Should I buy a Macbook?

Hey everyone, I am not sure if to buy a Macbook or not and was hoping the members of NotebookReview could help me decide.

I have used Windows for years, I have also used Ubuntu and Mac OS X before. I prefer Mac OS X over every other OS and so I really want to switch but I am not sure if I could do what I usually do in Windows in OS X.

I usually Surf and Email which I know I can do on a mac but I also use Photoshop for creating designs, watch movies on DVD and files encoded in XviD and listen to music. I also play World of Warcraft.

It will have to be the Macbook or Macbook Pro though as I don't have desk space and need the option to move about.

I have been looking at the Macbook as I like the design and size but I am not sure if it is powerful enough.

Any tips would also be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

If you like OS X and can afford the MacBook, I don't see a reason to stop you from getting one. I can't speak much to the XviD or WOW, but my Mac with the 1.66GHz Core Duo and 2GB of memory runs Photoshop quite nicely.

 

Photoshop will run fine. Music of course works, WOW will work (theres a mac version or you can dual boot windows), but I don't know about XviD.

 

xvid playback in osx is fine.

You would get Perian(a codec pack) to play it in Quicktime, or use VLC or other programs.

 

I am not sure if the Macbook has enough juice to run it smoothly. Does anyone know?

I just had a look at this, it doesn't mention Xvid but it does Divx so I take it, it should be fine?

 

Hey I'm use following QuickTime media components.No problems so far

XviD Encoder 0.1a(Beta)

XviD Codec 1.0a

 

Thanks bigspin. Can the Macbook play 1080p and/or 720p trailers from here perfectly?

I guess the only other thing I need to know is how World of Warcraft performs on the Macbook and Macbook Pro please .

 

I've played WoW on the MBP and it runs marvelously. You can turn up all the settings and the game would run very nicely.

I assume the MB would be able to handle it just as well, but you might need to turn down some special effects to keep up the framerate.

 

Thanks for the information! Anyone with a Macbook played WoW and can comment on it please? .

 

I've played WoW on a macbook with a c2d 2.0ghz processor, 2gb of ram and gma 950, I usually got around 30fps at 1024x768 (under xp). I'm sure it will fair a lot better with a 2.4ghz processor and the x3100.

I've also had an mbp, 2.2ghz, 128mb 8600gt, it ran perfectly with everything maxed out at 1440x900. I'm sure the newer macbook pros will do even better. Under leopard it didn't run as smooth, but they've relased a path since then so it should be better if you don't wanna bootcamp.

As for videos, 720p content played smoothly on my old macbook. I don't remember ever bothering to play 1080p content so I couldn't tell you from experience.

 

I just bought a macbook (basic version), and I've tried the demos for CoD1 and UT2004, and they work really smoothly at default settings.

 

Were you in Swem yesterday? If you don't know what that is, then disregard this post

 

Me? .

I am debating if to get the Pro or Not. I don't want a laptop overpowered that costs more that I won't use.

I don't know if Apple are about to update them also.

Thanks for all the info, any tips would be appreciated.

 

720p content from apple should play perfectly fine, not sure aobut 1080 though.

And I can play xvid, and the only pack i installed was perian, so im pretty sure its included with it.

 

Thanks Sulkorp.

I think it will be the Macbook I go for, the black one. I have a Sony Vaio AR51SU anyway which runs WoW fine and hopefully warhammer online in the future.

I'll use it for games and my Macbook for everyday stuff. Hope I am doing the right thing.

 

1080p movies play flawlessly on the macbook. I just used mini dvi -> regular dvi -> dvi to hdmi adapter. Hooked up the hdmi cable to a 40" 1080p lcd monitor and i watched a movie trailer that was 1080p and it played.

 

the X3100 should handle WoW pretty well
since ive seen pple play half life 2 with some decent settings with it