MacBook Pro with Retina display

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The MacBook Pro is a line of Macintosh portable computers introduced in January 2006 by Apple Inc., and now in its third generation. Replacing the PowerBook G4, MacBook Pro and was the second model, after the iMac, to be announced in the Apple–Intel transition. It is also the high-end model of the MacBook family and is currently produced with 13- and 15-inch screens, although a 17-inch version has been offered previously.

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College Wars: Mac Vs Pc

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We’ve seen the commercials, and their matching stores.  We understand, in this great war you must choose: Mac or PC.  There is no safe neutral zone.  Although the advertisers are certainly set on convincing you that PCs are actually tools of the devil meant to draw you in with their conniving ads, and that Macs are commie propaganda, out there to lure you in to a world of horrors, the real truth of the matter is that both systems are good for completely different reasons.  However, you do sort of have to choose a side; although converters are now more common, most software does not translate before the two.  So, a few things to consider as you look at your options:

Nindendo DS - Asus EEE - Mac Book (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Mac - Visual Thinkers

Apple computers have long touted their user-friendly and easy to navigate operating system.  As PCs are finally joining in, Apple has focused more on marketing to visual oriented groups.  Their programs are designed to be easy to learn for a first-time computer user, because it is all right in front of you.  Of course, if you have been a PC person, the transition can be more than jarring.  That doesn’t mean that it won’t be worth it.  A large number of graphic designers and people in other visual professions prefer Macs, because they have been a targeted audience for years.  The same applies if you are addicted to a lot of movies/visual media: Macs have been doing it best, for a very long time.

Macintosh School Photo (Photo credit: theducks)

P.C. - Versatility

PC’s greatest advantage is their sheer versatility.  It is only in recent years that they have focused on improving the user-friendliness and visual aspects of their systems, because it hasn’t been necessary before.  PCs acknowledge that every computer user is different and is going to be looking for different things in a computer.  PCs offer a variety that Mac computers simply cannot match, though they are working on it.  If you want a computer that is perfectly matched to your specific goals, it can be hard to best a custom made PC.  They have a greater range to their mix-and-match style that makes them appealing to a wide variety of people.

A typical computer station at the Kate Edger Information Commons. There are PCs like this on level 0, 2 and 3 available to all students at the University of Auckland. They all have Windows operating systems and LCD monitors. Three sides of the room have walls of glass. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Price Range

There is no arguing that there is a price difference between comparable Mac and PC systems.  Macs are consistently more expensive across the board.  If you have a limited budget and certain system requirements, a PC may be your only option.  Of course, Mac computers aren’t expensive just because they can be.  Mac computers tend to last longer and have fewer repair needs than PC systems.  It didn’t take Windows Vista for PC users to get frustrated, but it certainly makes a great example of what it is like. Partly because Macs were unpopular for so many years, there are fewer viruses and security issues with a Mac computer.  Of course, in current years Mac computer prices are coming closer to that of PCs, and PC systems are coming closer to that of Macs, but today, there is still a price/reliability trade off.

About the Author

Haddie A. is a writer for BecomeaPoliceOfficer.com.Becoming a police officer is tough work, use this site to help you when it comes to learning more about this career. 

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Apple Laptops Vs HP Laptops

Apple's laptops have come of age with many of their laptop models reaching the top of the market share. They have excelled especially in terms of design with beautifully thin laptops that seem more of a lifestyle product than a technical one. As the one to beat in terms of design, it was only a matter of time before another laptop manufacturer would try to match Apple, which is what HP have done with their HP Envy line of laptops against Apple's MacBook Pro. For this match-up we'll take a look at the HP Envy 15 and 17 against the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch and 17-inch laptops for a head-to-head analysis of both contenders.

Design:

Apple is without a doubt the originator of the aluminum unibody chassis school of design. The advantages have been discussed by many as the better rigidity makes the Apple MacBook Pro laptops lighter, tougher and thinner than the usual plastic. In short, both the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch and 17-inch laptops look like high-end lifestyle pieces of art, rather than computers. However, after several generations of the same look, this can get rather dated and there are no other options asides from the usual silver or white lid. The black bezels do bring a bit more contrast but its nothing that hasn't been seen before.

Image via Wikipedia

HP's revamped Envy 15 and 17 laptops on the other hand take on exactly the same aluminum unibody chassis but now offer black and gray colored lids. Apart from this everything else looks to be almost a carbon copy of the Apple MacBook Pro. This includes the placement of the LED backlit keyboard and the trackpad to the chiclet style keys and the black bezels around the screen. The Envy 15 is a bit heavier at 5.7lbs compared to the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch's 5.5lbs.

Features and Specifications:

The HP Envy 15 starts off with a dual-core Intel Core i5-2430M processor running at 2.4GHz while the base model for the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch has a quad-core Intel Core Core i7-2675QM processor running at 2.2GHz. Both feature a 500GB hard disk drive but the HP Envy 15's hard disk drive spins at a faster 7200RPM. The HP Envy 15 also packs in a 15.6-inch screen with 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution against the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch's 15.4-inch screen and 1440 x 900 resolution. Both have slot loading super multi DVD drives for recording and playback.

However, going up the model scale the highest-end HP Envy 17 sports a full HD Radiance 3D display along with a Blu-ray drive and the ability to display stereoscopic 3D using active shutter glasses. Apple have made it clear that they will never put in a Blu-ray drive while the specifications for the Apple MacBook Pro 17-inch laptop are not that different from the higher-end Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch model.

The HP Envy 15 also puts in two speakers with a subwoofer along with integrated Beats audio compared to the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch's standard speakers. Connection-wise the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch still has an edge over the HP Envy 15 with its Thunderbolt port but the HP Envy 15 makes up for this with support for Intel's Wireless HDMI or WiDi along with HP Wireless Audio so you can connect up to compatible wireless audio speakers.

Performance:

Starting out from the base models, the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch easily trounces the HP Envy 15 laptop but this is to be expected from the better Intel quad-core processor. On the higher-end models, the HP Envy 17 does a much better job compared to the 17-inch Apple MacBook Pro. However, the HP Envy 15 does offer smooth playback of full HD 1080p video something that the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch laptop cannot do despite its more powerful hardware. The HP Envy 15 also sounds better, as the Beats audio and built-in subwoofer help to elevate the audio quality. While both trackpads look the same, the glass-covered trackpad on the Apple MacBook Pro is by far more comfortable and responsive. Battery life is also much better on the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch laptop with a battery life on a single charge of more than 7 hours compared to the HP Envy 15 laptop which only gets about 4 hours or so.

Operating System and Software:

Unlike the HP Envy laptops, the Apple MacBook laptops are all using the latest incarnation of Apple's operating system: OS X Lion, which offers new levels of intuitive computing, better support for the hardware and enhanced overall performance. It also comes with award winning software to help make movies, manipulate multimedia and do more with less. The HP Envy laptops on the other hand are using Windows 7 operating systems and are usually loaded to the brim with HP branded software that are more generally known as bloatware. There is also no guarantee that the HP Envy laptops will be able to run Microsoft's upcoming Windows 8 operating system that will debut with laptops designed to run the operating system at maximum efficiency.

While you can do more with an Apple MacBook Pro laptop out of the box, you have fewer choices in terms of software, especially in games. With the HP Envy 15 on the other hand you can get a copy of the latest game and run it with ease. You can run these games off the Apple MacBook Pro using a Windows emulator but you can also expect a drop in performance as well.

Price:

Apple's products are generally more expensive than the norm and this also applies to the Apple MacBook Pro laptops. Even the base model Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch laptop retails at $1799.00 from the Apple Store while the HP Envy 15 can be had at $1249.99 or so (depending on where you buy it). This $500 price difference is nothing to sneeze at and can go quite a long way to making up for the lack of good software out of the box. On the other end of the spectrum, the highest-end HP Envy 17 3D retails for about $1599.00, which looks like chicken feed, compared to the Apple MacBook Pro 17-inch laptop's $2499.00 price tag.

Bottomline:

All things considered, the Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch laptop is a much better buy compared to the HP Envy 15 as it provides a better deal in terms of performance, usability and battery life. Most users buying a laptop at this price point are looking more for the usability and ease of use than pure performance. However, gamers or those looking for more features and performance would do better with a higher-end HP Envy 17 laptop as compared to an Apple MacBook Pro 17-inch laptop as the capability to display smooth full HD 1080p makes more sense with a Blu-ray drive.

This article is brought to you by Ethan Simmons, a senior contributor at Honest-Laptop-Reviews.Com