium if they have the money to do so, have a particular need for it or just hate windows and perhaps OS X might do the trick for them. For the macbook pro, they do a tuesday refresh on their online store I believe, so keep an eye out but the only difference will probably be a slight speed boost.

 

[p1tse]

what's this tuesday refresh i hear about at times?

i don't hate windows, but do find it requires maintanience on virus scans which bogs it down, which i hear isn't an issue on the mac's

no real reason for a macbook apart from a would like

i'm in two minds. save the money and get the samsung or alike.

pro pc laptop
- cheaper
- bigger screen
- more ram
- more hard drive space
- know how to use

pro macbook
- build quality (but cost more)
- can run os x or bootcamp windows

hmm?

 

[dc8900]

what's this tuesday refresh i hear about at times?

i don't hate windows, but do find it requires maintanience on virus scans which bogs it down, which i hear isn't an issue on the mac's

no real reason for a macbook apart from a would like

i'm in two minds. save the money and get the samsung or alike.

pro pc laptop
- cheaper
- bigger screen
- more ram
- more hard drive space
- know how to use

pro macbook
- build quality (but cost more)
- can run os x or bootcamp windows

hmm?

Yes, that is true but on my old Dell, I had Norton Internet Security 2010 installed and unlike prior editions it is not resource heavy and thus my 2006 Dell is running pretty fast. Having said that, my primary computer is a mac, and yes it is true, you don't really need to buy programmes like Norton but be warned, the reason why you don't get viruses etc for the mac is because seeing as it's 6% of the computer market; it simply isn't worth for a hacker to create viruses for mac. It's not invicable.

So to sum up, Windows 7 is a really nice OS, you will get better value with a pc laptop and if you are careful, it will last you for a while. If you are budget conscious, go for something like the Samsung or another manufacturer with a VERY good reputation.

For a mac, if you can afford it, it is brilliant, the build quality is fantastic but that is reflected in the EXPENSIVE prices and they look stunning. If you buy the three year Apple Care, if anything goes wrong, touchwood it won't, you can take it to a store or have a person pop by and it will be sorted-no fuss, . Plus, the operating system is nice to use, if you a windows user, it may take a couple of hours to get use to. And like you said, if you really need windows still, you can run bootcamp or use something like parallels/VM Fusion