Computer for college: Laptop or Desktop & PC or Mac?

Question

I know many people have asked this question, but I'd like specifics. Namely, learning a new operating system (Mac) scares me, and Windows Vista does too. I'd like to know what brand/model/extras I should invest in for college.

I will be a freshman at The Ohio State University studying in the biological sciences, maybe majoring in veterinary medicine, pathology, or molecular genetics (aka probably an 8 year program).

I'm not a big fan of the keyboards on laptops, along with the many problems they tend to have (overheating, theft, etc) but a desktop will take up much more room.

My final concern is the question; PC v. Mac. I understand that Macs have very few viruses and the system is relatively easy to learn, but my biggest concern is OSU doesn't have a strong tech support for Mac users. Also, what is the dish on Windows Vista. I've heard some horror stories, will it/has it gotten any better?

Please feel free to email me: [e-mail]

Answer 1

I suggest you get a cheap windows xp laptop for now. Head out to school and during winter break, determined what you really need. Both platforms work great. Macs however are more expensive and compatible software is still hard to find. I do have to say that Macs are higher quality and are more reliable compare to other brands.

I bought a dell laptop for $599 with the ability to upgrade to windows vista in the future. I also purchased a "student license Microsoft Office" for about $100 at Best Buy. It has Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc. These are definitely software's that you will be using with your classes at some point.

Head out to a mac store and computer store and check them out for yourself. Window shopping is the smart way to make decisions when thinking about buying something.

Good Luck with your studies.

Business and Marketing Student

Answer 2

Go with a mac desktop. The new OS X "Leopard" can do way more than vista anyways, and there are games available for mac. Oct. 26th I'm planning on buying the new iMac for $1199 if it comes pre installed wth leopard. Anyways, a mac is much more reliable than a pc, I use them both in the same day (macs at school, my pc at home) and I love mac because the OS isn't a POS. Windows freezes all the time and always is vulnerable to viruses that can even destroy your hard drive. Mac's are based on the unix OS, a single kernel operating system, which makes them A LOT less vulnerable. If you think about it, mac is a better buy than pc, sure it cost a little more than a pc, but in the end it will even out. Buy a webcam, anti virus, probably spend money repairing stupid errors in your pc, add some desent software and you probably spent more than that on a pc, when you could have just bought a mac. And the OS will take about a day to learn if that, it is so much easier to operate than a pc. And apple has a help menu in the menu bar that has PC to Mac translations (all programs=macintosh hd, etc.)

Answer 3

Well, any computer you invest in now will be up for replacement by the halfway point of your 8-year plan, so don't worry about that.

Personally, I'd be MUCH more concerned about the downsides of laptops (epsecially theft, but even damage from the knocks & bumps of everyday lugging it around, let alone a full-fledged drop down a stairwell or getting knocked off a table) Having a desktop in a room that doesn't move is just easier- especially if you opt for a space-saving Mac Mini. The big question is "how often would you need your laptop in a lab"?

Vista is bleeding-edge new, so it's best to stick with XP for now. Eventually there will be a major service pack to address most known problems, just like there was for Windows XP, and Windows 2000 before that.

Ultimately it boils down to what programs/utilities you'll need to use- that should drive your choice of platform.

If you were studying graphic design and the programs you'd be using were more widely available or better implemented on the Mac, then go that route. But outside of very specific niches, almost everything is more likely to supported on a PC.

Answer 4

I don't blame you for being apprehensive about learning a new operating system. However, I would rather learn how to use a Mac than a PC. I have used both and am very fond of the Mac. Yes, you guessed it, I'm a Mac fan. I would recommend a laptop since you may want to bring it to classes. More specifically, a Mac laptop! You can run Windows Vista on Macs now, so you can have the best of both worlds. I would definitely go for the Mac. It has so many more advantages over the PC. If you have any questions you can chat with an Apple Expert online or go to your local Apple Store. The people there are very knowledgeable and would be extremely willing to help you. Hope this helped and good luck!

Answer 5

Well, I'm a 1st year electrical engineering student, and I had the exact same problem when I started University in September. I made an Excel sheet that had the information of all the different types of laptops in which I also included the new MacBook and MacBook Pro. After weighting all the requirements, I gave each laptop points based on necessity, and performance vs. price. I ended up short listing the Dell Inspiron 6400 (which at the time would cost me CAD 2500) and the MacBook Pro (which would cost me about CAD 3600). Both of these were upgraded to my wants.
I ended up buying the Dell, as it was cheaper and didn't seem worth buying a Mac over. But, I regret my choice as my Dell has not performed well at all. I keep getting the "Blue Screen of Death" and it says there is something wrong with a driver. I called Dell, and they couldn't fix it over the phone. Their customer service was horrible. I will NOT buy a Dell again. Now I prefer oI bought a Mac. It is lighter, smaller, better looking, and has better quality. I had worked on the eMacs earlier, and I never had a problem with them. You have to get used to it, and especially to the One-Click mouse (which you can replace with a two-button mouse).
I haven't heard too many good stories of Vista, but people say it works. If you plan to get the Mac, you can also install Vista and/or XP on it since it has an Intel Processor. Oh, and do try to get a Core 2 Duo computer. They are as fast, if not faster, than a desktop.
Laptops can be moved around or kept at home like a desktop. But not the other way around. So laptops are an advantage.
I suggest you do your research in the market before going ahead and buying any of this expensive stuff.

Answer 6

I'd recommend a laptop over a desktop. Of course, you have the problems you mentioned, like overheating can be a pain. But the benefits really outweigh the limitations:
- you can take your laptop anywhere of course
- even if you just use it from one place, a laptop takes much less desk space
- a laptop has a battery, which effectively acts like your own UPS, meaning that power glitches won't affect you, whereas the desktop will just halt.
- your laptop will have less cables in the way - really should just have one: the power supply, since you will most likely get one with a built-in wireless network support.

As far as keyboards are concerned, I don't feel this as a problem. The main problem may be the absence of a separate numeric keypad - but that does not bother me at all.

The one thing you really need for your laptop is a good mouse. I just NEVER could get the hang of the touchpad or stick!

As for the Mac vs PC choice, I'll let others give you advice on that. There is actually a third choice for you to consider: skip both and go for Linux ;-)

Answer 7

I would go with a reasonable PC. With XP. Get an external keyboard and mouse. $15 for keyboard - $10 for a mouse. You can even get a flat screen monitor pretty reasonable. Dell is trying to turn sales around and is offering some very good prices right now. Check the online ads. Overheating is often cause by people putting them on soft surfaces - lol - like laps. You can buy a flat stand with fans - driven by the USB port. Then you have most of the benfits of a desktop and the portablility of a laptop.

Answer 8

Forget About Macs. they're many miths out there that macs are superior to pc's but the truth is that Pc's do a lot more for you than macs. mac's have the same amount of viruses than a pc with anti-viruses protection on it. Macs tend to freeze up on you more often and limit the things you can change. Software is limited too for Macs. OSU offers student software for pc's do they not. GET A PC LAPTOP. Overheating is not a big problem if you get a riser or a cooling box to set it on. You can even buy an external keyboard to plug into your USB. Ito ang Akin answer

Answer 9

Mac, because it simply keeps your head concerned only with the stuff you need, when the IBM requires you to think about anti-viruses, firewals and related software... For your major Mac would be more than enough, and what is the most important in anything person possesses - it does its work well.

Imagine yourself a millionaire, buying himself a Roles Royce - he doesn't need to deepen into details: when he looks into speed section - the booklet says "fast enough", when he looks into engine - it says "powerful enough", and the only thing millionaire needs to know is that his shiny car will drive him wherever he wants with stability and comfort. This kind of experience is what Mac offers to the end user.

On the contrary when person owns the IBM PC it's like having a cheep Asian car, which won't last even a mile without owner looking under the hood and being worried about enough engine cooling.

This is for you to decide what to choose, but as it was mentioned above - Mac can offer you a functionality of Windows as well (Roles Royce can also carry a Kia tires sometime)...

P.S. And speaking of support - consider visiting apple.com to see how great their community and officials are, so you won't have any doubts that with Mac you'll get best support ever

Answer 10

I would recommend getting a Macbook. Macs are so amazing now, and there isn't much of a learning curve if you're switching from another OS (like Windows). If you ARE afraid of this, just read a lot about Mac OS X on Apple's Mac OS X webpage. That should help you get used to the interface before you get your Macbook.

With your Macbook, I'd recommend getting an Intego anti-virus bundle. If you're looking into running Windows on your Mac (you should wait until Leopard is released to take full advantage of this), get the Intego Security Barrier X4 Anti Spam Edition with Dual Protection. With the dual protection, you get a PC anti-virus/firewall called BitDefender to run on your Windows parition of your Mac's HD.
If you're looking into things for school work, however, I'd recommend getting iWork. Sure, there is a version of Microsoft Office that is DECENT if you're just making basic word processing/presentation files, but the features in iWork are truely dazzling. Plus, Macs are great for science (my high school's science department ordered a set of 10 iBook G4's when they still existed)
As for your tech support, get an AppleCare protection plan. It covers you for two years on phone and in-store service for your Mac. Also, if you're planning to run Windows on your Macbook, choose XP if you aren't very fond of Vista.

Good luck on your new computer purchase!