Two new comps: PC and PC or MAC and PC

daniyalrehan

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Aug 15, 2010
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Hey guys I'm a high-school student looking for two new computers. I need a desktop and laptop. My laptop will mostly be for on-the-go and be on my lap. I won't be playing games on it and mostly will be using it for work. As for my desktop I will be multitasking on it. I will be playing some of the latest games (battlefield Bad Company 2) and doing work on it too. Now I am confused on whether to get both PC's or a Mac and PC. This is what I had in mind.

Option 1:
Laptop: Macbook pro 13 inch ($1249)
Desktop: Custom made from cyberpowerpc... AMD phenom II x6, 4 gb of ram, and a 5770 video card or GTS 250. ($800)

Option 2:
Laptop: HP Pavillion 15 inch with AMD phenom II Quad core with HD 5650 1gb video card (999)
Desktop: Custom made from ibuypower... AMD phenom II x2, 4 gb of ram, and a 5770 video card or GTS 250. (800 dollars)

For my laptop I want one that comes with an IR sensor and a remote, also backlit keyboards are preferred.
For my desktop I just want one i can use smoothly for 3 years also I've been interested in liquid cooling which cyberpowerpc provides for free,

Please post your opinions and/or suggestions. Thank you.
 
Personally, If you don't really really want apple products, then don't go for one. Apple's products are sh*t expensive for the same specs, because you will be paying extra only for the word "MAC"

How about putting the link to those items? I am a little worried/curious about the $800 custom made PC.

 

Scott2010au

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Aug 8, 2010
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Look at something similar to the MacBook Pro 13" that runs Windows 7 x86.
You're not going to need more than 3GB of RAM in a student laptop.

Most of the tests people have performed here indicate that Windows 7 x86 boots about +45% faster than Windows 7 x64 on identical hardware.

Microsoft Office 2007, and I strongly suspect 2010, are not x64 executables yet anyway.


If you will be multitasking on your desktop then it makes sense to invest more into it.


The HP Pavillion 15 inch laptops are very nice, as are the Macbook Pro's, but you'll get far better value.

I'd actually look for a similar HP Pavillion laptop, if that is what has your eye, but lower specs, move to an Intel processor for it (say Core i3) and more mainstream graphics. (Radeon 5650 Mobile is not like the 5770 Desktop, it'll be about a third what you're hoping in performance I reckon, so you may as well spec it as a NON-GAMING SYSTEM. That is unless you're into RTS's and World of Warcraft, etc - in which case I can understand the Radeon 5650).

Much like the _800 series, and _700 series can be worlds apart, the _700 series (esp the _770's) are a world apart from the _600 series when it comes to video cards.

Add to that you are (probably) comparing desktop parts and expecting their mobile counterparts to offer 90% the performance. (They don't and it often ends up being a waste of money as they are very hard to upgrade later on, if at all).


If you do not require software that is (almost) exclusive to the Mac platform (ie: available under only Mac OS X 10.5.x or Mac OS X 10.6.x) then there is really no point looking at a Macbook Pro for school.



PS: The reason I mentioned x86 booting faster is because on a 2.5" (or even 1.8") laptop HDD you take all the 'performance' you can get.