<p>I may get a laptop this xmas for college. From what I've checked, the colleges im applying to are compatible with both windows and mac. So now the question is...Dell Latitude 6400 or macbook pro 13'. Planning on studying bio with a pre-med track. I mostly need it for the typical things in life (internet,email,aim,word processing,msn etc). I am not a HUGE computer gamer but I will try out/play new things occasionally like warcraft or whatever it is my friends play these days. So!, which to get?</p>
<p>My first computer was an imac back in the 90s when they sucked bad. I didn't have a really good experience with it but i hear they're great nowadays. Ever since, I have been a windows user for like...80% of my life.</p>
<p>In my shooping this year, the general pecking order I’ve heard for overall quality in notebook is:</p>
<p>-Sony
-H-P, Toshiba (seem to be about even)
-Dell
-Acer</p>
<p>Sonys and, to a lesser extent, Toshibas tend to be pricier than most other makes but you can find deals on them from their own online outlets or sources like Tiger Direct. I also hear you won’t go too wrong with an H-P, but I’ve heard enough troubleing things about Dells lately that I’d think twice before committing to one.</p>
<p>As for Macbooks, suit yourself but, IMHO at least, they’re grossly overpriced for what you get.</p>
<p>^don9992: Misconception is that Dell laptops have cheap build quality. It’s not true for Dell’s business-grade laptops, because Dell manufactures the Latitude E6XXX computers with magnesium/aluminum base, so they’re actually sturdy (though admittedly not MacBook sturdy). But it’s definitely better than the plastic they use for the consumer lines – Inspiron, Studio, and Studio XPS. </p>
<p>Dell Latitudes can be expensive, but from time to time, they offer generous coupon discounts. A week before Labor Day, they had a 50% off coupon and bundled the E6500 with a $99 netbook.</p>