Computers?

[Krowdon]

I'm gonna need a computer for college, but I don't know if I want a PC or a Mac? Or windows or Mac idk the difference really what kind of computers do you guys like?

[windhound]

I've run macs for a while now, transitioned most of my family to them and basically have no support issues to deal with.  The things just work.  I keep a Windows 7 partition on my mac to play games (sadly no mac port for Fallout 3/NV, Skyrim, etc), but I'll reboot to OS X if I want to do something productive.

What kind of computer you should get mostly depends on your budget.

If you can afford a $1299 laptop go for the Macbook Pro.  Another $100 or so for a retail copy of Windows 7 if you want it and you're good to go.  The Apple store will even install Windows for you (for free!) if you provide them with a valid retail copy, but its dead simple.  Click a few buttons and it just works, and you can choose OS X or Windows on startup.

I know someone who bought a MBP only to wipe it and install linux, Apple makes a good piece of hardware.  OS X is a very good os though, and it is gaining traction -- there's fewer problems with software compatibility then there used to be.

If you're going into an arts program you don't really have to worry about software compatibility and Macs, odds are really good a substantial portion of students are using them anyways.  Other university programs may have windows-only software that you'll need/want to have for class, but there's always the computer lab if you have to.

If a MBP (understandably) isn't in your budget check out the Lenovo Thinkpad line.  I think they're still trying to uphold the IBM-era quality of the Thinkpads, which was basically unrivaled.

I'd sorta discourage going for the cheapest of the cheap.  Friend of the family brought her fairly new, cheapie HP laptop by for me to look at.  I couldn't stand the screen, it was terrible.  Low resolution, horrible view angles, it had a really weird fuzzyness that when coupled with the gloss coating just made it bad.  I think they had to actually try to get an LCD to work that poorly.

But yeah.  Best thing to do is check out Newegg and Amazon reviews. 
That'll give you an idea about what holds up well and what doesn't.  Then go by BestBuy or other local computer store and just look around.  BestBuy even carries Apple computers now (at least my local store does) so you can directly compare.
Also, your school's bookstore likely has discounts available.  Most have heavy discounts on Microsoft software including Office.  That, and some states have a tax-free day, usually shortly before school starts, that includes computers.

[Shadow]

I will say that cheap isn't necessarily a bad thing if you are on a budget. I got 6 years out of a $500 Dell Vostro 1510 (still going strong dual booting XP and Ubuntu 10.10(?), both of which are now deprecated lol). If all you are doing is internet and your favorite version of word, an expensive Mac is definitely overkill and you can get away with spending $500 just fine. Just keep an eye on reviews and do your research first.

[Durza]

check around your college's website you might also be   able to get a decent laptop at a reduced price.  That's how i got mine :)

[windhound]

I will say that cheap isn't necessarily a bad thing if you are on a budget. I got 6 years out of a $500 Dell Vostro 1510 (still going strong dual booting XP and Ubuntu 10.10(?), both of which are now deprecated lol). If all you are doing is internet and your favorite version of word, an expensive Mac is definitely overkill and you can get away with spending $500 just fine. Just keep an eye on reviews and do your research first.

More referring to the $250 walmart special (yes, they're that cheap now)
The Lenovo Thinkpad series starts around $400ish, so for $500 you can do fine.
Pay attention to the screen, make sure its something you can live with.  Processor speed wise, we passed the point of usability years back.  Any modern processor will work fine unless you plan on hardcore gaming with it.  Try to get at least 8gb of ram, but otherwise /shrug.

Macs are expensive, but they actually retain their value.  The aluminum unibody of the MBP is really, really neat.  The build quality of most other laptops doesn't even come close.  But I mean, you do pay for that.  Not cheap.
Also they've started soldering on the ram on board for the retina display MBP.  Really dislike that.  Like, really really dislike that.  But is what it is.

[Briar]

I know Windy and probably Shadow are going to heavily disagree with me BUT from my experience Macs are for fun, PCs are for work.

I have to use a Mac at work, which means I have to use a VM to do any of my GIS or Access work, quite annoying.

I'm writing this post on my husband's 2008 Dell Inspiron. Still going strong and have had no problem until recently when the number pad is starting to be tweaky. (I had an HP for my undergraduate, and the fan went out and then the screen. They also have cooling fan issues, though they claim that is "fixed" now with some firmware they have put out recently.)

[windhound]

Yip, I do.
Photoshop in OS X is significantly better, imo.
Preview is better than Windows Picture Viewer and Finder better than Windows Explorer.
I also hate doing any code in Windows.  Never found any software that came close to the usability of what's available for OS X and Linux.  Which is weird.

They did make Office for Mac; alternatively Parallels / VMware Fusion would allow you to use the Windows version without rebooting or using a separate VM window.  Doesn't work all that great for games, but for low-intensity programs they're fine.
I did mention that certain programs are still Windows-specific, but that group is getting smaller as the years go by.  The fact that your GIS software requires Windows doesn't shock me in the slightest. 

But yeah.  /shrug
The a good portion of common-use software is now cross compatible -- fire up Firefox / Chrome and you won't notice what OS you're running.  Niche software is where you run into issues.

[Krowdon]

Thanks for all the replies guys. It's a lot of stuff haha

[Shadow]

I will agree that if you are going to be doing code on it (I'm guessing not,  but whatever), get anything except windows (<3 Ubuntu). As windy said, coding on windows is awful and there's not a whole lot you can do it improve the experience. But I think if that were my situation, I'd use Linux before Mac.

Semi-related note, I think this will be the last computer I use that uses windows. Unless windows 9 or whatever they are on in 5 years when it dies is something amazing, I'll probably switch to Linux after that.

[Holby]

I know Windy and probably Shadow are going to heavily disagree with me BUT from my experience Macs are for fun, PCs are for work.

This doesn't make any sense.

Krowdon, unless you want a computer for a specific purpose, it's not worth throwing heaps of money at. If a computer to you means word processing and web browsing, virtually anything will do.

[Krowdon]

I ended up getting a Macbook Pro.

[Shadow]

welp, that should run the crap out of firefox ^_^

[windhound]

ahhah.  trudat Shadow

Krowdon, given your initial post I'm not sure how familure you are with Macs..  the OS is just different. 
In some ways for the better, in other ways just weird.

For instance, Apple decided some time around the iPhone release that the standard vertical scroll direction everyone uses on touchpads is wrong and inverted it.  There's a switch on the Settings pane for the mouse/touchpad, iirc its' called "Natural scroll direction" or something.  Nuke that.  Otherwise you'll get used to it and won't be able to use another laptop.

I don't mind answering question if you got 'em

[Krowdon]

Yeah I actually had a mac book air at school this year, everyone got to borrow one. However, we never updated them so the OS is slightly different on my new one but I'm sure it wont be too hard to figure out. I'm using it now actually haha.

[windhound]

Yeah I actually had a mac book air at school this year, everyone got to borrow one.

Apple's investment in education payed off ^_^