is an apple macbook worth the extra

discodiva_2

my daughter (aged 10 ) has been on an apple workshop with school and wants the macbook for xmas I origionally had a budget of £500 to spend on a laptop for her but don't mind spending the extra if it's worth it she will be going to high school sept'10 and the schools she has chosen all use apple comp. will this last until she leaves school ?

david29dpo

May be biased but i would say worth the extra money, just make sure she dont get it nicked!

lfc321

Cue tedious debate (which hasn't changed in decades) over which OS is best...



If the schools are using Macs then it makes sense to go for a macbook if you can afford it. But Windows and Mac OS now play together much nicer than they used to, so it shouldn't be a big problem either way.

By the time she leaves school (presumably in about 6 years time) any computer you buy now is going to be pretty antiquated.

I can say that IN MY EXPERIENCE Apple computers are better-built (and last better) than most brands of PC. My dad still uses a Macintosh Classic which he bought when I went to high school in 1990, I still have a fully-working iMac from 1998 etc.

Having said that, laptops are never going to last like desktops: in 6 years of use it's bound to get knocked about a fair bit. Honestly, I wouldn't put money on any laptop you buy today still being around in 6 years time.

vyle

Macbooks are well built, and as Apple makes the only hardware, they can ensure that software will be compatible on their units, whereas a windows PC can have so many different hardware configs that compatibility can be a bit of a minefield.

That being said, I absolutely loathe, hate, despise, abhor, detest and spit upon the software.

Amusingly, when I went to an Apple training day, the macbook that I was using, and the one my colleague was using, kept crashing endlessly. I couldn't even edit a photo in the "SUPER EASY TO USE" I photo without having to reboot a few times first.

Bowling_4_Gold

If it's going to impact on your Daughter's education, then it really is worth the extra money. Apparently they are very well built, so no real issues with reliability there. My recommendation is check out what software the school uses, and see if it is available on PC (which more often than not is) and see if you could possibly save a bit of cash.

thescouselander

I think they are worth the extra. Its not just down to the OS though its about the quality of the hardware and the features it has. if your are going to compare like with like you should compare a mac book with a quality PC laptop like at Sony Viao or similar - no some cheapo laptop.

You might as well be asking "is a more expensive laptop worth the money".

Compatibility between Mac and PC is quite good these days so I don't think the Schools preference should sway your decision. You should look at the extra features the mac has vs the PC you were going to buy and decide if its worth paying the extra for.

savermonkey

Shes how old?!?

For now buy something thats half the price of a mac laptop
Save the money and buy her a shiny mac when she goes to university!

BTW I do own a apple computer, they are nice but I do feel I'm paying for that apple symbol.

Millionaire

vyle wrote: »

That being said, I absolutely loathe, hate, despise, abhor, detest and spit upon the software.

Funnily enough, the OS/Software is what I would say is the reason, most people purchase a Mac over a Windows PC.

Having converted to Mac 2-3years ago if I ever wonder if it was worth it, I just go and use a Windows PC for a while and come to the resounding conclusion that "Yes it was".

In regards to the school, I would give them a call and ask them that if you purchase a Apple Computer, will it be compatible with all the software that they use for you daughters education.

Sometimes depending on the school and what they use, certain software might only work on Windows based machines, although you could purchase and install Windows on a Mac as well, though it's extra cost.

cabbage

Hi

We were an apple free zone until my son worked as an apprentice for a photography shop and helped out with their graphic design.

He bought himself a apple desk top system and has had it a few years now without incident.

I bought my daughter one for her 13th birthday. She used to get loads of viruses and quite regularly we had to wipe clean the hardrive. Since getting the apple laptop she's not had one virus. She takes it on holiday, on long trips and its extremely robust.

It comes with lots of nice features and is so easy to set up. Just open the box, plug it in and your up and running.

The software takes a little bit of getting used to for us oldies but the kids have no problems.

When my desktop pc starts playing up, I'll be getting either an apple desktop or a laptop without fail.

Its a brilliant pc/laptop, very well made, without the need for expensive anti virus software.

Snakeeyes21

cabbage wrote: »

Just open the box, plug it in and your up and running.

what you mean just like every other laptop and desktop on the market?

Leopard

vyle wrote: »

That being said, I absolutely loathe, hate, despise, abhor, detest and spit upon the software.

I think that's going a bit far; but if you really feel that way, stop running Windows on it. :rolleyes: