Are macbooks worth the money?

AneesaAneesa Posts: 783
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As the title says...I'm looking to purchase a laptop for university. I'll use the basic student things like word, but will also use it to watch films etc.

Are they worth the money? Or should I get something like an Acer or HP?

Thanks in advance.
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  • MartinPickeringMartinPickering Posts: 3,711
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    Same old FAQ. Now we'll get the Mac vs PC brigade fighting it out.
    Only YOU can decide whether YOU want to spend YOUR money on a Mac. There are pros and cons. Do your research. Make your decision.

    (I have a 2011 MacBook Pro that I bought second hand via eBay. I like it but I've never used anything other than Macs so I can't say whether it's "better" in any way than the alternatives.)
  • InkblotInkblot Posts: 26,889
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    My experience is that they are very good value if you plan to keep them for a while.

    I bought a MacBook Air in 2010 and it is still almost as good as new. The processor (Core 2 Duo) is way past its sell-by date and there's only 2GB RAM but the MacBook still does everything I need it to, I can watch Netflix etc, play music, edit and publish ebooks, use FaceTime (Apple's video call system, like Skype) etc, only new games are a problem as they require better processors.

    If you want a games machine Macs are not the best option. For everything else they are built to last and fun to use.
  • WolfsheadishWolfsheadish Posts: 10,400
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    It sort of depends what you'll be using it for, but generally speaking I'd say yes. I'd find it very difficult to use anything else now, having used Macs for about 15 years. (Once you go Mac, you never go back). I don't know why you'd be using Word though. It puzzles me that people buy a Mac and then proceed to install Microsoft products, but that's just me.

    If you'd really only be using it to type essays and watch movies then a Mac may not be worth it for you, but I'd suggest you do a little more research before you buy. Check out Mac sites like www.macmagic.ca and www.ehmac.ca for some pros and cons. Obviously these are Canadian sites but they'll still be useful and you can no doubt find others.
  • WolfsheadishWolfsheadish Posts: 10,400
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    Same old FAQ. Now we'll get the Mac vs PC brigade fighting it out.
    Only YOU can decide whether YOU want to spend YOUR money on a Mac. There are pros and cons. Do your research. Make your decision.

    (I have a 2011 MacBook Pro that I bought second hand via eBay. I like it but I've never used anything other than Macs so I can't say whether it's "better" in any way than the alternatives.)

    Exactly! Some of us just prefer them, that doesn't necessarily mean they're superior.
  • miss_astridmiss_astrid Posts: 1,808
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    You'd get more bang for your buck if you were to purchase an Acer or a HP, but as MartinPickering says, do your research. Personally, I would only go with a mac if I was doing a art/design course, as from what I've read and seen, Mac's are better for this.

    If you're just using general software (word, etc) and browsing the Internet/watching films, I'd go for whichever one you like the look/feel of the most.
  • Vast_GirthVast_Girth Posts: 9,793
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    Well it depends. They will both be fine, but a PC will do everything you want to do for less money. But with a mac you will have a more trendy machine. Its down to you whether that is worth paying a premium for.
  • InkblotInkblot Posts: 26,889
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    I don't know why you'd be using Word though.

    I'm happy to be corrected (and shown how to do it) but I haven't yet found a way to export a document to html from Pages. Plus if you're editing someone else's Word document and need to track changes it's easier to stay in Word than convert back-and-forth.
  • Vast_GirthVast_Girth Posts: 9,793
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    if I was doing a art/design course, as from what I've read and seen, Mac's are better for this.
    .

    As a design professional for 15 years i can tell you now this is nonsense. It certainly used to be the case many many years ago, but now i would say PC's are better for designing because there is more choice of software and you get more bang for buck.
  • c4rvc4rv Posts: 29,540
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    will add that macs do retain their value better then HP, Acer, Asus, etc
  • CELT1987CELT1987 Posts: 12,347
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    I used to have a MacBook and I liked it, but after 10 years it wasn't picking up the internet wireless properly. The disk drive also broke. I got a Dell laptop instead. I have an IPad Mini as well but use the laptop for Word and Excel. I would say that the MacBook is overpriced compared to a normal laptop. I would go for a normal laptop rather then a MacBook.
  • AneesaAneesa Posts: 783
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    Same old FAQ. Now we'll get the Mac vs PC brigade fighting it out.
    Only YOU can decide whether YOU want to spend YOUR money on a Mac. There are pros and cons. Do your research. Make your decision.

    (I have a 2011 MacBook Pro that I bought second hand via eBay. I like it but I've never used anything other than Macs so I can't say whether it's "better" in any way than the alternatives.)

    I just wanted to see what other people thought of them!
  • AneesaAneesa Posts: 783
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    It sort of depends what you'll be using it for, but generally speaking I'd say yes. I'd find it very difficult to use anything else now, having used Macs for about 15 years. (Once you go Mac, you never go back). I don't know why you'd be using Word though. It puzzles me that people buy a Mac and then proceed to install Microsoft products, but that's just me.

    If you'd really only be using it to type essays and watch movies then a Mac may not be worth it for you, but I'd suggest you do a little more research before you buy. Check out Mac sites like www.macmagic.ca and www.ehmac.ca for some pros and cons. Obviously these are Canadian sites but they'll still be useful and you can no doubt find others.

    Oh yes, I'd forgotten that the macbook already has some software installed.
    Thank you for the links& advice. I'll definitely have to do some proper research as it is quite expensive.
  • AneesaAneesa Posts: 783
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    c4rv wrote: »
    will add that macs do retain their value better then HP, Acer, Asus, etc

    Yeah that's why I'm moving towards them. I'd rather invest in one macbook and have it for a good few years, than having to replace one if anything happens to the laptop.
  • MartinPickeringMartinPickering Posts: 3,711
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    CELT1987 wrote: »
    I used to have a MacBook and I liked it, but after 10 years it wasn't picking up the internet wireless properly. The disk drive also broke. I got a Dell laptop instead.

    I'm not sure whether this is a joke. The Mac lasted only ten years? So will the Dell last ten years (or pro-rata if it was cheaper)?
  • Master OzzyMaster Ozzy Posts: 18,926
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    OP, when I was at Uni I was in a similar situation to you and I went and decided to go for a MacBook. Never looked back! I've had it since 2007 (7 years now) and I use it for art/design work, surfing the internet, listening to music, watching films and videos. I pretty much use it for everything and it still works today as good as it did when I first bought it. I use it all the time and I have so much stuff stored on it. I used Windows for years but I would never in a million years go back to having a Windows laptop. In the 7 years that I have had my Mac I have never had the Mac equivilent of "blue screen" and I have never once had to do the Mac equivilent of "Ctrl, Alt and Delete".
  • Vast_GirthVast_Girth Posts: 9,793
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    Aneesa wrote: »
    Yeah that's why I'm moving towards them. I'd rather invest in one macbook and have it for a good few years, than having to replace one if anything happens to the laptop.

    You wouldn't have to replace the pc any sooner than the mac. If anything a PC will last longer as it will be more powerful. However if you decide to sell it then the mac will undoubtedly be worth more.
  • AneesaAneesa Posts: 783
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    OP, when I was at Uni I was in a similar situation to you and I went and decided to go for a MacBook. Never looked back! I've had it since 2007 (7 years now) and I use it for art/design work, surfing the internet, listening to music, watching films and videos. I pretty much use it for everything and it still works today as good as it did when I first bought it. I use it all the time and I have so much stuff stored on it. I used Windows for years but I would never in a million years go back to having a Windows laptop. In the 7 years that I have had my Mac I have never had the Mac equivilent of "blue screen" and I have never once had to do the Mac equivilent of "Ctrl, Alt and Delete".

    Wow, thank you for this! 7 years and still going strong, not sure I can argue with that.
    I'll be using it for the exact same reasons you have stated, which gives me a lot of confidence now!
  • blueisthecolourblueisthecolour Posts: 20,124
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    I've often wondered what it is about Macs that people love so much. I've never owned an Apple product - not out any kind of fan boy or irrational reason but because every time i've researched a particular product i've always decided that I could get better value elsewhere (i.e i'm too tight!).

    Though to be fair my decision to get a Creative Zen over an iPod was probably a mistake :blush:

    If you need something for Microsoft Office, internet and films then i'm yet to be convinced that you need to spend more than £500.
  • dearmrmandearmrman Posts: 21,439
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    No they are not worth the money, the higher cost is to do with the logo/brand it's that simple and that is what you are paying for. They are good machines but are overpriced.
  • AneesaAneesa Posts: 783
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    I've often wondered what it is about Macs that people love so much. I've never owned an Apple product - not out any kind of fan boy or irrational reason but because every time i've researched a particular product i've always decided that I could get better value elsewhere (i.e i'm too tight!).

    Though to be fair my decision to get a Creative Zen over an iPod was probably a mistake :blush:

    If you need something for Microsoft Office, internet and films then i'm yet to be convinced that you need to spend more than £500.

    I will obviously use it for more reasons than I stated, just general things that you would use a laptop for. I've just been speaking to someone at Apple, who can offer me a deal at £729.60 total, with the discount, 3 years of warranty and 1 year of telephone technical support, which I think is quite a good deal.

    Still considering it though!
  • frisky pythonfrisky python Posts: 9,737
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    I have used both Macs and PCs for years. I currently own a MacBook Pro, 4yrs old, and feels like new even now. My husband is an IT bod, uses both Mac and PC, and can't stand PCs as they are always going wrong. Macs are not perfect though, my machine can still freeze occasionally but that's more software than hardware..

    However, Macs are expensive compared to PCs. If you (as a student) are in the fortunate position of being able to afford a mac without detriment to your finances then I'd say, go for it!
  • RobinOfLoxleyRobinOfLoxley Posts: 27,040
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    Buy one of each!
  • CELT1987CELT1987 Posts: 12,347
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    I'm not sure whether this is a joke. The Mac lasted only ten years? So will the Dell last ten years (or pro-rata if it was cheaper)?
    Did you read what I said? The Internet no longer works on it and the disk drive broke. I tend to keep computers for 10 years. I can't comment how long a Dell laptop will last for but I had a HP one and that lasted ages.
  • Vast_GirthVast_Girth Posts: 9,793
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    Aneesa wrote: »
    I will obviously use it for more reasons than I stated, just general things that you would use a laptop for. I've just been speaking to someone at Apple, who can offer me a deal at £729.60 total, with the discount, 3 years of warranty and 1 year of telephone technical support, which I think is quite a good deal.

    Still considering it though!

    Come on, you have clearly made up your mind you want a mac. You just need to justify in your head the extra £300ish your spending with no real tangible benefit, other than you get to have a mac.

    You will get there eventually, take the plunge.
  • RobinOfLoxleyRobinOfLoxley Posts: 27,040
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    My daughter wants one when she goes to Uni because "everyone has one"
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