Looking to get a new Laptop

quote:

---

I would also like to use it to tether/airplay to my TV.

---

Let's have you expand what you mean exactly for me here, please. Do you want to be able to have everything, including the desktop, from the laptop visible on a TV? What kind of TV? What other hardware do you currently have/own/use? When you say "tether/Airplay," do you specifically want to use Apple's proprietary wireless display system, any wireless display system, or is a hardwire OK? If the answer is "wired," you're about $10 for the cable and a potential $3-30 for an adapter, assuming you don't plan ahead and buy an hdmi-out fitted computer, from your goal. If you just want wireless, and you're currently hardware-deficient, MiraCast is quickly becoming an option that is integrated into many devices, with an hdmi send/receive dongle as cheap as $30 (which would be OS independent for the dongle version. Many new laptops with Windows and many android devices don't require an adapter. Several new tvs are integrating the service as well, those that don't can add a miracast receiver much cheaper than the single pair of products (AppleTV 2 and AppleTV 3) that support Airplay. I know that it's an Intel product. I do not know about its OSX integration at this time.


And, just for good measure, by "tether," you're not referring to streaming from a non-local network (like your AT&T LTE) into your LAN, are you?

quote:

---

is it worth the $1000 price tag, or is there a cheaper route?

---

First half answer is "that is up to you and each person is different." Second half is "Yes, you can buy them used from several places around the web, but a new one is going to be very, very consistent in its pricing"

quote:

---

I have always had windows OS, and it seems like they would always crap out after 2-3 years, are MacBooks the same way?

---

Windows goes on a variety of hardware, and you're attempting to compare an operating system without qualifying what it was being run on vs a piece of hardware without specifying what OS is running on it. Many people run Windows on MacBooks with fantastic results. My experience has not been the same as yours even remotely, but I usually make an investment in decent hardware for my windows machines. Some cheap windows machines are underpowered for the use you will desire out of them. Apple machines shouldn't be from what you're writing above, and they do a decent job to power their machines well enough- thus the premium price tag. You can easily get the same amount of use out of a windows machine as a macbook of similar value. I'm not current on the mobile side, but the current line of Mac mini will no longer allow you to upgrade the RAM yourself. You should check on that before deciding on a macbook. In 2-3 years, the amount of RAM needed usually increases and the price of it decreases for typical daily use. Being able to upgrade it is close to crucial for a long-lasting system. You can definitely load-up on it when you buy it, but, regardless of vendor, you'll be overpaying for something that anyone capable of building Lego block structures can upgrade on their own.



ETA: I shouldn't say that there are only two devices that support Airplay. There are only two that natively support it. Amazon Firetv has an app that works on the Stick version fairly decently that allows it to act as an AirPlay mirroring receiver. I think it was about $5. There are several similar softwares from third party vendors that add Airplay Mirroring support for fairly cheap. They are decent and allow you to buy newer and cheaper hardware than that offered directly from Apple in case you're worried about longevity of support for an AppleTV (everyone has anxiously awaited a new model for 2 years or so now) in the case that you need to invest on the receiver side, too.

Pay the extra, get the SP3, and don't look back.

quote:

---

you don't have to deal with all the virus BS that Windows computers have.

---

quote:

---

Get a Macbook. It's worth it. It will last a long time and you don't have to deal with all the virus BS that Windows computers have.

---

I love Macs and I highly recommend them, but I remove malware from Macs as part of my job on a near daily basis. They can get infected too.

The last time I got malware on a PC, I was using Windows 2000. And half the time I'm not using antivirus.

I have two computers that I use at work. A mac and a PC. I never have problems with my mac. I'm currently doing a system restore on my windows computer.

The only thing PC's are good for are gaming IMO.

get a surface pro 3. it's the tits

Of course not but thanks for being a condescending a-hole.

I actually do way more with my mac. Use design software, browse the internet, e-mail.

Pretty much all I do with my PC is run a wide format printer and set up cnc router files.

quote:

---

thanks for being a condescending a-hole

---

It's best to ignore his type.

7 years and never needed to go to the shop. The outdated version is what finally did it in. It's still a useful computer, just not a work computer anymore without Dropbox.