The Big Mac Dilemma

[The Gentleman Scamp]

"Apple Macs are best for creative people and those in the media"

"Macs are a nightmare if they go wrong"

"Macs hardly ever go wrong"

"It's difficult to get compatible software"

Blah blah blah, but I have to make a decision, and I have to say that I have never heard a negative comment about an Apple Mac from somebody who owns one, in fact Mac owners swear by them and love their machines dearly.

I am not into programming or playing computer games neither am I somebody who works in an office, owns a business or requires a computer for my work.

I AM somebody who loves photography, art, graphics, writing, composing music, designing posters, CD covers and greetings cardsbut my main reason for wanting a laptop is to be able to edit movies from DV footage using subtitles, music, and every editing feature and effect a proffessional would put to good use.

At the moment I use shared computers for nothing more than e-mail, browsing ThaiVisa and the occasional web search.

I am also rather impatient with slow computers and not ever having much of a deep relationship with them I am after something reasonably user friendly and able to cope with a lot of usage and experimentation.

I am hoping that the majority of responses tell me the Apple Mac is the one for me, thus ending that dillema and leaving me with two new ones.

1: Do I buy in Beijing or Bangkok?

2: Which model do I choose and how many are there?

I've posted before on this subject, 'Which laptop' was the title, but we never got anywhere so I'm hoping the extra detail will result in a solid outcome.

Thanks in advance for your comments.

Scamp.

[britmaveric]

Apples are good doorstops!!!

[The_Eye_Of_Sauron]

"Apple Macs are best for creative people and those in the media"

In dat case, you better buy a PC.

[britmaveric]

"Apple Macs are best for creative people and those in the media"

In dat case, you better buy a PC.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

EOS - dont burst Scampy's bubble - he can dream!!!

[The_Eye_Of_Sauron]

Clearly an Apple Powerbook is the laptop to opt for.

There are those cheaper ones (i books?), but they don't have the same visual impact and clean lines

[cobra]

Just remember what they run on ... software,

You don't have near the selection for Mac compared to Win machines,

[buadhai]

There are several previous threads that discuss this issue.

I have been using computers since I learned to program on an IBM mainframe in 1969. I used Intel-based PCs (DOS and Windows) at work since about 1983. I have used Macs at home since they first came out in 1984.

I own three Macs now. My Mom has one. My Dad has one. My sister and her family have about six. My brother-in-law owns an advertising agency in LA. He has a dozen or more Macs there which are mainly used for animation and graphics.

In all the years of experience on all those Macs no one has ever had a virus. No one has ever had to reformat a drive and reinstall the OS.

I cannot make similar claims for other computers I have used. My experience with Windows is that "reformat and reinstall" is sometimes the only way to fix an OS that somehow stops performing.

Of course, Macs are not trouble-free. They do have hardware failures. The OS is far from perfect. They are generally more expensive than equivalent Windows based machines.

I happen to prefer Macs because I like the way they work. The human interface design is excellent and continues to improve. The hardware/software integration is hard to beat. Installing additional hardware and software is generally a breeze -- almost always easier and more straightforward than on a Windows machine.

If you really want a laptop, then a PowerBook is the best choice. You can add a second monitor. (You can add a second monitor to an iBook, but it will merely mirror the laptop display.) Remember, though, that the internal drive on a laptop is often slower than the internal drive on a desktop machine. For editing video on a laptop you probably want to use a fast external (FireWire) drive.

There are not that many models of PowerBook. Buy the one with the fastest processor and biggest screen that you can afford. Add a big external FireWire hard drive for your video work.

Buy one where you live so that you can depend on reliable service and support.

For a laptop, buy AppleCare; the Apple extended warranty.

Have fun and good luck.

[britmaveric]

Clearly an Apple Powerbook is the laptop to opt for.

There are those cheaper ones (i books?), but they don't have the same visual impact and clean lines

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Think Vaio would be a better option - more bang for your baht. Apples are considerably more pricey btw.

[buadhai]

Think Vaio would be a better option - more bang for your baht. Apples are considerably more pricey btw.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Interesting.

The only Windows PC I ever had in the house was my girlfriend's Vaio. When she saw how great the Mac was she ditched the Vaio and bought a PowerBook. We gave the Vaio to my 14 YO daughter. (She wanted a Windoze machine because she just had to have animated icons with MS Messenger!)

The Vaio has been nothing but trouble. Installing a wireless network card was a horrendous task requiring multiple passes on the install CD and a troublesome network setup which only inconsistently recognize the network card. And, the Vaio seems to have some sort of thermal overload problem. It constantly shuts off after about 45 minutes of use and has to be turned upside down in order to get it going again....

Needless to say, my daughter is demanding a Windows machine that actually works.

[britmaveric]

Budhai - not anymore!!

[buadhai]

BTW, I'm here in Los Angeles with my Mom and were just about to head out to the Apple Store at The Mall to buy her a new iMac....

[Firefoxx]

I'm not going to get into the mac vs PC thing, since it never ends, and gets nasty. Different people tend to have different points of view, and it's hard to have an open mind.

To directly address the questions: Why buy in Beijing? Buy it wherever you spend the most time in.

Which model? You haven't been too specific about your budget or your needs, whether you travel, etc. Can't answer this.

Keep in mind that the Mac's move to the Intel platform is imminent, so buying a PowerPC-based Mac right now might not be the best of choices. Wait a bit for the change, and then you can get something that's more future-proof.

[Hikage]

IMO, if you are relatively PC literate you should go with one of those, otherwise a MAC maybe a better option as it's got an easier interface... you just have to put up with the cost factor.

I'll go ahead and say it, I think PCs are a better way to go in many cases, but that's just a personal opinion.

[danone]

wait for the mactel, sometime next year mac will deliver their machines with intel-chips, meaning, you even may run windows on a mac ...

if you buy a mac now you buy old stuff which will be antique in a year.

yes yes, all those mac-freaks tell you differently. fact is, if you want a system for several years it wont matter that much. but if you want to stay ahead of the game I suggest to be patient for a little while and wait ...

[lovejoy]

i use a g4 power book

its works great for what i use it(music)

it never crashes

most virus' are writen for pcs

it comes with a lot of stuff on it airport,bluetooth etc, os tiger has great widgets

its up to you but i would never use a pc again, macs are very easy to use, the cd and dvd burner are very fast and hassle free

i have a desktop pc and never use, it im thinking of getting a g5 desktop,everything is built into to flatscreen moniter very smart lookin

[The Gentleman Scamp]

Thanks for the response, I should have added that I am in a job where I travel around Asia, mainly China although I consider Thailand a second home from the U.K. but the fact remains I am rarely in a place for more than four months so a desktop is out of the question.

What is the current price of a G4 powerbook in Bangkok?

Providing I can get an international warranty?

Finaly...

Keep in mind that the Mac's move to the Intel platform is imminent, so buying a PowerPC-based Mac right now might not be the best of choices. Wait a bit for the change, and then you can get something that's more future-proof.

Roughly how long would I have to wait?

I will have saved approximatly a 1,000 (UK) budget by the end of the month.

[The_Moog]

Get it in Hong Kong Scamp. Probably be cheaper there.

Plus there's no Sales tax as in Thailand (though presumably you'd reclaim that anyway)

Stanley Street in Central has a nice MAC store. I once did the pricing comparisons with them and Bangkok retailers, and it was cheaper.

Edited September 15, 2005 by The_Moog

[Butterfly]

"Apple Macs are best for creative people and those in the media"

"Macs are a nightmare if they go wrong"

"Macs hardly ever go wrong"

"It's difficult to get compatible software"

Thanks in advance for your comments.

Scamp.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am a long time Mac user, and I still own about 10 Macs (older model though)

Let me tell you one thing: Don't buy one and here is why

1. They are overpriced

2. They don't last long (constant change of design, architecture, OS etc...)

3. Hardware quality overtime is actually worse than PC (yeah I know hard to believe)

4. As they age, they become unreliable and break easily (I keep fixing mine all the time, but again I liked that kind of shit so not a problem for me and I have a lot of spare parts)

5. They had an edge with MacOS9, but they lost it when they switched to another "Linux" distro. No point of buying an overpriced Unix distribution.

6. Unreliabe, OS will crash all the time (didn't I say that already), MacOS X is an oversized Unix with pretty windows but not as "strong" as any Linux Distro

7. Owning a Mac is so GAY !!!!! not that there is anything wrong with that (their design is too femine for my taste)

I stopped getting into the bullshit bandwagon of Apple when they switched to MacOS X. Until then I was a devoted Mac User. Had every software that ever run on a Mac. Now I use them as Game Station for Arcade simulator.

It turns out that I find WinXP and Win2000 easier to use than MacOS 9. Mac lost their UI advantage a long time ago, and Microsoft is way more advanced in terms of usability. They have nothing now, only the stupid iPod and the online Music store. Question of time before Macs become a thing of the past. Maybe 10 years.

[Firefoxx]

As seen in the various comments on this thread, there are strong opinions which show both sides of the argument. No system is perfect, and no system is a total failure. No system is right for everybody. Macs aren't that popular in Thailand, since the average wage here doesn't allow much room for the extra cost.

Buy whatever is right for you.

As for prices, I think the US is probably the cheapest, as there are deals and discounts to be had on a regular basis. AFAIK, 1,000 UK would get you a middling Powerbook.

For the timeframe of when the Intel Macs will come out, I have no idea, I'm not a Mac guy. It probably should be some time late this year or early next year, seeing that the OS is fairly done.

[spog]

Don't get the Powerbook.

Get an ibook. They are much better value for money- I doubt you would notice the difference in performance between the two ranges, but you will definitely notice the difference in price.

Sure, the powerbook looks nicer. But is that worth the extra money? Save the cash and buy a fancy bag if you want to look cool.

The 12" is nice and small and has a better screen than the 14"

[Crushdepth]

Read this on another site today (though it was about the Nano), sums it up for me:

Personally I think Apple has crossed the line from functionality to pure fashion, and it’s too bad.

[Rj 81]

I must recommend the new iMac G5. It has everything you need all in one. Plus no tower. all built into 17" or 20" flat screen (looks the dogs &lt;deleted&gt;).

Check it out here http://www.apple.com/imac/

I got mine about 2 months ago and I love it!

Rj

[Hikage]

lol. actually, I don't mind the nano.

[Firefoxx]

The nano is a strange beast. So small, so limited, yet so stylish. And its finally dropped into the "affordable" class.

Ars technica did some really whacky tests on it... they dropped it, sat on it, threw it out of a moving car... and it kept on running. So they drove a car over it. And it STILL kept on running. What an amazing little thing... I'll probably get one for my neice... I have no use for mp3 players myself.

[Belfastboy]

Go for the Mac everytime...!

im a graphic designer and if uare into downloading your photography, graphics, music etc...then its perfection...

put it this way it will NEVER crash, looks great, the interface is so user friendly...

and it has great digital video editing software included ie iMovie, iDVD, iTunes..etc

plus i would go for a laptop....

buy it in Singapore scamp...i was there recently and they are at least 300 pounds sterling cheaper there than thailand...

go for the 12" G4 would suit u down to the ground...ONCE U GO MAC U NEVER GO BACK..!!

[The Gentleman Scamp]

Go for the Mac everytime...!

im a graphic designer and if uare into downloading your photography, graphics, music etc...then its perfection...

put it this way it will NEVER crash, looks great, the interface is so user friendly...

and it has great digital video editing software included ie iMovie, iDVD, iTunes..etc

plus i would go for a laptop....

buy it in Singapore scamp...i was there recently and they are at least 300 pounds sterling cheaper there than thailand...

go for the 12" G4 would suit u down to the ground...ONCE U GO MAC U NEVER GO BACK..!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Listen to that enthusiasm!

I think I'm settled on a Mac and I've already waited over 9 months and the g5 sounds good that Rj81 recommended.

Moog suggested I buy in HK and Belfast says Singapore and I know from experience they are both cheaper when it comes to electronics, however, wouldn't the airfare to either spend the discount saved?

[The_Moog]

Buy in HK if your rtn air ticket takes you through there. I recall you said your PRC inbound came via there.

Not worth making a special journey.

[Hikage]

HK would be cheaper than Sing I believe

[Nordlys]

What is the current price of a G4 powerbook in Bangkok?

Providing I can get an international warranty?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

OK, so I was at Apple Center (Copperwired) Thonglor J Avenue branch today and got a price list. So here you go the prices in Thailand. Other shops in Fortune or Pantip might sell the same product for less (than the prices below) but not considerably less (but can't be more than this price as far as I can tell). All prices below inclusive of 7% VAT.

PowerBook 12" Combo Drive B69,900

PowerBook 12" Combo Drive B71,900

PowerBook 15" Combo Drive B88,900

PowerBook 15" Super Drive B98,900

PowerBook 17" Super Drive B121,900

iBook 12" Combo Drive B47,900

iBook 14" Super Drive B62,900

iBook 12" Combo Drive B39,900 (1.2Ghz, discontinued model)

I don't know about the prices in Singapore and HK, but I've been a long time Mac user myself and had 7 Macs both desktop and notebook but never bought any hardwares in Thailand as I always found the Apple products in Thailand way overpriced (including the iPod, 4GB iPod mini is sold here for more than 6GB iPod mini in Japan). I just bought myself a 2nd PowerBook in Japan three weeks ago and I paid approx B55,000 (duty-free) for the 12 inch combo drive model sold in Thailand for almost B70,000. Last year, I bought 15 inch, combo drive PowerBook in Japan for B63,000 when the same model was sold for B81,000 after discount during the annual COMMART fair at Queen Sirikit convention center (promotional price effective only during the fair). I don't know how much the air fare would be from Beijing to Tokyo, but since you're not too far out from Tokyo and if you've never been to Japan, why not a visit to Tokyo so you can buy your apple and at the same time do some sight seeing there (well, of course that's if you'd want to).

Anyway if that's out of question and if you find Beijing prices to be not a whole lot cheaper than Bangkok, and if you're coming to Bangkok in any which way, then I'd fly to Singapore to buy one. These days you can fly to Singapore for 2 nights 3 days package for less than B5,000 and I would assume the price difference of higher end model PowerBooks between Bangkok and Singapore to be greater than that amount.

BTW, you'll get worldwide warranty for apple notebooks wherever you buy it (as far as I know). Whether or not you get the same service under the warranty (or if or not the service is available at all whether or not under the warranty) is another matter though.

Also, I find the Sony VAIO price in Thailand to be outrageous (than apple prices here). Almost 30 - 40% higher than in Japan.

[Firefoxx]

I was in Singapore not too long ago, and I found that while some hardware was indeed a bit cheaper, it was not so for notebooks. I found a few Acer models which were about 10k baht more expensive in SG. You can see here

http://store.apple.com/1800-MY-APPLE/WebOb...1.1.1.1.0.0.1.0

That the 12" combo powerbook comes out to be around 70k baht, roughly the same as Thailand.

As for Japan, with their ever-bleeding-edge mantra, a lot of electronics goodies go for *very* cheap, and gets even cheaper when a new model replaces it. For example, the Sony HDR-HC1, a consumer HD camcorder, goes for 99,000 baht in Thailand, and roughly 70,000 baht in the US. In Japan, it's only 50,000 baht.

But some other things aren't as cheap. For example, Canon lenses are roughly the same price as Thailand, and in some cases more expensive. Strange, considering that Canon is based in Japan, and most of its lenses are made there.