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8 out of 25 people found this review helpful
2.0 stars
"Tiny, expensive, disappointing..."
Pros: Fast, compact, smooth running programs (if compatible that is)
Cons: Tiny, slot loading disaster
Summary: This is the first time I have bought a Mac. I usually buy from Dell, but this year I thought I would give them a try.
I settled for the black one as I thought that the spec's were quite impressive and the little extras like:
*magnetic charger to prevent accidents
*Built in webcam and microphone
*Core 2 Duo (speedy for media, front row etc.)
*Smart touchpad really useful
The first thing I found annoying is that around 90% of the programs I used on the PC, I could not use on the Mac, therefore having to buy new Office software etc, which piled even more cost onto a $1500 computer.
Secondly, I was having problems with the slot loading drive, the disks wouldn't eject. They kept getting stuck and unlike any other computer i've owned, I couldn't use the paper-clip method.
Eventually when I got the disk out by force, I returned it and got a replacement. The second computer did exactly the same thing. I tried all the methods on the Apple support site and no success.
I called apple, and was on the phone for an hour while they asked me to do the same steps over and over.
Eventually, they asked me to bring the computer to a listed Apple repair centre, which I thought was strange! ( If I had any problems with Dell, they would have collected the pc from home ).
I'm returning it for a full refund to the retailer as I shouldn't have to pay for repairs under 2 weeks of owning ANY electrical appliance...
Overall, nice features on the MacBook, nice keyboard style. Small screen, extremely bad support system, black really hard to keep clean.
Final vertdict... wouldn't buy another MacBook.
- 12 replies to this review
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right now i'm considering switching from a dell to the macbook... just wondering what programs you were trying to use that couldn't, and i hear that the disk drive is very sensitive to cds that are scratched or smudged, could this have been your problem??
i appreciate any advice, thanks... -
Really, do a bit of research before you spend $1500 on a computer. Of course your windows programs are not going to run in OSX. You could use Bootcamp or Parallels. The rest sounds like user error to me.
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I've actually witnessed this phenomenon with my own father. In many ways he's a tremendously smart man, but when my parents switched to a Mac, (my siblings and I have been using Macs for years) my mother took to it quite well, but my father would call me with questions which totally boggled my mind. I would log onto their computer and find that screen settings are haywire, files are piling up on the desktop, and the dock is filled with as many documents as programs.
It seems that when confronted with a logical and elegant interface, some Windows users will find a way to recreate the chaos of a Windows machine. I couldn't even figure out how in the world some of these things happened, and all the while he would make comments about how stupid the Mac is. I just had to shake my head. -
I never had a problem with a CD getting stuck in the drive, and since this happened to you on two different computers? Must be some problem on your end. Microsoft Office works on Mac OS X, and you could have got Apple's iWork for only $80, which is better that M$ Office anyway. And not to mention you thinking Windows apps would work on it? Obviously macs don't have as much software on them. I've had mine for 7 months now. Never had a problem, no CD problems..the reason they want you to take it to an Apple Care center is so they can fix it right there. You can have it back the same day. I think it is great, especially since I can laugh at people getting things to work on their PC's while I just start my Mac and YAY it works...
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you cant expect a mac to run windows apps....duh? why dont you go give a dell a "4" because it cant run windows apps? and about the slot load drive i can only say good things about them its alot better then the clumsy drives dells come with.
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I knew someone who brought a laptop to one of the "geniuses" at the Apple store for a screen issue.
When the computer returned, the hard drive had been wiped clean-there was no warning that this was part of the repair. When she dared to voice concern that her information had been totally erased, the "genius" replied "you should have backed up your hard drive." -
A simple $80 purchase of Parallels would have solved your problem with Windows programs. Or better yet you could have downloaded the free (though beta) Boot Camp and simply played the reboot game. Specious argument.
I ran into a similar problem with the slot loading but it was a problem with the CD rather than the drive. Fortunately I was able to get the CD out on my own. -
Wow I would have thought that Apple would have and better support than that.
I think that his comment about buying new software just pointed out that if you coming from a PC you will have to buy all new software to run on a Mac. I really don't think he really thought that his Mac would run windows software... -
This has to be one of the more ridiculous reviews on this site. The sentence that said it all is when he/she/it complains that 90% of his windows programs don't work on his Macbook and would cost him $1500 extra. That's pure genious! Did you ever hear of Parallels or Bootcamp? I for one, don't believe for one second that you bought a Macbook. You had to make the whole review up. Please go back to using Windblows with the rest of your dumbed down friends.
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All of your so called quips about this machine are so amazingly unwarranted that i laughed when you you complained it was "tiny." What did you expect getting a 13 in laptop?? As for it being expensive, you must now know apple. You pay a premium for apple not only because of the name, but because the build quality is far better than most. I have no idea how you thought your windows apps would work. Overall im completely stunned at your lack of common sense here. Please dont bother to rate products.
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That sums up the review and the reviewer to be quite frank.
To go out and spend $1500 on something you obviously did no research on. To actually be surprised your windows programs don't run on a different OS, come on! You should not even own a computer at all.
You say the 13" screen is to small, why didn't you buy a 17" MBP? MB is a thin and light model, thus the smaller screen. Evidently you did not even look at it before you bought it.
The problem with the slot loader you go on about is simply unbelievable. I have had many Macs and known many others with them and never heard of this. Nor is it listed as a problem by users on the support page. Maybe you should not put cd's with gum on them in the drive! Then you say you manually pulled it out. You voided your warranty with a stunt like that. You are fortunate Apple has such GREAT customer service they took it back.
If you ask me you never bought a Macbook at all, you are just another hater poster nonsense. -
You may have gotten a lemon, sure, but your criticisms of the computer are unreasonable. How could you buy a Macintosh, which runs OS X, and expect it to run Windows programs?
If you were to stick with the Mac, you would find that some software manufacturers permit "cross-upgrades", moving to a newer version of the software on the Mac platform, for the same cost as a regular upgrade.
As for "extremely bad support", that flies in the face with Apple's top-notch rating for support, beating out all other computer manufacturers. I've had fabulous support, including next-day pickup of my laptop, with service and return to my door in four business days (international). Not bad!
The "small screen"? 13.3" widescreen - perfect for DVDs and other media creation. I've had mine for one year this month, an I LOVE my MacBook. The integrated iSight, the magnetic latch, the infrared remote, plus the amazing bundle of software that has no counterpart in the Windows world.
There is ONE thing that Windows machines have that Mac's don't. And you can keep 'em: viruses. Macs are still 100% virus-free. So in your total cost of ownership calculation, remember to add the annual cost of antivirus definitions to your Windows machine.
Anyone considering dropping that much cash on a new computer should do a little bit of research, and know what they want. A good first step for people considering Apple computers for the first time is to visit http://www.apple.com/switch
