Macbook or Dell Precision

[agent47er]

I am looking to purchase a new notebook and expect to use it (without any upgrades) for at-least the next 5 years. I intend to use it for programming, 3D modeling and some casual gaming. It should be able to give decent FPS running at 1080p resolution. Please tell which one you would advice would be a better choice and why.
Thanks

 

[TheStu]

You will need to provide more information. Do you prefer Windows or OS X, because that makes your decision for you right there. If OS X, then get the MacBook Pro (Retina, get the Retina) if Windows, get the Precision.

 

[joshhedge]

You will need to provide more information. Do you prefer Windows or OS X, because that makes your decision for you right there. If OS X, then get the MacBook Pro (Retina, get the Retina) if Windows, get the Precision.

Or bootcamp and VM on the Retina should you need any windows software. Win8 runs very well on mine!

 

[TheStu]

Or bootcamp and VM on the Retina should you need any windows software. Win8 runs very well on mine!

Right, but if you are going to run Windows the majority of the time, I would recommend getting an actual Windows based machine.

 

[agent47er]

Personally I have never used a Macbook or any OSX device. I have tried them out at outlets though. Most recently, I have been using a Dell Latitude E6220, which feels great to use. Most of my work I do on my desktop, it has a Phenom X6 1090t, 4 gigs Mushkin ram and a GTX580. Display quality matters a lot to me, and so far I have not been able to find a comparison between the displays on these notebooks. The higher resolution is a major plus, but if the quality of the IPS display on the Precision is really that better than the Mac, then I can look over the resolution. Also, as I said before, I am looking to use it for at the very least 5 years, so I am looking for the one that can provide better performance over that period of time.

PS: i use Ubuntu mostly for my work except for 3D modelling where I use Win7. Also, I hate Win8 cause it has many issues running older games...

 

[biostud]

what about hp elite books?

 

[agent47er]

i am looking for something with nvidia graphics, so hp elitebooks are a no...

 

[ixelion]

The Precision line make use of Quadro and FirePro graphics, I am not sure how these perform in gaming as they are intended for things like 3d modeling. MBP and Retina have conventional Nvidia gaming graphics chip.

I am guessing with 3d graphics type stuff your more CPU limited, so I would go for MBP.

The Precision on the other hand does seem to have a very rigid chassis, while the aluminum on MBP can get dented with impact damage, I see this quite often although it doesn't affect performance.

Also note with the Precision you have the option of anti-glare and touch LCD.

 

[cl-scott]

I would have to give the nod to the Dell between the two, since Apple has basically turned the MBP into sort of an overpowered Air with the RAM being soldered directly to the MLB and the SSD being a custom form factor which will be significantly more expensive to replace. Also, the fact that the battery is now glued to the bottom case, and the very high probability that the battery will be consumed by the end of 5 years... The Dell seems like a pretty clear winner. You can bump the RAM around year 3 to breathe a little new life into it, add a new HDD or even SSD using common aftermarket parts, and replacing the battery should be a relatively trivial matter.

More than that, assuming you care about warranties, you get a max of 3 years out of Apple, Dell will go up to around 5 via extended warranties. Dell also offers accidental damage coverage, Apple does not.

The long and short of it is basically that you will have to buy pretty much everything that you need at the time of purchase if you go the Apple route, while the Dell has the possibility of upgrades along the way.

 

[sgrinavi]

I've been using the Precision line for years, the systems are fine, good displays, decent options . They are fairly robust - I have never broken one and I haul them everywhere, every day.

The best part is the dedicated support and on-site service. I recently had my web cam replaced, no hassle. I called the support line, spent about 20 mins on the phone with them debugging - the next day a guy came to my office and replaced the module.