Things I should know before buying a MacBook Pro?

Question

Currently looking into buying my first MacBook, and I am looking at waht I believe to be last years MacBook Pro, but I am wondering what essential things should I know before buying one? And what things should I buy to go with it? Or anything I should be aware of?

Answer 1

Doelago wrote:
For the budget it was more like, dont jump from 1200€ to 2400€.
And I am done with Windows Laptops. They said that the one I am currently running would be good and last me for years, but that was BS. As a rather technologically challenged person I want a machine that will work and not attract viruses in droves.
Mac's are not exactly cheap, and to do 3D gaming your going to need the 15" MacBook Pro or better, prefeably the top end model with powerful graphics to last the longest with paid OS X upgrades one has to perform annually.
You wanted to be aware of buying a Mac, I can tell you this. Even though a Windows PC tends to get malware, it all depends upon the user and their actions online, sharing files and email services choices. I have Windows using friends and it's all about what sites they visit online, if they share files or get email on the machine or via a reliable web email service like Gmail, Hushmail etc that watches for malware/spam.
The best thing about Windows 7 is if you make the System Restore boot disks/images regularly, date them and make your file backups, you can recover your own system if it gets malware. Security Essentials anti-malware is free. Microsoft supports Windows with security and stability updates for apx 10 years on average, all you need to do is find a reputable PC hardware vendor with good products.
Laptops don't last nearly as long as desktops, this goes for expensive Mac's as well as PC's.
Apple's 13" Macbook Pro and under series are nothing more than your standard Windows 7 Office store PC in a fancy case, their performance and OS upgrade options tend to slow down faster than the 15" MacBook Pro series and up.
Also Apple releases a new OS X version every year, if you don't upgrade and thus have to upgrade all your third party software, your DENIED security and stability updates rather fast. The new OS X versions tend to slow down older machines to force you to consider a hardware upgrade before the machine has lived it's full hardware lifespand.
So with Apple your paying more for your annual computing costs than with Windows PC, and with a expensive MacBook Pro laptop, one drop or theft/lost away and your out a very expensive investment.
Over the last 10 years, I have spent nearly $10,000 on Apple hardware for $1000 a year, my Windows XP using friend has spent $1000 total over that same last 10 years for a Windows XP desktop that is still going actually (installed a new video card for him last week)
If you want a machine that will really last, get a Windows 7 tower with upgradable options, like 4GB of RAM expandable to 16GB, a decent power supply and video card upgrade options. With Mac's you can't upgrade the video card and the MacPro you can't find newer faster cards. So your 3D gaming on a Mac is going to get cut off a lot sooner as newer, more hardware demanding 3D games are released.
Sure Windows is a pain, however as a lifelong Mac user I can honestly say Windows 7 is pretty decent operating system compared to Vista and XP, it's not quite as nice as OS X, nor as reliable, however if one takes the proper precautions while on the Internet, makes System Restore Disks/Images (included in Windows 7 now) then one can restore their own system themselves quite easily, a Mac requires a rare/occassional reinstall too depending upon the user abuse, it's not immune to that, also there ARE Mac based malware, just not as much.
All one has to do is find a quality PC vendor for their hardware,  I hear Dell is making cheap crap now, however they do have a nice system in place for hardware upgrade options.
Another issue with Mac's, is that 99% of the buisness world uses Windows PC's, Mac's comprise of only 6% now of the total computing market compared to over 90% Windows PC's, your going to need to keep your skills up there and on a Mac, you will have to BUY Windows and install it on your Mac, a extra cost plus the Windows software you need to keep your skills up on. I made that mistake only using Mac operating systems all these years, I am suffering for that  now.
So if your rich college student, then get a powerful Mac laptop that can run Windows in Bootcamp and a virtual machine program.
If your a poor college student, then forget the Mac and get a cheap $400 Windows PC laptop and a Playstation 3, both disposable and cheaply replaceable.
There is nothing special about a Mac anymore other than a "status symbol", if you buy a decent PC latop with a good screen, good graphics it will do the job you need and not tend to get stolen like Mac's do, or in some cases a unknown jealous PC user will spill a drink on your Mac or try to walk off with it like has occured with my 17" MacBook Pro.
Times are tough and if you want a flashy quality PC laptop, get a Sony or something, least it runs Windows for the next 10 years or until the hardware drops.
Apple is all about providing the most expensive computer for the rich consumer market, not the most practical anymore.
Laptops always last longer than open desktop towers and Apple doesn't really care about the lower cost market, rather see you have something than be always paying a lot more with Apple products you can't afford.