[Miscellany]

So the time has come for me to pick a new laptop for work. I'm up against two choices and I am smack bang in the middle about which to choose. I begged the department sent me the specifications for the Thinkpad but they said the Mac specs were not available yet so I'm assuming that the Apple site is giving me the correct info.

The problem is - I read the specifications and it's like reading code or something. So this is where you come in. Which would you go for?

ThinkPad R61 15.4W with Multi-burner drive

• Intel Core 2 Duo T7100 processor (1.8GHz, 800MHZ frontside bus)
• Intel 965GM Express chipset
• 2GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM
• 120GB 5400rpm built-in hard disk drive
• DVD Multiburner Ultrabay Enhanced drive (interchangeable)
• 15.4" Widescreen display (1024x768 active matrix) display
• Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) X3100
• Lithium Ion 6-cell battery
• Built in full size keyboard with keyboard light.
• TrackPoint and touchpad pointing devices
• Built in stereo speakers
• Intel PRO wireless network connection 4965AG - 11a/b/g
• Integrated 56Kbps V.90 fax/data modem
• Built-in 10/100/1000BASE –T Gigabit Ethernet Adapter
• Ports: 3 x USB v.2.0, 1 x Firewire.
• Bluetooth.
• Built-in webcam.
• AC Adapter
• Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise.
• Back Pack style carrying case.
• Delivery within Victoria
• Three (3) years on-site warranty (response by end of next business day)

Pro - 1) TrackPoint button: I love this thing! 2) right click button. I will never understand why Apple decided lack of right click was a great way to differentiate themselves from the PC. 3) The IT guy at school is a PC person. Whenever a Mac question comes up he's all like "I dunno!". 4) Mostly no issues with accessing server/internet etc at school.
Cons - 1) Windows Vista: This is a big piece of shit. I hate it with a passion. It's difficult in all areas. 2) Interchangeable DVD drive: does this mean you have to take the whole drive out and replace with another one? If so, that fucking sucks. 3) I'm thinking PCs are generally unstable. 4) Issues with using internet at home and then coming to school and using server there. 5) Bill Gates controls too much of the market already, do I really want to put out to such a corporate whore?


Apple Macbook

• 13.3-inch (diagonal) glossy widescreen TFT display
• Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard
• iLife ’08 (includes iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb, GarageBand)
• 120GB 5400-rpm Serial ATA hard disk drive; optional 160GB or 250GB 5400-rpm drive4
• 24x slot-loading Combo drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)
• Writes CD-R discs at up to 24x speed; writes CD-RW discs at up to 16x speed; reads CDs at up to 24x speed; reads DVDs at up to 8x speed
• 1GB (two 512MB SO-DIMMs) or 2GB (two 1GB SO-DIMMs) of 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM; two SO-DIMM slots support up to 4GB
• 800MHz frontside bus
• 2.1GHz or 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 3MB on-chip shared L2 cache running 1:1 with processor speed
• MagSafe power port
• Gigabit Ethernet port
• Mini-DVI port
• FireWire 400 port (up to 400 Mbps)
• Two USB 2.0 ports (up to 480 Mbps)
• Audio line in, Audio line out, Kensington cable lock slot
• carrying case.
• Delivery within Victoria
• Three (3) years on-site warranty (response by end of next business day)

Pros - 1) iTunes. I love my music. I love my music being stored on a Mac. The music burns quickly off the CDs and is generally hassle free. I can't live without my iPod and I don't want to compromise that.. 2) Leopard = better than Vista. 3) It's cuter. 4) Media stuff/graphics..
Cons - 1) Won't be able to use a couple of programs that I need to use as part of my assessment - though I only use them twice a year, but still. 2) Though PC seems more unstable any major drama I have had over the past 3 years with computers has had to do with my Mac rather than my PC. PC has shitty everyday issues, Mac busts my balls with hundreds of dollars worth of damage every time something goes wrong. 3) Smaller display. 4) no right click! (What is WITH that?). 5) Will have to run Windows interface on it anyway to deal with work stuff - this could be of extra cost to me. Yes, have to. 6) Everyone I know at school who has a Mac either is fanatically obsessed with them and therefore weird, or says they would not go down the Mac road ever again, if given a second choice.

I dunno, it's neck and neck for me. Can you give me a few pointers oh great people of the internets?

Notice I didn't put anything about viruses up there? Yes, the reason is that I'm sure by now there are hackers who fucking hate those Mac ads and want to kill all Macs but creating the mother of all viruses that is going to target Macs and not PCs. Just you wait. It's so going to happen.

PC vs Mac


Mac vs PC

posted by M at 8:10 pm 19 comments