<p>hey i was just wondering if you could help me decide on a computer for college. I will most likely be going into pre-med and was wondering if I should go with a macbook pro or a PC. I am leaning toward a Macbook pro. I have never owned a mac before but from researching some I think it will last me longer than a PC. I think it should last me 4 years or more. I was just hoping if you could help me with your thoughts/comments to help me decide.</p>
<p>THanks</p>
<p>It's not gonna last you any longer - if you haven't really used one before, then just get a high quality Windows laptop - I'd suggest the Lenovo Thinkpads.</p>
<p>Translation: i want a mac because it's shiny and apple can market the hell out of their products.</p>
<p>I was in the same situation. I'm going Mac and probably never going..back.</p>
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think it should last me 4 years or more.
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<p>My Dell Latitude D600 is 4 years old. I could probably keep it going for a few more years, but the warranty is up in a few weeks.
Translation: pc laptops can last you just fine.</p>
<p>Regardless, I'm switching over to a macbook next year since my school's art school is all macs.</p>
<p>Macbook Pro!!!! To me, Macs are a class above most PCs you get. Though expensive, OS X walks all over Vista and XP and their built so stylishly =)</p>
<p>After seeing what my cousin can do with Macs, I don't think I'll ever buy a PC again. (read below for why)</p>
<p>He recently bought a Mac Pro for $3000 and last night I got the opportunity to see what it can do. One of the things that I really love is VMWare. What it is is a Virtual Desktop app that allows you to run Windows AND OS X at the same time. For computers with more than one core (aka Macbook Pro and Mac Pro especially) you can choose what you'd like to dedicate to each operating system (CPU, RAM, HDD, etc.). Even better, you can enable it so that you can get the Windows Menu on the bottom (with your dock hidden or placed somewhere else) in your original Apple desktop. </p>
<p>When I go off to college in a little over a year, I'm hoping for a Macbook Pro =)</p>
<p>For all of you people not as techy as me, even though I'm sure most of you know more than me, I'd be more than happy to put what I said into simpler terms.</p>
<p>Personal preference. I prefer PCs. If you're prone to viruses or prefer Mac OS X over Windows, a Mac is an easy investment, the build quality is usually pretty good too.</p>
<p>PCs: Dell XPS, Dell Latitude (the warranties avail. for both are excellent, you can even get accidental damage), or the Lenovo ThinkPad series.
Macs: Great too, MacBook or MBP.
Decent: HPs, Toshibas
Avoid: Acer Ferrari (built cheaply IMO), Dell Inspirion Series, Gateway</p>
<p>^I say avoid Toshibas at all costs.</p>
<p>Actually it all depends on if you're a gamer and/or software-whore or not. If you love to game, you can't get a MAC because nobody barely crafts software for it. Most games tend to run slower on a MAC too because MACs can't handle (or don't come with) the same video card that a PC can, but even if it COULD, there's no games for you to buy for the damn thing anyway so what's the point...?</p>
<p>So a MAC is fine if you're using it for art, light transport, or basic web functions. But if you plan to install a bunch of third-world program onto it; think again.</p>
<p>Actually macs do have the same video cards.</p>
<p>macbooks all come with the x3100 which is an integrated card, one of if no the best one on the market. and macbook pros have the nvidia 8600GT DDR3 which is fiarly high end in a 15 inch system, only 2 or 3 systems that are 15 inches have a better card the alienware m51-x being one.</p>
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but even if it COULD, there's no games for you to buy for the damn thing anyway so what's the point...?
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<p>yea, that's why he wrote this</p>
<p>If you want to play games, just add an XP license and run in dual-boot mode.</p>
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Actually macs do have the same video cards.
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<p>How do they have the "same video cards"? On a non-Apple computer, you will almost always have a wider selection of hardware, meaning that you can get a higher end graphics card, if you so desire. There's definitely a difference in your graphics card options, if you care about it.</p>
<p>i just can't stand how ugly every single PC laptop is.</p>
<p>it's extremely depressing; that's why i'm getting a macbook pro for school and bringing along my desktop for gaming if I feel like it.</p>
<p>edit: that's not to say anything about the googly childish looking OS X or Vista, I'm just saying that all laptops other than macs are severely lacking in design innovation or posh.</p>
<p>Have you looked at Sony laptops lately? The one in my lap is looking pretty damn good right now.</p>
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How do they have the "same video cards"? On a non-Apple computer, you will almost always have a wider selection of hardware, meaning that you can get a higher end graphics card, if you so desire. There's definitely a difference in your graphics card options, if you care about it.
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<p>If you stay with a 15 inch laptop there is only 1 laptop that is out riht now that has a better video card then a Macbook Pro. That computer is the Alienware m51-x and it is even more ridiculously overpriced then macs are, not to mention the build quality isn't as good as the macs are. If you're going into the 17 inch laptops then yes you ca get better cards, but macs still use the same exact graphics cards that you can find in windows laptops, but there will be more choices in windows laptops of course since there is more then one manufacturer.</p>
<p>The question of “PC vs. Mac” comes up all the time on this forum. For most undergraduates, either system will work. That said, let me add a caveat: if you have a specific professional goal in mind, do your due diligence and find out what the system requirement is for your graduate school and profession. It doesn’t make much sense to use one system when another system is the de facto standard. For instance, journalism, communications and creative writing is a Mac universe. For business, economics, engineering and medicine, it’s pretty much a Windows environment.</p>
<p>After Googling around, US medical schools allow either Mac or PC systems. However, medical schools also make a point of saying that “Some resources, including online exams may not be Mac-compatible…” While it is true that the new Intel based Macs can boot up into Windows, any problems running specific Windows programs on your Mac is your problem. </p>
<p>See: OU</a> College of Medicine: Computer Requirements</p>
<p>“Windows or Mac? Some resources, including online exams, may not be Mac-compatible (it's a bit of a moving target, so it's hard to say). For this reason we recommend a Microsoft Windows system (preferably a laptop model).”</p>
<p>All US medical schools use The National Board of Medical Examiner on-line tests for medical students and practicing doctors. Their system recommendations are:</p>
<p>National Board of Medical Examiners
System requirements:
• Microsoft® Internet Explorer 5.01 or higher or Netscape® Navigator 7.0 or higher. (Internet Explorer is recommended.)
• PC with Windows® 98, 2000, ME, XP, or NT
• Color monitor capable of displaying 800 x 600 with 32-bit color. For best results, use a 17-inch or larger monitor with 800 x 600 resolution.
• Disable pop-up blockers
• Computer security must be set to accept cookies
Note: Although some examinees choose to take their self-assessments on a Mac, and the software may run acceptably, we do not offer support for the Mac platform at this time.
See: NBME®</a> : Services for Medical Students and Graduates : Self-Assessment Services</p>
<p>So do your homework. Lots of things can change during your undergraduate schooling. Medicine is cost driven which works against Apple and Macs. Hospital administrators will not pay a premium for “pretty”.</p>
<p>At the UMICH healthcare system in Ann Arbor, MI., it’s a Dell networked system. My mother had a cancer operation there a few years back and as I walked her through the system (from the reception area to testing labs and examination rooms, it was all a Dell/HP Windows environment. Your part of the country may be different. When you make your decision, make sure that it’s an informed decision.</p>