Buying a Mac

[holloway]

For University next year, I'm going to need to buy a new laptop (my current one was second hand in 2003...). I really would like to buy a mac, simply because stuff like Garageband really intrigues me (and they have amazing build quality). My first preference of purchase location is obviously the Apple Store, however I was wondering if anyone knew of another retailer (web or not) that sells them for cheaper? It must ship to the UK mind and I'd prefer it if it wasn't eBay as Apples on their are like the epicentre of scams.

 

[$t3v0]

When I bought mine (sold it now) I bought it direct from Apple. They offer a student discount if you have your NUS card? My dad got like £200 off his latest laptop using my brother's discount, can't argue. Plus I guess nowhere else offers that discount due to it will be cheaper anyway. But if you buy direct from the retailer you have all the official documents and guarantees that come with it.

Official imo

 

[___]

Of note and very sexy is the Modbook, which is only available through a 3rd party since MAC STILL DOESN'T MAKE A TABLET.  But that's not cheap.  If you want a cheap laptop that runs Mac OS, grab one of those sexy little HP designer laptops (no really, I just called a PC sexy, if you haven't seen these things man they have styyyle) for around 700 bucks and install OSx86 on it.  It'll take a little expertise and some Googling to pull it off but it'll cost you half the price for a similar level of performance.

 

[holloway]

I am actually looking in to OSx86, however it will take some work to match compatible specs.

 

[___]

Yeah I had to learn a lot more than I ever wanted to know about OSx86 recently for a situation with work where we had Mac software we really wanted to use and an office full of PCs with one Mac (don't ask).  The bottom line though is the most important thing is SSE3 support, which you will find on all newer processors, and with laptops buying the cutting edge shit can end up with you not having drivers for a lot of the devices on it.  Just buy a popular model with widely used parts and you'll probably be golden, but the OSx86 community is surprisingly robust and helpful when you have problems.