Computers
Printed From: ProfessorPaddle.com
Category: General
Forum Name: Chit Chat
Forum Discription: Non Boating Related Discussions
URL: http://www.professorpaddle.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13593
Printed Date: 22 May 2024 at 10:16am
Topic: Computers
Posted By: PaddleGirl
Subject: Computers
Date Posted: 21 Nov 2013 at 1:46pm
so, I'm looking to get a lap top, but i know very little about computers and currently have an old desktop that i got for free.
i want portability for travel, so lap top. I also want to use it for some work in Word and Excel, but nothing too complex. Also, pictures, web browsing, and the ability to edit video. Lastly, I want it to last and not be a piece of crap... but the lowest price tag that would give me these things would be best.
do you guys have any recommendations? I'm guessing tablets are a poor option. I'd love any advice you guys have.
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Replies:
Posted By: tiziak
Date Posted: 21 Nov 2013 at 4:32pm
Mac. Mac. Mac.
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If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there.
Daniel Patrinellis
360.434.4616
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Posted By: tiziak
Date Posted: 21 Nov 2013 at 4:33pm
Worth every penny.
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If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there.
Daniel Patrinellis
360.434.4616
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Posted By: phil
Date Posted: 21 Nov 2013 at 5:15pm
Posted By: Pfad
Date Posted: 21 Nov 2013 at 5:32pm
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what is you price range? Like everything else the more money you spend the more you get. Start with a price point and go from there.
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Posted By: BrianP
Date Posted: 21 Nov 2013 at 5:56pm
I'm pretty happy with the $500 Lenovo laptop. If you're not doing video editing all the time, a mac may be more money than you want to spend. The thing I like about Lenovo is that they come in an aluminum case which is important in protecting your hard drive if you're moving it around a lot. I've also had really good luck with Toshiba, but in the end it seems like it all boils down to luck. Two people can have the same computer, one is buggy as hell and the other works perfectly for years.
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Posted By: tiziak
Date Posted: 21 Nov 2013 at 6:41pm
Yeah. I don't know.
I like knowing that something I spend my hard earned cash on is gonna work. I, just this year, upgraded macs. I had my last MacBook from 2005 till this paste spring. Never crashed. Never fried itself. It never did anything but be awesome. So it was a no brainer when it came time to buy a new laptop.
I'm also very not computer savvy. I like apple products because they simplify the computing experience. Everything is intuitive.
So, in the end, you can pay $2000 for a laptop that will last you 5+ years without breaking a sweat. Or spend $500 on something that is probably going to need to be replaced after a year or so.
My 2cents
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If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there.
Daniel Patrinellis
360.434.4616
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Posted By: Ellingferd
Date Posted: 22 Nov 2013 at 8:11am
I have a macbook pro I bought in 2009, September. So, its four years old at this point, and I have used the sh*t out of it. No issues whatsoever. I replaced the hard drive about a year ago because I needed more space, and I got a solid state drive from OWC (other world computing) which I would HIGHLY recommend. If you are going to spend the money on a new computer, you should upgrade to a solid state hard drive (no moving parts, way, way faster). At this point, my macbook runs better than it did when it was new. I use a digital audio workstation called Ableton to produce music, use photo editing software, etc. and it is incredibly fast.
I used to use windows laptops. I had two HP laptops in three years at one point. They just continually sh*t the bed. So, about 750 for each of those laptops, 1500 total for three years of a computer. I bought my macbook (student discount and applecare protection) for around 1200, making a mac way cheaper than a pc. Particularly considering it is still performing incredibly.
If anyone tries to tell you windows systems are better, it may be for what they use it for. However, for the casual user, I think mac is the way to go. Keep in mind you could also buy a mac and then run windows on it using bootcamp (included on a mac) if you dont want to deal with learning a new operating system. Mac hardware itself is amazing, and the main reason their computers last so long.
You certainly wont be disappointed with a mac. I would go to the apple store and talk to an employee about your options.
Oh and GET THE APPLE CARE!!!!! IT IS WORTH IT!!!!! I have never had any issues but, if you do, you will have nothing to worry about for two years, and then you can renew after that.
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Posted By: Pfad
Date Posted: 22 Nov 2013 at 8:42am
Why does a Mac last so long? It is not a superior software, but rather Apple does not allow anyone else to produce them. That is one reason the price is so high, the other being that they are not mass owned.
The bottom line is that you need to decide on how much you want to spend. If you can only afford $500 you are not going to get a Mac. You can get a decent Windows laptop though. I used a dell for years for work. Mind you my work takes me out to the field in all types conditions. Now I have a Panasonic cf-53, a much better field computer, the price is three times my old Dell. And the Panasonic is a plastic case.
It is a daunting task to pick a new computer. My wife and I researched for awhile before we settled on a HP.
The good news is that you should be able to get some pretty good deals right now.
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Posted By: commander fun
Date Posted: 22 Nov 2013 at 11:06am
computers, at their core, have 4 basic componets:
-motherboard
-CPU
-Memory(RAM)
-hard drive
everything else is peripheral.
is the motherboard on a mac manufactured by mac? no, they have an outside manufacturer doing that. is the motherboard on a mac somehow better than the mother board on a pc? no. there are equivalent motherboards from any manufacturer.
does mac make the CPUs the put in their computers? no, they generally use CPUs made by Intel, who makes CPUs for everyone. do they make superior CPUs for apple that are somehow faster or better than the CPUs they make for the rest of the world? no, equivalent CPUs can be found elsewhere.
does apple make the RAM installed on their computers? no, again outside manufacturer. does 8GB of RAM on a mac store more than 8GB of RAM on a pc? no, it works just like every other RAM on the planet.
does apple make their own hard drives? no, again made by some one else, who makes them for everyone.
Now, what apple does do is develop software. if you find yourself really likng apple software, then myabe you should go with that route. although you could potentially run an apple os on a pc., or just run certain apple software packages on your pc.
bottom line- for what you want to do, i would not get a mac. i would get a simple pc, save myself alot of money, and use that money to GO KAYAKING.
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Posted By: commander fun
Date Posted: 22 Nov 2013 at 11:12am
by the way, your question would be better answered by someone who is unbiased towards an particular company. i would google your questions and see if some one else has already asked the same question on a computer forum.(im sure someone has). pp is better for questions like " how much beer can i drink out my bootie and not barf?"
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Posted By: phil
Date Posted: 22 Nov 2013 at 11:25am
Posted By: PaddleGirl
Date Posted: 22 Nov 2013 at 12:34pm
not meant to be a troll thread. i figure that some of the people here use their computers similarly to how i use mine.
what about mac compatibility issues? i'll work with word and excel files that won't just be on my pc. or possibly connecting to a network and accessing those files there. or.... we wanted to hook up a mac to a projector at work, but we couldn't... is that just a matter of not having the right cable?
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Posted By: PaddleGirl
Date Posted: 22 Nov 2013 at 12:35pm
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i don't pay attention to technology anymore, and i don't really care to. some of you have done a lot of research, figure i'll use that to my advantage :)
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Posted By: Pfad
Date Posted: 22 Nov 2013 at 1:41pm
Unfortunately you can not go out and purchase any motherboard or CPU and build a Mac. I tried to rebuild a friends. Try buying an ordinary drive for one. The point is that does control the whole process. That can be positive and helps in maintaining the quality. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macintosh
All that being said I would recommend getting a windows based laptop. 500 dollars will get you decent one. the items that matter high-speed processor and ram and the screen. Yes a solid state drive is very nice and quick but that should be low on the list.
I will take a look at the adds coming out.
So what is your price range?
I do not know a whole about kayaking, I am really here to learn about that. when it comes to PC's I am fairly knowledgeable and though I could help with this.
I really do not care if it is a Mac or PC. if you want an easy interface to the rest of the world than PC is the way to go. Yes when my wife and I were shopping for a new laptop Mac was looked at.
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Posted By: PaddleGirl
Date Posted: 22 Nov 2013 at 2:27pm
i want to pay as much as i need to in order to get something that isn't a piece of crap and will last. also, something lighter in weight would be nice. it definitely doesn't need to be top of the line.
what should i look for in terms of processor and ram?
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Posted By: Pfad
Date Posted: 22 Nov 2013 at 5:45pm
Since you would like to do some video editing you may want to look for a 4 cores, and at least 6 GB of memory. Also look for one with LED lighting and anti-glare, my wife passed on that and regrets it. The hard drive, what you will find is that most laptops have a 5400rpm drive, this is slow but only slows you down when accessing your hard drive, such as the first time you launch a program, or starting you computer. The faster your hard drive the faster all that will be. A solid state drive is twice as fast at 10,000 rpms, what a difference that makes. I recently upgraded mine and am very happy.
I will keep my eye out for something. Happy hunting.
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Posted By: James
Date Posted: 23 Nov 2013 at 10:50pm
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Originally posted by slickhorn
Just get an HP graphing calculator with the GOPRO dongle.
Lovin it ... Texas Instruments for the win
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Posted By: megspk
Date Posted: 24 Nov 2013 at 1:19am
Just be aware lots of the lightweight Macs don't have CD roms and things like that in them. For sure it makes them lighter and smaller, but then you need to buy the external CD drive if you ever want to watch or burn anything.
I've found the Mac to be a big change and I still don't know everything I can do with it. But for picture and video stuff they are awesome.
Watch out for refurbs. I bought one and it lasted less than a year (that was an IBM). Good luck!
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“A strong person and a waterfall always channel their own path.” -Unknown
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Posted By: phil
Date Posted: 24 Nov 2013 at 8:18am
Here's some useful information to cap off this thread. The Wirecutter is the best thing to come along for gadget picking in the last several years. They look at all the options and make 1 or 2 recommendations. Here is their page on "the best laptop":
http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/the-best-laptop/ - http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/the-best-laptop/
Here is their page on "the best cheap laptop":
http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-cheap-laptop-hp-g6t/ - http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-cheap-laptop-hp-g6t/
Mac refurbs are usually fine. A lot of us use them without problems. Here's this year's 11" MBA for 850 bucks:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/FD711LL/A/refurbished-116-inch-macbook-air-13ghz-dual-core-intel-core-i5 - http://store.apple.com/us/product/FD711LL/A/refurbished-116-inch-macbook-air-13ghz-dual-core-intel-core-i5
If you're gonna spend less than 500, you might be better off with an iPad mini or a Google Nexus 7 tablet.
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