<p>So the new MacBook Pros are out, it's time for me to think about what to get for college.</p>
<p>I will be doing EE, how powerful of a computer do I need? And is there any particular software required that might run better on Windows and not Mac or not running at all for one of the system?</p>
<p>The thought of a 512GB solid state drive makes me salivate. Unfortunately I don’t have $4k I can drop on a computer.</p>
<p>Get the most powerful laptop you can afford. There’s nothing worse than having an underpowered computer when you need to run graphics programs.</p>
<p>I don’t really want to waste money to get more than what I needed. There’s only 2 varients of graphic chips (for the 15in MBPs at least), 256mb and 512mb. I have no idea what kind of programs I need to run and I don’t think can game on a Mac.</p>
<p>Thats a common mistake, you can game on a mac! It’s called dual booting. Just because you buy an iMac doesnt mean you are forced to go with OSX.</p>
<p>You could also run Boot Camp or VMWare. Not sure how many programs Boot Camp supports, or if there’s a VMWare for Mac, but it’s worth looking. Either way, there IS gaming on a Mac, even if you have to dual-boot.</p>
<p>They 15in with the 512MB GFX chip is probably the best deal on there.</p>
<p>^^That’s true, but if you want to play games you’ll want the best specs you can get. If you get an iMac, you’re basically paying $1000 more than what you would for the equivalent PC desktop. The MBP’s don’t really come with great graphics cards, though they’re probably good enough for most games.</p>
<p>Yes, if your priority is gaming, I wouldn’t go for a MBP. You hit it on the head, their new 330M is good enough for most intensive games, but I’d refer any serious gamer to a desktop or more gaming-suited laptop before a MBP.</p>
<p>However, they’re rated to last 3 to 4 years (and they do), and are amazingly built machines next to PCs in many ways (not all). Let’s see, if I spent about $500 on a decent netbook, which I did, it’d only last me about a year. Seriously, this one is already falling apart and I’ve barely had it 8 months. So I think the cost will eventually pay for itself if you’re used to going through laptops fairly quickly like myself.</p>
<p>If you’re doing EE, I’d check with the school first. Some schools have software that they insist (aka, do it or we’ll flunk you) you use. Make sure your school doesn’t have one of these policies or, if they do, that it’s compatible with Mac OS X before you use them.</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies. Though I have no plan to game on a laptop, I am interested to dual boot. I don’t understand how dual boot works on Mac based system. Is it possible to have all the resources dedicated to Windows bypassing Mac OS completely (non-bootcamp) and run as well as a PC only laptop with the same spec? Also, what are some Windows based alternatives I can look at? I am looking for good design(size, weight, battery etc.), mid size (13"-15") laptop with graphic at least good enough to run HD movies. MacBooks do seem expensive for what they have to offer, especially when I can get a quadcore for under 1k.</p>
<p>Yes, it is possible. When you dual-boot, the two systems are completely separate from each other. The only thing they share is whatever boot process your system uses, which can be a variety of things. </p>
<p>AFAIK, Macs are as good as they are because the operating system is designed to work with the hardware. You’re probably going to lose performance if you switch operating systems. Not a lot, though. Maybe not even a noticeable amount.</p>
<p>EE is not about rendering lots of graphics, and even for the graphics courses, the rendering you do at the undergrad level will run on a CPU.</p>
<p>So, don’t plunk down cash for the videocard unless you plan to be gaming. But, I don’t get people who get the worst of both worlds by gaming on a 15" screen. If you want to do that, spend $500 on a decent gaming desktop (that will pwn any laptop) and get a nice 22" screen with a real keyboard and mouse.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, you will be running lots of SPICE simulations, possibly compiling programs, etc. I’d personally say that you should stick with a PC as a Mac just isn’t worth the price IMO. There’s flexibility in the sense that you can install Linux once you feel comfortable about it, which will make it functionally much more similar to a Mac than Windows.</p>
<p>A few errors here. A Mac booted into Windows is a very good PC, not a bad PC. Look at PC Magazine, etc. Also, when you boot into Windows or Linux or whatever, while the systems are separate, you do have certain file sharing abilities, etc. that improve compatibility and ease of work (so you don’t have to maintain separate file systems, etc.).</p>
<p>You likely don’t need a 15" but if you can afford and want it, fine.</p>
<p>256 mb is basically the minimum for a dedicated gfx
512 mb is optimal.</p>
<p>I think the 256 is way to small for what you pay for. Most PC’s with gfx cards have 512 mb as standard.</p>
<p>Yet the 256 mb can do most things. In a Mac you also pay for the build quality and long battery life. You probably want it to last about 4 yrs.</p>
<p>You don’t judge a graphics card by it’s VRAM capacity…</p>
<p>I’m on the fence. If you have the money, a MBP is a very nice laptop.</p>
<p>On the other hand, with a $2000 budget, I can get a laptop with virtually the same specifications, battery life, graphics card, extended warranty for half the price and with the other $1000 I can get a gaming desktop for home, and a road bike to ride to school.</p>
<p>So in the end, sure, you get what you pay for. </p>
<p>But I’m getting a laptop, a powerful desktop and a road bike.</p>
<p>You’re just getting a laptop.</p>
<p>@Essenar - I’ve been looking for a laptop with comparable battery life to the MacBook Pro. What do you suggest?</p>
<p>Soad, MacBook’s battery life is not as grand as the specs. Look for reviews, it last just around slightly longer than most Windows based laptops of similar size.</p>
<p>I still don’t understand why apple decides to add dedicated graphic processor in all of their pro lines. From what I know, the only everyman software that uses it now is flash.</p>
<p>PC alternatives I have found so far are U30jc, Thinkpad X201. They are ~13", more powerful, cheaper than 13" MBP.</p>
<p>What would you suggest if I’m looking for a 15" laptop with a Core i7, discrete graphics, and decent battery life?</p>
<p>@sodaquake:</p>
<p>The Acer Timeline series has an actual battery life of 8 hours (advertised as 10) and the Asus UL30/80/50 series has an actual battery life of 10 hours (advertised as 12).</p>
<p>Two of my friends own the Timeline and have told me their actual battery lives, and my girlfriend and I own an Asus UL30 each and average 10 hours on a battery.</p>
<p>Where would I be able to buy one of these?</p>
<p>Also, I just read that the Timeline series doesn’t go up to Core i7, or even i5 for that matter.</p>