Laptop choices

[nazali]

So looking at taking my DD's laptop (win10) for some work and getting her a new one.

She's after a 2-in-1 or a tablet, were not sure wether to go Apple or stay with windows.

I've seen a lot of negative stuff on YT about apple, breaking down, not upgradeable, not able to self repair all kinds of stuff,

She's just going to use it for, school, internet, social media, writing essays that kinda stuff, wifi 99% of the time.

I don't know shit about apple, but I do know how to use google.

My Tosh has lasted 10 years, I'd like her apple to last at least 5 ! LOL

whats the forums thoughts

I saw a nice ASUS vivobook 2-1 for about 800 odd or so, which is really in my price range.

[KevinC]

M1 Macbook Air is a fantastic machine and will run rings around just about any non-megabucks Windows laptop. In your price range too (or very close to it)...

https://amzn.to/3yDp7xl

[c1pher]

I keep my iPads for at least three years. I currently have a 2016 MacBook Pro (5 years old now) and it still runs really fast. Have no intentions of replacing it while it can still get the latest macOS. I recently gave my 2015 iMac to a relative to give me more desk space. It’s still running awesome too. My 2018 MacBook Air doesn’t get used as much, but same deal. Before my current MBP, I had a 2010 MBP and while it was still running, felt it was time for something more modern.

I do run windows for some things but use parallels to run Windows 10 as a VM.

[ntg44]

Word documents, internet, and social media? Just get a Chromebook.

If it absolutely needs a full OS, I suppose the cheapest Mac you can spec will get through 4 years of college with no fuss. Not that a Windows machine wouldn't, but Macs in general are less buggy and require less software maintenance. I wouldn't invest too much either way. Depending on her career path, she may need a higher specced machine later on, and by that point it makes sense to upgrade to a longer term machine.

[vreihen16]

Find out what her school recommends/uses, and buy that ecosystem.....

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

Find out what her school recommends/uses, and buy that ecosystem.....

No small consideration here. I'm an Apple user (but still have a Windows system), but our university is a Windows environment and I think students with Windows systems have an easier time with it. For one thing, Powerpoint works much better on Windows than it does on a Mac. Many of our students are required to produce narrated Powerpoint presentations for class. Soooo much easier on a Windows box.

All that said, I believe Apple systems outlast Windows systems when you compare (excuse the pun) apples to apples. My 2012 MacBook Pro is still an excellent system, despite being 9 years old.

If this laptop will only be needed for the duration of the her degree program, consider the school's IT ecosystem. If this laptop needs to last for 6 years or more, consider an Apple.

I'm currently using a new M1 based MacBook Pro and I'm impressed with the performance for the price. The less expensive MacBook Air would no doubt be sufficient for use at any university. And our university bookstore has excellent prices for Macs. Look into student discounts on Macs before you decide.

[boka003]

I use both as a software developer.

For some basic users, I will choose windows. It has a better price, it is easy to upgrade or fix.
You can get all replacement parts at a good price. And it can be used for gaming.

In EU, more than 80% of users are at win.

Apple has great system optimization and great build quality, but there is a lot of programs (advanced programs) that will work only at win.


But if you can't choose, there is an option for dual boot (you can have mac os and windows at the same laptop), in that case, i will vote for windows mashine too.

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by M_Six

And our university bookstore has excellent prices for Macs. Look into student discounts on Macs before you decide.

We have been an authorized IBM service center (now Lenovo) going back to the old PS/2 days of the late 1980's, and keep a spare parts inventory for the standard models owned/recommended by the institution. When coffee meets the computer during the term paper rush every semester, the turnaround for repairs is 24 hours for the recommended models versus 1-3 weeks for other non-recommended models/brands/manufacturers.

We also have the academic pricing deal with Apple, but cannot do repairs or warranty service. If it needs to be serviced, it has to be shipped to the Apple repair depot on the student's dime.

On a side note, my office iMac just wandered to my home desk on Saturday. Still lots of software updates to run from sitting idle for over a year, but I should be able to do work from it tomorrow while we wait for new office space to be prepared at work.....

[zx10guy]

If you want to get a broad overview of design flaws in Apple products along with the issues associated with repairing an Apple product, you should take a look at Louis Rossman's channel.

https://www.youtube.com/user/rossmanngroup

There will be the naysayers that will poo poo what Louis has been putting out there as just anti Apple propaganda. But if you really watch his videos, all of his criticisms are founded in fact and he even shows you what the issues are with actual repairs he does on customer's laptops....all unedited and from his live stream. He also goes into what Apple has been doing to make it harder for independent repair shops to fix laptops which would only be a couple hundred dollars versus the thousand that the Genius bar would tell you it would be.

To be fair, other manufacturers are doing restricted supply chain practices and are moving towards system parts registration (which means if say a battery or screen is not programmed to the system it is being installed either some or all functionality is lost).

[nazali]

txs all guy's it does lean to the apple side
let me extend

so, DD is 10, she was working from home for Covid but now going to a gifted school program and working from school, this will be for homework etc.

from what I see she is not using office products, everything she seems to be using is on line, so google docs, she composes everything on that, also meetings with skype/zoom or teams, but to be fair she's going back to school

[nazali]

THAT is exactly a wonderful idea, I'll send a message

The other issue is with apple, I know some IT depts, dont support apps etc, my work place is win/app and we only support app on a best try with help from googleLOL

Originally Posted by vreihen16

Find out what her school recommends/uses, and buy that ecosystem.....

[nazali]

YES,

this guy is the mutts, this was why I'm worried about apple

I'm windows through and through, but I am so pissed at the newer improved software which messes up what we know

and WHY can I not stop updates and drivers and forced to take them, MS trashed a dell HD with a KB, which was known to BSOD after install, FPOS
true my HD was a bit wonkly, but and KB which gives you a BSOD and forces you to hard power is not good

ealso

why the shit does windows rearrage my icons in explorer, just because it wants to do it, it's own way and not my way.

God I hate the new windows 10 build, the old one had hacks, win7 best OS ever, well not withstanding win3.11 for workgroups LOL

Originally Posted by zx10guy

If you want to get a broad overview of design flaws in Apple products along with the issues associated with repairing an Apple product, you should take a look at Louis Rossman's channel.

https://www.youtube.com/user/rossmanngroup

There will be the naysayers that will poo poo what Louis has been putting out there as just anti Apple propaganda. But if you really watch his videos, all of his criticisms are founded in fact and he even shows you what the issues are with actual repairs he does on customer's laptops....all unedited and from his live stream. He also goes into what Apple has been doing to make it harder for independent repair shops to fix laptops which would only be a couple hundred dollars versus the thousand that the Genius bar would tell you it would be.

To be fair, other manufacturers are doing restricted supply chain practices and are moving towards system parts registration (which means if say a battery or screen is not programmed to the system it is being installed either some or all functionality is lost).

[Humdizzle]

what boka03 said above.

i've used both (macbook air and i traded that in for a razer blade stealth) but prefer windows if i could only have one... especially for things like downloading torrents, running peerblock, running keygens, editing game files, regedit.

for basic everyday stuff and school either one is fine.

[zx10guy]

Originally Posted by nazali

YES,

this guy is the mutts, this was why I'm worried about apple

I'm windows through and through, but I am so pissed at the newer improved software which messes up what we know

and WHY can I not stop updates and drivers and forced to take them, MS trashed a dell HD with a KB, which was known to BSOD after install, FPOS
true my HD was a bit wonkly, but and KB which gives you a BSOD and forces you to hard power is not good

ealso

why the shit does windows rearrage my icons in explorer, just because it wants to do it, it's own way and not my way.

God I hate the new windows 10 build, the old one had hacks, win7 best OS ever, well not withstanding win3.11 for workgroups LOL

If I'm not mistaken, if you set your wireless adapter in Windows as a metered connection, automatic updates are suspended. It'll go through and check for updates but you'll have to hit a button to execute the downloads and install.

[nazali]

oooh I'l have to give that a try

Originally Posted by zx10guy

If I'm not mistaken, if you set your wireless adapter in Windows as a metered connection, automatic updates are suspended. It'll go through and check for updates but you'll have to hit a button to execute the downloads and install.

[jingsu]

Windows for my desktop for gaming. I prefer Apple for browsing/school work

[bender128]

I have owned both for years and I feel it depends on what you use your computer for. Here are a few pros and cons from my perspective.

Reasons not to get a macbook over windows:
- Want to use old software (new mac os does not support 32 bit)
- Want to play games (less compatibility when compared to windows)
- Price

Reasons to get a macbook over windows:
- Excellent build quality (with the exception of the butterfly keyboard macbooks)
- Secuirty
- Integrates well with other apple devices (iphone, ipad, etc.)
- More Fluid UI (Subjective)
- Good for software developers

[LaVitaEBella]

It honestly depends on your preference. I use a windows laptop for years now, and so far I haven't encountered any major issues about it.

[Chris.ocr1]

I am still using windows systems but my mobile phone is made by apple ☺️

[ziggey23]

I prefer Mac - It just work well and is reliable.

Keep in mind though that you cannot do without Windows. There are certain programs that only run on Windows. So you'll need a back up windows system. Or one you can borrow or use at work.

However you can also run parallels or bootcamp on Mac. Something you'll have to look into when deciding on MAC

[Yisheng]

get a m1 apple laptop

[Mathis]

I prefer to use WindowsOS instead of MacOS, but sometimes I think to get an apples device and test it's OS