The new aluminum MacBookPros are WAY stronger than the stamped aluminum shells they used to use. There's just a lot more "strength" built into the structure in the form of reinforced areas and such. My G4 PB has all sorts of little/minor dents along the edges... my experience so far with the unibodies is that they are MUCH more difficult to dent/bend like that.
I am looking to buy my first Mac after 3 PCs (including the last, an HP that broke twice in two years, the last time, 10 days after the extended warranty ended).
I have test driven a couple and, indeed, they are one generation ahead of the all the rest. The lightweight aluminum case, the multi-gesture touchpad, the amazing 7 hours battery (!), the quick boot and shutdown.
However, when I compare my possible Apple choices and its prices:
1) Apple 13.3" MacBook Intel Core 2 Duo 2.26GHz, 2GB RAM, 250GB, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, SuperDrive - White Polycarbonate Shell 4.7lbs ($899)
2) Apple 13.3" MacBook Pro Intel Core 2 Duo 2.26GHz, 2GB RAM, 160GB, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, SuperDrive - Aluminum unibody 4.4 lbs ($1073)
3) Apple 13.3" MacBook Pro Intel Core 2 Duo 2.53GHz, 4GB RAM, 250GB, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, SuperDrive - Aluminum unibody 4.4 lbs ($1354)
....
There will always be cheaper and equivalent spec'ed PC laptops.
But, why don't you try out a Mac. With VMWare Fusion 3, you'll have fast Windows access as well. Windows 7, XP, Vista(if you really must).
The Aluminium Unibody is one of the best laptop designs, ever. Really. Most people using one will tell you.
So, I'd go for your Option 2, with VMWare Fusion 3 and 3-year AppleCare.
You've got upgrade options down the years, up to 8GB of RAM, faster 7200rpm or SSD drive. You can get the base model and upgrade later.
I would recommend against the white MacBook. Unless you are a student or on a really tight budget. It's nice, but the white takes a bit of effort to keep it nice and clean. And environmentally, Aluminium is better. Sleep a bit easier at night, maybe.
...One question I have: the aluminum case doesn't seem very resistant, it doesn't seem thick enough. Can someone give his/her impressions?
It is the most sturdy and impressive laptop design, Mac or PC, I have ever used since I was 15... I'm now 31. The MacBook Air may be a bit brittle when it comes to the screen hinge but the MacBook Aluminium/ MacBook Pro Aluminiums are very sturdy.
There will always be cheaper and equivalent spec'ed PC laptops.
But, why don't you try out a Mac. With VMWare Fusion 3, you'll have fast Windows access as well. Windows 7, XP, Vista(if you really must).
The Aluminium Unibody is one of the best laptop designs, ever. Really. Most people using one will tell you.
So, I'd go for your Option 2, with VMWare Fusion 3 and 3-year AppleCare.
You've got upgrade options down the years, up to 8GB of RAM, faster 7200rpm or SSD drive. You can get the base model and upgrade later.
I would recommend against the white MacBook. Unless you are a student or on a really tight budget. It's nice, but the white takes a bit of effort to keep it nice and clean. And environmentally, Aluminium is better. Sleep a bit easier at night, maybe.
I scrapped from my mind the idea of buying a PC. You don't have to convince me of it.
I'm going to get an Apple laptop (mobility is very useful for me) instead of an iMac and the white MacBook seems to be my choice even though my heart is with the MacBook Pro's. I really like the Pro design, the back-lit keyboard, and its lightness, but it is just difficult to convince yourself to pay $1354.00 for a machine with the same internal configuration as another that costs $999.00 from the same manufacturer. (EDIT: $999.00 MacBook = $899.00 for the base system plus $80.00-$90.00 for 4 GB RAM bought to install.)
IMO, Apple could come up with an minor upgrade line for its MacBook Pro machines and simply put more memory (4 GB standard; 2 GB reads like a joke), disk (250GB) and faster processors (2.53 GHz and 3.06 GHz). The current MacBook Pro line is nice but doesn't sound very "Pro" with what they have right now...
Comments
I am looking to buy my first Mac after 3 PCs (including the last, an HP that broke twice in two years, the last time, 10 days after the extended warranty ended).
I have test driven a couple and, indeed, they are one generation ahead of the all the rest. The lightweight aluminum case, the multi-gesture touchpad, the amazing 7 hours battery (!), the quick boot and shutdown.
However, when I compare my possible Apple choices and its prices:
1) Apple 13.3" MacBook Intel Core 2 Duo 2.26GHz, 2GB RAM, 250GB, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, SuperDrive - White Polycarbonate Shell 4.7lbs ($899)
2) Apple 13.3" MacBook Pro Intel Core 2 Duo 2.26GHz, 2GB RAM, 160GB, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, SuperDrive - Aluminum unibody 4.4 lbs ($1073)
3) Apple 13.3" MacBook Pro Intel Core 2 Duo 2.53GHz, 4GB RAM, 250GB, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, SuperDrive - Aluminum unibody 4.4 lbs ($1354)
....
There will always be cheaper and equivalent spec'ed PC laptops.
But, why don't you try out a Mac. With VMWare Fusion 3, you'll have fast Windows access as well. Windows 7, XP, Vista(if you really must).
The Aluminium Unibody is one of the best laptop designs, ever. Really. Most people using one will tell you.
So, I'd go for your Option 2, with VMWare Fusion 3 and 3-year AppleCare.
You've got upgrade options down the years, up to 8GB of RAM, faster 7200rpm or SSD drive. You can get the base model and upgrade later.
I would recommend against the white MacBook. Unless you are a student or on a really tight budget. It's nice, but the white takes a bit of effort to keep it nice and clean. And environmentally, Aluminium is better. Sleep a bit easier at night, maybe.
...One question I have: the aluminum case doesn't seem very resistant, it doesn't seem thick enough. Can someone give his/her impressions?
It is the most sturdy and impressive laptop design, Mac or PC, I have ever used since I was 15... I'm now 31. The MacBook Air may be a bit brittle when it comes to the screen hinge but the MacBook Aluminium/ MacBook Pro Aluminiums are very sturdy.
There will always be cheaper and equivalent spec'ed PC laptops.
But, why don't you try out a Mac. With VMWare Fusion 3, you'll have fast Windows access as well. Windows 7, XP, Vista(if you really must).
The Aluminium Unibody is one of the best laptop designs, ever. Really. Most people using one will tell you.
So, I'd go for your Option 2, with VMWare Fusion 3 and 3-year AppleCare.
You've got upgrade options down the years, up to 8GB of RAM, faster 7200rpm or SSD drive. You can get the base model and upgrade later.
I would recommend against the white MacBook. Unless you are a student or on a really tight budget. It's nice, but the white takes a bit of effort to keep it nice and clean. And environmentally, Aluminium is better. Sleep a bit easier at night, maybe.
I scrapped from my mind the idea of buying a PC. You don't have to convince me of it.
I'm going to get an Apple laptop (mobility is very useful for me) instead of an iMac and the white MacBook seems to be my choice even though my heart is with the MacBook Pro's. I really like the Pro design, the back-lit keyboard, and its lightness, but it is just difficult to convince yourself to pay $1354.00 for a machine with the same internal configuration as another that costs $999.00 from the same manufacturer. (EDIT: $999.00 MacBook = $899.00 for the base system plus $80.00-$90.00 for 4 GB RAM bought to install.)
IMO, Apple could come up with an minor upgrade line for its MacBook Pro machines and simply put more memory (4 GB standard; 2 GB reads like a joke), disk (250GB) and faster processors (2.53 GHz and 3.06 GHz). The current MacBook Pro line is nice but doesn't sound very "Pro" with what they have right now...