Looking to purchase a laptop & dock combo

[AirBreather]

Hello, all!

Thought I'd go straight to the 'source' here! I'm interested in transitioning over from my clunky, power & space sucking desktop tower PC to a... Portable laptop and fixed dock setup.

Ideally, I'd like a machine that can output through a dock to an external monitor at 1680x1050, 100 Hertz. Throw in some ports for a keyboard, mouse, few USB, quad speaker & bass setup, etc... Decent machine that won't gut my wallet.

Does such exist?

I might have to comprimise on the video output... Then my new widescreen monitor would not be performing optimally...

Meh.

I've already checked out the "Which Laptop Brand the Best?" thread.

Thanks much.

[ellie]

What about a Mac Book Pro? Are they too expensive, in Aus they are, but in the states they're much cheaper.

What do you mean by a dock?

I know the mac flat screen monitors have usb and firewire connections added.

On my my mac I have 3 usb ports and 1 x firewire 400 and 1x firewire 800 port. I use airport by apple, which gives me wirless internet and printer within my house and my external speakers are wireless when I play music through Itunes (only wish all sound was wireless). It's great!

The great things about the macs is you can install windows on it. I love that feature.

[AirBreather]

No Macs, thanks.

I've got too much time/files/programs already under the Windows banner and I'm comfy with it. (Even if I could dual boot)

And by dock, I mean this: Docking station - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[aussieNickuss]

I know, I know....no macs....but.....

I switched to a 50% Windows/50% Mac setup about 12 months ago with a fair bit of hesitation (same boat as you...years of files/programs/time on Windows etc)....HOWEVER.....switching is not a big deal. You very quickly pick up on the differences and get used to it. I have had absolutely no issues with compatibility between the two platforms and the Mac is just a much nicer experience.

I am just about to order myself a 15" MacBook Pro and 23" Apple Cinema Display to put into a very similar setup as what you are after (to go 100% Mac!!!). Even though it is not a "dock" setup, Macs and external displays are hot-swappable. There is no stuffing around with settings etc, you just plug in your external display and everything just works. That is gonna set me back about $5100 AUD with a few other peripherals (external HDD, laptop bag & skin, wireless KB/mouse, laptop stand etc.)

I don't know if you have heard of it, but there is software for the Mac (modern Intel models only) called Parallels. It allows to install and run Windows on your Mac....BUT...unlike a dual-boot setup, you can run windows right ON TOP of Mac OS X. In coherence mode, Windows applications run straight on your Mac desktop, without the Windows GUI (as if it is running natively).

Things to consider.

[ellie]

Yes I have parrallels and bootcamp installed and I love it. So simple to swap between the two platforms and just drag over folders to windows and vice versa and works beautifully. You can have windows on full screen or have it in a smaller window so you can see both the mac and windows screen.

Oh aussieNickuss your in ballarat! I want to move to ballarat, accept there's hardly any jobs there, especially in design -lol! But I love it there, so pretty.

[aussieNickuss]

Originally Posted by ellie

Yes I have parrallels and bootcamp installed and I love it. So simple to swap between the two platforms and just drag over folders to windows and vice versa and works beautifully. You can have windows on full screen or have it in a smaller window so you can see both the mac and windows screen.

Download the latest Parallels update and try Coherence. The individual Windoze "windows" can actually run independent to the Windows GUI (ie. no desktop, no start menu etc.). It's like each individual Windows app is a natively running Mac OS X app with drop shadows and all. They also integrate with Exposè!! Plus, the very latest version has "mirroring" where the "My Documents, My Pictures, My Music etc. etc." under Windows, is actually linked directly to your Documents, Pictures, Music etc. folders under your Mac OS X User profile. It's getting better all the time.

Originally Posted by ellie

Oh aussieNickuss your in ballarat! I want to move to ballarat, accept there's hardly any jobs there, especially in design -lol! But I love it there, so pretty.

Hoi Hoi....where are you...Melbourne? Ballarat is a nice city, and I doubt you'd have much trouble getting a design job around here. There are plenty of design studios around.

BTW.....I'm not actually in Ballarat, I'm halfway between the Rat and Daylesford (where I primarily work as a Web Dev). There are actually a couple of design studios in Daylesford that do some pretty good work. PM me if you want any info.

[ellie]

Yes I'm in Melbourne.
I'll send you a PM.

Actually I can't believe it I've just seen a job advertised there - spookey.

[votoshka]

Hi there! Totally irrelevant I know, but I live in Ballarat )

[ExploringTheMatrix]

Gotta second (third?) the Macbook Pro recommendation. Apple's laptops are so far ahead of the competition design and quality-wise that I can't see buying anything else. Just make sure you get the Pro as the regular Macbook can't drive the ultra high resolution screens.