MacBook for Graduation

Question

I am going to graduate high school this week, and after I receive all my gifts and stuff which is going to be cash. I am going to purchase a laptop for college. I want to get a Mac as I have been interested in them for a couple of years now, but have not had the money to get one. I was wondering if anyone could give me some Pros and Cons on the MacBook.
I am not looking to run any games on it, just DVD's, Music, Internet, and some programs that aren't CPU hogs. I do play WoW occasionally, and if the MacBook can not handle it, I always have my Desktop PC just in case, although I would rather not take it to school with me. So if you could help me out and decide to get the MacBook or not, I would appreciate it. Also what is the chance that I will get one of these defective laptops and end up not being happy with my purchase. Or should I even worry at all?

Answer 1

I use both Macs and Windows-based PCs in my work, and I like them both. Rather than list pros and cons, which really differ depending on the person, I think more in terms of choosing the right tool for the job at hand. For me, I choose the Macs most often when working with video, music, and photos simply because it’s easier to do on the Mac---and they come preinstalled with the iLife programs, which are exceptional programs and more than sufficient for most people. Add an office suite of some kind and your good to go. For business related tasks, I use both, but I’m faster on the PCs simply because I learned on them and know the shortcuts.
My Windows-based PCs tend to need more care. In other words, you can get similar programs for music, video, and photos, but the preinstalled software is very basic, so you end up looking for and buying better ones. Again, add an office suite, and you’re all set.
I use Microsoft Office, PC and Mac versions, in my work. And, everything works very well together given the different versions of the software, different operating systems, and different languages. Problems, if they arise, tend to be from different versions of MS Office, older as opposed to newer. But, those problems can be overcome by ensuring that the preferences for compatibility are set correctly, not whether someone has a Mac version or a PC version. That in fact has never been a problem in my work.
For you, there might be a problem in that if your university allows tests to be taken by computer, they may only have the software in a PC version. But, I would think it rare for that to occur with undergraduate courses. Graduate courses and specialized fields, like engineering, might be a different story.
In terms of the operating systems, I think the learning curve is probably about the same for Mac OS X and Windows. OS X wins on sheer elegance, though. For the overall experience, I’d say the Mac wins because of its software integration, ease-of-use, and portability. I find when traveling on business, I grab one of my Macs because it is easy to carry and use.
As to problems, well, most of the people posting about problems do so because that’s the purpose of the forum. It isn’t a good sample of the overall experience with the computer, and that’s true of any company and any computer. The probability of you buying a defective computer is pretty small, and if you do, I suspect that Apple will fix it. I’ve never had to use their support service but they are consistently rated very high, and friends who have had problems, have had them repaired promptly and with minimal hassle. These are thin, complex electronic machines, so you’re going to hear the fans come on and the hard drive rev up. They get hot because of the core duo, size and thickness, and because the case serves to dissipate heat, but I work with them on my lap all the time, and the heat is noticeable, but it’s not uncomfortable---and all my laptops generate heat and noise (Sony, Dell, and Mac)---the Macs no more so than the others. I’m sure some generate excessive heat and noise, and if that’s the case, take it back and get a refund or get it fixed.
If my daughter were old enough to start university, I’d send her with a MacBook.