The "New Toys" Thread

[janstett]

I have a bit of an issue with this. Saying Windows runs well on a mac means that it runs well with an Intel processor and Intel or Nvidia onboard graphics. This can be easily found in the PC market. The motherboard could make a bit of a difference, but I don't know who makes the ones used in Macs. It all comes down to drivers. If a hardware manufacturer can't be bothered to make decent drivers, it's their fault when no one wants to use their products, not Microsoft's.

It comes down to the fact Apple puts a little more money into quality hardware and design. I think Foxconn is the manufacturer and while they also manufacture for other companies I'm sure there is a list of quality grades for each component not to mention different levels of components as options.

The truth is there are only a small number of ODMs manufacturing computers for all the computer companies. Nobody makes their own motherboards heck nobody manufactures their own system (maybe Sony or Lenovo still do).

For example, in their mass-market models Dell is always trying to cut corners -- every Dell laptop I've ever had has incredible line noise through the headphone jack you can hear the hard disk generating RF noise.

 

[Polly]

/Yes Polly, I do maintain my thinking that you effed up by buying the old black one for looks (unless it was really that much cheaper than a used current gen white).

It's okay, I love it so much by now, I know that I'll upgrade to a next gen MB Pro in a year or two anyway.

 

[mgkdk]

LEGO Technic 8263: Snow Groomer

(but I'm gonna make this model from it)

Yeah what would you need a snow groomer for

 

[Thomas93]

Boot camp wouldn't play nice for me and 7. The keyboard wouldn't work when it says to install press any key
May not be a new toy but I spent ?20 orinting off photos :O

 

[the Interceptor]

It comes down to the fact Apple puts a little more money into quality hardware and design.

So that's why the 4 year old iMac I had at work (gave it to a workmate and got me a Windows PC) has the 2nd power supply and the 3rd mainboard by now. Also, I never had any PC hardware fail on me ever in my life (unless I mechanically destroyed or fried it through stupidity).

 

[nsx_23]

Well, I'm saying Macbook atm because it seems to fit all my needs pretty well.

I'm completely open to other options as long as they're available for sale in Hong Kong or Australia.

 

[NecroJoe]

So that's why the 4 year old iMac I had at work (gave it to a workmate and got me a Windows PC) has the 2nd power supply and the 3rd mainboard by now. Also, I never had any PC hardware fail on me ever in my life (unless I mechanically destroyed or fried it through stupidity).

between my friend and I, we're had quite a few computers over the last 5 years. I've had gto replace me mobo once, and he's had to replace it at least one in each of his 3 Macs.

You are not paying for up-graded construction. You are paying for design. Plain and simple.

 

[nsx_23]

Speaking of design, am I the only one that thinks the current crop of HP laptops are ugly as hell?

That "swirly" pattern they keep putting on their laptops looks really crap to me.

 

[darkshark0159]

Also, I never had any PC hardware fail on me ever in my life

I've had every PC except my very first (a circa 1993 model) fail on me due to shitty build quality. Of the four Macs we've had, not a single problem like that. Just like in the car industry, it's luck of the draw above anything else.

 

[Polly]

Not so much of a toy:

UMTS internet flatrate.

Sure, it's biblically slow, but consistent so far, downloads top out at 50kb/s, so regular surfing is okay and it does connect to slsk.

I do hope they upgrade their network to HSDPA quickly anyway.

 

[AiR]

I've had every PC except my very first (a circa 1993 model) fail on me due to shitty build quality. Of the four Macs we've had, not a single problem like that. Just like in the car industry, it's luck of the draw above anything else.

What do you mean by build quality? And a PC? Apple computers are PC's too, just they have fruit on them. Was it a Acer PC, IBM, Compaq, NEC, Alienware etc? Shoddy build quality on a computer is having a loose keyboard on a laptop, but they don't cause hardware failures. Incorrect thermal design cause failures, or leaking capacitators (phased out now) or chip defects. Those have nothing to do with the chinese person who made your computer

 

[NooDle]

maybe I am an exception to the rule, but I have had no computer really die on me yet...
I did have some HD's crap out, but the rest of the hardware (Mobo, RAM, etc) seems to last forever...

I have no experience with the "fruity" kind of computer though, but I hear only good things

 

[nsx_23]

Well, I'm tossing up between unibody and plastic body Macbook.

The previous Unibody ones have had a price drop at the mac store at uni, so they're pretty much the same price as the plastic body ones. My main concern would be Windos compatability as many of my engineering applications run on windows only.

 

[klankymen]

The aluminum macbooks have space for a 12.5mm hard drive, the plastic ones only for a 9.5mm hard drive. Also, if you get the higher model aluminum ones, you get backlit keyboard, and that is just so much win.

 

[Der Stig]

The aluminum macbooks have space for a 12.5mm hard drive, the plastic ones only for a 9.5mm hard drive. Also, if you get the higher model aluminum ones, you get backlit keyboard, and that is just so much win.

That alone is worth it. As silly as it seems, that's one feature that really stands out in my mind as really important- it irks me that Apple didn't put them on the MacBooks until now. I'd also suggest getting a 4 to 6-Port USB Hub if you plan to use it as a desktop replacement.

 

[killpanda]

The aluminum macbooks have space for a 12.5mm hard drive, the plastic ones only for a 9.5mm hard drive. Also, if you get the higher model aluminum ones, you get backlit keyboard, and that is just so much win.

Are you sure about the 12,5mm hard drive? Because if it's true I need one of those new 1TB 2,5" drive in mine. No wait, I don't really need my DVD drive anymore, make that 2TB of combined awesomeness!

 

[klankymen]

Are you sure about the 12,5mm hard drive? Because if it's true I need one of those new 1TB 2,5" drive in mine. No wait, I don't really need my DVD drive anymore, make that 2TB of combined awesomeness!

Yep, 100% sure. I'm pissed that the 1TB drives won't fit into my plastic-bomber.

 

[killpanda]

*go look up the price of a 1TB drive*


Hmm... 200? in France, 160? in Canada... I may be tempted in a month while I am in Vancouver ^^

 

[nsx_23]

I'm less concerned with backlit keypads than I am with Windows 7 compatability.

 

[killpanda]

Windows 7 runs great on my Unibody MacBook, and I didn't even tested the new Boot Camp 3.0 drivers from Snow Leopard yet.