David Ayers Posted July 4, 2014 Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 (edited) I need to buy a new laptop. I need something very light that I can take to libraries make notes, prepare documents when in transit, and consult the Internet etc. Nothing really much more than that. Can anybody advise what is the best MacBook or a Windows-running equivalent? Thanks for any input! Edited July 4, 2014 by David Ayers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erwbol Posted July 4, 2014 Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 As a one time Windows and Ubuntu user who switched to an iMac four years ago, I can't see myself returning to Windows 8. So, here's one recommendation for OS X Mavericks and Yosemite (coming this fall). (By the way, Apple has/will made/make these last two versions of their operating system free of charge. A policy that seems here to stay.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ayers Posted July 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 Thank you! Do you mean it if I bought a MacBook now I would get the software update when it is released? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erwbol Posted July 4, 2014 Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 (edited) Everyone who owns a Mac that can connect to the App Store (OS X 10.6.8 or later, the current Mavericks is 10.9) can download the new operating system for free. The file you download can be double clicked to install. Alternatively you can make an install USB stick that allows you to do a clean install after formatting the hard drive. This works the same as DVDs used to, only much faster. Edited July 4, 2014 by erwbol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Dolan Posted July 4, 2014 Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 I need to buy a new laptop. I need something very light that I can take to libraries make notes, prepare documents when in transit, and consult the Internet etc. Nothing really much more than that. Can anybody advise what is the best MacBook or a Windows-running equivalent? Thanks for any input! David, if that's all you're looking to do with it, why not consider a tablet? An iPad can do all of that, and would cost you far less than a Macbook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted July 4, 2014 Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 I got a MacBook Air this year and love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ayers Posted July 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 I need to buy a new laptop. I need something very light that I can take to libraries make notes, prepare documents when in transit, and consult the Internet etc. Nothing really much more than that. Can anybody advise what is the best MacBook or a Windows-running equivalent? Thanks for any input! David, if that's all you're looking to do with it, why not consider a tablet? An iPad can do all of that, and would cost you far less than a Macbook. Well yes I could - and add a keyboard you mean? That way I can get retina display which the Air doesn't have. But the Air seems to be very robust, just this question of the lower-quality display which is no longer the best... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcy62 Posted July 4, 2014 Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 IMHO a lap top has a lot of useful things more then a tablet and the external keyboard is an hassle. I have a MacBook Pro without retina and I am fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Dolan Posted July 4, 2014 Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 I need to buy a new laptop. I need something very light that I can take to libraries make notes, prepare documents when in transit, and consult the Internet etc. Nothing really much more than that. Can anybody advise what is the best MacBook or a Windows-running equivalent? Thanks for any input! David, if that's all you're looking to do with it, why not consider a tablet? An iPad can do all of that, and would cost you far less than a Macbook. Well yes I could - and add a keyboard you mean? That way I can get retina display which the Air doesn't have. But the Air seems to be very robust, just this question of the lower-quality display which is no longer the best... Yeah, you could add a bluetooth keyboard, but I don't see why it would be necessary. In landscape mode the onscreen keys on the keyboard for the iPad are just as large as what you find on a regular keyboard. IMHO a lap top has a lot of useful things more then a tablet and the external keyboard is an hassle. I have a MacBook Pro without retina and I am fine. I don't own one, but have toyed with them in an Apple store before. The displays are just fine, but nowhere near the same quality as the Retina display. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medjuck Posted July 4, 2014 Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 Maybe it's my old eyes but I could barely a tell the difference with the reti an display. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcy62 Posted July 4, 2014 Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 (edited) Unless you watching movies or editing them or you are a graphic designer, the retina is useless IMHO Edited July 4, 2014 by porcy62 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Dolan Posted July 4, 2014 Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 Unless you watching movies or editing them or you are a graphic designer, the retina is useless IMHO Useless? Everything looks much cleaner on the Retina display. Every web page you go to with imbedded video, photographs, or HD graphics are much improved with the Retina display. Apps look sharper, your personal photographs, etc... If all you're going to use your Macbook/iPad for is typing and reading text, then the Retina display would be useless. If it were useless, people wouldn't have been clamouring for Apple to release an iPad Mini with Retina display. It also would have never become the standard on all the other iDevices. http://www.imore.com/ipad-ipad-2-retina-display-tests Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ayers Posted July 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 I think I will go for a MacBook Air. I need to write a lot and I think that is the bottom line. I can always drop an iPad Mini in the basket as a top-up :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psu_13 Posted July 4, 2014 Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 Actually, retina isn't a huge difference for photos and other media (although the color is much better). The biggest difference is actually in the quality of the *text* display. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ayers Posted July 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 Re. retina: hmm... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Posted July 4, 2014 Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 (edited) I think I will go for a MacBook Air. I need to write a lot and I think that is the bottom line. I can always drop an iPad Mini in the basket as a top-up :) This what I just bought a couple of weeks ago, and it's wonderful, love it! Smooth to operate, and it syncs great with my iPhone, which is a big plus for me. PS: Plus it's perfect for editing and graphics for a on-line magazine, which is what I'll be spending a lot of time on in the coming months. Edited July 4, 2014 by Matthew Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjzee Posted July 4, 2014 Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 There are big improvements coming in the next upgrades to both the desktop and iOS operating systems. Rush gave a rundown on them yesterday (nothing political here): http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2014/07/03/new_apple_features_to_tempt_your_mom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ayers Posted July 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 Ooooo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Dolan Posted July 4, 2014 Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 Actually, retina isn't a huge difference for photos and other media (although the color is much better). The biggest difference is actually in the quality of the *text* display. Pardon? If you somehow believe 1440x900 pixels is somehow comparable to 2560x1600 pixels, you are delusional. Sorry. Retina makes a huge difference, period. Click the link I provided above. It shows you magnified differences. Not saying the lesser display doesn't look just fine, but Retina provides superior quality in every way possible. David, it's a good choice. Please let us know your thoughts once you have settled in with your Macbook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ayers Posted July 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 David, it's a good choice. Please let us know your thoughts once you have settled in with your Macbook. Will do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Dolan Posted July 4, 2014 Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 David, it's a good choice. Please let us know your thoughts once you have settled in with your Macbook. Will do! Good! I've been kicking around getting a MacBook, so your impressions of it are of interest to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Garrett Posted July 5, 2014 Report Share Posted July 5, 2014 I've thought about getting a MacBook Air several times, but never could justify the cost for what would essentially be a casual-use machine. In my mind there's no question that it's the best general-use laptop currently available. I wound up getting a previous-generation Chromebook late last year at a substantially discounted price ($170), and have been quite happy with it, but I was also realistic about what it could and couldn't do when I bought it. If I'd needed something for heavier use, I'd have likely opted for the Air. There's no way I'd recommend a tablet like the iPad if the intended use involves a lot of typing. For me, the on-screen keyboard is not optimal for heavy use, and frankly the iPad itself isn't particularly suited for significant text entry/editing even with a Bluetooth keyboard. I'm a big believer in using the right tool for the job. I have an iPhone 5, an iPad, a first-gen Kindle Fire, a Chromebook, and a Windows 7 desktop. Each has its place depending on the task at hand. The Wirecutter's laptop recommendations are worth reading for anyone in the market for a new one. They picked the MacBook Air as the best overall laptop and the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display as the best high-end laptop: http://thewirecutter.com/leaderboard/laptops/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcy62 Posted July 5, 2014 Report Share Posted July 5, 2014 (edited) Unless you watching movies or editing them or you are a graphic designer, the retina is useless IMHO Useless? Everything looks much cleaner on the Retina display. Every web page you go to with imbedded video, photographs, or HD graphics are much improved with the Retina display. Apps look sharper, your personal photographs, etc... If all you're going to use your Macbook/iPad for is typing and reading text, then the Retina display would be useless. If it were useless, people wouldn't have been clamouring for Apple to release an iPad Mini with Retina display. It also would have never become the standard on all the other iDevices.http://www.imore.com/ipad-ipad-2-retina-display-tests Maybe useless isn't the correct word, yes retina is better, I have an iPhone with retina and Iove it, but the quality of non retina monitor is just ok for eveything I do on the lap top, and I am no an eagle eye. Edited July 5, 2014 by porcy62 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ayers Posted July 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2014 @ Dave G: thanks for the comments and the link. You are confirming my impression that a wide suite of devices is desirable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tranemonk Posted July 5, 2014 Report Share Posted July 5, 2014 I would concur. They dropped the prices. I have an 2013 MB Pro... but the Air is perfect for what you need to do. I got a MacBook Air this year and love it. If you want to save some extra money get it refurbed from Apple...I have bought iPads and MacBooks from there. It works and you get the 1 year Apple warranty. http://www.refurb.me/us/notebook/macbook_air/G0P01 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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