I've been saving pennies for a new laptop because mine seems to be on the verge of a spontaneous combustion. I saved up a little over $1,000. So I have the option of getting a macbook if I wish, or I can get a [cheaper] PC. My main criterion is that it needs to have a lifespan of longer than 5 years (mine is 4 years old and has problems from just a few months after I bought it).
What kind of computer do you have? How long have you had it? What do you like/hate about it?
22 votes
bananas / 9628 posts
I have a MacBook pro & looooove it. My friends with PCs seem to need to replace their computers all the time, where I have had my apple products for a long time without major issue. I'm a Mac girl though:)
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
@mrs. bird: I've always been between! I like both and have used both extensively. I have been leaning toward a mac because of the longevity of it. I am sick of having PC problems!
GOLD / pomelo / 5167 posts
I think even if a PC is cheaper, in the long run with all the anti-virus, the issues you come across because of upgrades etc, it might end up costing you more.
But then again, I'm a MAC fan. So I'm partial to the brand.
coconut / 8475 posts
I love my SonyVAIO but I've only had it for 2 years. I can't see it being around in another 3 years, I have to admit. Also, between my iphone and my desktop in the office: I don't use it everyday.
My husband has the mac book (going on 3 years and uses it 24/7) and loves it. First of all: their warranty covers WAY more things. If anything happens to that thing, he'll get it fixed for free.
I am not an apple kid of girl usually but when this dies on me, i'll invest in a mac too. I think in the long run its financially sound. Although honestly, my VAIO can do pretty much eeevvvverything his mac does.
The way I see it, it's only +200 and that's nothing in the long run.
apricot / 468 posts
I've had my MacBook for almost 5 years now and I have not had a single problem with it. I know it's more expensive but I feel like the extra money it totally worth it 
coconut / 8430 posts
Your money will go a lot further with a PC purchase. As much as I love my Mac (I own both a Mac and a PC), there is a huge price premium with Mac. A lot of your money is going towards the "brand name", rather than components that make up a computer.
With $1000, there is only 1 Mac that fits in your budget which is the 11" MacBook Air. You have a lot more choices with PC, both in laptop and desktop form factors.
Macs have just as many problems with viruses, etc. as PCs. You just need to be vigilant about scanning your drive and avoiding sketchy websites and downloads.
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
@sunny: I actually have over 1k, more like $1200 but I can save a couple more hundred in the coming months too. Very interesting perspective!!
@Mrs. Sunglasses: @TurtleDoves: Yeah it really is only a few hundred dollar difference. I think that once you're spending x amount of money, a couple hundred doesn't make too much more of a difference.
coconut / 8475 posts
@Coco Bee: haha, I knows it's like once you're hitting $850.00.....1,200 doesn't seem too far out. Good luck & have fun shopping:) maybe wait until laborday or thanksgiving sales and see if you can get a deal.
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
@TurtleDoves: I was waiting until school season hoping apple would have one of those cool back to school promos like buy a Mac, get an iPod. But it's only a $100 gift card.
Hmmm not sure if my pc will make it to November but we'll see!!
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
What do you use your computer for? Would a tablet be a possibility?
hostess / wonderful watermelon / 39513 posts
I have a MacBook Pro that I bought in 2009 and a brand new Acer laptop for work. Love the MacBook but the much cheaper Acer is awesome!
bananas / 9628 posts
@autumnlove: hopefully you have better luck with acer! DH is cheap, and went through 2 of them in 2 years. One fried itself, not even sure how. And the other got knocked off the bed & never worked again 
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
@looch: Mostly just home; pictures, internet, some school, music etc...
hostess / watermelon / 14932 posts
@Coco Bee: I bought my mac a few months before they did a BOGO/ipod deal...SO ENRAGED! hahah. they wouldn't honor it. I got $100 off with a student discount though so I guess it wasn't *horrible*.
if anyone you know is a student, you can get 10% off online (roughly).
I know some people that love windows! my experience is awful..I got an expensive, brand new dell for graduation (HS) and within 2 months it blue screened. we were able to recover it but scary. I ended up using it for 2 years and giving it to my brother because the battery (2nd battery) wouldn't hold a charge anymore. I bought an $800 ish HP-laptop that worked, but got slow really quick and just generally caused me issues. That also crapped out - able to recover my stuff, but scary!
I bit the bullet and ordered a MacBookPro before I started grad school (2 years ago) and LOVE IT. I never, ever, ever, ever will go back. I cannot say enough about it! 2 years later (and many, many, many uses of battery-only all day during class) it still has a great battery life. I used it all day yesterday on battery (on and off) with the screen brightness pretty high and it didn't die
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
@Coco Bee: what about just getting a iPad then?
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
@regberadaisy: I've thought about that... I'm not sure how much I'd like it as a FT computer... but it's an idea.
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
@Coco Bee: my co-worker uses her iPad as a FT computer and for work and it works great for her. She just purchase a mini keypad
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
We're a Mac family, we have a desktop, 2 laptops, an iPad and I have an iPhone (DH uses androids).
I like the IDEA of the iPad, but I don't use it too much, because I don't like typing on it. If you're going to need a separate keyboard and you really just use it lightly, I'd get a MacBook Air. We have one and I take it with me all the time. If I had to choose my perfect set up, it would be MBAir and an iPhone.
cantaloupe / 6164 posts
have you looked at the refurbished macs on their website? hubs and i have both purchased refurb'd macs in the past, and were very, very pleased. they're used, but barely, and all of the parts are completely restored/fixed/refreshed/replaced before it ever gets put for sale on the website. plus, they're warrantied. we couldn't tell the difference between our refurbs and a new mac.
for example, because this is a refurb, it's in your current budget: http://store.apple.com/us/product/FD313LL/A
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
@regberadaisy: @looch: the ONE issue I have with purchasing an iPad as my computer would be that it has no disk drive.
@photojane: DH was looking at them... I should too..
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
@Coco Bee: I thought that would be an issue for me, BUT since I now use Google Docs to save my documents and we back our stuff up to the cloud, it's not an issue.
eta: and we have an external hard drive, not a huge one, that I can hook into if needed. Also, most programs are able to be downloaded from the internet, no need for the disks.
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
@looch: not just for backing up - I use a USB and external harddrive to back things up. However I use a cd drive a lot for burning CD's (yes, I'm still stuck in the CD era! lol), my SIL gives me CD's of pics from family events... etc
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
@Coco Bee: haha, do you listen in the car? That's what my husband does, so he burns on his external drive. I think he got it in the bundle when he bought the Air.
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
@looch: yep - I alternate. Sometimes I listen in the car on a CD, sometimes my iPod. I much prefer buying CD's than downloading albums online because I'm always paranoid about losing my music.
hostess / papaya / 10540 posts
We are a Mac family. The genius bar has been invaluable and we've been pretty happy with the customer support. We had something break out of warranty, but because they could tell it had been an ongoing issue since we went in so many times, they replaced our hard drive for free.
pomelo / 5331 posts
I have a PC, always have. Except for the one Mac I had in 2005 that crapped out twice -- once before the warranty ran out, and once after. The whole motherboard basically blew out. It may have been a solitary experience since plenty of people apparently love Macs, and I actually considered a Macbook when it was time to get a new computer. But in the end, I could not justify the cost. It's not worth it to me, it's really not all that much better in my experience.
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