Mac user seeks Windows laptop for grad school.
August 6, 2013 8:29 AM Subscribe
I've used Macs since 2004; now I need a PC. There are too many choices!
I'm looking for a Windows laptop to use in grad school. I've used Macs at home, and have never had to buy a PC. There's a lot out there, and I have no idea how to separate the wheat from the chaff. Desperately seeking recommendations and thoughts. Criteria are:
-Lightweight. (My current Macbook is about 4.5 lbs, so lighter than that is great.) Durable. (I have a tendency to bang in to things. I've dropped my work Thinkpad from 5' and it's still functioning!)
-Inexpensive. (under $500 ideally, but I can go up to $800 for the right machine.)
-Use: I'll be mostly taking notes, reading articles, writing and researching, and running some stats software (SPSS, SAS, etc.).
-I plan to use the laptop in class and at the library, but would like to get a bigger screen for home use. Fitting that in the under $800 budget is ideal.
-Not a netbook or tablet.
-Specs from my school:
Core i5-3550S Processor (3.0GHz, 6M) or equivalent processor
• Hard Drive = highest recommended for the operating system or 1GB of free space
• Operating System = English 32-bit and 64-bit Versions of Windows 7
My first instinct is to check Consumer Reports, but their most recent guide seems outdated. I have no idea where to go from here - everyone I know uses Macs, pretty much!
I'm looking for a Windows laptop to use in grad school. I've used Macs at home, and have never had to buy a PC. There's a lot out there, and I have no idea how to separate the wheat from the chaff. Desperately seeking recommendations and thoughts. Criteria are:
-Lightweight. (My current Macbook is about 4.5 lbs, so lighter than that is great.) Durable. (I have a tendency to bang in to things. I've dropped my work Thinkpad from 5' and it's still functioning!)
-Inexpensive. (under $500 ideally, but I can go up to $800 for the right machine.)
-Use: I'll be mostly taking notes, reading articles, writing and researching, and running some stats software (SPSS, SAS, etc.).
-I plan to use the laptop in class and at the library, but would like to get a bigger screen for home use. Fitting that in the under $800 budget is ideal.
-Not a netbook or tablet.
-Specs from my school:
Core i5-3550S Processor (3.0GHz, 6M) or equivalent processor
• Hard Drive = highest recommended for the operating system or 1GB of free space
• Operating System = English 32-bit and 64-bit Versions of Windows 7
My first instinct is to check Consumer Reports, but their most recent guide seems outdated. I have no idea where to go from here - everyone I know uses Macs, pretty much!
Engadget's most recent laptop guide. I agree with Admiral Haddock - think about virtualization if you're happy with your Macbook.
posted by lukemeister at 8:37 AM on August 6, 2013
posted by lukemeister at 8:37 AM on August 6, 2013
Response by poster: My current MacBook is older and lags quite a bit, so I anticipate needing a newer machine; current one can barely cope with Firefox. (see here.) I'd also be open to a Mac if it was in my price range, but have to meet these specs:
• CPU = Intel processor
• RAM = 4 GB
• Hard Drive = 1 GB of free disk space
• Operating System = MAC OS X OS 10.7 (Lion) and higher to allow the use of File vault 2 with PBA
• Server version of Mac OS X is not supported
• SofTest may not be used in a virtual operating systems
• Software = Internet connection for SofTest installation, Exam Download and Upload
• Administrator account
• iPads do NOT satisfy the incoming student computer requirement
• Strong login passwords
• Hardware encrypted USB keys as well as external drives
• Automatic backup utility for all files
posted by quadrilaterals at 8:40 AM on August 6, 2013
• CPU = Intel processor
• RAM = 4 GB
• Hard Drive = 1 GB of free disk space
• Operating System = MAC OS X OS 10.7 (Lion) and higher to allow the use of File vault 2 with PBA
• Server version of Mac OS X is not supported
• SofTest may not be used in a virtual operating systems
• Software = Internet connection for SofTest installation, Exam Download and Upload
• Administrator account
• iPads do NOT satisfy the incoming student computer requirement
• Strong login passwords
• Hardware encrypted USB keys as well as external drives
• Automatic backup utility for all files
posted by quadrilaterals at 8:40 AM on August 6, 2013
OK, then I'd suggest checking dealnews and techbargains.
posted by lukemeister at 8:49 AM on August 6, 2013
posted by lukemeister at 8:49 AM on August 6, 2013
Or just try Newegg. They're my one stop shop.
OP, I feel for you--I had to buy a PC laptop just to take exams in law school using SofTest. This was a few years ago, but, man alive, that was one shitty program. The paste function would crash the program, of all things. The tiebreaker between classes was whether I could write the final on my iBook--that was how much I hated that program.
You have my sympathies.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 8:59 AM on August 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
OP, I feel for you--I had to buy a PC laptop just to take exams in law school using SofTest. This was a few years ago, but, man alive, that was one shitty program. The paste function would crash the program, of all things. The tiebreaker between classes was whether I could write the final on my iBook--that was how much I hated that program.
You have my sympathies.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 8:59 AM on August 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
This meets your requirements and costs $799.00. This would last you a few more years than the first one I linked (8 GB RAM vs 4 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD vs 128 GB SSD), but it exceeds your budget by $400.00. If need be, you can also dual-boot Windows 7 on either.
posted by oceanjesse at 9:03 AM on August 6, 2013
posted by oceanjesse at 9:03 AM on August 6, 2013
Just to let you know -- if you're really not interested in getting a PC, then you can use a Mac, and use both Boot Camp and VMware Fusion / Parallels at the same time. You can use a Boot Camp Windows installation in Fusion/Parallels if you need to casually access some files. But when you're running SofTest, you can dual boot as to not be in a "virtual operating system" -- Windows 7 works like a charm with Boot Camp.
posted by suedehead at 10:17 AM on August 6, 2013
posted by suedehead at 10:17 AM on August 6, 2013
Macbook Pro 17, linked above, is great hardware-- I'm a PC fanatic, but I love this MPB that I use at work (with Windows!). It is not, however, lightweight, or rather, it does not find itself in the category of lightweight laptops. Bootcamp made it easy to load Win7/x64.
Looks like Lenovo is having an Employee Pricing Event
geez, do I need a laptop today?
I see some $150-200 discounts here that're putting better hardware more comfortably in your price range. IdeaPad Z400 and similar look like they're good for what you need, and mostly under 5.5. pounds . And, how to put this kindly to them-- if you like the look of Mac hardware, you'll like the look of the Ideapad. Thinkpad is pricier so you'll get less bang for your budget, but they do go lighter than Ideapads.
The catch is that shopping at the top of your budget range leaves no room for adding RAM, which is the best upgrade for the money. (You'll need it for stats software.) Second power brick is also a great investment-- you can leave one in place at home, and more importantly, you're not stuck if one dies or goes missing. I would advise against splurging on an i7 here-- i7s are hot, power-hungry, and the speed improvement over i5 in this application probably isn't worth the extra cost.
Anything that works on Windows 7 will work in 8-- there are exceptions, but the reason your software specs say 7 is that they haven't yet tested or completed testing on 8.
posted by Sunburnt at 10:53 AM on August 6, 2013
Looks like Lenovo is having an Employee Pricing Event
geez, do I need a laptop today?
I see some $150-200 discounts here that're putting better hardware more comfortably in your price range. IdeaPad Z400 and similar look like they're good for what you need, and mostly under 5.5. pounds . And, how to put this kindly to them-- if you like the look of Mac hardware, you'll like the look of the Ideapad. Thinkpad is pricier so you'll get less bang for your budget, but they do go lighter than Ideapads.
The catch is that shopping at the top of your budget range leaves no room for adding RAM, which is the best upgrade for the money. (You'll need it for stats software.) Second power brick is also a great investment-- you can leave one in place at home, and more importantly, you're not stuck if one dies or goes missing. I would advise against splurging on an i7 here-- i7s are hot, power-hungry, and the speed improvement over i5 in this application probably isn't worth the extra cost.
Anything that works on Windows 7 will work in 8-- there are exceptions, but the reason your software specs say 7 is that they haven't yet tested or completed testing on 8.
posted by Sunburnt at 10:53 AM on August 6, 2013
DON't Bootcamp, it gets in the way of some encryption schemes, and really isn't necessary to run Windows on a Mac. Just buy VM fusionware or Parallels and do a transfer from an existing Windows install or buy a Win 7 installer.
posted by Gungho at 11:35 AM on August 6, 2013
posted by Gungho at 11:35 AM on August 6, 2013
Guys, the official system requirements from the school explicitly state "SofTest may not be used in a virtual operating systems[sic]" so it sounds like VM options are really off the table (at least if the OP wants access to school-provided support services if something goes wrong.) I prefer VMs myself, but if the institution specifically forbids them it's probably best not to use one, if only because it might mean unrelated problems end up getting blamed on the VM by campus IT. BootCamp would also help eke out a little more performance from the machine if its capabilities are borderline, since it will only have to have one OS running at a time.
BootCamp really is a good possibility if the "laggy" MacBook could be resuscitated and imbued with adequate specs. quadrilaterals, could you look in the "About This Mac" dialog available from the Apple logo in the upper left and post here the following things:
- Version
- Processor
- Memory amount and type
If you could then click on the "More Info" button from that screen and also post the "Model Identifier" listed there it would give us all the information necessary to determine whether it makes sense to try and upgrade it.
This all assumes you are happier on a Mac and would prefer having one Apple laptop that performs well to having one old laggy Apple laptop and one cheapo Windows laptop. Your budget sounds to me like it'd probably let you buy the Windows license, max out memory and add an SSD, which would go along way if the rest of the system is up to it.
posted by contraption at 12:18 PM on August 6, 2013
BootCamp really is a good possibility if the "laggy" MacBook could be resuscitated and imbued with adequate specs. quadrilaterals, could you look in the "About This Mac" dialog available from the Apple logo in the upper left and post here the following things:
- Version
- Processor
- Memory amount and type
If you could then click on the "More Info" button from that screen and also post the "Model Identifier" listed there it would give us all the information necessary to determine whether it makes sense to try and upgrade it.
This all assumes you are happier on a Mac and would prefer having one Apple laptop that performs well to having one old laggy Apple laptop and one cheapo Windows laptop. Your budget sounds to me like it'd probably let you buy the Windows license, max out memory and add an SSD, which would go along way if the rest of the system is up to it.
posted by contraption at 12:18 PM on August 6, 2013
I had similar price requirements when I bought a "new" laptop a few years ago. I ended up buying a Lenovo from their online outlet and it has been a great machine for me. I purchased a L412 model for about $450 and it came with an i5, 4GB RAM, etc. Most importantly (for me), it's a great machine to type on, as most other laptops in that price range have cheap-feeling keyboards. The only other thing I'd say about Lenovo is to stay away from their "Edge" and "IdeaPad" series, as the ones I've seen don't have the same craftsmanship that goes into the original Thinkpad line.
posted by antonymous at 2:02 PM on August 6, 2013
posted by antonymous at 2:02 PM on August 6, 2013
If you go Lenovo, I'd get a Thinkpad only. Thinkpads are very high durability, the rest of the Lenovo line is their consumer grade, which is about as good as all the rest. ThinkPads also have, IMO, the best keyboard available on a laptop anywhere.
They've got an X230 on offer at the moment. This is one of the better models from last year. It is a bit more than your minimum specs, but stats programs generally like lots of ram and, secondarily, cpu horsepower. They don't generally need super-high end graphics. It's also got decent battery performance and is quite light---the X series Thinkpads are the Air competitors.
posted by bonehead at 2:34 PM on August 6, 2013
They've got an X230 on offer at the moment. This is one of the better models from last year. It is a bit more than your minimum specs, but stats programs generally like lots of ram and, secondarily, cpu horsepower. They don't generally need super-high end graphics. It's also got decent battery performance and is quite light---the X series Thinkpads are the Air competitors.
posted by bonehead at 2:34 PM on August 6, 2013
I like Lenovos - they tend to be sturdy. If you go to the Outlet, there are excellent deals, and they list the processor, RAM, hard drive, etc., making it pretty easy to get what you need. I prefer the Think Pad and Idea Pad; the low end models of any brand consistently disappoint. Get a good warranty, I find that using a laptop as a truly mobile device is hard on the equipment. Also get and use a laptop lock, as universities are a magnet for thieves.
If you get a Mac, you have to buy the additional software to run Windows, as well as a license for Windows. If you buy a Mac, your school should have an education discount at their store, or get it from Apple, using your .edu email address.
posted by theora55 at 3:11 PM on August 6, 2013
If you get a Mac, you have to buy the additional software to run Windows, as well as a license for Windows. If you buy a Mac, your school should have an education discount at their store, or get it from Apple, using your .edu email address.
posted by theora55 at 3:11 PM on August 6, 2013
Your MacBook isn't all that old in the grand scheme of things. I'm running a similar age machine without much trouble. Upgrading your RAM will make a huge difference, since you say you only have 2GB. You can upgrade it to 8GB for around $70, which will make a big difference in performance:
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook/specs/macbook-core-2-duo-2.4-white-13-polycarbonate-unibody-mid-2010-specs.html
The processor is a bit slower than recommended, but that isn't usually a problem for most tasks.
posted by akgerber at 7:34 PM on August 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook/specs/macbook-core-2-duo-2.4-white-13-polycarbonate-unibody-mid-2010-specs.html
The processor is a bit slower than recommended, but that isn't usually a problem for most tasks.
posted by akgerber at 7:34 PM on August 6, 2013 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 8:33 AM on August 6, 2013 [1 favorite]