Should you wait a while to try Windows on a MacBook... or should you wait a while to get a MacBook?
So far as I can tell, there haven't been any major issues reported with the MacBooks. The heat issues seems to be talked about a lot... but it appears that may not be such an issue in reality.
So far as running Windows... it depends on how your MacBook is configured and what you want to do. If you get the stock MacBook with 512MB (which most people would recommend against... you should bump up to 1GB at least and that upgrade is worth it even from Apple... I think it's only a hundred $$ more). If you run stock 512MB, BootCamp would be a better idea since you would eat of most of that memory in OS X before you even try to run Parallels. If you have a gig or more, Parallels will probably run fine. If you want to run games, again, BootCamp is pretty much your only option so you can take full advantage of the limited graphics capability of the graphics processor in the MacBook.
You really need to let us know exactly what you plan to run under XP and the specs on your MacBook before we can give you a really accurate recommendation.
Joey made some good points. Let me simplify it from my perspective having used both.
Gaming = BootCamp + more than 512mb ram, preferably 1gb or more.
Standard apps = Parallels, 1gb ram minimum 2gb optimum.
I like Parallels because I can install an OS (XP or Linux) and save off a version of it for backup in case something goes wrong (read virus, etc). And even better, I can fast switch to XP or Ubuntu without rebooting. But you cannot game in Parallels at all because it has basic drivers.
Sorry, I am not familiar with Parallel. I just looked at their website to see what it is. How does it perform compared to VPC on a PowerMac? I am interested in setting up an Intel Mac in the next year, but will need it to be pretty fast in both Win and Mac.
Sorry, I am not familiar with Parallel. I just looked at their website to see what it is. How does it perform compared to VPC on a PowerMac? I am interested in setting up an Intel Mac in the next year, but will need it to be pretty fast in both Win and Mac.
Think native speeds. VPC on a PowerMac stinks. In Parallels I cannot tell the difference, its that fast. It uses intel's virtualization technology.
Think native speeds. VPC on a PowerMac stinks. In Parallels I cannot tell the difference, its that fast. It uses intel's virtualization technology.
Thanks. That may be just what I need. I don't want to have to shut down to switch OS and I need it to be way faster than VPC . I would love to ship the Dell out of my office and replace it with a new Mac!
You're going to install and run XP only to run a streaming quote utility? I would imagine that would mean you would want it running all the time. If that's the case... you're looking at Parallels. If that's the only thing you plan to use though, I would save the hard drive space and try to find a Mac alternative... perhaps a web-based one?
I use Fidelity active trader--a really good streaming quote program than I can use to place trades, check my accounts etc--I am using it on a windows machine, but I would like it on my laptop
I use Fidelity active trader--a really good streaming quote program than I can use to place trades, check my accounts etc--I am using it on a windows machine, but I would like it on my laptop
oh, you'll love this then...download virtue and you know have fast OS switch, its lovely.
here's a video example of fast OS switching on the new intel macs:
My biggest need for using Windows is my corporate VPN won't work with and Mac browser. It is a Netscaler VPN and for some reason the port configuration my company uses only seems to work with IE using active X. Bleh. Anyway, so basically I will use XP Pro with Outlook and a few Office apps like visio on occasion. Boot Camp seems to work better on my MacBook (still with only 512 RAM) but I hate having to restart to switch OS's. Aargh! Any advice?
Comments
So far as I can tell, there haven't been any major issues reported with the MacBooks. The heat issues seems to be talked about a lot... but it appears that may not be such an issue in reality.
So far as running Windows... it depends on how your MacBook is configured and what you want to do. If you get the stock MacBook with 512MB (which most people would recommend against... you should bump up to 1GB at least and that upgrade is worth it even from Apple... I think it's only a hundred $$ more). If you run stock 512MB, BootCamp would be a better idea since you would eat of most of that memory in OS X before you even try to run Parallels. If you have a gig or more, Parallels will probably run fine. If you want to run games, again, BootCamp is pretty much your only option so you can take full advantage of the limited graphics capability of the graphics processor in the MacBook.
You really need to let us know exactly what you plan to run under XP and the specs on your MacBook before we can give you a really accurate recommendation.
Originally posted by sammick
Anybody using the Macbook with Windows?
Best with Bootcamp or Parallel?
Buggy??
should I wait a while?
Joey made some good points. Let me simplify it from my perspective having used both.
Gaming = BootCamp + more than 512mb ram, preferably 1gb or more.
Standard apps = Parallels, 1gb ram minimum 2gb optimum.
I like Parallels because I can install an OS (XP or Linux) and save off a version of it for backup in case something goes wrong (read virus, etc). And even better, I can fast switch to XP or Ubuntu without rebooting. But you cannot game in Parallels at all because it has basic drivers.
Originally posted by Mac on a Mac
Sorry, I am not familiar with Parallel. I just looked at their website to see what it is. How does it perform compared to VPC on a PowerMac? I am interested in setting up an Intel Mac in the next year, but will need it to be pretty fast in both Win and Mac.
Think native speeds. VPC on a PowerMac stinks. In Parallels I cannot tell the difference, its that fast. It uses intel's virtualization technology.
I would like to run Windows--the only program I will use on Windows is a streaming quote program from Fidelity--
I am wondering if I would be better off with Parallels than with Boot Camp--
What is the experience on the board with the two programs.
I just went to an Apple store--the heat is not worse on the Macbook than on my old iBook.
Originally posted by sandau
Think native speeds. VPC on a PowerMac stinks. In Parallels I cannot tell the difference, its that fast. It uses intel's virtualization technology.
Thanks. That may be just what I need. I don't want to have to shut down to switch OS and I need it to be way faster than VPC . I would love to ship the Dell out of my office and replace it with a new Mac!
Originally posted by sammick
I use Fidelity active trader--a really good streaming quote program than I can use to place trades, check my accounts etc--I am using it on a windows machine, but I would like it on my laptop
oh, you'll love this then...download virtue and you know have fast OS switch, its lovely.
here's a video example of fast OS switching on the new intel macs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dbt9upE6hpM
Originally posted by GreggWSmith
... Any advice?
Buy more RAM and install Parallels.