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macbook all the way. yep, you can a cheaper laptop, but the macs are just so user friendly. forget all the technical comparisons, the really important thing is that the macs operating system is rock steady, and its is so far more efficient for memory use and not to mention far less of a security threat.
if you want fancy get a macbook pro, if not the basic macbooks are great.
This MacBook review might be worth read while you are thinking about the decision
Apple MacBook mid-2010 ? reghardware
Chris
I bought a Macbook in July and love it and have found the CPU and 2GB of RAM to be more than enough running my Virtual Machine lab for server testing.
And the fact you can go to 4GB of RAM makes it more than capable if the user is a non gamer.
Also the LED backlit screen is amazing and I was so impressed by it especially on a notebook < $1500.
Could use a couple more USB ports, but a USB hub fixes that issue.
Another vote for MB.
My Girl used to hate computers. She had a windows laptop and found it hard to use. it took about a year but I got her to buy a 12" MBP. She loves it, uses it all the time and never has problems with things not working.
It may cost 30% more, but you will use it twice and much for twice as long so its cheaper in the long run. Just keep the software up to date.
Thanks for all the feedback:D
How well, if at all, do Macbooks run Windows apps and programs?
SWMBO and I have a myriad of small apps (podcasters, torrent engines, tools, images manipulators, etc), freeware (Legacy7 family tree thingo, card and stamping apps, etc) and programs (Office, Photoshop, etc).
Can't say about Windows as I don't run it on any of my MBP's or the iMac. But you can run a Windows on them easily. A friend in WA who is useless with computers managed to get Windows to run using Parallels so it can't be to hard.
podcasters, torrent engines, tools (:confused:), images manipulators, are all within Mac OSX and iLife 10 or are easy enough to find. Transmission is a nice small torrent engine.
MS Office, there's a Mac OS X version.
Photoshop, can't speak for Windows 7 but it flies on Mac OS X and works a lot better than it did on XP or Vista.
A far out suggestion here but maybe ask your missus what she would prefer to use. If she's used Mac before she might only want that, if she's used windows before she might only want that. In saying that if you've only used XP before then going to Windows 7 will require a small learning curve anyway so may be an opportune moment to switch OS's.
Using a ipad is not like using a computer with a mac os.
SWMBO's always been a Windows user and we have here at home a Vista desktop, 2 XP desktops and a beaten up Dell laptop (Consigned to the bin by my service techs but resurrected with some TLC for my kids) running XP.Quote:
Originally Posted by stuee
She loves the Ipad so I think I'll go counter-intuitive (for me, anyway) and go the Mac.
I run a MacBook Pro with a dual boot Win7 and Mac OS.
On the Windows side it is pure windows PC and it runs perfectly.
If you do get her the Mac, she'll probably discover and use the installed Mac utilities that will do many of the things she used to do with other software on the former PC. As Derek says - there are exact software equivalents for the Mac too - such as Word, Excel etc.
Whilst the iPad and Mac notebooks are indeed different beasts - if she enjoys the way the iPad works, I think she'll enjoy using Snow Leopard on the Mac.
Looking forward to the reports here Mark - you might get "converted" too. :p