new laptop -- i need recs

[devohoneybee]

My thinkpad is starting to make "I'm old and creaky" noises, so I'm thinking it may be time for a new one. Also, my service agreement runs out in September. Several people have suggested getting a Mac, for, among other reasons, Vista avoidance. Here's my questions

-- If you were buying a new laptop now, what would you get?

For the Mac users, how hard is it to switch between Macs and pcs (which I would continue to use at work)?

Thanks in advance!

Comments

Pretty easy to switch

[elflet.livejournal.com]

I've been using both Windows and Mac OS for years and my last 2 laptops have been Mac laptops. Frankly, the Apple machines have been better behaved than their Windows brethren and the Macs have taken far heaver daily usage. Price-wise, it's pretty much a wash.

Pros of using the Mac: it just works. Lots of people struggle with wireless on Windows, for example, but Apple's wireless support is perfectly straightforward. Windows CDs read just fine. MS Office X works with every document I've been handed. Printing is trouble-free. I don't have to get weekly virus updates. Installing and removing most software is trivial: drag it to the Applications folder or drag it to the trash. If you ever need service, you can walk into any Apple store or call phone support (who are quite helpful and responsive.) And so on...

Cons of using the Mac: Possibly having to replace software you were using with Mac equivalents or installing it on the mac under one of the Mac-Windows bridge packages (Parallels or CrossOver). If you want to bring over old files, you'll probably want to burn a CD (or use a USB drive) and carry the files to the Mac. Windows users sometimes have a hard time adjusting to a 1-button mouse (you can use any standard USB or Bluetooth mouse, though, with as many buttons as you like.) You may struggle with muscle memory at first, especially for closing windows and the like. The old laptop power connectors were incredibly fragile; the new magnetic ones are much better but still have some delicate parts. (I just had my power adaptor replaced under warranty. The pins were bent from the dog repeatedly running into the connector itself.)

Pros of using Windows: If you have many programs you depend on, you can run them as you did before. You get to keep using shortcuts you've learned. Migrating your files from one Windows machine to another its pretty simple. You have more vendors to choose from and you *might* have an easier time if you ever have to replace a hard disk or add memory. (Adding memory is easy on the Macs, but the hard drives are buried well inside the bodies. OTOH, I don't think you're one to do your own hardware upgrades.)

When it came time for my son to get a laptop for school, we went with a Mac. It's meant I don't have at least a day's worth of IT hassles every month compared to his old Windows machine. (He managed to get a spyware infestation on the old box that was a horror to get rid of. I also have a co-worker who wound up with spyware on his Windows machine and is still struggling to get it working 6 months later.)

Re: Pretty easy to switch

[devohoneybee.livejournal.com]

good to know about the switching -- and thanks for the detailed info!