<p>So now that I'm going to college it's time to get my 1st laptop, and since i'm not a tech wiz I wanted to hear someone's feedback on whether I should by a macbook from the Harvard tech services, or just go to Best Buy or something and get a PC. I know I'm leaving you in the dark so these are some of the things I'm looking for: </p>
<p>Big Screen 15"-17"
Lot of Memory Space (Hard Drive)
Great or Good OS
DVD/CD Burner and Player
Around $1000 (Give or take a few 100)
Slick Design (I know this is subjective)
Maybe a webcam, but it's not a deal breaker I can definitely live without it.
I mean I'm pretty much only going to use the thing for homework,watching movies, and itunes. I'm not a gamer or anything.</p>
<p>I’m just going to tell you that if you want a 15"-17" laptop, it’s going to cost ~$2000+ for a Mac. I think it’s well worth the month (I just received my 17" MacBook Pro a couple of weeks ago, and it’s phenomenal), but if you can only afford to spend $1000, I’d suggest buying a good PC at Best Buy. If you are willing to shell out an extra $1000, you can get one of the 15" MacBook Pro models, which are excellent.</p>
<p>I agree with Peytoncline. If your budget is ~1000 or lower, getting a good PC is probably the best choice. If you’re willing to pay more, then a Mac (arguably) would be a good choice, given your criteria (non-gamer, likes slick design, good OS).</p>
<p>I’d say the Mac’s inherent qualities tip the scales, but the discount’s a good reason too! Here’s something to think about though. D1 got a 15" MacBook when she started at Harvard, and soon stopped taking it to class because she found it too heavy to carry around. She got a new 13" MacBook this spring - the new models offer the aluminum case with the backlit keyboard - very snazzy - and she’s really enjoying the additional portability. Bear in mind that D1 only weighs about 110, so the extra weight of the larger machine was significant to her.</p>
<p>If you don’t know what Ubuntu is, it’s a horrible idea to get a linux laptop. Beyond that, I won’t feed the ■■■■■.</p>
<p>I think the cheapest MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2.26ghz) for $1099 is an incredible deal. And I believe you get a free printer + iPod touch (after rebate), which really sweetens things.</p>
<p>Just wanted to throw in that if you do get a PC, don’t waste money getting it from Best Buy. Just buy from hp.com, dell.com, or whatever…you can customize what you want and it comes out cheaper than with the middle-man included. HP also ships for free on a lot of laptops.</p>
<p>I’ll throw in that it’s great to have the webcam (though I suppose you can add a portable one later.) If you decide to go abroad, Skype is wonderful for communicating with your family back in the States.</p>