Which Apple laptop should I buy?

[Deleted User] · 02/02/11 - 12:26

I run a youth club and have been given money to buy an Apple laptop.

It would be used for secure data storage, art & design projects and also for the young people to access the internet (via mobile internet).

I don't have a clue what one to pick. Can anyone help, please?

chiller15 · 02/02/11 - 12:28

Knowing how much money you have would be nice!

This sort of thing is budget dependant really.

[Deleted User] · 02/02/11 - 12:35

Hmm.. not too sure on the budget. I'm assuming they'll want me to keep it as cheap as possible.

IvanIV · 02/02/11 - 12:44

Good luck with that. What do you want to use it for? perhaps equivalent programmes exist for Windows as well. Then if it could be Windows, does it have to be a laptop? You can save further. Apple is not for people on budget and I do not think anybody is going to make you a deal for one laptop.

[Deleted User] · 02/02/11 - 12:55

You may have a point, Ivan. Personally I would happily consider Windows although it does have to be a laptop as we move venues throughout the year.

IvanIV · 02/02/11 - 13:15

If you want it for art & design, you'd probably want 15'' or even 17''. If you go to amazon and check the prices there (for a ballpark figure), they ask £1,769.00 for 17'' Macbook pro and £1,399.00 for 15''. You can get 3-4Windows laptops for that price

Of course you can look around for second hand or repaired Apple laptops and find them for better price.

Markjuk · 02/02/11 - 13:16

I think with Apple you are paying over the odds for an average spec because of the Apple name. This discussion has already been had on DS whereby an equivilent speced PC to an iMac was shown to be around £500-600 cheaper.

What makes it worse it that a large number of Apple Laptops are still using Core2 processors.

For example this 13" Macbook Pro:

http://store.apple.com/uk/configure/MC375B/A?mco=MTc0Njg2NDk

Core2 dual core processor @ 2.66Ghz
4GB RAM
320GB HDD

For £1276. That is a lot of money to pay for yesterday's technology, and I do mean yesterdays. Core2 was launched in 2006 and replaced in 2008 by the "i" range (i3,i5 and i7).

If, for example you were to go to the Sony website and upgrade this model:

https://shop.sony.co.uk/shop/ipc/displayLayout/%28cScrollCharGroupName=%24BASE_GROUP&citemarea=4BBCA70C2677011AE10080002BC29BE2&cInstId=1&layout=25_173_74_75_77_78_79_80_82_91_92_141&cCharName=C1000000009_EB3&next=config&carea=%24ROOT&order=&citem=4BBCA70C2677011AE10080002BC29BE24CB5537B48A90077E10080002BC29B72&cCharGroupName=%24BASE_GROUP&isHideActive=%29/.do

so that the specs read:

# Intel® CoreTM i7-640M, 2.80GHz
# Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium
# English (QWERTY)
# Black
# 500 GB Serial ATA (5400 rpm)
# 6 GB 1066MHz DDR3-SDRAM
# Blu-ray Disc(TM) player
# 39.4 cm LCD, 1920x1080, webcam
# ATI MobilityRadeon HD5650 1GB

the price will be £999.00, which to me seems much better value than the Apple model.

cnbcwatcher · 02/02/11 - 13:26

IvanIV wrote: »

If you want it for art & design, you'd probably want 15'' or even 17''. If you go to amazon and check the prices there (for a ballpark figure), they ask £1,769.00 for 17'' Macbook pro and £1,399.00 for 15''. You can get 3-4Windows laptops for that price Of course you can look around for second hand or repaired Apple laptops and find them for better price.

Someone said that to me and I suppose they're right but I love my Mac! (no Mac vs Windows please!) I have a 13" one which is quite alright, the screen is good and it works well.

chiller15 · 02/02/11 - 13:30

A desktop is much more suited to design than a laptop.

max99 · 02/02/11 - 13:36

I kitted out one of out local youth centres recently and seeing the way the 'young people' treated brand new equipment, I wouldn't dream of giving them an Apple or anything expensive.

Unless your kids are going to be properly supervised at all times (or are more civilised than the ones around here), go for something cheap. Two or three cheap laptops will almost certainly be a better option than one expensive laptop.

IvanIV · 02/02/11 - 13:39

chiller15 wrote: »

A desktop is much more suited to design than a laptop.

One could get then an apple for a more acceptable price, eg, 21'' for £999.00, 27'' for £1,348.92

Markjuk · 02/02/11 - 13:58

IvanIV wrote: »

One could get then an apple for a more acceptable price, eg, 21'' for £999.00, 27'' for £1,348.92

Even then Apple Desktops (iMacs) are still considerably more expensive for the same specs as a PC equivilent. Again I state you seem to pay a premium for the Apple name. Is Apple really that special as to pay £200-500 extra?

Eejit · 02/02/11 - 14:10

Markjuk wrote: »

Even then Apple Desktops (iMacs) are still considerably more expensive for the same specs as a PC equivilent. Again I state you seem to pay a premium for the Apple name. Is Apple really that special as to pay £200-500 extra?

Show me the equivalent PC to an iMac for £500 (including equivalent software, obviously).

I wouldn't really recommend an expensive computer for a youth club though, of whatever make, because the kids will almost certainly wreck it. Unless you're going to be closely supervising them.

Probably best just to pick them up a cheap and nasty PC and when it's destroyed at least you'll have enough money left over to buy another one.

IvanIV · 02/02/11 - 14:25

Markjuk wrote: »

Even then Apple Desktops (iMacs) are still considerably more expensive for the same specs as a PC equivilent. Again I state you seem to pay a premium for the Apple name. Is Apple really that special as to pay £200-500 extra?

I agree, but the OP stated they wanted Apple, so I am giving options in that direction. But I would not recommend it for the youth club either. An Apple computer needs somebody to worship it, not to destroy it in 5 seconds flat

chiller15 · 02/02/11 - 14:43

Eejit wrote: »

Show me the equivalent PC to an iMac for £500 (including equivalent software, obviously).

Just stop there, please.

Eejit wrote: »

I wouldn't really recommend an expensive computer for a youth club though, of whatever make, because the kids will almost certainly wreck it. Unless you're going to be closely supervising them.

Probably best just to pick them up a cheap and nasty PC and when it's destroyed at least you'll have enough money left over to buy another one.

I agree. There is some very decent image and video editing applications available on Windows now, which should be more than suitable.

Eejit · 02/02/11 - 14:52

chiller15 wrote: »

Just stop there, please.

Nope. I'm still waiting for this claimed equivalent PC for £500.

chiller15 · 02/02/11 - 14:55

Eejit wrote: »

Nope. I'm still waiting for this claimed equivalent PC for £500.

Do you actually contribute anything to this forum, other than in flame wars?

edEx · 02/02/11 - 14:59

Before everyone jumps in with the usual "Apple are expensive" comments, do we know what software is available to the OP's organisation? If they have spare Mac licenses but would have to buy the Windows software the Mac will be way cheaper.

To the OP:- At the very least go for a 15" MacBook Pro. The screens are better than on the smaller models, which for design work makes a big difference.

IvanIV · 02/02/11 - 15:16

edEx wrote: »

Before everyone jumps in with the usual "Apple are expensive" comments, do we know what software is available to the OP's organisation? If they have spare Mac licenses but would have to buy the Windows software the Mac will be way cheaper.

To the OP:- At the very least go for a 15" MacBook Pro. The screens are better than on the smaller models, which for design work makes a big difference.

Since the OP does not know which model to go for, I'd say they do not have many Apple laptops around. I agree on the screen size. 15'' or bigger, Apple or not. I think 13'' is too small for designing anything comfortably.

Eejit · 02/02/11 - 15:17

chiller15 wrote: »

Do you actually contribute anything to this forum, other than in flame wars?

What flame war?

And what do you contribute, Chiller?

People are claiming Macs are £500 more than the exact equivalent PC. I'm just curious to see this mysterious PC they're referring to. Perhaps I'll buy it, given it's such a wonderful bargain.

edEx · 02/02/11 - 15:33

IvanIV wrote: »

Since the OP does not know which model to go for, I'd say they do not have many Apple laptops around.

True, but somebody within the youth club organisation has specified an Apple laptop. There has to be a reason for that.

[Deleted User] · 02/02/11 - 20:34

If it will have OS X only software installed they have licenses for already, then a Mac would make sense. Otherwise, save some money and get a similar spec laptop PC with Windows.

whoever,hey · 02/02/11 - 20:54

Eejit wrote: »

What flame war? And what do you contribute, Chiller?

People are claiming Macs are £500 more than the exact equivalent PC. I'm just curious to see this mysterious PC they're referring to. Perhaps I'll buy it, given it's such a wonderful bargain.

A comparison was posted above

. With apple you pay for a trendy looking case, hardly economic for a youth club!

Markjuk · 02/02/11 - 21:06

Eejit wrote: »

What flame war? And what do you contribute, Chiller?

People are claiming Macs are £500 more than the exact equivalent PC. I'm just curious to see this mysterious PC they're referring to. Perhaps I'll buy it, given it's such a wonderful bargain.

Right, you wanted it, you got it:

iMac as follows:

# 3.20GHz Intel Core i3 (not Sandy Bridge)
# 4GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x2GB
# 1TB Serial ATA Drive
# ATI Radeon HD 5670 512MB GDDR3 SDRAM
# 8x double-layer SuperDrive
# Apple Wireless Keyboard (British) & User's Guide (English)
# Magic Mouse

for £1429.00 (inc VAT)

At http://www.computerplanet.co.uk (Core i3 "Design your own PC")

(Please not this spec is as near to the Apple as possible, however in the case of the CPU I have had to go to the next model up as the exact same model as in the Apple they do not offer - also to note that I have added a 600w power supply)

Computer Case Black ATX Tower Case
CPU Intel Core i3 560 (2 x 3.3GHz) 4 MB
CPU Heatsink Intel Heatsink & Fan - Low Noise
Memory Corsair 4GB XMS3 PC3-10666 1333MHz (1x4GB) - Lifetime Warranty (DDR3)
Graphics Card ATI Radeon HD 5670 - 512 MB - DVI/VGA/HDMI/DP (Sapphire)
Motherboard Asus P7H55-M LX (Intel H55)
Sound Card Motherboard Integrated HD Sound
Networking Motherboard Integrated Ethernet Lan (Broadband Ready)
USB Ports Motherboard Integrated USB Ports
Power Supply Corsair Gaming Series 600W PSU
Case Wiring Professional Standard
Hard Drive #1 1 TB (1000 GB) SATA-III Western Digital (WD1002FAEX) - 64 MB - Caviar Black
Optical Drive #1 LG (CH10LS20) 10x Blu-Ray Reader & 16x Dual Layer DVD +/- RW Writer - Black (SATA)
Operating System #1 Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64 BIT (Genuine DVD & COA Included)
Backup Software Windows Backup
Monitor #1 27" iiyama E2710HDS Black Widescreen LCD Monitor - 2ms
Keyboard Microsoft Wireless 3000 Keyboard & Mouse
Mouse Logitech RX250 Black Optical Mouse (USB)
Speakers Logitech S220 2.1 Speaker System Black 17W RMS
Free Gift FREE - WebCam - Headphones & Microphone

Price =£956.01 (inc VAT)

chiller15 · 02/02/11 - 21:30

Eejit wrote: »

What flame war? And what do you contribute, Chiller?

People are claiming Macs are £500 more than the exact equivalent PC. I'm just curious to see this mysterious PC they're referring to. Perhaps I'll buy it, given it's such a wonderful bargain.

It appears that you only enter Apple vs Microsoft threads in this section of the forum. At least I offer help to those people who require it, providing I have the knowledge.

Markjuk · 02/02/11 - 21:32

chiller15 wrote: »

It appears that you only enter Apple vs Microsoft threads in this section of the forum. At least I offer help to those people who require it, providing I have the knowledge.

I have posted a comparason above so Eejit can see for him/herself that Apple are expensive and overpriced.

Hey there!

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