Laptops MBP 2014 - should I buy one/any alternatives?

[red-devil]

Looks like Apple have refreshed (?) the MBP's with upgraded processor and extra RAM across all models (15"). The base model 13" MBP also has gotten a RAM upgrade but the storage is still stuck at 128GB.

My current 2 year old laptop is working fine but I'm getting that "khujli" to buy a mac now. My basic use is to browse the internet and watch movies/tv shows - which can be done from my current laptop as well, without any problems. I don't play games daily but occasional PES/FIFA.

I've heard/read that there are a lot of restrictions in the OS X environment but I guess I'm way past the "customizing the looks and feel or doing any nerdy stuff on my laptop" phase of life (took me about 8 months to change the default wallpaper on my Win7 after I did a clean install). All I want to do these days is come back home and open up my laptop and start watching a TV show. Sometimes I don't even browse a lot as I can get around doing that when I'm at work or commuting. So I guess OSX restrictions are not a concern for me.

As long as I can get content off a torrent/stream TV shows (flash?)/stream live games (acestream/sopcast/other usual culprits), I should be good.

TL;DR -
I *don't need* a new laptop/MBP but have an urge to get one - are there any any alternatives? Something that looks/is built like a mac but a little more cheap?

 

[avi]

lol flash works and there are no such restrictions that come to my mind. You can surely go ahead for MBP. I am using OS X since Leopard, so ask me anything

 

[red-devil]

Yay! @avi to the rescue!

I think you are using a hackintosh, right?

In any case, have you used Parallels or Bootcamp? How has your experience been with these apps? And I want to give hackintosh another shot - I used it eons ago when I had a triple boot of Win Vista/Ubuntu/OSX going... Can you PM me what the go to website for getting the OS and install instructions is these days?

 

[Switch]

I would say wait it out for the next refresh. They new Airs should come with Retina displays. No point in getting the MBPr as its bulky and battery life is lot less compared to a MBA. For your kind of usage a MBA is a decent bet.

 

[avi]

For your kind of usage a MBA is a decent bet.

Compared to MBP or Windows laptop? If former, can you explain why

 

[Switch]

This

My current 2 year old laptop is working fine but I'm getting that "khujli" to buy a mac now. My basic use is to browse the internet and watch movies/tv shows - which can be done from my current laptop as well, without any problems. I don't play games daily but occasional PES/FIFA.

and This

As long as I can get content off a torrent/stream TV shows (flash?)/stream live games (acestream/sopcast/other usual culprits), I should be good.

Can be easily done on a MBA instead of a MBP...

 

[avi]

Sorry, I don't get it. May be I am missing something. Even MBP also suits perfectly for his needs. It saves money but it's more bulky.

If you switched from Pro to Air, may be you can shed some light

 

[Switch]

No I haven't used a MBP but I have been using a MBA since almost a year now. And I have pretty much done everything which the OP desired and I personally don't think there is a need for the MBP for that.

MBA
Lighter
Amazing Battery Life
VFM (Base Model vs Base Model difference is about 20K, Higher if you go above)
Performs just about same for day to day tasks vs MBP

MBP
Amazing display
Has a better GFX chip IRIS(Compared to that of MBA HD5000)
Tad better specd then MBA WRT CPU/RAM

P.S. : If you chose to buy the last years MBA which though comes with Haswell but is clocked at 1.3 instead of 1.4Ghz then you get an additional 10K discount hence 30K difference then base MBP model.

 

[avi]

13" MBA weighs 1.35Kg and 13" MBP weighs 1.57Kg, thats about ~200g difference which is not much. I agree on battery back up though.

 

[red-devil]

I went over to a BestBuy yesterday and took a look at the Air and Pro. The Pro seemed heavy but the screen looked amazing. The Air felt really light but the screen was somehow worse than my current laptop. I wanted to compare those two one beside the other but the retards at BB wouldn't allow me to move the two around and it was almost closing time so I couldn't even get a proper look at both of them.

 

[red-devil]

And I agree that to browse around and watch movies, the Air might come in handy but let's say some day I get the urge to play a game or something (and I'm assuming I will need a Windows VM/something for it), can Air handle that?

Right now I'm not fully sure of investing in a Mac but if I do invest in one, I want to be able to use it for another 4 or 5 years. I know there won't be significant changes in the next 4 or 5 years when it comes to browsing and watching movies but will the hardware on the Air be able to handle the newer (and presumably) more resource hungry successors of OSX?

And as of this moment how good is the hardware support from Apple for older devices? Can the current OSX (whatever it is called) be run on a macbook which was purchased in 2008/09?

 

[avi]

^I have same thoughts with screen.

 

[avi]

And I agree that to browse around and watch movies, the Air might come in handy but let's say some day I get the urge to play a game or something (and I'm assuming I will need a Windows VM/something for it), can Air handle that?

Right now I'm not fully sure of investing in a Mac but if I do invest in one, I want to be able to use it for another 4 or 5 years. I know there won't be significant changes in the next 4 or 5 years when it comes to browsing and watching movies but will the hardware on the Air be able to handle the newer (and presumably) more resource hungry successors of OSX?

And as of this moment how good is the hardware support from Apple for older devices? Can the current OSX (whatever it is called) be run on a macbook which was purchased in 2008/09?

How Air is handy when you want to watch movies? Don't tell me you gonna watch movie keep it on your lap and Forget gaming if you want to use OS X.

And yes, Air will surely can handle future versions of OS X. I wouldn't worry about that. However MBP is more future proof as you get better CPU/config.

Current OS X is Mavericks, which was out last fall. It runs perfectly on 2009 Macbook. In fact people reported that it runs even faster cos of great improvements in memory management and other tweaks. 2007 MacBookPro(3,1) is the oldest to support Mavericks and guess what? It also runs fine! That is just amazing. I have read lots of user posts about running Mavericks on 2007/2008 Mac Books. That's like 6-7 years older machines. However Mavericks is lot snappier and had many improvements and that's the actual reason. Mountain Lion was also fine, however Lion wouldn't be that snappy on older machines.

The next version, Yosemite also should run fine. With Apple do not worry about in this aspect.

 

[red-devil]

How Air is handy when you want to watch movies? Don't tell me you gonna watch movie keep it on your lap and Forget gaming if you want to use OS X.

And yes, Air will surely can handle future versions of OS X. I wouldn't worry about that. However MBP is more future proof as you get better CPU/config.

Current OS X is Mavericks, which was out last fall. It runs perfectly on 2009 Macbook. In fact people reported that it runs even faster cos of great improvements in memory management and other tweaks. 2007 MacBookPro(3,1) is the oldest to support Mavericks and guess what? It also runs fine! That is just amazing. I have read lots of user posts about running Mavericks on 2007/2008 Mac Books. That's like 6-7 years older machines. However Mavericks is lot snappier and had many improvements and that's the actual reason. Mountain Lion was also fine, however Lion wouldn't be that snappy on older machines.

The next version, Yosemite also should run fine. With Apple do not worry about in this aspect.

That is how I watch movies

I generally have my laptop on my...erm...lap .. and sit on my bed and watch movies. If it gets boring, I keep it on my bed and watch it lying down .. at which point I might even fall asleep

Don't tell me that people actually sit on a computer table-chair things and watch movies

 

[Switch]

That is how I watch movies

I generally have my laptop on my...erm...lap .. and sit on my bed and watch movies. If it gets boring, I keep it on my bed and watch it lying down .. at which point I might even fall asleep

Don't tell me that people actually sit on a computer table-chair things and watch movies

No most people are actually sane and they use the TV-Couch combo

By lighter I meant less bulky. Though MBPr is pretty sleek as well but MBA is in a league of its own when it comes to size.

And Spec for Spec except for GFX chip there is hardly any difference in the baseline MBA vs MBPr

 

[destiny]

lol flash works and there are no such restrictions that come to my mind. You can surely go ahead for MBP. I am using OS X since Leopard, so ask me anything

Leopard or Snow Leopord lol So i can ask accordingly

 

[toxicdrift]

in the same boat, lol have a windows machine that runs fine and is great / ex air and a mbp user here. id suggest getting a pro instead. air is quite a delicate thing and u will haveto baby it.. dings r quite easy to get on the air rather then the pro. although both have come a long way now but i feel just a more tougher and future proof machine would def be the rmbp .. if only they would have switched the gpu to the 850m i would have picked one up right now - but i dont think i can wait another 9 months for another refresh lol or maybe i can hahaha

 

[hotshot05]

That is how I watch movies

I generally have my laptop on my...erm...lap .. and sit on my bed and watch movies. If it gets boring, I keep it on my bed and watch it lying down .. at which point I might even fall asleep

Don't tell me that people actually sit on a computer table-chair things and watch movies

Your future generation is getting fried/boiled. [emoji48]

 

[red-devil]

Your future generation is getting fried/boiled. [emoji48]

Haha...

But seriously, I don't have the patience to sit at a desk after all those hours at work.

 

[avi]

@destiny - OSX Leopard