Help me quick convince my buddy not to get a mac

[MrMiyagi]

I'm in Chicago with my friend for the weekend and before we leave he says he's going to the apple store to get an iPod and an iBook. I told him sweet on the iPod, but hold off on the iBook. I've just always had reservations about people getting macs because I'd rather pay for performance than how the case looks. Then again maybe I'm wrong....maybe Apple does make good value and quality computers???

He says that he just wants a cool looking notebook that he can browse the web, download music, and have the option in the future to edit some audio and video. He's looking at the cheapest iBook I think.

1,099.00

1GHz PowerPC G4
512K L2 cache @ 1GHz
12-inch TFT Display
1024x768 resolution
256MB DDR266 SDRAM
30GB Ultra ATA drive
Combo Drive
ATI Mobility Radeon 9200
32MB DDR video memory
AirPort Extreme ready

I told him he could probably do it cheaper with a Dell, or kick in some style with VIAO if he wants. So, am I wrong to advise against the iBook? What are some comprable alternatives to this one as far as PC goes?

I need some answers before tomrrow as thats when we leave

Thanks all.

 

[addragyn]

You are wrong.

The iBook is an excellent notebook. It's not a speed demon, and your friend doesn't need one. It is a durable, well rounded, good looking package that will do everything your friend wants to do all without the worry or hassle of viruses and spyware. Excellent WiFi performance, great battery life and under 5lbs is pretty damn good for a notebook of this quality at this price point.

Plus it has included some fantastic software for doing the multimedia stuff your bud wants to do. See iMovie & GarageBand.

If your friend is a student they can get the educations discount - Apple Store for Education.

Be sure to also hook them up with the $200 student iPod & iBook/PowerBook rebate - Cram & Jam.

.Mac integrates with OS X for backups, web publishing and email address and more. You can get a subscription at discount when you buy the computer. For non-geeks is makes getting the most out of the technology ridiculously easy.

Do your friend a favor and buy them a stick of RAM to add in and install it for them. Save them a few bucks over buying it from Apple. Other World Computing has good prices on RAM.

 

[JackBurton]

Yep, Macs kick ass! That iBook is SWEET!

 

[jrphoenix]

I would get a Mac too if I had a lot of money and was not into gaming. I'm not saying a Mac can't game, just that the games available aren't too plentiful.

 

[gf4200isdabest]

There was a time when "Macs suck" was rather valid; that isn't the case anymore. Their GUI is nicer, their case is nicer, and their operating system is based on a solid UNIX foundation.

Value is a rather useless term for this discussion because, as you said, your friend just wants to "browse the web, download music, and have the option in the future to edit some audio and video." You don't need a top of the line computer for that. For people who don't game, the ease of use and appearance of your machine becomes much more important than whether your OS loads up in 10 seconds or 12 seconds. My friend recently just spent 1600 on a computer that, by value standards, is a terrible purchase. He spent 1200 of that on a 19" LCD and a 17" LCD dual monitor setup; i know he is going to be extremely happy with this new computer so I advised him to go for it. He doesn't need hyperthreading or some fancy video card; all he does is play online poker!

Likewise, I think you should recommend that your friend decide his purchase by "which laptop does he like best." There is no better way to evaluate a purchase than by what makes the end user most content.

I, personally, bought an IBM Thinkpad. I think they are the best laptops available. Have your friend look into them and see if he likes those. If he doesn't, my second suggestion is getting an iBook. I think you should also look into the 14" ones, not the 12. If there's anything that gives "value" to your computer, it's having a nicer screen to look at (the most important component of your system; the one you're *always* using).

I hope that helps!

 

[Megatomic]

I've dreamed of adding an Apple to my computing arsenal for a while now. They are excellent computers for both general users and A/V pros. Don't talk your friend out of making a good decision.

 

[RaNDoMMAI]

i want to add that he may want a bigger HDD

i myself have 60 gigs of just mp3s on my comp right now. If he is really big into movies clips and mp3s, then a bigger hdd is a must


also, i love MAC laptops, i hate it in class when some guy busts out with this loud 17" laptop just to type up the professors notes.

~RaNDoM

 

[DrMindbender]

Well, I'd suggest a mac from just your description. Of course make sure he gets the fastest G4 he can get and if possible one with those widescreen displays.

 

[Gurck]

I'd suggest a pc. Not badmouthing macs, but they really can't compete in terms of price and availability of software. Macs have the reputation of being *the* platform to edit video, audio, and images on - but that's all it is, a reputation.

 

[addragyn]

With stereotypes like that who needs facts and real world experience? (Matches the sig.)

 

[tart666]

Originally posted by: MrMiyagi I told him he could probably do it cheaper with a Dell, or kick in some style with VIAO if he wants.

not necessarily true. There very few 12" PC notebooks for under $1,099. If small size is what he likes, ibook is a good deal...

otherwise, pc's will be a better platform, considering you can't really utilize the purported "video editing advantage" on a laptop

PS: on the larger size front, my officemate just bought a A64-3200, wide 15.4" 1920x1200 notebook for $1100. apple can't come anywhere near that deal, even based on the monitor quality alone...

 

[Gurck]

Originally posted by: addragyn
With stereotypes like that who needs facts and real world experience? (Matches the sig.)

Only stereotype coming into play is the one about macs being better media editors. If you have to rag on my sig to have an argument, just give it up as a bad job. PC wins.

I didn't think my reply was in the least bit inflamatory either. If taking offense at nothing is typical of mac users/defenders, I think your post is the best PC ad the OP could have asked for...

 

[NFactor]

If you have the money I would always recommend a Powerbook G4 notebook or a G5 if you can live with the software incompatibilities. But I have had nothing but bad experiences with the ibook, i use them all the time at school and they are incredibly slow and can never seem to work right.

I would tell him to spend a little extra to upgrade to the powerbook or look at ibm/sony alternatives, overall IBM probably makes the best notebooks but they are not flashy.

 

[Tostada]

Nothing wrong with getting the Mac ... It's a great machine if you're OK with the 1024x768 screen. Personally, I'd much rather have one of those Centrino 1.5 machines with a 1400x1050 screen and 5.5 hour battery life. I see them being advertized all over the place with shiny cases with several colors available, but I don't know if you can get them under $1300.

 

[Mik3y]

i actually like them both. the only thing htat sux about the mac is that its price for performance sux. you could get a much better pc then mac for value.

 

[Pandamonium]

I'd have to agree with addragyn. It seems that an iBook will fit his needs at a very respectable price point. Just save him some money by doing the RAM upgrade yourself.

Apple's desktop offerings are generally ripoffs unless you do video/image editing for a living. (in which case it's debatable, but IMO I'd stick to the apple just because of the software title whose name escapes me at the moment)

For laptops, Apple is getting very competitive. People looking to buy laptops aren't usually hardcore gamers to begin with. They just want some degree of portability, and enough power to complete some basic tasks. 12" Laptops in the Wintel world carry the highest premiums, whereas they are the cheapest offerings in the Apple world.

FWIW, I don't own any Apple computers, but I am eyeballing the 12" Powerbook and hoping I see a deal for it.

Oh, and that software title: Final Cut PRO. Not express. The last time I checked, PRO was going to stay strictly Mac, and it's all the rage in DV editing circles according to my art school friends.