MacBook Pro or a laptop - that is the question..

[invictus]

Hey folks!

Lately I've been thinking about my computer I'm probably getting in February.. I really want it to be a laptop comp.
I've been so excited about MBP.. I was decided I would definitely get one but now I'm wondering if it's really SO MUCH BETTER
than 2 times cheaper laptop with the same (often better) specs.
In fact, I would spend similar amount of money on laptop like I would spend on the MBP.
I'm not convinced about MBP because I use FL Studio, and as far as I know it can be booted on MBP only through some bootcamp or other software and I'm afraid it's gonna cause troubles and some things won't just fit together. On the other hand I could start learning to produce music on ableton. BLAH I don't know.. MBP or a laptop (w/ better specs, bigger hdd)

Need help D:
Thanks

[Phase Down]

FL studio won't run on macintosh, but you can always install windows 7 through bootcamp and it will work fine yes.. the choice is completely up to you, there is now a mac and a pc thread so check each and make your mind up. A macbook is solid and will run great, macintosh is a great OS too but you can indeed get a laptop with way better specs for the same price, its a choice we all have to make.

[Redderious]

I'm running Ableton 8 on a Macbook Pro, and i completely satisfied with my decision. Ableton is a great DAW for beginners or expert level producers looking to speed up their workflow. The session view is great for mixing your different elements together, as well as creating progressive drum beats. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone.

As far as your issue between deciding which computer you want to purchase. You can without a doubt get a better OS for the same price or cheaper that going with a Mac. But Macs can also run any PC programs with a software installation. Check out VirtualPC, it's a free download on the link below:

http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/6078/virtual-pc

[VirtualMark]

i tried my mates macbook pro the other day, i wasn't very impressed. i really don't see what all the fuss is about, ableton felt sluggish due to the slower processor than i'm used to. i don't care how efficient the operating system is, there is no substitute for ghz.

quality was very nice tho, the screen was lovely. i'll say one thing for macs, they look awesome. just real pricey. if you can afford a really high spec one then it might be worth getting, else you're probably better off spending half the money on a serious pc. i just feel that with apple, you're paying for the looks and name more than anything.

[blinx]

GHZ is not a suitable measuement of a cpu. There are Pentium 4's that are 3.0ghz and faster but would get OWNED into the ground by a newer generation 1.8ghz processor. THis is like saying an engine with more horsepower is the better/more powerfull engine. When in reality torque can and will play a huge part in how "powerful" an engine is.

I bought a macbook pro cause its exactly what i wanted, and has performed time and time again for me no problems what so ever.

Sure you can buy a "better" laptop for half the price but the "quality" wont be the same at all. Dont by a geo hoping it will perform like a porschea, dont buy a toshiba/acer hoping it will perform like a macbook pro. Just my 2 cents, i know noone cares lol.

[VirtualMark]

GHZ is not a suitable measuement of a cpu. There are Pentium 4's that are 3.0ghz and faster but would get OWNED into the ground by a newer generation 1.8ghz processor.

i know mate, you're preaching to the converted. i should have been more clear, i was talking about laptops of the same generation - a 2.5ghz i7 pc would beat a 2ghz i7 mac, basically there isn't a substitute for raw power.

[blinx]

GHZ is not a suitable measuement of a cpu. There are Pentium 4's that are 3.0ghz and faster but would get OWNED into the ground by a newer generation 1.8ghz processor.

i know mate, you're preaching to the converted. i should have been more clear, i was talking about laptops of the same generation - a 2.5ghz i7 pc would beat a 2ghz i7 mac, basically there isn't a substitute for raw power.

i just wanted to make a point, being a pc tech not often i get to make points lol.

People also cant argue that a macbook pro will have had TONS more engineering hours into its design in comparison to a cheaper knock off.... even if the same components are used in both machines. I have been converted to osx an unless cook does some super bad business (which he wont since hes been practicaly running the supply chain for the last five years anyway) ill continute to pay for the design and reliablity that comes along with buying the Premium luxury product that is a macbook pro.

Other advice is buy a refurbished model, it will have been 100% check over for QA and they give you a discount for buying a slightly used product. Ill be doing htis next time i upgrade for sure.

[mks]

GHZ is not a suitable measuement of a cpu. There are Pentium 4's that are 3.0ghz and faster but would get OWNED into the ground by a newer generation 1.8ghz processor. THis is like saying an engine with more horsepower is the better/more powerfull engine. When in reality torque can and will play a huge part in how "powerful" an engine is.

You are missing an important point. P4's were a single core processor while today's cpu's are at least quad core processors and above. So at least four processors to do the calculations vs. one.

[vertx]

Pretty much the CPU isn't the bottle neck in speed these days.

[B-Frank]

Admitedly I don't have THAT much experience with macs but I do have some. I think the new wave of PC has basically caught up with the mac. For what we do, Mac's aren't an essential bit of kit any more. Think half the reason people get hard ons over them all the time is purely the price/exclusivity factor.

Don't get me wrong, some people genuinely have a quicker workflow on a Mac because it's what they are used to so for them, Mac is the way to go but in my personal opinion if like me you PC's are your bread and butter I think your better off sticking with it....

N that is taking price totally out of the equation...

[SunkLo]

The only way in hell I would ever use a macbook is if I wanted to run Logic. Seeing as how you're using FL I'd definitely go with a pc. You can save half the money or get a ridiculously more powerful laptop for the same price. Fanboys will go on about the design and quality and other marketing dogma but at the end of the day a pretty headphone jack won't help you when your cpu is bottoming out or you're out of ram. The macbook configuration is a fairly proven configuration but it's far from bulletproof as some would have you believe. You should do your research and pick out a high quality pc notebook that will perform well for what you want.

Ideally, for pure performance, I'd go with a custom built pc. Sure laptops offer portability but they will always be capped for power. A desktop can be upgraded, overclocked, and tuned for pure performance. You can invest in it over time and gradually improve its power instead of having to buy a new model every 3 years.

[extremesociety]

I went with iMac, lol. I run Logic and I got the i7 with a quad core + hyper threading and I can run an absurd amount of AUs. I've tried to see what the limit is before it craps out, but I can run like 15 instances of Massive concurrently before it totally breaks.

Plus the stock 27" screen is amazing looking.

[IC0N]

http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2011/ ... eeze-over/

[wormcode]

Overpriced, you can build an amazing desktop and get a great laptop as well for less than 1 mac book. If you use FL I don't really see the need. If you wanted to use Logic or other OSX specific software then it might be worth it, but not really any more since you can run virtual machines and ALT+Tab operating systems and software with the freeware at http://www.vmware.com
It's rock solid these days. Friend of mine does all his OSX specific 3D work inside of virtual machines now and has no complaints.

[VirtualMark]

You are missing an important point. P4's were a single core processor while today's cpu's are at least quad core processors and above. So at least four processors to do the calculations vs. one.

not really - when the core2duo came out they killed the p4 core for core. modern processors get way more done per cycle, they don't compare to the inefficient old pentium 4's.

[blinx]

yeha i wasnt ignoring the difference between multiple cpu cores i was making the point GHZ is just marketing dogma lol and what macbook marketing did i fall victim too? i have not seen an apple Macbook Pro ad like.... EVER sure they had the "Im a PC" campaign back in the day but i have seen way more "dogma" for PCs then i ever have seen for mac's (sure iphones/ipas/ipods have a little more marketing presence).

[tpc_uk]

My experience with OSX quad core (hackintosh) is that I can run silly amounts of instances of plugs like I never could on my quad core windows machine. It's never crashed a tune yet (sometimes I forget I have Ableton rewired & win 7 running in VMware & it all stays solid) - tbh I am pretty much converted by OSX/Logic and I was always an apple 'hater' although I would not purchase iphone, ipads, ipod etc....

I'm gonna sell up some old stuff n get a macbook pro sometime in the near future if I raise enough- seen enough seminar vids/tutorial vids with pros running complex tracks from mackbooks with no problems.

[Eat Bass]

for a comparable laptop to the high end 15" pro you have to spend like 1300 on a pc laptop. id rather just spend the 500 more and get a macbook pro. so fucking solid you will have no regrets. not to mention the batteries are the tits in macbooks. out last any pc by far.

[Dosva]

Go with the Macbook, way more reliable than any PC. I currently run Logic on Mac OSX and have never once wished to change to a PC.