New Ultranote (Apple MacBook Pro 15" / Dell XPS 15 / Other)

Ltruongster on 21/10/2014 - 16:32

I'm looking for a new Ultranote, I've been looking at the Dell XPS 15 and the Apple Pro 15. If I decide to get either it would be the highest model of the 512gb SSD + dedicated gpu. Before this thread becomes another fanboy thread, I just want to state I don't justify paying 3.2k for the Apple Pro, if it were around 2-2.5k I'd take it. I have also looked at horize's ultranote, they had one with a 740M 14-15" 1.99kg for $999, but they don't have it anymore unfortunately. Factors that I have considered;

  • I'm completing my 3rd year in uni with 2 years to go. I can either get a laptop now or just before global exchange (next year spring)
  • I'm heading to the states for 10 weeks on the 21st of November (2014). (I can claim the tax rebate)
  • New 800M series is coming out and the two laptops have both carry last generations 750M. (Should I relinquish the tax rebate and wait for the new year, hopefully with the intel refresh as well).
  • Dell has the XPS 15 for 2,999 (It has been on sale down to around 2399) - Ebay has it 2100 (new with warranty, although I'm not sure whether this includes a tax invoice for the tax rebate).
  • Apple goes for 3200, With student rebate it drops to around 2800~.
  • Weight/Battery considerations/GPU/Screen resolution are my priorities for the laptop
  • I have considered the surface 3 but I don't believe it suits me especially with the price + keyboard cover.

Which laptop would you guys recommend Apple or Dell? Other perhaps?

Are there any factors that are obvious that I have overlooked?

Thanks in advance.

Poll Options

  • 28
    Apple Pro 15"
  • 21
    Dell XPS 15"
  • 3
    Other
Computing

Comments

  • [Deactivated] on 21/10/2014 - 16:36
    +1

    Get the Macbook pro at 10% off. It will take it into your price range. See Dicksmith. Claim it back on income tax too. The Macbook pro is pretty much the best laptop you can buy, in so many ways. Build quality and battery life are unrivaled. Not having to worry about malware and viruses is also a massive bonus.

    • DrStinge on 23/10/2014 - 13:02
      +1

      The malware and virus comment pisses me off. It's not like you go into your Mac and start mucking around as root. Stop doing s#%! on your Windows PC you shouldn't be doing.

    • ozhunter on 23/10/2014 - 13:15

      Build quality = great
      Battery life is pretty good, but not the best. It slows down a lot when battery life is 7%. It's actually a "feature" so they can say they have longer battery.

  • verio on 21/10/2014 - 16:52
    +2

    Why not to get a refurbished Macbook Pro? 2.5K with the specs that you wanted.
    http://store.apple.com/au/product/FE294X/A/refurbished-154-i…

    Great savings, the same stuff.

  • ThadtheChad on 21/10/2014 - 17:14
    +1

    What are your use-cases? Is there any particular reason you need the top of the line specs?

    There are some things that a Macbook pro is awesome for, gaming is not one of them. OSX is bloody brilliant, and with VMware Fusion/Parallels you will have the best of both worlds. Remember though, if you're looking at the laptop as a "gaming rig" then definitely steer clear of the macbook pro.

    • truongster on 21/10/2014 - 20:56

      I'm video editing alot of the time (Trying to stick with nvidia for the cuda cores), Forgot to mention the occasional lan parties but I'll just dual boot windows for it if need be.

      • ThadtheChad on 21/10/2014 - 21:13
        -2

        I'd recommend the MBP 15" for the video edition. However, the gaming aspect would be a bit "light on" IMHO.

        Windows is a relatively shitty OS, but you can get quite a bang for the buck for gaming laptops in the "Windows" world.

        How about this (for a similar price point):
        http://www.msi.com/product/nb/GS60_2PE_Ghost_Pro.html#hero-o…

        Or the Gigabyte P35
        http://www.gigabyte.com.au/products/product-page.aspx?pid=50…

        However, that said, if you're a relatively casual gamer who doesn't need a bleeding edge GPU, you could go with a MBP 15".

        • truongster on 21/10/2014 - 21:28

          I feel as if the MSI would be great plugged in but wouldn't last a lecture/tutorial. The gigabyte one similarly but I really asking for too much. I don't think theres any laptops out there that maximise battery life with a GPU 840m/850m

        • ThadtheChad on 21/10/2014 - 21:38

          @truongster:

          Are you going to be actively thrashing the GPU? Typically they should be using switchable graphics when on battery to conserve power.

        • truongster on 21/10/2014 - 21:46

          nope, Nvidia has their optimus technology

        • ThadtheChad on 21/10/2014 - 23:09

          @truongster:

          If you're not going to be doing high performance tasks on battery, you should be fine. Else the MBP 15" is a great option as well.

        • serideth on 23/10/2014 - 12:25
          +9

          Windows is a relatively shitty OS, but you can get quite a bang for the buck for gaming laptops in the "Windows" world.

          Please don't make blanket statements like that, there's a reason Windows is the most widely used OS across different industries and platforms (desktops and servers). Apple products have appeal to a certain type of user, alot of journalists and content producers use them because they have great battery life and good displays and software for content production.

          However working in IT I dislike Apple products to the same extent as Blackberry, as when Apple's stop working they're are so much more trouble to get going again. Plus OP needs to decide whether his software runs on OSX (I'm assuming that he's a current Windows user) getting a Mac means you need to buy into the Apple ecosystem. And despite the apps on OSX being of quite high quality the choice of apps is still much much better on Windows.

          Please don't bring up bootcamp, if you bootcamp into Windows then you're not running OSX anymore. Bootcamp is fine for occasional tasks but if your primarily going to be using bootcamp then there's no reason to get a Mac

          Edit.

          Forgot I didn't give the OP some other options, you should check out the Horize's and Clevo's they're essentially built to order laptops and come with the latest tech and the prices are very competitive. LBO has the Horize's .

        • ThadtheChad on 23/10/2014 - 19:08

          @serideth:

          Please don't make blanket statements like that, there's a reason Windows is the most widely used OS across different industries and platforms (desktops and servers). Apple products have appeal to a certain type of user, alot of journalists and content producers use them because they have great battery life and good displays and software for content production.

          IMHO the biggest allure of Windows for corporations is the ease of deployment and management. For a uni student those features are not of prime importance. That said, the ecosystem for Windows is mature and well rounded with proprietary and FOSS software, so that may be a compelling point.

          However, I've found that Windows boxes undergo an almost organic degradation over time. As a result, reimaging is required on a periodic basis. I've only been using OSX since 2012, and I've found it to be significantly more stable (and easier to restore if I bork it up).

          However working in IT I dislike Apple products to the same extent as Blackberry, as when Apple's stop working they're are so much more trouble to get going again.
          I'd disagree. You need to know what you're doing. :) FYI, I work in IT as well and I have some colleagues who are ardent OSX fans.

          Plus OP needs to decide whether his software runs on OSX (I'm assuming that he's a current Windows user) getting a Mac means you need to buy into the Apple ecosystem. And despite the apps on OSX being of quite high quality the choice of apps is still much much better on Windows.

          +1

          Please don't bring up bootcamp, if you bootcamp into Windows then you're not running OSX anymore. Bootcamp is fine for occasional tasks but if your primarily going to be using bootcamp then there's no reason to get a Mac

          No point using bootcamp when you can use virtualisation. You get the killer Windows apps while being able to use OSX as your primary OS. With USB pass-through, you can also get plug-n-play working flawlessly with devices that have no support for OSX. :)

          That said, I completely agree with the statement that if you're going to only use Windows, don't get a MBP.

        • murkywater on 24/10/2014 - 11:54

          @omgwtfbbq: They only "degrade" if you install every piece of garbage you can find. Otherwise, they work fine for as long as you want.

        • ThadtheChad on 24/10/2014 - 15:07

          @raven2000:

          That is partly true (and partly false). If you install applications on a regular basis (as well as allow application updates), there are artefacts of the changes left behind (in the registry, system files, maybe even service paths).

          If you have a fairly static "environment", then obviously the degradation would be negligible.

          I do know a little bit about these things. Typically, when I'm monitoring an application installation and its interactions during runtime, I'll find a lot of applications do not perform a very good job of "cleaning" cruft left behind.

          If you'd like to understand these things better, I'd highly recommend the following books:
          http://www.amazon.com/Windows-Internals-Edition-Developer-Re…
          http://www.amazon.com/Windows-Internals-Edition-Developer-Re…

        • mrmarkau67 on 24/10/2014 - 17:06

          @raven2000:

          Sadly Windows users are dumber than average, usually run as administrator, and often do install a lot of crap.

      • tetsuma on 23/10/2014 - 03:05

        Try not to game in Windows with a retina Macbook pro 15, even if it is just LoL/MOBAs.
        Give it a quick google and you'll find a lot of people who're seeing excessive heat damage/issues doing so. An Australian Summer isn't kind to it either. If you must, please have a laptop cooler/fan on it the whole time.

        I can't stress this enough.

  • stargalaxy on 21/10/2014 - 17:15
    +1

    Wouldn't it be cheaper to buy in the US of A?

    • Randxyz123 on 21/10/2014 - 20:32

      Warranty can be an issue… Also I doubt the OP would save more than about $100

    • truongster on 21/10/2014 - 20:56

      I looked at their prices, remember they have to add + their tax on top. Warranty is another issue.

  • ozhunter on 21/10/2014 - 17:48

    With claiming tax, you're meant to declare the item if it is over $900 if you're bringing it back into Australia.

    • sauce2k on 21/10/2014 - 18:55

      Do u always have to? If he doesn't bring the package back then when they ask him, he can simply tell them that he brought over to the us. I've done it plenty of times.

      • RightplaceRontime on 21/10/2014 - 19:55
        +1

        Exactly, you don't have to tell them you are bringing it back. You'd be very unlucky if they random check you on coming back for TRS fraud. I think Customs are more worried about illegal and/or dangerous substances than a little tax gone missing. Some tax payers in OzB, don't take kindly of this practices though.
        By the way,I would go MacBook Pro, I recently bought the new model (entry level, not the one you specified, I wanted to see first hand what the retina fuss was about… yes, fair enough, I still prefer the now discontinued High Resolution AntiGlare screens).

        • truongster on 21/10/2014 - 20:58

          With my current laptop, I want to stick with matte screens but it seems manufacturers are drifting from that option…

        • RightplaceRontime on 23/10/2014 - 19:12

          @truongster: I know, I did however buy the last MBP 15" antiglare model. My 2007 MBP 2,2 AntiGlare is still going strong. So the 2012 model should really last me until 2020… (fingers crossed).

    • meumax on 24/10/2014 - 11:52

      If you're travelling in a group you can pool your duty free allowance which is $900 per adult and a smaller amount for children.

      So if you are travelling as a two party group, you can bring in goods to the value of $1,800.

      Then you have to factor in depreciation. The Macbook Pro would have depreciated in value in the time it has left the country which also helps to bring it under the threshold.

  • PVA on 21/10/2014 - 21:24

    Dell has other ultra book notebooks as wel, not just xps. I think the name is precision.

  • ozhunter on 21/10/2014 - 23:32
    +1

    http://www.logicalblueone.com.au/store/45-dedicated-gaming-l…

    These computers are great value.

    • ThadtheChad on 22/10/2014 - 00:20

      +1 Absolutely!

      • ozeebee on 28/10/2014 - 16:14

        I have a Dell XPS 2010 model, bought new from Dell. It was a great laptop and it's still doing fine at the moment. But it's starting to slow down and heat dissipation is now pretty bad. It gets really hot when playing games.

        Possibly will get a replacement from Logical Blue one when a sale pops u which I hope is really soon!

  • Amores on 22/10/2014 - 07:34
    -1

    I have the XPS 15 top specs and it's an awesome laptop. I was also deciding between the Macbook, but I hate that piece of sh*t called OSX and inflated pricing.

    You can buy Dell in the USA without issues with warranty, it's worldwide. I bought mine for $1800 w 3 year warranty.

    • ThadtheChad on 22/10/2014 - 14:15

      Helpful:
      "I have the XPS 15 top specs and it's an awesome laptop. You can buy Dell in the USA without issues with warranty, it's worldwide. I bought mine for $1800 w 3 year warranty."

      Unnecessary:
      " I was also deciding between the Macbook, but I hate that piece of sh*t called OSX and inflated pricing."

      PS: I did not neg you. I save those for when it is truly needed.

      • Amores on 22/10/2014 - 17:50
        +4

        I don't care about +/- , we are in Australia - saying something against iSheep religion gets you always in "trouble" :-)

        disclosure: I own the latest iPod & I was one of the first owners of iPad 1, but don't pray to a piece of metal every night

        ps: as krisosha below mentioned upgradability (and also unrepairability) were other two big reasons why i went with Dell

        • ThadtheChad on 22/10/2014 - 18:33

          ps: as krisosha below mentioned upgradability (and also unrepairability) were other two big reasons why i went with Dell

          Very valid reason and I agree with this.

          That said, MBPs are excellent devices (and OSX is awesome). I've torn apart atleast 2 Macbook pros including my 13" non-retina. I've swapped out the HDD and optical drives with SSDs and bumped up the RAM to 16GB. I'm looking forward to getting a 15" MBP as I really like OSX on a notebook and a number of propeller-heads who work with me also swear by their MBPs.

          Full disclosure: I straddle all eco-systems. :)
          Desktop gaming rig running Windows 7
          Linux Microserver running Ubuntu
          2x Dell laptops for work running Windows 7 and Kali Linux
          13" MBP that I've pimped out

        • Amores on 23/10/2014 - 10:42

          @omgwtfbbq: well the non-retina were last where you could upgrade something. Now RAM is soldered, so you have to pay 300% of market price to get more RAM when you order the laptop

          SSDs they use are very hard to find and iFixit ranks Macbook since then with the lowest possible score

        • mrmarkau67 on 27/10/2014 - 16:45

          @Amores:

          you have to pay 300% of market price to get more RAM

          What's your evidence for this?

          Last time I looked on the Apple Online Store, it cost $240 to upgrade a MBP from 8GB to 16GB. Logical Blue One changes $199 for a similar upgrade. So Apple is maybe 20% more expensive. Bad, but nowhere near 300%.

          Even a machine with unsoldered RAM would cost at least $140 to upgrade from 8 to 16GB of RAM.

        • ThadtheChad on 27/10/2014 - 21:28

          @mrmarkau67:

          Actually, I was looking to upgrade my primary work laptop (which is a Dell) and a 16GB SODIMM kit would set me back $229. So it's not much of a markup (vs $240).

      • [Deactivated] on 22/10/2014 - 18:12

        My GF has an XPS 15, it is the worst laptop she has ever used, it has been through 2 batteries and 2 chargers, despite the fact that she has taken care of it. The chargers literally just stop working randomly. Just the other night it started beeping uncontrollably, turns out the computer was indicating an imminent motherboard failure. It has poor battery life, and it loses its printer drivers on a regular basis. It has a good graphics card (the reason she bought it) and a decent processor, but when the laptop only works in a reduced performance mode, because it doesn't recognise its battery charger, that is not much use.

      • This Guy on 22/10/2014 - 23:10

        omgwtfbbq on 21/10/2014 - 20:13

        "Windows is a relatively shitty OS"

        Come on.

        • ThadtheChad on 22/10/2014 - 23:36

          It is. :) I speak the truth TG. It's ubiquitous and irreplaceable (TBH), shitty all the same.

        • ozhunter on 23/10/2014 - 08:12
          +3

          @omgwtfbbq:

          I disagree, Windows > OS X. OS X looks better but it is no where near as fast or stable as Windows 8. The amount of crashes from Finder, Preview, MplayerX, is quite unbelievable(clean install on Mavericks and Yosemite).

        • RightplaceRontime on 23/10/2014 - 19:14

          @ozhunter: WARNING! fanboy war Alert … WARNING!.

        • ThadtheChad on 23/10/2014 - 19:19

          @ozhunter:

          I disagree a bit harder. :)

          OSX and Windows 8 are both quite fast and responsive. I really like OSX's font scaling on high res screens. I've not had any issues with Finder, Priver or MplayerX on Mavericks. I wouldn't upgrade to Yosemite just yet.

        • RightplaceRontime on 23/10/2014 - 20:32

          @omgwtfbbq: I didn't want to be the one to say it… but since you did, agree with your statement. I've also not had 'many' (but I've had at least one), finder crash that i can recall. Ozhunter quotes after clean installs of Mav and Yos… hard to believe.

        • [Deactivated] on 23/10/2014 - 21:12
          +1

          @RightplaceRontime:

          I very rarely have any crashes on my 4 year old macbook air. I have a shit tonne of crashes on my 6 month old windows 8.1 Dell tablet laptop thing. The wifi drops out multiple times a day requiring a restart each time (of the computer) to get it working, the keyboard has stopped working requiring a replacement. The power cable stop working requiring a replacement, the laptop just shuts down randomly while using it, on suspend the thing runs out of batteries like i am using it to play video games, the pen requires AAAA batteries which are hard to find and it runs out all the time. The screen is not big enough to display the entire mail app at once. The list is endless. Oh and my 4 year old macbook air is faster than it.

        • mrmarkau67 on 25/10/2014 - 12:22

          [@thorton82](/comment/2320194/red upir):

          Those aren't Windows problems, those are Dell problems. It sounds bad enough that you should just get a refund.

  • Zondor on 22/10/2014 - 17:22
    +4

    Upgradability is a huge thing for me so id take the dell over the apple any day.

    Pretty much all the new mac's ram is not interchangeable.

  • truongster on 22/10/2014 - 22:39
    +1

    One of the things that came into mind was the dell battery can be replaced in the future. (After it wears down)

    Apple would be cheaper in the states as well.

    http://www.logicalblueone.com.au/store/546-horize-w650eh-ult…

    Would be nice if the above had an 840m + intel gen 4.

  • [Deactivated] on 23/10/2014 - 02:16
    +1

    Depending on your situation, I personally don't bother with high end "gaming" notebooks because you are either going to end up with a mobile components with similar model numbers as their desktop counterparts but nowhere near the performance.

    For example, for the lastest Retina MacBook Pro 15" with maxed out options you can get a i7-4578U with a GT 750M

    A Mobile i7-4578U is a dual core chip which is outperformed by a Desktop i3-4340 (excluding Quick Sync) or a Desktop i7 1st generation from 2008 (with Quick Sync).

    A Mobile GT 750M is easily outperformed by a Desktop GT 740.

    http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Core+i7-4578U+…
    http://www.cpubenchmark.net/high_end_cpus.html

    http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/gpu.php?gpu=GeForce+GT+750…
    http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/high_end_gpus.html

    I was able to price together a more powerful Desktop from MSY for less than $1550 which includes OS, 4K monitor and 1TB SSD:

    Grand Total: $1,529.00
    Asus H81M-E $59.00
    Kingston 16G Kit (8Gx2) DDR3 1600 - KVR16N11K2/16 $168.00
    Microsoft MS Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit OEM$109.00
    Samsung 840BW EVO MZ-7TE1T0BW 1TB SATAIII SSD Solid State Drive $449.00
    Benq IPS 27" BL2710PT 2560x1440 4ms GTG SPK D-SUB DL-DVI DisplayPort HDMI LED Backlight LCD Moni $399.00
    Antec VSK-4000B-U3 USB3.0 Mid Tower Case without PSU $43.00
    Intel Core i3 4350 3.6GHz 4MB $142.00
    Gainward 1G GT740 PCI-E VGA Card $89.00
    EVGA 500W (100-W1-0500-KR) 500Watt 80Plus Power Supply Unit $59.00
    GIGABYTE GK-KM6150 Multimedia USB Keyboard Mouse $12.00

    Obviously you might not need a 1TB SSD and could scale that back and instead make it more powerful than an i3 and upgrade to a real (I mean "Desktop") i5 or i7 and a nicer graphics card.

    Then use the leftover money for a nice but not a "high end" laptop for school work. A surface Pro 3 i3 or i5 model or maybe this laptop with 1080p display for around $1000 with OS:
    http://www.logicalblueone.com.au/store/546-horize-w650eh-ult…

    You could even remotely connect to your Desktop from your laptop if you need real power.

    Laptops are no good for gaming. No upgradeability either.

    • jzdhgkd on 23/10/2014 - 02:24

      His situation is taking it to uni for lectures and tutorials, so I don't think a desktop would be practical.

      • [Deactivated] on 23/10/2014 - 19:25

        Again, I don't know his exact situation, but maybe he doesn't need that much power during lectures and has room for one where he can study at home..

    • ozhunter on 23/10/2014 - 03:41

      That's not a 4k monitor…

      • [Deactivated] on 23/10/2014 - 19:24

        Whoops, I added the wrong monitor to the cart
        This one:
        AOC 28" U2868PQU 4K-UHD 3840x2160 1ms PIVOT DL-DVI $539
        So add $140.
        Grand Total: $1669

        • sb944 on 04/11/2014 - 17:06
          +1

          Yeah, I like this idea. I have hovered between cheap and medium laptops the last 10 years, but every now and then decide it's time to go all out, and start looking at the high end laptops so I could use it for gaming sometimes. But every time I come to the conclusion you need to pay so much money for just average gaming specs when compared with a desktop, and that a desktop + laptop to suit the two different needs would be cheaper and better for each task than trying to buy a laptop to do both things.

  • hts on 23/10/2014 - 08:46
    +1

    Thought I should chime in with some information for you.

    The 800M Nvidia chips have been out for a while now, but only a few actually in use/released (1 off memory…). What you should look for is a notebook using the 980M or 970M. They were released a few weeks ago but OEM's should have models either coming out or already out with them. Performance wise they use less power and perform much better than other GPU's. At the moment, ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte and Clevo all have models available with it. I'm unsure however if they would be classed as 'ultrabooks' but more desktop replacement, but it is early days and if you decide to wait you may find an ultrabook with a 970M inside it.

  • Ramrunner on 23/10/2014 - 08:55
    +2

    LOVE MY ASUS ZENBOOK UX31A. Yes I have to shout it I've been THAT impressed with it. Normally get a new notebook every two years through my business but have held on to this one now more than 3 years because it's all kinds of awesome. The new model Zenbook UX32VD with the unfortunate name has dedicated graphics as requested. (Mine does not).

    Please consider. Everybody seems to think Dell or Mac for stylish ultrabooks, but Asus are WELL in the game and I believe look better than the Dell also.

  • arnieb on 23/10/2014 - 19:43

    +1 MBP, the retina screen and excellent battery life put it in a different league compared to windows counterparts!

    • RightplaceRontime on 23/10/2014 - 20:34

      Agree, Battery life on my new recently released MBP 15", is quite impressive.

  • p1 ama on 23/10/2014 - 21:06
    +1

    You've overlooked this one from Clevo Horize! I'm not sure if you missed this model when you were looking.

    http://www.logicalblueone.com.au/store/576-horize-w355ss-gam…

    With your budget, you could spec it up a bit, it has the 860M, you seem to be after the 800 series.

    Perfect for your needs and cheaper than any Apple or Dell notebook you can find. After discovering Clevo Horize, I will never buy a laptop anywhere else again. They're great, powerful, nicely built and very, very good value for money given what you're getting.

    Personally, I wouldn't EVER spend $3,000 on a notebook unless I had a hole through my head. Computers depreciate faster than cars, that's saying something. There are a few questions you should ask yourself including whether you really NEED a 512GB SSD, amongst other factors.

    Also, why are you buying a gaming notebook? Nobody really games on Notebooks. If you want to game or do intensive stuff, get a desktop and a small laptop to carry around. You'll end up paying less than a "gaming" notebook and you'll get better performance.

    • mrmarkau67 on 24/10/2014 - 12:00

      ++ This.

      If God had intended laptops to be good for FPS games, he would have made Australian summers cooler.

    • truongster on 26/10/2014 - 13:32

      I'll be dragging this laptop to uni on a daily basis. Main reason I'm upgrading my current laptop is the weight. it's 2.5kg I'm aimming for the 2kg mark

      • ThadtheChad on 27/10/2014 - 21:31

        Absolutely. 2Kg is the max I'd go now for a high specc'd rig. I've learnt my lesson lugging around 2 desktop replacement notebooks (2.4Kg and a 2.8Kg) making my backpack weigh over 12Kg (because of all the gear). Not fun when you have to walk over a km to get to a remote data centre.

  • Donaldouk on 23/10/2014 - 21:34
    +1

    I brought the top end Mac book pro retina for over 3k in 2012. I use it mainly for lots of photoshop and a bit of FCP. It run flawlessly still. Everyday use. Only issue is that I can't upgrade the rams.

    Prior to that I had a top end Dell that I used for uni, running top 3d software. The Dell build are not where near to the standard of apple. Can't say for the current top end model of dell, haven't seen them. Problem with windows computer is that there are too many options for fixing things. Been doing that for too long. Since the windows 3.11 days. Lol.

    I can't see myself changing back to windows anytime soon.

    • RightplaceRontime on 23/10/2014 - 22:03
      +1

      I've quoted before and I quote it again, "Once you go Mac, you never go back".

  • h0mbre on 24/10/2014 - 12:42

    I know a few people who have recently tried Windows 10 on the latest MBP and are now at parity with OSX and getting 8~ hours battery life, impressive.

  • RedHab on 24/10/2014 - 16:01

    You won't beat the Mac on physical build quality.

    Have you looked at the Lenovo T440s or T440p with FHD?

    It is the highest rated UltraNote on Notebookcheck.com and those Germans know what they're talking about:
    http://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Lenovo-ThinkPad-T440s-20…

  • goraygo on 24/10/2014 - 23:20

    I had Mac Air before and I had Dell Latitude (not xps) here are some pros and cons between the two brands.

    Apple pro:
    1. OSX upgrades are dirt cheap if not free.
    2. Build quality is probably one of the best. (Better than Dell)
    3. Very very good post sales support. You can't find any manufacturer better. And they are worldwide, as long as you find an Apple Store, you can expect support.

    Dell pro:
    1. You can upgrade any windows versions in future and would probably get Dell support drivers.
    2. Easily find replacable spare parts after even 3 years. (Yup eBay China made one included)

    Apple con:
    1. Boot camp for Windows is a joke. Drivers not properly supporting everything. Touchpad driver on Windows is so buggy that I had to stop using two finger scroll. Power management does not work as well as OSX or other Windows Laptop. If you primarily runs Windows, forget about the Mac.
    2. unibody are scratch magnet. If you want a perfect looking metal body forever, it won't happen even if you are careful. You need to get protections like zagg skins.
    3. Expensive parts.

    Dell con:
    1. Build quality. Can't compare to apple.
    2. Default OS come with lots of bloatwares. Had to uninstall them.

    I currently ditched all that and on Microsoft Surface Pro 3. With keyboards for i5-8G ram-256Gb SSD for $1700. And for 512GbSSD around $2499. Still cheaper than Mac.

    Build quality on SP3 is very good, comparable to Mac. No rubbish software by default. Guess not good for gaming.

    Drawing with the SP3 pen is AWESOME! I use OneNote a lot in meetings and able to present them later.

    Good luck in your search.

  • cnrmlj on 25/10/2014 - 08:06

    I had the top of the range XPS15 earlier this year but returned it for a full refund after a few months. Piece of rubbish. Many people like them and ignore the coil whine but I couldn't. (http://xps-15.wikia.com/wiki/High_Pitched_Chattering/Squeal)

    I also didn't like the shiny touch screen and a lot of programs also didn't look right in the higher resolution.

    Am now looking at getting a gigabyte instead but haven't fully landed on something. There is a new model coming out next month which looks pretty nice.

  • truongster on 27/10/2014 - 14:33

    http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&c…

    That item above in comparison to the Dell XPS 15?

  • roadsign on 02/11/2014 - 14:29

    Hi Truongster,

    Going with a Mac will give you a well made, relatively fast computer. The primary reason you'll find all these fanboy wars (see above) is because Apple is not just a software company, they also manufacture their hardware. Microsoft (generally) do not make their own hardware (of course, the Surface series is the recent exception to that trend).

    As such, people experience less problems on Macs; they are designed as complete packages. Microsoft, however, has to create software that works on a boatload of combinations of hardware; not exactly a trivial task. You'll find great Windows laptops, and you'll find terrible ones.

    All that said, I'd recommend against a Mac. Apple exclusively makes Macs, and as such they do overcharge for the package. With some research, you could pay $1.5k for a Windows machine that performs just as well, is just as light, and has just as good battery life as your $3k Mac.

    As for recommendations, I'd recommend you take a look at the Surface Pro 3 line. As these are manufactured by Microsoft, they are the 'direct' competition to the Macs, so to speak. In fact, Microsoft even markets them this way:

    http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msaus/en_AU/pdp/Surface-…

    Personally, I'm more of a ThinkPad fan. I use a ThinkPad Yoga, which is a 1.6kg 12" laptop of exceptional build quality. See:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6v5T5WLWjs

    I wish you best of luck in your laptop bargain hunt.

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