Microsoft's Laptop Hunters Returns, $700 PC Wins

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What about a unix build? =D
I mainly use Windows for gaming and simplicity (and Wine can make up for the gaming, and there's plenty of people willing to help any linux noobs).

OS - Free.
All software a typical person will use - Free.

I remember toms having a article on some random companies netbook a bit back, with a linux and a XP flavor. The XP netbook cost $40 more and had a inferior HDD and less RAM.
Why doesn't any major company sell blank (no OS) laptops (that I know of)? I would either throw on a XP I have laying around or likely Unbuntu. I only want to pay for the gardware, thank you.
 
[citation][nom]The_Blood_Raven[/nom]Example that I witnessed in line trying to get an iPhone. (before I upgraded to a blackberry Bold):"Hello my macbook wont boot and it is under warranty.""It has been modified and the warranty is void, notice the ripped tape""But I had an Apple technician upgrade the RAM at this store a few months back.""Ah, that's your problem. After an upgrade you must purchase the warranty again, sorry."Note that it costs $80 an hour to do modifications at this store, and he told me the tech charged him for 1 and a half hours to upgrade RAM. This is one of the reasons I hate everything Apple and so does he. He now exclusively buys PCs and is much happier with them after I showed him how you can turn Windows into the OS you want with a little bit of time. I've built 2 great PCs for him that out perform any form of computer he ever had and he paid less for either of them than any other computer before.[/citation]

I agree that the Apple computers are overpriced and rediculous... but I can't really see how the Bold is an "upgrade" from the iPhone. Aside from being locked into a plan, I don't really see many real advantages the bold has.
 
Er... what store charged $120 (1.5hrs @ $80 per hr) to pop in RAM?

Thats TOTAL BS! Takes about 1-2 minutes to stick in the memory. Perhaps spend 10~15min for a quick memory test... if it was overnight, you leave it on a bench for a big test, and if nothing go wrong... it should still at most, a 15 minute job.

 
Er... what store charged $120 (1.5hrs @ $80 per hr) to pop in RAM?

Thats TOTAL BS! Takes about 1-2 minutes to stick in the memory. Perhaps spend 10~15min for a quick memory test... if it was overnight, you leave it on a bench for a big test, and if nothing go wrong... it should still at most, a 15 minute job.

What is the D7? Its not on HP's website (so easily) they have a D7T which starts at $800... so I'm guessing the T-less version has Dual-Core Pentiums or Celeron CPUs. The current HPs do look nice... still standard cheap junk.
 
More BS about a "PC" being a Windows system. I hope they show this happy little family going home and blowing away the pre-installed crap OS and installing Ubuntu.
 
The RAM upgrade may have a point. The Macbook Pro line (every laptop except the white one now) all have non removable batteries and I think the RAM is buried inside the one piece aluminium case too, I may be wrong. There is no easy access door to upgrade it. The non removable, user replaceable battery issue is why I won't buy one.
 
Mac vs PC wars again. If you want a PC get a PC, if you wanna buy a Mac, buy a Mac. I own both, my desktop is a PC. Why? Cause I'm in the IT Field and I don't like to be limited to the parts I can use. I like to always have the best parts for way less. Now notebooks are different. I have a Laptop and I switched that to a Macbook Pro. Simply because it was smaller and it's made out of aluminum+ the new 7 hr life battery thing really helps. I travel a lot and I need more than 3-4 hours. Plus it gives me the benefit of learning a new OS. Mac's aren't all that bad. But the whole "Once you go Mac you never go back" Theory isn't true. I'm on my desktop gaming or programing more than I tamper with my macbook. I tampered with the the mac os for a few days. Easy to use, it has unique things, but nothing to keep me off of my desktop. And the reason why macbooks are more expensive is because Apple as a company is richer than most of the companies out now. Don't you think if all companies can afford aluminum chassis and can afford to manufacture millions of units that they would do the same as well knowing that laptops generate heat and aluminum helps? Apple is a huge company, has resources from everywhere, that's why their stuff is detailed all the way down to every last single key. Otherwise, it's all the same stuff in a different case. I can even put vista on my macbook pro. Hell I might just throw in Windows7. I like the windows OS more. Just wanted to try something new. Macs are more for the click n drag type people that don't wanna figure stuff out if you ask me. But I must admit, I do like how they build their notebooks down to every last detail. But when it comes 2 desktops, pointless to spend an arm and a leg when I can buy a better chassis and the best of the best parts for less. Now if PC vs Mac people wanna argue about anything, it should just be the notebooks. Apple just flat out designs theirs better and they have a higher resell value. Bout it.
 
these commercials are so inaccurate on...everything. They pick out the DUMBEST people...and worse of all they shop at my place of work (well not exactly the same Best Buy). An employee should have stepped in and told them the truth about both computers. $700 PC will be more expensive then a $1000 Mac when it's all said and done with software, anti-virus, etc. A Sony Vaio computer will NOT play video games (from an older commercial), and 2 GB of RAM on a Mac IS faster then a 4 GB of RAM on a PC. Go research on legit websites before you go buy, don't try and get your information from tv commercials.

Ahhhhh these commerecials drive me nuts because people are so stupid...don't believe the propaganda!!!! (from either side)
 
I remember 2 commercials where people DID buy Sony laptops including one with the all-so-amazing blu-ray drive... So it's not always HP.
 
[citation][nom]war2k9[/nom]Please no more hp laptop, I have return so many of those hp cheap laptop for service and it is not even funny. There are so many brands of pc laptops out there choose something different.[/citation]

Here, here!!! I had a gf and a roommate that had the ZX series, both overheated like a mofo - charging issues too. They both had to wait almost 1 month for repairs, with no laptop! That put me off HP's laptops - at least the high end ones - for good.
 
I hate these commercials... you know why?? Because they always use #R**@#( brands to represent the PC ~ which is another thing that bugs me... PC stands for personal computer not "windows" MAC should have really done MAC vs WINDOWS not MAC vs PC. Anyway. Anyone who buys a Dell or an HP (unless they get the higher tier stuff like an XPS) should realize that you get what you pay for. A computer for under 700 is just that.

Toshiba or Levono would be a much better brand to represent WINDOWS anyway.
 
[citation][nom]Kithzaru[/nom]I hate these commercials... you know why?? Because they always use #R**@#( brands to represent the PC ~ which is another thing that bugs me... PC stands for personal computer not "windows" MAC should have really done MAC vs WINDOWS not MAC vs PC. Anyway. Anyone who buys a Dell or an HP (unless they get the higher tier stuff like an XPS) should realize that you get what you pay for. A computer for under 700 is just that. Toshiba or Levono would be a much better brand to represent WINDOWS anyway.[/citation]

I'm pretty sure HP is chipping in for these ads. It's a new way to save money, advertise more than one non-com product in the same ad. Like the Mrs. Butterworth/Geico ad. But yeah, the whole PC=Windows thing is BS, but Apple started it for a reason - they sell hardware and software, so they need to not only differentiate themselves from MS, but also Dell, HP, Acer, etc.
 
lol@the "IT Professional" who's pro Mac. WTF is wrong with you?

My current company would refuse someone's request for a Mac. Since the person would likely be in sales, someone would likely disgustedly ask them what kind of image they think they'd be displaying to our clients using such a thing... (hint: I'm suggesting the Mac would hurt Mr. Sale's Guy's image of IT Professionalism and Know-how, and cause him to lose sales).

As far as supporting Macs... well.. its not that hard. As soon as someone says "I'm trying to do such and such in Safari" the response is "Why aren't you using Firefox?", and for the most of their other questions the answer is "I'm sorry, you can't do that on a Mac." Which leads to crying for a RAM upgrade and VM software with Windows XP... which has a response something like "You're department is already over-budget due to the new Macs you purchased."... which is followed by whimpering and a muttering of "I'm so fucked, omg, I'm so fucked." Its OK, let me show you how to RDP into your Windows XP desktop from the Mac... Good times.

I'm not about to say Linux, Solaris, or Unix is a joke. No no no, they all have big parts to play in the IT world. But Macs? Macs are for artists and children.
 
Now that I got that out of my system... The "couple" in the video, ironically, would make good Mac users. They're not gamers, they're not likely the type of people who need a multimedia machine, and while they said they want a big screen, they also said they want battery life. Right now, you can't get both. If battery life wasn't any kind of concern, it means the computer would be stationary anyway, and they'd get a desktop.... So, really, the white macbook they made fun of actually suits their needs pretty darn well.
Adding the software they'd need on a similar spec PC would bring the cost up to around $800, making the Mac still $200 overprices, but, it can still be argued that the extra battery life would be worth the cost difference (OSX is much more power efficient).

For someone who's needs of a computer are to browse Facebook from Starbucks, send baby pictures to family, and email... Macs aren't a bad choice. I just question anyone who actually needs to do more with their computer who buys a Mac... even to the point where I don't get Photographers who think that Apertue (the software) is worth using a machine with TERRIBLE color accuracy. Whatever, though... if people are happy, who am I to rain on the parade.
 
[citation][nom]BlazeOrangeMan[/nom]these commercials are so inaccurate on...everything. They pick out the DUMBEST people...and worse of all they shop at my place of work (well not exactly the same Best Buy). An employee should have stepped in and told them the truth about both computers. $700 PC will be more expensive then a $1000 Mac when it's all said and done with software, anti-virus, etc. A Sony Vaio computer will NOT play video games (from an older commercial), and 2 GB of RAM on a Mac IS faster then a 4 GB of RAM on a PC. Go research on legit websites before you go buy, don't try and get your information from tv commercials.Ahhhhh these commerecials drive me nuts because people are so stupid...don't believe the propaganda!!!! (from either side)[/citation]

Can I kill you?

Wow. 2gb ram faster than 4gb? Do you know ANYTHING about computers.

Get out and don't let the door smack you on the ass on the way.
 
[citation][nom]matt87_50[/nom]if they want any credibility at all, they should really do one where the mac wins. ... it could go something like "young metro-sexual try-hard who doesn't mind being ripped of finds mac for $3000"[/citation]

I 100% agree with you. Seriously they should have a stereotypical Mac fanboy "win" on one commercial - but of course they'd either have to temporarily bump up the max to $2500 or show the person forking over a credit card or cash to pay for the price difference. LOL.
 
[citation][nom]ravenware[/nom]WTF? Are people really that stupid?Dude, 5 fu**ing minutes tops.[/citation]

Yea that's crazy... but don't forget, mac laptops don't have easy RAM access like the majority of non-mac laptops. i think you need 3+ hrs, a drill and some duct tape to get into that pretty aluminum.... =)
 
[citation][nom]Regulas[/nom]The RAM upgrade may have a point. The Macbook Pro line (every laptop except the white one now) all have non removable batteries and I think the RAM is buried inside the one piece aluminium case too, I may be wrong. There is no easy access door to upgrade it. The non removable, user replaceable battery issue is why I won't buy one.[/citation]

I've put together a 5 second video of how to replace both the battery and the hard drive in the macbook pro 13.

It's not very hard to upgrade the ram if you're at least a bit tech savy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOfF5X0k_x4


 
What is the D7? Its not on HP's website (so easily) they have a D7T which starts at $800... so I'm guessing the T-less version has Dual-Core Pentiums or Celeron CPUs. The current HPs do look nice... still standard cheap junk./quote]
Dv7 not D7. they have a Dv4, Dv5, Dv6, and Dv7. if you are smart enough to look up the models, you should be smart enough to re-read the article. I looked at a MacBook Pro recently and found that the "modern" aluminum is so bland that I thought it looked just like an entry level Dell. Not to say looks are everything, but there has to be some appeal. I'm still a PC and IT. Until you can join a mac to a domain, they do not belong in a Windows office unless it is the creative department, Vlan-ed off and free of all support.
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