I’ll be entering the College of Engineering Class of 2019, so I’m looking to buy a new laptop. Currently, I am between either the Dell XPS 13 (QuadHD touchscreen version) and the early 2015 Macbook Pro (i5 processor, 256 SSD). While the College of Engineering website says that both OS X and Windows are fine, I’ve heard that OS X is limited in its engineering software capabilities, so I want to get your guys’ opinions.
I’ve used Windows all my life, so the XPS 13 seems appealing to me, but I’ve tried out the new Macbook and I think it looks and feels great. I’m currently undecided about my major, but I’ll definitely want a laptop that can handle CAD, video editing, homework, and some light mainstream gaming. In your opinion, which is the best option to go for? Which laptop, Apple or Windows, has a heavier presence on campus? For current engineering students, what’s your opinion on Macbooks?
If you aren’t computer savvy enough to keep virii off of your PC, go with a Mac. Otherwise go with a PC; much more bang for your buck, plus more software options. Mac’s are ridiculously expensive. I’ve been working in the IT field for over 15 years, and I have nothing against Mac’s. They’re intuitive and easy to use, but if you compare a PC with a Mac that has the same hardware, the PC is probably around 40-50% cheaper. If you do go with PC, I’ll give you a tip. Don’t buy the end-user/consumer models. Buy the business class machines instead. They are more expensive, but have higher quality components, and usually a much better motherboard. People always talk about CPU clockspeed, RAM amount etc…, but the motherboard is THE most important part of the chain; it links everything together. The XPS is a good line. Dell Latitude line is good. HP Probook or Elitebook. No Dell Inspiron or HP Pavilions. You want something solid, that will last you 4 years. One more thing. Whatever you end up getting, get a SSD; the speed difference is HUGE. Good luck.
It is true that Macs can be more expensive than PCs if you compare the Mac to a cheap PC. But if you compare to something like a Dell Latitude then the prices are much more in line. For example, compare the Latitude 12 7000 (a $1299 laptop) to the low end Macbook Pro 13 inch (also $1299), and you’ll see the Mac has better specs all the way through - but it is 3/4 lb heavier.
What this means is that you should feel free to chose the computer that you’d like based on operating system more than specs for price. Do you like using Windows or Linux? Then go with a PC. Do you like using OS X? Then go with a Mac. Macs are also able to dual boot, or use something like Parallels to run Windows while also running OS X.
If you are considering a Mac, I personally think that the Macbook Pro line would be the best choice. The Macbook (not Air, not Pro) has only one port - so to hook anything to it you’ll need a dongle. It looks really inconvenient. The Macbook Pro has the sweet retina display, which can be scaled up or down, depending on what you are working on - giving you more screen space when you need it, or less if you want it. It also comes with a faster processor than the Air, and is only a half-pound heavier.
It is true most engineering software only run on PC, but most of us with Macs are able to run them on a virtual machine anyways, and if not there are the more inconvenient computers in labs. I personally have a Mac because it is easy to use and looks slick, but if you are into CAD, gaming etc you best get a PC because parallel running would become much of a hassle.
Thanks for all of the input! I ended up going with the Dell XPS 13 with i5 processor, 8 GB RAM, and 256 GB SSD, mostly because of my preference for Windows. Hope this decision pays off!
@BB1886 let us know what you think about it
If there is software that isn’t compatible with Mac OS, you can easily set up a Windows partition on a Mac computer, so that way it can essentially use all software.
It’s a little advanced stuff for the user, but honestly not that difficult.