It also has a sensible selection of ports, so none of the dongle nonsense alluded to earlier. I can see Mac’s benefit of thunderbolt only in years to come

Yeah – most places I go the projectors in meeting rooms are still VGA.

Do you actually know anything about how Adobe software works on a Mac? It certainly doesn’t sound like it.

So how does Adobe software work then?

To all intents and purposes Molls, it’s effectively witchcraft

Are the tablet versions cut-down?

They must be. The screen isn’t as tall

I use Parallels VM and have Windows 10 on a desktop on my MBP. It swipes between operating systems with the same ease as swiping between apps.

Colleague at work has this, it’s mightily impressive. But it does beg the question, why would you need to if MacOS is so great? I can count the number of Windows users who felt the need to dual-boot / parallel install MacOS on the fingers of one foot.

I use VMware to run Linux desktops, and it’s not perfect. Reduces battery life by 30-40% at a guess.

Are you using version 1:4:6 or 1:4:6:1? Turn the verumpher extensions off if it’s the latter, then defribulate the widgets and it’ll cut that by 3% at least Molls

It’s funny how one stops caring about RAM/Drive Size/Pentel this/that whatever when one makes the switch to Apple products. You tend to know whatever you buy will be more than adequate for all but high-end professional applications. This is the great thing about Apple, they give you more time to just do what you want to do by removing layers of technical rubbish that 90% of us really don’t need to be interested in.

http://www.coconut-flavour.com/coconutbattery/

Great little battery health app for Mac Books and iPhones / iPads too. Some of the info you can find anyway but puts it all in one place.

This is the great thing about Apple, they give you more time to just do what you want to do by removing layers of technical rubbish that 90% of us really don’t need to be interested in.

the current laptops are behind on processor, RAM and disc size, they rely on you not understanding this to sell you last years tech at next years prices. Same as the phones… for most people who want to browse the internet and all that they sell you something that is 4-5x too powerful for an over inflated price.

This is the great thing about Apple, they give you more time to just do what you want to do by removing layers of technical rubbish that 90% of us really don’t need to be interested in.

And the bad thing about Apple is that they charge you way over the odds whilst forcing you to do everything in their terms.

There are bad pcs as well as good ones. That’s always been the problem. Doesn’t mean Windows itself is bad, mind.

This is the great thing about Apple, they give you more time to just do what you want to do by removing layers of technical rubbish that 90% of us really don’t need to be interested in.

This means you buy something hugely over-speced for writing emails and surfing the internet. Which you pay for.

the current laptops are behind on processor, RAM and disc size, they rely on you not understanding this to sell you last years tech at next years prices.

Intel hasn’t released the processors the Apple need to use in the ‘current gen’. There’s also no low power RAM modules available for the architecture required. So, in reality it’s this years tech, at this years prices. If you can find a laptop that looks as good as a macbook pro, with the same battery life, weight and portability for a lot less, then I’m very surprised.

Cougar » VMWare Parallels… it’s mightily impressive. But it does beg the question, why would you need to if MacOS is so great?

Well, in my case it’s because some of the software I want to use either works better using Windows or isn’t available for Mac, for example some dashcam software that doesn’t allow adjustments on Mac OS, or maybe NCS Expert and various other car computer tools, though I believe that was originally written in UNIX and needs a virtual machine to run on Windows which comes as part of the software.

But yeah, some folk don’t write stuff for Mac OS and I want to use some of that stuff. It’s not that Mac OS is so great (or isn’t, as you would have it), it’s just that there’s a smaller market so some folk just can’t be bothered to develop two bits of software, I guess. In reality I have no idea why… but VM on a Mac gives you (the best of) both worlds if you really need it.

If you can find a laptop that looks as good as a macbook pro, with the same battery life, weight and portability for a lot less, then I’m very surprised.

Dell XPS, MS Surface Pro etc. better spec and lower priced to name a few.

andykirk – Member

It’s funny how one stops caring about RAM/Drive Size/Pentel this/that whatever when one makes the switch to Apple products. You tend to know whatever you buy will be more than adequate for all but high-end professional applications

Given the amount of posts about Apple stuff along the lines of ‘buy X model, then stick another 8 gig of ram in it & an blah blah SSD & it’ll run fine’, I don’t think that statement is entirely accurate.

And the bad thing about Apple is that they charge you way over the odds whilst forcing you to do everything in their terms.

Am I the only one who thinks that is a great thing? I am quite happy for Apple to review programmes/ apps etc if it means my computer will continue to run flawlessly and beautifully. And I am quite happy to pay a bit more for what I know is a quality item. Quality always sells – another reason why Macs do so well. I have never felt ‘forced’ by Apple to do anything.

I am sure this thread has been of great assistance to the OP. Ha Ha. All I can say is try a Mac, there is a reason people like them as much as they do. If you don’t like it, you will find a lot of people very willing to take it off your hands!

serial Dell XPS purchaser here – has a new 13 for 2 months, and it is the absolute dogs danglers. The main thing for me, other than the obvious i7, 1TB SSD (yes, I did…), etc, is the borderless screen a few people mentioned – meaning that the new 13″ machine is the same size as the previous XPS 11 I had.

Touchscreen – total winner – I use it more and more all the time. Can’t really get why Apple have stayed away from it for so long on their laptops.

Windows 10 – sorry, but it’s awesome.

Dell service – incredible – they send people to you! You don’t need to take anything to some patronising ‘genius’…. granted, the on site service is only for a limited time, unless you purchase more, but still – good news if you ask me.

By the way – I’m an ex Apple snob, and a current Adobe CS user. Maybe it’s like ex-smokers – always the most vehement anti-smokers. dunno… ;o)

Am I the only one who thinks that is a great thing?

Clearly not, or no-one would buy them.

The reason Apple have a reputation for reliability (and historically why PCs did not) is because Apple control everything. They have fixed hardware platforms to write software for and third parties have to jump through hoops, whereas the in PC world there’s an eye-watering amount of hardware and software and an immense number of third parties who all have to write software that gets along with everyone else’s.

It’s the same with iPhone vs Android. Apple’s greatest strength is it’s greatest weakness; not that one is better than the other, it’s just a different approach. If you want free reign to do what you want with hardware that interoperates with any other hardware, get a PC / Android; if you want to be “looked after” and are happy to invest solely in one vendor then get a Mac / iPhone, with the caveat that to do what you actually need to do you might wind up having to install Windows as a second OS on it anyway.

Am I the only one who thinks that is a great thing?

It’s a valid option – the two companies have taken two fundamentally different business models and progressed them both well, on the whole. And this is great, because we have a genuine choice.

I’m happy to recommend Apple to people who ask me on this basis. But this whole ‘blabla Windows is crap’ thing is just ridiculous. It’s clearly not. You may have had a bad laptop (binners) but that’s likely the manufacturer’s fault, not Microsoft.

In all seriousness binners I’d be interested to know what laptop your Mrs bought and what was wrong with it. My folks have a cheap (HP) W10 laptop and I’ve not heard of a single issue with it, so I don’t think these problems are universal.

Colleague at work has this, it’s mightily impressive. But it does beg the question, why would you need to if MacOS is so great?

Why does it beg that question? Get out of the competitive, binary mindset and look sideways for a moment. I need Windows because I have to use AutoCAD and Inventor. AutoCAD for Mac is not very well designed and there is no Inventor for Mac. I suppose you, trollgrips and the frothing Windows fanboy mikewsmith would like to see this as a hilarious flaw with Apple; I just see it as a problem with a solution. Hey! Maybe it’s even a shortcoming of Autodesk – why haven’t they written proper software for Mac?!?! < who’d have thunk that’d get past the swear filter?! Oh, I also use it for Excel, which is excellent.

Hey I’m not anti-MacOS, I’m anti fanboy.

Ok, so I am personally a bit anti Mac, to be fair, but I realise that’s just my preference and try not to let it influence the debate 🙂

Hey I’m not anti-MacOS, I’m anti fanboy.

Bollocks.

EDIT it only took five minutes to realise that for yourself. Have yourself a biscuit…

Hey I’m not anti-MacOS, I’m anti fanboy.

Are you just anti ifanboy or fanboys of any particular camera brand? 😛

Hehe 🙂

To be fair, I don’t go round saying other cameras are the worst thing ever and anyone who buys one is a mug….

We are just pointing out our preferred product is in our opinion functionally better, more reliable and overall has a lower cost of ownership. Mike asked why anyone wouod want 7/8 yr old hardware well my Mini runs pretty much the latest software all upgraded to for free and works just as I need it.

To be fair…

Just because you apply that prefix to virtually every statement/defense of your bias, it doesn’t actually make it fair.

The question was about buying second hand 8 year old hardware not wanting it still around. My 6 year old windows laptop is still running fine with win 10 on it but I know it’s resale value is low because of the tech leaps and price drops over the years.

Just because you apply that prefix to virtually every statement/defense of your bias, it doesn’t actually make it fair.

Explain this bias then?

I’ve said I personally don’t like Macs. But every time this comes up, I say that the two systems are equal and one should choose on personal preference in the absence of any external factors. I have defended Windows against those who rant about its inferiority, because I don’t believe either is inferior.

At least I think I have – perhaps someone will trawl through previous posts to check up on this, but I’m not going to. It’s my position.

I suppose you… would like to see this as a hilarious flaw with Apple; I just see it as a problem with a solution.

It’s not a flaw with Apple per sé, though I grant you, it is kind of funny.

The Mac fanboys (and I’m not directing this at anyone here, I’m generalising) buy Apple computers whose two primary selling points are shiny hardware and MacOS, hit the Internet with “lol Windoze, buy a Mac” comments every time anyone posts a computer-related question, and then actually have to install Windows alongside it because it won’t run half of the applications they need. Man, that must burn.

Man, that must burn

Why?

As I wrote, you have both at your disposal. How is that a “burn”…?

Edit : I’m guessing…

it won’t run half of the applications they need

…is just hyperbole, yes?

That’s a valid use-case I’d say, and an advantage of Mac because you cannot legally do it the other way round, afaik..?

We are just pointing out our preferred product is in our opinion functionally better

I think every computer owner would make that claim, no? “I need a new computer, I think I’ll try and find what I think is functionally the worst” said no-one ever.

more reliable and overall has a lower cost of ownership. Mike asked why anyone wouod want 7/8 yr old hardware well my Mini runs pretty much the latest software all upgraded to for free and works just as I need it.

My 8 year old Dell laptop runs the latest software (no “pretty much” about it) and works just as I need it, and cost £750. How much was your Mac? [EDIT: it’s had an SSD and a RAM upgrade over the years, so add another £100 for TCO.]

As I wrote, you have both at your disposal. How is that a “burn”…?

It must burn if someone’s a Windows-hating fanboy, spends shedloads on a Mac for MacOS and then winds up having to install Windows anyway. Like I said, I wasn’t directing it at you or any other non-rabid Apple owners.

I love these threads. People get very excited about computers. I get the feeling Mac vs PC can become a bit rich v poor sometimes… a bit Labour v Conservative… a bit Rangers v Celtic.

If you are buying a computer to do a specific task (i.e AutoCAD) I would certainly buy the platform that best suits the application. VMWare always felt a bit like a ‘dirty’ programme on my Mac. I was glad the day I decided to remove it, it made me feel a bit superior and closer to God. I use a crappy old PC to run AutoCAD now and use the Mac for everything else.

Like I said, I wasn’t directing it at you or any other non-rabid Apple owners.

And I didn’t take it personally. Just curious as to your reasoning, is all.

VMWare always felt a bit like a ‘dirty’ programme on my Mac. I was glad the day I decided to remove it, it made me feel a bit superior and closer to God.

Aside from a genuine lol, it makes a world of difference if you run it with VMWare Tools. Not that I tried it without for about a week before I realised, of course. I’m not that dense.

So I presume you did…? Because it was really shit without it but seamless integration once installed. Fusion 8 btw.

Teasel – AutoCAD to me just felt weird on a Mac, and to be honest I can’t remember now what type of VMWare I used. I am so used to using it on a PC that I just couldn’t be bothered with it on the Mac. When you use a programme a lot you become very sensitive to even the slightest changes in operation.