(Disclaimers: I am not an IT professional so I cannot judge the Macbook's performance based on any technical standards such as benchmark CPU tests, etc. Also, I got the machine, AppleCare and full software suite at a student discount from my university's laptop program, which I take for granted.)
My first college laptop was a Dell Latitude D610. It was a fantastic machine for its price, doing everything I needed it to do. But recently I heard that PC laptops are only expected to last around 4 years before giving out, so I decided to take advantage of my school's discount program and buy a new laptop before I graduated. A tech supervisor I talked to sold me on the superior quality and durability of the Macbook, and when I saw the new line of Aluminum Macbooks on the Apple site I decided after a lot of research and thought to go for it. It arrived December 1 and I've been using it ever since.
All I can say is that switching from PC to Mac has been a revelation. The new Macbook is the most impressive laptop I have ever seen. It is supremely easy to use, with a much more attractive, centralized software handling experience than Windows. Below I give a brief summary of how my computing experience has changed for the better since making the switch to Mac.
-Portability: my Dell laptop was portable, but it was also bulky, heavy, and seemed fragile when I carried it in one hand. The new Macbook is slim, light and incredibly sturdy. For the first time I feel comfortable with taking my laptop everywhere, from taking notes in class to working on a paper at the library or dining hall. I bought a Kensington Contour Cargo Notebook Messenger to carry it in and it has enough space for everything I need to carry during my school day, including my laptop. I now have the complete portable college computing experience.
-Speed: I didn't take my Dell laptop out of my room very often because it was very slow to 'wake up' from sleep mode. The new Macbook both sleeps and wakes on the drop of a dime, making it a true notebook, i.e. a machine that you can jot something down on whenever you feel the need. That combined with its portability makes it the perfect mobile computing platform.
-Operating System: the Mac OS X Version 10.5.4 Leopardis a much, more more attractive, efficient operating system than Windows. The user interface is more intuitive, more customizable and more centralized. Even though I've used Windows all my life (I can remember all the way back to Windows 3.1, 95, 98, 2000 and XP) I already much prefer the Dock to the Start icon, the Finder to Windows Explorer and the automatic appearance of peripherals on the Desktop instead of the bubble 'New Hardware Found' option in Windows. Everything about the Mac OS X just works better. And now that the Mac is becoming increasingly compatible with Windows suites such as Office and Adobe, there's no excuse to hold on to Windows.
-Trackpad: I don't own an iPhone or iPod touch, so I only just discovered the magic of multi-finger gestures with the new Macbook's trackpad, and I am hooked. I just love the two-finger scroll option, and the four-finger Eclipse function is something from the future. I use it all the time when working on a paper and I need to quickly look up an article or dictionary online, while at the same time checking my email or playing albums on Youtube or iTunes. I don't use a conventional mouse anymore, except for playing RPGs. Trust me. The new trackpad is just that awesome.
-Screen: my Dell had a matte screen with good resolution for what it had to do. But the new Macbook glossy screen is absolutely gorgeous for watching movies or any other multi-media function. The picture is brighter, sharper and clearer. Users perhaps have a point that the viewing angle is small, but the only problem I've had when watching movies or using other applications is when I put my face down on the desk as I'm working, and I doubt many people use a laptop from that position. The picture is sharp and clear even from 'over-the-shoulder' angles from quite far away. Where the screen really shines, though, is with HD video. I watched remastered Star Trek episodes on CBS and it was a dream, along with HD trailers from the Apple website. If you're thinking of getting a Macbook, don't listen to people who say that the screen is terrible. It's not terrible. It might not satisfy the ultra-purists but for ordinary users the difference in quality is probably not noticeable. What IS noticeable is the difference in quality between a PC matte screen and the new Apple LED-backlit glossy screen that adjusts for ambient light. A final word about reflectiveness: the glossy screen is quite reflective, it's true. But the screen is bright enough to overshadow the reflections in all circumstances I've used it in, including outdoors in bright sunlight. Also, for me at least the reflections are like gestalt psychology: I can focus on the screen or on the reflections but not both at the same time.
-Keyboard: this will vary with people's preference, but I just love Apple's chicklet keyboard. I'm a fast typer and the easy depression and the crisp 'click' sound the keys make somehow just feels right. I feel more productive when I'm using a chicklet, don't ask me why. For me at least the advertisements were right: it is a better typing experience than the standard PC keyboard.
-Peripherals: I don't use any Firewire devices so the lack of a Firewire port has never been a problem for me. I never use more than two USB devices at a time anyway so the Macbook's two USB ports is just right for me. The only problem I have with the new Macbook as far as peripherals are concerned (and one of the only problems I have with the new Macbook period) is the lack of any way to connect with a standard AV/Composite input TV. The only media output peripheral is the new MiniDisplay port which with the right adapter can link with DVI, HDMI or digital VGA but not S-video. There's NO way to get around this, believe me I've tried. No combination of adapters will do the trick. This is kind of a bummer because I've become accustomed to watching Netflix Instant Viewing titles on an old Acer 27" TV I bought for 50 bucks. Those days are gone. But I'm selling the TV when I graduate in the spring, and by the time I get a new one it will probably an HDTV like Samsung LNS3251D 32-Inch LCD HDTV, so it won't matter anyway.
-Software: I can pretty much guarantee you that for any kind of application available in Windows, the Apple version is better. Safari is a far better web browser than Internet Explorer (although the free Mozilla Firefox is better than Safari), Apple Mail along with iCal beats Outlook by a country mile, iTunes is much better than Windows Media Player, etc. I even prefer the Apple version of Microsoft Office to the Windows version for its ease of use, appealing graphic user interface, etc. That combined with the overall superior Mac operating system makes for a much more sophisticated, delightful computing experience. It's fast and reliable. And when you think of other Apple applications with no obvious counterpart in Windows like iWeb, there's really no good reason not to switch to the Macbook.
-Compatibility: so far the only compatibility issue I've had with PC vs Mac is Netflix Instant Viewing. For a long time you had to have Internet Explorer to watch their catalog online. All that has changed now with Netflix's adoption of their new Silverlight based Instant Viewing player. Now Intel Mac users (and the new Macbook has an Intel Duo processor, see the tech specs) can watch the whole Netflix catalog online, and it's faster and more efficient than before. The picture seems to be a bit grainier than with the other player, but I imagine that will change. Printers, USB cameras, flash drives, etc. all work just fine with the new Macbook.
I could go on about all the reasons I love my new Macbook, such as the ability to link up with the iTunes playlists of other Macbooks and listen to other people's music, the long battery life, etc. but for now I'll conclude by saying that I am completely satisfied with my new toy. It does everything I need it to do and more. Ignore the naysayers, there's no such thing as a perfect product. Everyone will find something to gripe about. I think it was worth every penny and will serve you very well for years to come.
P.S. If you're making the switch from PC to Mac I strongly suggest buying or borrowing David Pogue's Switching to the Mac: The Missing Manual, Leopard Edition. It will make the transition smooth and quick and you'll instantly have all the formidable potential of your new Macbook at your fingertips.Get more detail about Apple MacBook MB466LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop.
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