The "What should i buy?" Thread

[King Pietersen]

I couldnt find a thread that is similar to this on the first 7 pages so i thought i'd make it. The reason, i have a question for y'all......

Well, it's my 18th Birthday in 3 months and i am a very lucky chap and am getting ?500 from my Grandparents, along with a car and insurance from my parents and hopefully cash from my other relatives. So, anyway, to the reason for the thread. With this money, and any money i get for x-mas and the ?230 i will have already saved by my Birthday i am going to buy an Apple Mac. This is where i need your help.

I was first considering the very nice looking Macbook. For ?694 i get a 2.0ghz intel core 2 duo Macbook with 1gb of ram and 120gb HDD. This would then be used along side my current PC. A Core Processor 4200+ 1gb rammed Dell thingy, it's not exactly impressive, but it does the job. Therefore i do not have any money from selling the PC and have to spend ?700 of my saved cash, plus the money for a decent mouse. The Macbook does however provide me with a portable internet option for sixth form and something to take on journeys, planes etc.

The other option is a 20" 2.0ghz intel core duo iMac with 1gb ram, a 320gb HDD and a ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT with 128MB memory (any good ? will it allow me to play BLIC 07 ?). The iMac is much better looking, will cost the parents less on electricity and it has enough space to dual boot the HDD and have all my necessary files loaded onto it from my Windows PC. It doesnt offer me the portability, so wont be able to use it at Sixth Form (which i'm only at until after my exams) or on journeys. I would then sell my Dell PC, hopefully getting around ?300 for it which can then be put towards the ?790 iMac.

Here comes the decision, do i go for a completely new PC which has better specs than my current system and better specs than the alternative, or do i go for the portability of the Macbook ? I am edging towards the iMac, but what do you guys reckon ?

 

[lancashire666]

if i was you id get the mac book as it will be extreamly useful for you in 6 form and you will defo not regret it.

however, you could save up a little longer to get the top spec 8 core mac, its only £13,155.01!!!!!

thats 8 core, 16GB of RAM, 3 Terrabyte of harddrive and 2 flat screen monitors.

not too expensive is it lol

 

[Cricketman]

If you have $300 left over after that (Not sure if its $300 there or 300 Pounds) Get an iPod touch. You won't be sorry-I bought one and absolutely love it.

 

[King Pietersen]

Lol, it probably still wouldnt be capable of playing Crysis though .

Cheers for the advice, i may be able to save abit longer and get a higher spec macbook. The difference in processor isnt really worth the money though is it ? I mean 0.16ghz extra power isnt going to amount to much. However, for the normal 2.0ghz one, but with 2gb of ram and a 120gb HDD it'll cost me £779, which really, isnt that bad considering the 20" iMac is £750 with 1gb of ram. The Macbook is looking more and more promising.

Cricketman, thanks bud, but i am getting an iPod Touch for x-mas so already have that covered .

 

[Highlander999]

I would go for the Mac as well. I ma getting a laptop (Dell XPS) for uni and I expect it will be really useful so I would choose the laptop. And who has a comp at uni. Most people have laptops

 

[Cricketman]

Oh and by the way, Mac's suck at games.
So if your looking for the gaming model, look at AlienWare or something.
And If your GP's are loaded, ask them for double so you can get both

 

[King Pietersen]

Or you just use Mac's new feature to easily install a windows operating system onto the mac hard-drive and then you just choose an OS when the Mac boots up. The whole "mac's cant play games" argument has been completely blown away thanks to the Bootcamp facility. I mean you could dual boot the HDD on the old mac's but everything had to be done manually, with Boot Camp, a feature on the new Mac OS it does everything for you. Pretty nifty stuff. I think the Macbook will be what i buy.

 

[Cricketman]

Forgot about that.
I'm actually getting paid to run. I get 10 bucks for every two miles I run.
Seeing as the the Mac Book I want to buy is $1,324.00, I'll have to run 132 Miles.
Lets say I run 6 miles a week (which is easy). I'll have it in 22 weeks.

Specifications
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* 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
* 2GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM - 2x1GB
* 120GB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm
* Combo Drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)
* Keyboard/Mac OS - U.S. English
* AirPort Extreme Card & Bluetooth

 

[pal]

I'm actually getting paid to run. I get 10 bucks for every two miles I run.

Wth? Is this from your parents or some amazing company?

 

[sd92]

Yeh. It's Fitness First.

 

[Cricketman]

Funny thing is I run 8miles a week anyways.
I asked them how I could make money and they say they would want me to this rather then chores. Whatever

 

[sd92]

Why? What a waste of valuable time.

 

[Cricketman]

Helps me with tennis and other sports anyways.
And since i'm having so much homework these days I can't even go to the tennis lessons my mom's paying half of what she pays the coach to me to stay "fit"
I don't know lol!

 

[King Pietersen]

Cheers for the help guys. Seems i'll be going for the Macbook, be useful for my time left at sixth form and i would like to keep my desktop so it seems the best idea. £703 for one with just 1gb of ram and a 120gb HDD but its £780 for one with 2gb ram. Think i'll just get the 1gb of ram, apparently it's all thats needed for a mac. Cant wait to get hold of it >

 

[sd92]

Good Luck KP. Hope your macbook turns out good for you.