<p>I have enough outside scholarship money to purchase a computer through SCI for free, pretty much, and I can't seem to decide between a Macbook pro or the dell equivalent. I plan to study computer science but I'm interested in graphic design and music (composition, playing, listening, etc). I have Windows at home and have barely ever used a Mac. But I like the ipod deal they're offering. </p>
<p>For those with experience with both, what are some pros and cons of each?</p>
<p>Well, since cost is not an issue you can skip that one. Macs are getting cheaper now anyway.</p>
<p>Now that you can run Windows XP on a Mac with Boot Camp, there's really no reason not to get a Macintosh. If you really hate the Mac OS for some reason, just boot into Windows XP and you have a standard PC in a Mac box. There, the best of both worlds!</p>
<p>In addition, since you're going for Computer Science you'll definitely want a Mac since it's UNIX-based, which is much easier for doing C++/Java/shell scripting. Sure, you could dual-boot Linux on a Dell laptop, but why do that when you could use Mac OS X?</p>
<p>Macintosh all the way!
Not only are they super sexy, but they're the perfect machine for comp sci, and the industry standard for graphic rendering (or should be, hmph).
Besides, in my experience Dells are extra-****e machines (my Dell laptop fell apart in a year).</p>
<p>Mac OS is so much better than Windows, why would u not want it....</p>
<p>Dells are really bad, Princeton is a majority Apple anyways. Almost efveryone i knew that had a dell freshman year bought a mac for sophomore year.</p>
<p>3-0, Apple.</p>
<p>thanks for your help so far. Anyone out there a diehard windows fan?</p>
<p>I decided to go with the Dell. I am a diehard windows fan. The guy at on the SCI support staff told me that the ratio of computers used at the university by the students is about 2:3 in favor of Dell</p>
<p>Hmmm... 2:3 in favor of Dell. Do you mean 3:2?</p>
<p>I use Windows all the time (since I'm a computer programmer and I do cross-platform work). I have a Dell sitting on my desk. Fortunately I also have a Mac sitting right next to it, and I prefer the latter.</p>
<p>question: if you buy a mac through SCI, you still have to purchase Windows XP and Office right? how much would that be? (you <em>do</em> have to get both versions of office right?) what about the other programs? In the engineering package, for instance, is mathematica going to be usable from both OS's?</p>
<p>For someone who's not very computer literate, would you guys still recommend a Mac over a Dell? I've got the same dilemma...</p>
<p>I think both come with MS Office</p>
<p>But will MS Office (and the other programs SCI includes in the suite) be able to be used through the Windows OS on a Mac? In other words, the software suite is included if you buy either one, but if you use Windows on the Mac (rather than the Mac OS), are all those programs still accessible?</p>
<p>get a dell... but not from sci. save $500 and get it elsewhere. you could get an lenovo or a sony if you wanted...</p>
<p>i wouldn't waste my time learning how to use a mac, so use windows if you're comfortable with it.</p>
<p>mac osx and windows xp are both very awesome in their own right. I would personally use a pc because 99.9% of every app runs on a pc. on mac osx, you can use *NIX commands to do stuff, but since you're not computer literate it really won't matter.</p>
<p>most people who use a mac are liberal. so no wonder a lot of college people use them. windows xp, imo, is soooo much better. people just like to hate the people on top. 90% of everyone can't be wrong.</p>
<p>amnesia, where are you finding these prices on the dell computer? I have looked at every company that sells dell and you cannot even get close to the price SCI offers. All the software and warranty they offer....</p>
<p>Windows! Everything seems to take longer on a Mac (and this is from experience in the new Holder cluster).</p>
<p>If you plan on doing any new gaming, any at all, do not get the Mac. They are useless for gaming.</p>
<p>amnesia, do you really assume I'm computer illiterate?</p>
<p>I plan on majoring in computer science, so computer literacy is bound to happen eventually.</p>
<p>and through SCI I can purchase a computer for free so I won't go somewhere else and purchase it for NOT free no matter how good the deal is.</p>
<p>Dell it is then.....</p>