Will the video card handle HD editing? and what is the largest hard drive available.

I would love to have a Laptop but with this prices I would never have enought money to buy one

I was at a Microcenter the other day looking at new LCD monitors, and I decided to play with one of their display macs. I clicked the equivalent of the middle button (I guess) on the desktop, and a bunch of mini programs came up? Are those the fabled widgets you mac guys are always talking about? Cause I found those kinda nifty.

On a different topic, I just wish Apple would make a Mac that is a tower, but isn't based on a Xeon or Dual Xeon setup. That's a little much for me. iMacs are cool, but I'd like to be able to crack it open and fiddle around, without fear of breaking the whole damn thing.

"Apple's most recent quarter saw the company sell 1.61 million Macs, the most for any three-month period in the products 22-year history. Of that, portables accounted for 1 million of those computers shipped."

Did anyone notice that Apple started selling more computers around the same time that Windows XP started dual booting on Macs? And come to think of it didn't the iPod see a huge increase in sales after the Windows Version was announced? Mmm... that's weird!!! :-) LOL

So maybe Apple fans should thank M$ and Windows users for saving Apple. Just a thought!!! ;-) LMAO

The funny thing is that you are the one that sees this as Apple versus MS. And MS saving Apple? That never was the case and it certainly is not the case now. But you might wonder why MS has always been the largest Mac developer. What do they know that you obviously do not?

But the Mac supporting more OS environments than other brand PCs is a strategic advantage for Apple. And right now there are more than a few PC manufacturers having just a bit of trouble in the commodity market. So offering a superior product with more functionality than other PC manufacturers is a smart development.

But the Mac supporting more OS environments...
I thought it was OS X supporting less hardware platforms, but you say "tomaeto" I say tomawto".

lol... I was thinking the *exact* same thing. Smart on Apple's part though... Can't accuse them of being stupid.

"But the Mac supporting more OS environments than other brand PCs is a strategic advantage for Apple."

Dude, what the hell are you smoking? Since when did Apple ever support any other OS environment??? If it did it should have at lease 50% of the market and not -4%. Like GS5 said, it's only since they let Windows users connect a iPods to their system that they realized they could have made more money if they supported the 95% of the worlds OS.

And in a strange twisted GS5 way LOL, M$ did help Apple's computer sales.

Hhmm..I beg to differ.. lol

It's ok, we know why you do. :P

Man, you sound like my wife. And btw she just bought a brand new shinny iMac yesterday. And this morning it crashed:-O LOL. I was lucky enough to be right there when it happened. Just thought I'd share that with everyone. LMAO

True but a user of a Mac has the option of using both Mac OS and MS Windows when they need to. It really cuts both ways.

He's not disputing that, nor is anyone else. He's just explaining the *reason* for it.

macs are just windows wannabee machines anyway. Like it or not, mac fans and ie., MS windows haters, that's the way it's going to be

the gradual transition from all MAC starts with the hardware, and in a few years there'll be a windows version with an apple logo...then the logo will go too :D

"There's no question Macs are more expensive."

Let's see...I just went to Dell's and Apple's sites.

The Dell M90 configured identically (except for the video card) and a Dell Inspiron XPS M1710 to the MacBook Pro:

Date 10/24/2006 1:16:17 PM CentralStandardTime
Dell Precision M90:
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T7600 2.33GHz
Operating Systems: Windows® XP Professional, SP2 with Media
LCD Panel Options: 17 inch Wide Screen WXGA+
Memory: 2 GB, DDR2-667 SDRAM, 2 DIMM
File System: NTFS File System
Hard Drives: 160GB Hard Drive (5400RPM)
Module Bay Devices: 8XDVD+/-RW w/Sonic Digital Media™/CyberLink PowerDVD™
Wireless LAN (802.11): Intel® 3945 802.11a/g Dual-band Mini-Card
Internal Keyboard: Internal English Keyboard
Resource CD: No Resource CD
Graphics: NVIDIA® Quadro FX 1500M, 256MB (dedicated)
Hardware Support Services: 3 Year Business Standard Plan
Installation Services: No Onsite System Setup
Dell Precision M90: $4,063

Inspiron XPS M1710
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T7600 (2.33GHz)
Operating System (Office software not included):
Genuine Windows® XP Professional
Memory:2GB DDR2 SDRAM at 667MHZ, 2 DIMM
Hard Drive:160GB 5400 RPM SATA Hard Drive
DVD+RW Drive:8X CD/DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW) with double-layer DVD+R write capability
Network Card and Modem:
Integrated 10/100/1000 Network Card and Modem
Primary Battery:FREE 80 WHr 9-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
Wireless Networking Cards:
Intel PRO/Wireless 3945 Internal Wireless
LCD Panel:17 inch UltraSharp™ Wide Screen UXGA Display with TrueLife™ 17UXGSB
Video Card:256MB NVIDIA® GeForce™ Go 7900 GS NV256
Sound Options:Integrated Audio
Limited Warranty, Services and Support Options:
3 Yr Ltd Warranty, 3 Yr Mail-in Service, and 3 Yr HW
Total: $3269

The 17" MacBook Pro with OSX
2.33GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
2GB 667 DDR2 SDRAM - 2x1GB
160GB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm
SuperDrive 8x (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Built-in 54 Mbps AirPort Extreme (802.11g)
Built-in Bluetooth 2.0+EDR (Enhanced Data Rate)
Ethernet 10/100/1000 BASE-T (Gigabit)
MacBook Pro 17-inch Glossy Widescreen Display
Backlit Keyboard/Mac OS - U.S. English
Accessory Kit, and no additional options totals: $2799.
And adding in the 3yr Applecare support
Total: $3148

So $3148 > $3269 ?
Seems pretty reasonable to me.

You are not seriously comparing an x1600 to a Quadro, are you?

for up to $1300 difference you can

I just priced out an m90. Same specs except without the $280 on-site support plan you chose (instead going with the basic "free" 3 year support plan), it still came to less than $3400. Which, while still more than the equivalent Mac, is nowhere near the $4000+ you suggested.

(Also, there is about a $500 price difference between the non-mobile versions of those graphics cards.)

Base price for the M90 with a 1.66GHz Core Duo is $2853.

With a 2.33GHz Core Duo you must add $810! Bringing the base cfg price to $3663.
No other changes.

You are right with regards to the Quadro video card. But you do pay a hefty premium for the mobile version.

The Dell support was the 3 yr standard plan included at no cost.
I added the Apple support plan for the HW warranty only...for comparison sake.

I am not trying to debate Dell versus Apple, I am simply responding to the claims and the assumption that the Mac is significantly more expensive made by two people.

The point is, the assumption that the Apple machines are not competitive is an old cliche.

So buy the one you want that offers the features you need. Just compare and let the old cliches die. Plus with the Mac, you have a nice Windows machine if that is what you need.

I agree that Apple has finally become competitively priced, but I really can't figure out where you are getting the M90 starting out at $2853. The base price is $2239, and Dell has a limited time instant savings of $425 right now. Which brings the current base price down to $1,814...over $1000 less than you are saying.

Nice comparison.
I like the comparison with and without the Quadro option. Macs are now (surprisingly) competatively priced. :)

That may be, but thats NOT what Dell's website configurator is saying. All I did was to cut and paste the data from the two websites.

http://configure.us.dell...mp;oc=MLB1311&s=biz

They must charge small businesses less (maybe you were getting the almost $300 support included).
Here's the start of the m90 configurator through the "Small Business" choice.
http://configure.us.dell...amp;oc=m90min&s=bsd

Then to add things up there is this tiny detail called screen resolution, on the xps, no one should expect that a 17" (1680x1050) costs as much as a 17" (1920x1200) LCD screen right?

The Apple is only 1680x1050?

yep, or at least that what it says on the web page, they don't lie do they....

Not quite, and never to make themselves look worse.

Agreed. I was surprised too. I don't think it's by mistake either. Again, Apple is playing it smart.

While I really like Apple products the price difference between a Mac Book Pro and an almost identically specced (CPU, RAM, HDD, Screen, Graphic Card) the Dell is just over £500 cheaper! Thats 1/3 of the price of the laptop. Now I would be happy to pay £100-200 for the Apple design and OS X but £500 is way too much for me :(

There's no question Macs are more expensive. However, your comment about paying an extra 100-200 quid for the design and OS X misses putting a value on your own time.
Consider how much time (and therefore money) you will spend managing a Windows environment with all its grief - how much is that worth to you?

If you don't want to go the Linux route (which has different issues depending on one's skill level), then it won't take you to long to spend that £500 (and much more) through your own time with Windows.

You mean like Bang & Olufsen products which are vastly more expensive (and exclusive) than rival products?

I'd much rather have a MacBook Pro and support the underdog than go with the masses and buy a Dell. The reason the Dell is cheaper is due to economy of scale....because, like you, everyone buys from them.

Buck the trend.

Consider how much time (and therefore money) you will spend managing a Windows environment with all its grief - how much is that worth to you?
That amount of time varies from user to user. I spend almost no time managing my Windows environment, and have no windows related problems. (I've got a SATA drive with a loose connector, but that is not Windows' fault.)

I used to service B&O products, and people that buy them a fools.

Their TV's and most of their audio range use standard Philips chasis and components, in nothing more than a fancy case...

Perhaps in the UK (same applies in Aus, btw). In the US, Apple is competitively priced with most PC manufacturers, even the 'bargain-bin' Dells. If I had the choice, it'd be Mac all the way - there's no way I would own a Dell. I've seen too many of them in my shop (and they're only here if something is wrong with them).

Of course it does - what I said was a rule of thumb. For example, those who just use a Windows box to just open Thunderbird and read their mail will have much less of a problem than those who do it with Outlook.
But my sense and experience is that once one starts using Windows heavily, one can expect a significant amount of time to be used up "fixing" it.

I do use windows heavily. As a software developer, I spend more time running windows than sleeping...and I use outlook express, I have old hotmail accounts that I can still check through it. However, I try to keep beta and/or generally crappy software off of my machine. I used to have problems with the Win9x's, but when I stopped installing a bunch of crap things seemed to stabilize.

Its no wonder Apple is selling a record number of macs...

Just ordered my dual boot MacBookPro Core 2 Duo a few minutes ago...It will go nicely with my dual boot MacPro Quad 3GHz...

...and i've just ordered a pizza.

Congrats...you've exceeded our expectations ;-)

lol... now *that* was funny.