The following question may be a silly and stupid one but I need to ask it. If one is majoring in computer science, which is better: to buy a windows laptop or a macbook? I would appreciate some explanation on the chosen answer, and if windows laptop is one of the answers what brand is mostly encouraged to purchase ? Thanks in advance.
Laptop for CS
doesn't matter, it depends on your taste only really IMHO
just make sure the one you choose is compatible with linux (maybe ubuntu?)
personally I'll get a windows laptop and dual boot it with linux, can't find any possible advantage of a macbook over pc to make it deserve the $$
my two cents
just make sure the one you choose is compatible with linux (maybe ubuntu?)
personally I'll get a windows laptop and dual boot it with linux, can't find any possible advantage of a macbook over pc to make it deserve the $$
my two cents
windows are cheaper and more compatible with anything you might need
- Edited
Personally I use a windows laptop with a lot of other operating systems on my virtual box software (redhat,ubuntu etc), if you ask why it's because I have no interest in buying a macbook due to the fact that it does not offer any supplements. I think macbooks are overrated.
As of brands I have no idea what is best, but i've been using Acer for a long time, so far so good.
As of brands I have no idea what is best, but i've been using Acer for a long time, so far so good.
After using windows laptops for a long time (more than 10 years), I recently got a mac (pro retina 15'), and I appreciate the quality that a macbook has over most of the alternative windows laptops:
- Screen is much better point. (maybe just the retina display and here's why /!\ Spoiler it is not just the resolution /!\
- Battery life is better, although hardware is the same, but they optimize everything and it has a huge battery which lasts 8 hours.
- Touchpad is glass, so your fingers slide better like a phone screen (minor detail that over time would mean the world) - and gestures will grow on you fast.
- Keyboard is more ergonomic (also minor detail, keys are arranged little differently, the displacement distance in each key is not too long) - and the thin laptop means your wrists rest better.
- Mac OSX is easier to customize than Windows (yes that is a shocker) but what I mean windows although has more developers and hacks, Mac is easier to play with, it's architecture makes it like a mobile OS where you can change interface using apps more easily and with less RAM and CPU impact.
- Sound produced is lower at normal use, and mac keeps the fans at low setting until active cooling is really needed (the aluminum case is used for passive cooling and sometimes it hit more than 80 before the fans rev up).
BUT on the other hand:
- MageSafe is over rated and extremely annoying when using on lap it keeps falling off.
- Locked EFI means harder to install Linux (which I use a lot, Ubuntu now have a special edition for mac haven't tried it yet).
- Although thin, but it weighs more than thicker laptops, seems the aluminum adds a lot to the weight.
- Overpriced for a daily laptop, I have the early 2013 with the nVidia 650.
As Linus trovalds said, a perfect laptop is a thin laptop that weighs less than 1kg and has enough power to be used for coding, I would add little gaming on the side - he uses the macbook air, and I think that is a great choice for daily use and especially programing.
- Screen is much better point. (maybe just the retina display and here's why /!\ Spoiler it is not just the resolution /!\
- Battery life is better, although hardware is the same, but they optimize everything and it has a huge battery which lasts 8 hours.
- Touchpad is glass, so your fingers slide better like a phone screen (minor detail that over time would mean the world) - and gestures will grow on you fast.
- Keyboard is more ergonomic (also minor detail, keys are arranged little differently, the displacement distance in each key is not too long) - and the thin laptop means your wrists rest better.
- Mac OSX is easier to customize than Windows (yes that is a shocker) but what I mean windows although has more developers and hacks, Mac is easier to play with, it's architecture makes it like a mobile OS where you can change interface using apps more easily and with less RAM and CPU impact.
- Sound produced is lower at normal use, and mac keeps the fans at low setting until active cooling is really needed (the aluminum case is used for passive cooling and sometimes it hit more than 80 before the fans rev up).
BUT on the other hand:
- MageSafe is over rated and extremely annoying when using on lap it keeps falling off.
- Locked EFI means harder to install Linux (which I use a lot, Ubuntu now have a special edition for mac haven't tried it yet).
- Although thin, but it weighs more than thicker laptops, seems the aluminum adds a lot to the weight.
- Overpriced for a daily laptop, I have the early 2013 with the nVidia 650.
As Linus trovalds said, a perfect laptop is a thin laptop that weighs less than 1kg and has enough power to be used for coding, I would add little gaming on the side - he uses the macbook air, and I think that is a great choice for daily use and especially programing.
I would go with Windows for university, mainly because most of the things you might need, are going to be tailored for Windows. All the PCs you will be doing your exams on, will be Windows as well (sometimes Ubuntu). Also, Windows is cheaper and will probably last you for 3-4 years before you need a new one, and then you can buy a Mac if you want. (Which is what I did).