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Buying a MacBook? Opinions wanted....
My fiance has been through two PC laptops in less than two years (a Dell and a Sony Vaio). The second one died this morning, and was about 8 months old. He's not particularly hard on them, I think he's just ended up with some lemons. He's getting his Masters in Education from Univ. of Phoenix, so it's crucial that he have a working computer. When his laptop crashed this morning, he lost about a week's worth of schoolwork.
I think it's time for a Mac. I've heard such good things about them -- they never crash, they don't get viruses. But are they hard to get used to? Is it difficult to use Microsoft Office? What about file formats? Like, if he has an external hard drive full of documents formatter for PC, can he still use those on a Mac?
I'd like to get him a MacBook for Christmas (or as an early Christmas present), but MAN are they expensive! Especially in the UK. Just don't know that I can drop 1300 pounds on a laptop right now.....Even at Tesco they are about 1000 pounds....
Re: Buying a MacBook? Opinions wanted....
Microsoft Office is not much different than Office for the PC. You'll be able to use the external hard drive.
Are you sure his laptop isn't still covered by warranty, though? A MacBook would be covered for the first year even if you don't buy the extension. I would think Sony and Dell would both have similar arrangements, but I'm not sure. Worth checking into, though. As much as I love Macs, I'd def. go with the free repair first!
I like Macs and thus far have been able to afford them. But I don't think they are worth that extra money.
I'm not a huge computer person or heavy user though, so take that with a grain of salt.
Sony is going to try to fix it. This is already a replacement for an identical Sony that stopped working after 5 months. The bottom line is that it's a HUGE inconvenience to live in constant fear that your computer will stop working, then have to send it away to be fixed, hoping it works when you get it back (the last one had to be sent back 3 times before they would replace it, so he spent about two months with no working computer). At least a MacBook he could take to any Apple store and they would fix it on-site.
I kind of agree with this. I love my Macbook Pro but I'm not sure it's any better than any other laptop. My motherboard crashed once and now my IPhoto is messed up. The good thing is I have a 3 year warranty. The first thing I'll do when I get to the US is take my laptop to Best Buy!
For me, the Mac is 1000 times better than the Dell. Microsoft Word is super easy to use, and you can definitely transfer files from a USB.
I bought the MacBook in 09 and haven't had any issues with it, no crashing, etc. while it may be more expensive, for me, it was an investment, knowing I won't buy another lap top for hopefully another 5 years or so.
Also, Apple's customer service is amazing! My iPod went crazy when my Mac mini crashed while it was syncing. I took it to the genius bar and they were going to replce it right then & there, but DH had engraved it. So they gave me a box, tape and label to return it and have a brand new one shipped.
So if it were me, and you can swing it, I'd go for the Mac! :-P
Dave & Jennifer 10.18.08
My Doha Adventures
I went through about 4 computers in 6 years - Dells and Toshibas. Then I got a Mac in 2008 and I've never had a problem with it. My husband had an issue with his and they fixed the problem (a loose CD-Rom drive) very quickly and it was covered. A plastic piece on mine chipped and I lost one of my arrow keys (I have a bad habit of picking at the keys when I am distracted and accidentally ripped it off) and they replaced the plastic piece along with my whole keyboard 2 years after I bought the computer.
Microsoft Office is pretty much the same, as far as i can tell. Students send me stuff from PCs all the time and I've never been unable to open their files.
They are pricey, but I would certainly say mine has been worth it considering the reduced stress and long life.
2012 Reading Challenge
LOVE Macs! It is SO nice to not worry about viruses, bugs, etc. One thing to look into is buying a refurbished model from the Apple website. They have a lot of different options (which are always changing depending on stock) and they come with a warranty, just as a new one would. I haven't done this myself, but have heard nothing but good feedback from others who have. Have fun!
I've had a Toshiba, which lasted through 4 years of relatively heavy use, then a Fujitsu, which was fine (but huge), then an IBM which lasted through most of law school. I had a problem with it in Budapest and had to send it away for a week, which sucked, but other than that, when I got it back, it was almost new. As long as you have the warranty they will replace anything, in my, and other friends' experience.
So I think the issue isn't really PC vs. Mac, but really among PCs. If you go super cheap on PCs, I don't think you will end up getting a great value. But even top of the line IBMs are 600 dollars less than the comparable Macs and often times have more space, faster processors, etc.
Hmmmm...never thought about a refurbished one. That might be the way to go.
Thanks for all of your advice:-)