I am in the market for a new computer and given that I am a Mac head – I took a little trip to the Apple Store today. And I was looking around and playing around on the computers – I was weighing the decision of which Mactop I want to get. I have four choices, the MacBook Pro, the MacBook Air, the MacBook and buying a used PowerBook off of eBay. Given how quickly these are traded on eBay, along with my other needs, and the fraud rate on eBay, I found that a new computer would be the best option for me. And since I would be buying this to help with my University coursework, I am planning on getting it with my College Opportunity Fund cheque from the Auraria Campus Bookstore. I am also planning on getting some pretty choice software, not just for coursework or for blogging, but for personal entertainment (read: Neverwinter Nights 2).
I decided on a new computer because I really don’t trust eBay for anything other than inexpensive clothing, and the fact that I want to play Neverwinter Nights 2 again and the 12″ PowerBook G4 would never meet the minimum requirements for the application, being a PowerPC computer. That, and when I am the only owner of a new computer owned by Apple, I am the only one to blame for it’s issues unless there is a manufacturer’s issue or a recall. My old Mac was bought by London Drugs, and to be honest, when I opened up the box, the case was smudged and the computer looked like it had already been pretty well used. Still, I ignored all of these facts and took it home anyway. I liked the computer, in the one and a half years that I had it, it served me well. But I kept dropping it and it eventually broke after the years of repeated abuse to the computer (hey, at least I admit it). So, I went to the Apple Store and did a little research on all the different models and here are the results from what I have found about all three of these computers.
MacBook Pro – Does it make sense to upgrade from an old, decrepit, broken MacBook Pro to another brand new and shiny MacBook Pro? Well, yes and no for several reasons. The yes, for the fact that the Macbook Pro is a very good computer, the fact that the only reason MY MacBook Pro wasn’t so good as one that I would have bought directly from Apple was because of the fact that I bought it from a drug store like Walgreens in Canada (this was called London Drugs). But the no reason kinda weighs my decision for the fact that I am a student, I will be buying this with the College Opportunity Fund cheque that I will get from the state of Colorado. I would definitely buy this computer because it has all the bells and whistles I want, but most of the bells and whistles that I need are in the other models so I am going to have to back off from this one. I am a student now and like any student, I have to cede to the fact that I will have to pay for a new computer and the quality won’t exactly be what I’ve always dreamed of or what I had prior to actually breaking my old computer. Every one of the other computers, even this one, does what I need it to and that is fine for the time being. One day, I will pay for the uber-computer with all the bells and whistles. Sadly, that day is not today.
MacBook Air – Yeah, the MacBook Air is a couple of hundred dollars less expensive than the MacBook Pro but I would definitely not purchase this for several reasons. The first of which is that I am a student and I still need an inexpensive computer, which is a tall order when shopping at the Apple Store. But I did find this balance with the model that is about to follow next and that’s why I chose it. Another issue with the Macbook Air is that everything is packed into the laptop so tightly and it is not very well protected. Therefore, this makes the MacBook Air very susceptible to gravity, which is a horrible thing for me – a woman who has a serious problem with dropping computers. Also, the MacBook Air has the most inferior processor of the entire Apple series and leaves a lot to be desired in the hard drive department. And it’s still out of my price range. So, I am going to have to say au revoir to the Apple MacBook Air, as it just does not fit my needs, my budget nor my lifestyle.
MacBook – The MacBook was the winning choice and I will explain why I decided to go with this computer here and now. The first deciding factor was price and the MacBook is fairly cheap at $999, with an upgrade on the RAM, it would be about $1100 which would be within my budget. It has a good enough processor to install Neverwinter Nights 2 and with the ram upgrade, it would meet the RECOMMENDED specifications, which is always a good thing. Plus, it would actually be more portable than my MacBook Pro was, which also makes it somewhat of an upgrade. I mean, it is true that I am not getting a DVD burner with my computer and the hard drive space is the same but do I really need a DVD burner? As long as it is adequate to run everything I need it to run, what possible problems could I have with this computer, until I start dropping it? Probably none.
So, as for which computer to purchase, the choice for me is very easy. Come January 2009 when my College Opportunity Fund cheque comes in, I will be purchasing a brand new MacBook solely because I need a computer to help keep me sane. . . . . . .
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