Is a MacBook laptop worth it?

[xiaonu]

Hello bell tree ^^
I wanted everyone's opinion on MacBook laptops. I'm interested in buying it for school and casual web browsing like forums or tumblr.

However for the price, the specs don't really meet to today's standards of most windows laptops.
I've never experienced MacBook OS before either. All I know is a meme about the spinning beach ball of death?

I don't like windows 8, so I thought it'd be time to try something new since my current laptop (windows 7) is easily overheated and a bit heavier to carry. (But it's a gorgeous pink color by default)
I know MacBook probably isn't ideal for gaming but my previous laptop is, so I'm not interested in a MacBook for gaming. Also the MacBook lacks a cd rom insert (I think just the air series right?)
But I wanted to know, for college students do you find yourself using the cd rom reader often? Does it need boot camp for Microsoft word? Any pros and cons I should know about? Do things like winrar work, how different is it from windows ? Any problems you've experienced ?

Thanks

 

[Locket]

The MacBooks get hot too.

You won't:
Be able to insert an SD card in it
Be able to do other stuff that I can't name (GIMP or any downloaded app from the internet are hard to work with)

That's all I have. I used a MacBook for a year, sooo...

 

[Midoriya]

It depends. PC computers and laptops are generally easier to use and have a way wider range of options, but apple laptops do have their perks. It depends on what you want to use it for and how long you'll be using it for that specific purpose. It's all about sustainability as well.

 

[N e s s]

You can't use Mac for many games if that's what your looking for. I think macs are OK for things like school projects, but they get hot easily. I've also are macs are pretty crappy, and you might be better off with a Dell laptop.

 

[kayleee]

Honestly I have a MacBook and a really enjoy it, but all I do is use it for the Internet and Microsoft office programs, so it works perfectly for me in that regard. Winrar works on it and mine is a bit older so it does have the CD rom but I never use it. Overall it's perfect for school, it's pretty lightweight and sleek. The interface is also very clean which is something I appreciate about Apple products. Overall I would recommend it, there's not any obvious cons that come to mind

 

[MozzarellaSticks]

What gets me the most is the price. For half he cost of a MacBook I can buy an even better laptop. It's just not worth it. At least iPhones are about the same cost as new Androids. MacBooks are just way overpriced. They don't even offer more than a Window's laptop, but they charge hundreds more. Plus, Windows has way more options. You basically get the same thing in MacBook. But different Windows laptops have different features, and you can find one that suits you better. I like Mac, but it's just too expensive for me. I can't afford spending that much and not getting what I need.

You can find good laptops on eBay. There are a lot of wholesalers, so you can buy new. You can get yourself a good laptop for 600 USD. It's honestly a lot better for your money. You can even shop around and find one with gaming, blue ray player, lots of USB ports, etc.

 

[Midoriya]

What gets me the most is the price. For half he cost of a MacBook I can buy an even better laptop. It's just not worth it. At least iPhones are about the same cost as new Androids. MacBooks are just way overpriced. They don't even offer more than a Window's laptop, but they charge hundreds more. Plus, Windows has way more options. You basically get the same thing in MacBook. But different Windows laptops have different features, and you can find one that suits you better. I like Mac, but it's just too expensive for me. I can't afford spending that much and not getting what I need.

You can find good laptops on eBay. There are a lot of wholesalers, so you can buy new. You can get yourself a goodlaptop for 600 USD. It's honestly a lot better for your money. You can even shop around and find one with gaming, blue ray player, lots of USB ports, etc.

This too. Macbooks are just way too overpriced for most people's tastes and have been that way for as long as I can remember :/

 

[tybalt_cake]

Well,a macbook would be good for school project,but it can get very hot and if u add alot of hours,eventually will die,but,they are pretty lightweight,maybe if there are some few apps,its probable it wont overheat
Anyways,i think u should buy,since its cons are rlly small and few,some buy!

 

[crystalmilktea]

The MacBooks get hot too.

You won't:
Be able to insert an SD card in it
Be able to do other stuff that I can't name (GIMP or any downloaded app from the internet are hard to work with)

That's all I have. I used a MacBook for a year, sooo...

I've had a Macbook Pro for 4 years - only repaired it once because I spilled a drink on it LOL ;; (buy a keyboard cover)
- You CAN insert SD card, USB, CD, Firewire, Internet cable into it...
- Downloaded apps from the internet work fine as long as the software is compatible with Mac
- Don't need Bootcamp to have Microsoft Office - just buy the Office pack and install it through the CD
- Winrar works, just download it
- It's true not every game supports Mac, BUT most of the biggest games do - e.g. League of Legends, Guild Wars (idk I just thought I'd throw that in there). I play games regularly on my Mac with no problem (I'm not a super avid gamer though, just very casual)
- Does get hot if you have a billion things running
- Battery life depends on what you're doing at the time - watching videos = dies faster, taking notes only = lasts longer

Honestly it depends on if you really need it. I have a Macbook Pro, as well as 80-90% of everyone in my graduating class because we're in a program that heavily uses editing (picture, image, sound editing) programs. Mac is great for editing, and also my laptop is now compatible with all the computers used in my school if I ever want to work on a project both at school and at home.

 

[xiaonu]

Is overheating a common issue with let's say, 9-12 hours of use daily? Not heavy use but browsing and typing.
The main problem with all my windows laptops is they eventually overheat over the years to the point it's unusable because it'll crash or burn my lap. I'm tired of having to buy a laptop every 2-4 years so if a Mac will last longer than that, id probably be sold since it's just for casual use.

 

[crystalmilktea]

Is overheating a common issue with let's say, 9-12 hours of use daily? Not heavy use but browsing and typing.
The main problem with all my windows laptops is they eventually overheat over the years to the point it's unusable because it'll crash or burn my lap. I'm tired of having to buy a laptop every 2-4 years so if a Mac will last longer than that, id probably be sold since it's just for casual use.

It always depends on what you're doing at the time, instead of the length. I keep my Mac on pretty much all day and I have no overheating problems unless I've been playing a game for a while and have other applications running at the same time

Just for browsing and typing I don't think you'll have any problems unless you have 100 tabs open. I've probably only had my Mac crash once or twice because of ^ above reaasons

 

[Nicole.]

Is there any particular MacBook that you plan on buying?

 

[g u m m i]

I think I have the air and it actually supports GIMP, Minecraft, and forum browsing.
Only problem i've had so far is a little slower loading but I don't know if it's my wifi or what..sometimes it glitches but my Dad likes Apple more than Microsoft, so I have no idea which is better.

 

[crystalmilktea]

I think I have the air and it actually supports GIMP, Minecraft, and forum browsing.
Only problem i've had so far is a little slower loading but I don't know if it's my wifi or what..sometimes it glitches but my Dad likes Apple more than Microsoft, so I have no idea which is better.

Is it slow loading the Internet when you're browsing?

 

[xiaonu]

Is there any particular MacBook that you plan on buying?

I was thinking of getting the newest MacBook Air 13 inch since its lightweight ^^
Not sure if a pro is what I need for casual use.

 

[xiaonu]

Is there any particular MacBook that you plan on buying?

I was thinking of getting the newest MacBook Air 13 inch since its lightweight ^^
Not sure if a pro is what I need for casual use.

 

[crystalmilktea]

I was thinking of getting the newest MacBook Air 13 inch since its lightweight ^^
Not sure if a pro is what I need for casual use.

Air is much more casual, since it has more limits than a Macbook Pro (mainly it has less storage so you can't hold as many files on it) You can google laptop comparisons and do some research on what laptop is best for you! I extremely recommend it, you shouldn't be buying a laptop just off of what you think it's like

 

[ShinyYoshi]

I was thinking of getting the newest MacBook Air 13 inch since its lightweight ^^
Not sure if a pro is what I need for casual use.

I got the Pro 2 years ago for college and it's probably not the best laptop for what you want to do, even though it can run all of those things and mine has a CD insert and everything. It is a really expensive laptop, but I honestly think you get a little more quality out of it. Every Windows laptop my family has had ends up extremely slow, it won't stay on without having to be plugged in the whole time, and they end up with tons of viruses and it usually needs tons of repairs. My sister and I ended up getting MacBooks and we haven't had any of those sorts of problems since we got them. That's all just my personal experience.

You'll probably benefit from getting a different laptop, but I really do like the Pro that I have, but I don't play games on it and I pretty much just use it for college stuff.

 

[Alienfish]

This too. Macbooks are just way too overpriced for most people's tastes and have been that way for as long as I can remember :/

Yeah, unless you are into design business or such it's not worth it. If you want to game for the sake of not overheating I'd recommend a better laptop with Windows.

 

[Nicole.]

I was thinking of getting the newest MacBook Air 13 inch since its lightweight ^^
Not sure if a pro is what I need for casual use.

I'd say a MacBook Air is a lot more suitable for casual use. Plus, it's cheaper than the Pro.