A Possible Convert

Hi guys,

I stumbled upon this forum last week while starting some preliminary research on replacing my aging T60. dibara's MBP in the trade/sell forum got me thinking about a Mac as a possible replacement, and I have to say I'm intrigued.

I know most of the information is speculative, but does anyone think the Nehalem MBPs will show up this year and whether they will be worth waiting for? My personal guess says mobile Nehalem will be a year away, but I'm still poking the net for information.

I will get into more detail about my needs in this thread a bit later; as I'm heading home so my wife can get to a meeting.

 

I would not buy dibara's MBP. I think it is too expensive. I can get a refurb unibody MBP for $250 more which is worth it to me.

I don't know about nehalem but you should just buy when you need it. Nehalem might be released this year, but then we don't know how long it will take Apple to actually implement them.

 

Assuming Intel releases i7 this summer or early fall the earliest you would see it inside an Apple branded machine was E3 2010 which is just under a year away. It will be a major upgrade in terms of performance but it isn't worth waiting 10+ months.

 

Someone else ended up picking it up, but his sale actually prompted me to consider an MBP as a possible replacement; instead of just another Lenovo or an Asus.

So some details, I guess:

Last year, I was on the road for almost 200 days and took my trusty Lenovo with me the whole way. However, it's starting to get a bit long in the tooth. Also, on the road, I play WoW to help pass the time, and the new expansion pretty much cripples the video card (X1300).

Considering I do so much travel, I'm looking for something relatively lightweight and thin. Sturdiness is also an issue because the laptop will go through the metal detectors at various airports,and be slung in a Wenger backpack into the trunks of cars.

 

A macbook pro can play wow pretty easily (I think wow actually sells as Mac software as well as windows). But yeah if you do work on your laptop, Mac and OS X are supurb. I really enjoy not having to 'maintain' it, it's always super fast with no effort and backs up my work data to time capsule automatically.
I love my PC for gaming, but really I do have to maintain it, with the mac there is nothing like that (no disk defragging, no virus checking, no spyware, no registry issues).
If you just want a laptop for gaming, stick with PC imo.

 

I do work and email on it while on the road, also; however that goes as far as Outlook, Office and Webmail; which I figure at the least I can do using Boot Camp. I'm more interested in a reliable platform.


Also, you can buy the i7's for PC desktops (and their RAM, mobos) right now.

 

if you use Bootcamp, its just a WinPC... if you want to just use a few pieces of software and keep it a Mac, get like VMware, and use Unity mode... then the Windows apps run on top like OSX apps.

better yet, stop using Windows apps

 

My job requires me to use a smart card to log into email; which as I know right now only works on Explorer (well the reader and software; but I'm doing my research). I plan on playing with it to see if I can get into my email without having to mount a Windows installation. I was just outlining what I need the computer to do, and was saying if I really had to, I could just throw Windows on via BootCamp and make due until I got the Mac part figured out.

Don't get me wrong; I'm not trying to take a MBP and ize it into a Windows machine.


My wife owns a 2-3 yr old Macbook and she absolutely loves it; after going through two Windows laptops that never lasted. Her love of that machine is also pointing me in this direction.

 

Mobile Nehalem + Grand Central + Open CL = FUN

I am holding onto my white book until this fun triumvirate is available.

 

You could also run windows through parallels or vmware fusion or if you need only internet explorer, why not try crossover Mac? you don't need to install windows for it to run. it simulates a windows environment. therefore you could run internet explorer on your mac desktop. cheers!

 

I don't see $250 as worth it for doubling the VRAM on the card and the RAM on the system itself. I can buy RAM for 1/3 of what Apple is charging, and doubling the VRAM isn't going to give the MBP any longevity. The GPU is ultimately the bottleneck for vidcard obsolescence.

 

I'm continually researching. It appears I have more funds available than I thought, so I'm checking out all the flavors of MBP. The thing is, I'm not sure if the 17" is *too* big; and whether the price premium is worth it.

I'll probably hit the local Apple Store this week/end and see how they all feel.

Regarding purchasing: do you guys generally order yours through Apple directly, use a 3rd part website for better prices, or pick them up at Apple Stores? My wife can get me an education discount as well, but I don't hear much about coupons or deals for MBPs the way I do about Dells.

 

I am a recent convert and have no complaints. Bootcamp and or VMWare fusion has allowed me to run the all the windows apps that I require. Gaming via bootcamp works very well and I have enjoyed the challenge of learning a new OS.

I purchased mine through MacMall for less than the apple store as well as saving quite a bit by not having to pay tax on the purchase. IMHO I think purchasing at a local apple store gives you a bit of "leverage", but if you're comfortable purchasing from an online retailer, there is money to be saved.

-HM

 

I'd take a look on Amazon, as they will have some savings an for the best part... No tax! They are a reputable company, so you'll be fine...

 

I live in Delaware, so no sales tax. I'll check Amazon's prices, though.


Quick question: I'll have some MS Visio work in the near future; possibly using the Mac. If I need to use it, I'd likely throw up a VMWare/Parallels/BootCamp Windows install to use the program (I have a Windows copy at home). Just curious if there are any issues with the program on a Mac; I know it is a somewhat graphics-intensive program (think Photoshop, but with blocks instead of photos. I use it to create wiring diagrams, etc).


I'm going to see if MS has an OSX-compatible version as well. Same goes for MS Project.

 

Does Apple offer an upgrade policy like alienware for switching from a generation of laptop to another? (Alienware refurb the returned product)

 

No, they do not.

 

Interesting: Amazon has yet to have all of the MBP 15's with the upgraded processor choices. Most notably, the 2.93 is not yet available; and the MC026LL/A is only 5 bucks cheaper than Apple. It appears if I decided to jump on this in the next week or so, I'd be better off just running to the Apple Store.

Luckily, it appears there are good deals on Office and AppleCare on Amazon. Still researching!

 

Sherretz, you can use install Paralells and run windows at the same time as OS X. I do web design and have Internet explorer 6, 7 running in OS X with paralells.

In fact I can run 4 operating systems at the same time on a macbook pro hehe. (Ubuntu, Debian, OS X and Win XP). Just needs lots of RAM.

 

Yep, I'm aware Howard. I'm using this thread as a FAQ/stream of consciousness for myself.


Some more research says the MBP's native resolution is 1400x900; which is the same resolution as my 14.1" T60. It seems like a fairly coarse resolution for a) a new panel, and b) a larger panel. The only thing I can think of is maybe the LED panel requires a slightly coarser resolution to make it usable.

I was expecting something closer to 1600x1200.

 

yes 1440x900 is a low resolution by today's standards. Many users have discussed about this in the past but apple has still not updated the resolution.

 

Quick update:

Went to the Apple Store over the weekend. It was crowded as Hell and we had the baby with us; so the trip was short.

a) 17" is too big for what I need it to do
b) Both the 15" and 17" are super sexy


I'm going to head back there later this week, since I have some time off for medical appointments. Hopefully it'll be less crowded and I can poke the brains of some of the "Geniuses."

 

Knowing that 1280x960 was standard on 19" crt (18,1 in reality) not so long ago, having a higher res on 15,4 inch... of course 1680x1050 is also really nice

 

I went for 17" because once you own a 17, you can't go to a 15, it'll seem TOOO small. However, as posted in another thread on this forum, if you go 17" you magically lose resolutions such as 1440x900 and 1680x1050. Maybe it's just my laptop, but that's what I experienced.

 

I know what you mean. I went from a 17" gateway to a 15" macbook pro. Just a bit of an adjustment but the extra portability (especially in my case) is really, really nice.

 

Who has two thumbs and a 15" MBP?


THIS GUY!

 

I switched over to a MBP last October and have had no issues. I play WoW probably an hour or two every other day and sometimes 5-6 hours in a row on weekends...and you can download the Mac client for free from Blizzard's site (up to the level your account already shows as owned). The only thing I haven't been able to do on the Mac side (and thus use Bootcamp for) is the Sony ebookstore.

I find the unibody late 2008 to be plenty lightweight and this, as well as sturdy (much sturdier than the xps 1710 I replaced with it).

Shrug, I'm happy I went with the MBP (first Mac experience ever).

 

So far, so good. If this trackpad was on Windows machines, more people would be using laptops. I have no doubt. The thing is simply amazing.

A few things I need some advice/help with:

1) So I guess I missed out on the MacHeist stuff? Was any of it really worthwhile?

2) How exactly can I set up Networking on the MBP? I can connect to my home network, but I'd love to be able to transfer files to/from the share file on my Windows machine. Same goes for printing since my printer is currently connected to said machine (I have no problem moving the USB cable, but I'm looking for something a bit less "walk over and plug in the stupid printer." Possibly a wireless print server?).

3) Is there a way to change the target of where Safari downloads things? I haven't played with its options/settings, but I'm guessing it's there.

4) I have a Targus USB hub from my Win laptop. Will it work automatically with the MBP?

5) I'm going to check the thread about good, free programs. My biggest thing is I'm going to need programs/utilities that can help me make the Win/Mac transition when I use files. Luckily most are Office files, so not a huge deal.


More later as I play with the computer more. First impression: It's pretty sturdy. I actually like the keyboard, but I could give or take the LED lighting on it. I may end up shutting it off, we'll see. I feel like I have to take my watch off every time I use it because I'm afraid to scratch the wrist rest.

 

I answered this question on my own.

 

Hm. I think the Sticky at the top answers most of my questions. I'd still love to know if there is a way to effectively "network" on my home network for both Windows and Mac computers.

 

yes,both wifi and Ethernet...

 

I think this is best explained with an example. My Windows machine has a 2GB file that needs to be transferred. I want to use the network instead of, say, a USB key to move the file over. Is there a way for me to put the file in the Shared Documents of my Win computer and be able to grab it from my MBP?

Considering I can't even see my Win computer on the network, there's something I'm missing, and Finder doesn't have any kind of "Network" tab or directory I can look into, to tweak settings.

I know I'm probably just inexperienced, but this has been my biggest gripe so far. It seems that a lot of the MBP's system attributes are hidden, so I can't tweak them or check settings to make things work (networking being the best example).

 

Finder tries to automatically connect to any available machine on your network by default, so if you have your Windows machine set up correctly for file sharing, Finder will allow you to browse its shared folders straight away.
If your share is hidden, or have a specific address you would like to connect to, you can use the Connect to Server option under Go in the menu bar.

To set up your Mac for file sharing, go to System Prefs>Sharing, and tick File Sharing.

 

I have 2 Windows laptops and a Mac laptop on my home network, along with a printer. All are set up to run wirelessly through my router. I am pretty sure there are devices you can buy (Apple has one) that can serve as your router and shared directory. I don't have experience so can't comment on how well it works, but if you check the Apple store, you'll find it...

 

not sure I totally follow.. but... Network settings are in System Preferences, some under "Network" and some under "Sharing"
to actually browse the network... you click on your computer on Finder over on the right side bar... and it will show hard drives, and Network... if you computer is not listed over there, you go in Finders preferences, on the sidebar tab and checkmark to show it over there...

 

If Apple really rise the resolution, will we be able to read the words on the screen??

 

can up the font sizes... or use the cool zoom function.. i use that all the time

 

Then no difference in whether rising the resolution or not......since the purpose for rising the resolution is to read more on the screen.

 

Increase the DPI of OS X using Quartz Debugger. It will make everything look bigger and sharper.

 

Still not making too much sense to me So you guy want the characters tobe smaller first in order to read more content on the display, then use a software to increase the size of the character Maybe Quartz Debugger has a function that increases the sizes of displays and displays more content at the same time?

 

Increasing the DPI is the nicest way to make everything on your display appear bigger without losing quality. So, if you find everything on your OS X display too small for your liking, increasing the DPI is the way to go.

 

What do I need to install in order to get Quartz Debugger?It sounds like an interesting idea. I will play with it when have some time. Do I need to install Xcode Tools?

 

rising what resolution? if you raise the screens resolution? the main purpose isn't just to fit more things on the screen, thats just a side effect to fixed pixel images and fonts. Higher resolutions are for sharper more realistic pictures, losing more blockiness the higher you go.

raise the reso way up... increase the fonts so you can read them... and you didn't cancel out anything.. you have potentially sharper images, and still can read the text.

 

Yeah, Quartz Debugger is an app which is included with Xcode.

 

A bit of a bump. I know I can answer most of the questions I have by poking through the links sticky at the top of the forum. I had some mild success this past work trip with the Apple. I really like it, but I want to find a way to get some fresh air into the vidcard area. I know it's probably not very practical to do that with any kind of "mobile" solution.

I'm still toting my Thinkpad along with me specifically for some work-related items because I'm still trying to find time to pull down either Parallels or VMWare, as well as grabbing a license/disk of Windows for either Para, VM, or BootCamp. Once that's all done, I think I can finally leave the Windows machine at home.

Ugh. I just wish I had more time. I had a work trip last week, a week at home where I spent half the time catching up from last week, and I'm leaving again on Sunday for another week. Hopefully once I get back from that trip, I'll have enough time to finally get Windows set up to the point I can leave the Thinkpad at home.

I'm likely going to sell the Thinkpad to my brother to use as a web/office machine in his new apartment.


I am definitely enjoying learning a new OS/computer and I'm trying desperately not to get frustrated while I figure out where stuff is to tweak it the way I like. I'm still getting used to the way Safari/OS X download and install files/programs. Sometimes it's tough for me to find things on the hard drive because I can't go directly to the parent directory (i.e. C:/) in Finder. I know it's a learning curve thing, but there are times I just want to see *everything* on my drive, and there doesn't seem to be a way to do that in OS X -- at least on the surface.