Macbook Pro Vs. Laptop

Brookeroo · Jul 2, 2013

I was told a macbook would have nearly double the lifespan. I don't really use my office much because it is tied up often. My desk is also currently not ideal. It is small and uncomfortable to sit at but I haven't found a new one that I like yet.

grandpa_chris · Jul 2, 2013

Double the lifespan based on what? That's just another Mac myth. If a Mac laptop lasts twice as long as some other laptop it's probably because you spent twice as much for it and it takes you that much longer to get together the cash to upgrade. So you limp out the last few years with the old Mac trying to squeeze out some more of your investment. Say you and I both buy equally spec'ed laptops year one; you get the Macbook and I get an Asus laptop. Three years later I buy a new Asus laptop which, three years having passed, now smokes your Macbook. I've now spent the same as you but while you "enjoy" the extended lifespan of your Macbook I'm probably enjoying USB 4 that didn't exist when you bought your Macbook. I felt comfortable upgrading because I hadn't spent as much as you did in the first place and now my grade school-aged niece has a used but still serviceable laptop.

Apple manufactures nothing. The Macbook is made from the same Chinese sourced internal parts as are all the rest of them so there's no reason to expect the Macbook to be more physically durable. Software obsolescence is the more likely killer of your older hardware and Apple does not have an advantage there. Given that you have more restricted software options with the Mac the opposite is more likely.

jcskeeter · Jul 2, 2013

First off, I'm a Mac guy, so we can get that out of the way. I dabble with some Windows machines every once in a while when helping people setup printers or what not.

One thing I like to address when looking at PC vs Mac is computer literacy of the person that's going to be using said computer. In my opinion it seems like using Windows efficiently requires some level of knowledge to keep everything in tune. Virus/spam software, drivers and different operating systems. It just seems like there's more to keep track of. IDK?

Obviously I'm biased but in my opinion if someone isn't very computer literate, yes it will be different, but walking up to a Mac and just using it seems a lot easier.

(Not saying the OP is computer illiterate, just saying that computer skill level is something to keep in mind.)

Ysarex · Jul 2, 2013

jcskeeter said:
First off, I'm a Mac guy, so we can get that out of the way. I dabble with some Windows machines every once in a while when helping people setup printers or what not.

One thing I like to address when looking at PC vs Mac is computer literacy of the person that's going to be using said computer. In my opinion it seems like using Windows efficiently requires some level of knowledge to keep everything in tune. Virus/spam software, drivers and different operating systems. It just seems like there's more to keep track of. IDK?

Obviously I'm biased but in my opinion if someone isn't very computer literate, yes it will be different, but walking up to a Mac and just using it seems a lot easier.

(Not saying the OP is computer illiterate, just saying that computer skill level is something to keep in mind.)

I concur. Mac is the "don't worry be happy" computer. I use both heavily and the fact is there's not enough difference between them to justify the kind of almost religious fervor that sometimes shows up when they're compared. Macs cost a whole lot more and regardless of how the Mac camp tries to justify that, Macs cost a whole lot more. Grandpa_chris is correct that the actual hardware is now the same so if you're paying a whole lot more for the same physical stuff you need to have a good reason that justifies the extra cost. For some it's fashion, they're convinced they look cooler in front of a Macbook at Starbucks. Otherwise it has to be the "don't worry be happy" factor. In my book it's nearly double the money for not very tangible differences but then who's to say fashion isn't the most tangible reason of all.

Joe

P.S. Back to the OP's original question: Laptop displays are a poor choice for photo editing. If you must edit a photo on a laptop then you should be working hard to find a solution that will let you stop. In the meantime the new retina display on the Macbook is a substantial advance and, until you can find a way to stop editing photos on a laptop which you should do ASAP, the retina display is a best option.

unpopular · Jul 2, 2013

grandpa_chris said:
Double the lifespan based on what? That's just another Mac myth. If a Mac laptop lasts twice as long as some other laptop it's probably because you spent twice as much for it and it takes you that much longer to get together the cash to upgrade.

Apple products are built better, there is an Apple Tax, but everything I have read on this it is just not that significant. You do get what you pay for.

Simply because Foxcon builds crappy Acer laptops and Macbooks alike does NOT mean that they are built to the same specifications. Foxcon and the like build all sorts of things based on customer specifications, not "cheep Chinese" standards, in the last few years, China has certainly invested in that infrastructure and proven it's ability as a manufacturer.

Country of origin has no impact on this provided that the country has the infrastructure to produce the product. Acer and Apple alike design and engineer the parts that go into their products, who assembles the part has little consequence provided that it's manufactured to specification. Any viewpoint otherwise clearly shows little understanding about how third party manufacturing works.

This is not to say that other laptops are inherently junk, will certainly last "half as long" and that Mac laptops are the best. But a $500 plastic fantastic Acer with all the thermal management of a baked potato wrapped in Tin foil just isn't going to last as long as a $1200 Sony, Lenovo or a $2000 Macbook. Yes. The macbook is the most expensive option, but the screen is better and software upgrades are MUCH, MUCH less. Certainly over the course of it's lifetime this should be worth something.

Ryan0751 · Jul 2, 2013

Even if you ignore the Mac vs Windows debate, look at the Macbook Pro hardware. It's a much much nicer build than nearly all Windows based laptops out there. The Apple trackpad has yet to be beat.

The retina Macbook Pro's show photographs extraordinarily well. They are thin, extremely solid, and fast.

You buy a Macbook Pro and suck up the pain of the additional cost now, but the thing is, in 3 years you buy another one. And... sell your existing one for a decent amount. Windows laptops are disposable. I have never had an issue selling my Mac's for a decent return (as long as they aren't like 5+ years old, and even then, someone will buy it on ebay).

If you need Windows as well, just get VMWare Fusion, you can run both OS's at the same time (and any other OS you want).

Also, your Adobe licenses should work on either platform. At least my lightroom and photoshop elements licenses do, no need to contact Adobe.

unpopular · Jul 2, 2013

and those apple batteries! nothing but high quality and reliability there!

:er:

Ryan0751 · Jul 2, 2013

unpopular said:
and those apple batteries! nothing but high quality and reliability there!

:er:

Haven't replaced one in about 5 years. What's the problem?

unpopular · Jul 2, 2013

Certain Macbooks have been known to have battery problems. I've had a lot of problems with bulging on my 2009 MBP 15' uni. I'll probably replace the DC-in board, but if it's not that I'll just have to sum it up to a MB issue.

jcskeeter · Jul 2, 2013

"Non-Mac" fans will tell you to get a "Non-Mac" and "Mac" fans will tell you to get a "Mac". Ultimately, you just have to decide for yourself... because this could go on for a while........

MartinCrabtree · Jul 2, 2013

I'm a Mac guy and facing the dilemma of which to get for school. We are required to have a laptop w/Photoshop installed by the first day of Photoshop class. I am a neophyte when it comes to digital and have to learn "developing" all over again. My current desktop is ancient in computer terms but it's a Mac. Even if I buy a Macbook it won't be compatible. So what to do???

cptkid · Jul 2, 2013

I'd like to chip with one thing in regards to the lifespan of a Macbook.

I'm still running a early 2006 white macbook. It's been on everyday that I have had it. Except for when i've been on holiday, which in the last 6 years is the grandtotal of 4 weeks.

I run LR4 & CS5 on this macbook, and it is still going strong. It's my go to mac for daily use. & i have a mac mini and a imac as well

Ysarex · Jul 2, 2013

MartinCrabtree said:
I'm a Mac guy and facing the dilemma of which to get for school. We are required to have a laptop w/Photoshop installed by the first day of Photoshop class. I am a neophyte when it comes to digital and have to learn "developing" all over again. My current desktop is ancient in computer terms but it's a Mac. Even if I buy a Macbook it won't be compatible. So what to do???

The base 15 inch Macbook Pro with a 2.3 GHz i7 processor, 4 GB ram and a 500 GB hard drive is $1799.00 You can shave some of that off with student pricing. I don't know how much but let's assume you'll pay $1500.00.

Now the problem with selecting from the alternative market is there are so many choices. Let's look at one: ASUS U47VC-DS51 Notebook Intel Core i5 3210M(2.50GHz) 14.1" 8GB Memory 750GB HDD 5400rpm DVD±R/RW NVIDIA GeForce GT 620M - Newegg.com

That's $700.00 less than the Macbook. It has a 2.5 Ghz i5 processor, 8 GB ram, 750 GB hard drive and a 14 inch display. That extra 4 GB ram will really come in handy running Photoshop. (Of course you could spend more for the Macbook). The hard drive speed is the same just 50% bigger for the Asus and like the Macbook the Asus has NVIDIA graphics.

Now then the Asus has a smaller display, but you've got an extra $700.00 so go out and buy yourself a nice LG 24 inch desktop display. Then with the money left over buy a copy of Photoshop (student price). Then with the money left over buy yourself and display calibrator for that LG display. Now you're ready to edit photos! Then with the money left over buy yourself a nice lunch which you'll deserve for making such a smart purchase.

But you're in college so you should get the Macbook because it's a proven babe magnet.

Joe

unpopular · Jul 2, 2013

But you have to wonder - is this too good toi be true? Perhaps fanboys will say it's the "Apple Tax" but I'm just not convinced by that argument, if it's not going into an Apple Tax, the only conclusion one can make is in it's internal components.

What kind of thermal management does it have? Did they opt for the more expensive heat pipe, or a less efficient but cheaper heat sink? How well will the keyboard survive a spill? Who built the hard drive, the fans, the optical drive? What kind of technical specifications were used in it's manufacturing, did they use high end electronic components, adhesives and connectors, or ones built to lower thermal tolerances? What is it's environmental impact, is it RHoC compliant? How much testing was put into it's development before manufacture?

When I'm buying Chinese studio gear, I don't go for the cheap one with all the bells and whistles, I go for the ones with fewer features but cost more. This is because I suspect that, while the less expensive monolight may have a digital display and greater wattage, they must have chimped out elsewhere, in places where it really matters.

There is a lot to consider - and a lot of it cannot really be answered, but on the flip side there is a price point that you can just justify the lower cost as it being a "disposable" machine.