I may need my head read, but...

[d000hg]

Many people claim that to get an equivalent laptop to a MacBook you'll end up spending a similar amount if you use decent components. You also have to factor in build quality and aesthetics, where the Mac is very good.

I personally haven't got my head around MacOS yet but for something like CS4, well Macs are traditionally used for tools like Photoshop, Quark, and so on. OS aside, for your use the new MacBook Pro seems a fine choice if you're not having to pinch every penny. And you can install XP/Vista on your MacBook if you simply like the Mac styling... I am in the process of doing this so I can have a dual OS system for cross-platform development.

[d000hg]

As for building your own PC, even the proper geek forums I hang out on are rarely recommending self-build these days. Sites that let you specify all your components are cool, but why build yourself? You save little at best, in fact if you consider bundled software it can work out more expensive, and really I value my time at much more than any potential savings Vs time spent building my PC.

[NickFitz]

"used to be high quality" would be nearer the mark. Does anyone seriously expect that Nvidia or Intel specially selects their chips for Apple? I've heard it all now. It' OK, you go on buying your overpriced intel and nvidia hardware, I'll spend the £1500 I saved on something worthwhile

There's a lot more to designing and building quality hardware than sourcing the chips.

Ever seen Top Gear when they have some car that uses the same engine, gearbox etc. as some commodity car, but costs five times as much and goes like stink with superb handling?

[d000hg]

Also, as an owner of a new-style Aluminium/unibody Macbook... the actual styling of the laptop is pretty much perfect. It's sleek and light and thin and the metal construction is FAR more solid feeling that the typical plastic offerings. The detail is there too... magnetic power lead that snaps into place, magnetic lid closure, car-style CD drive... if you think design is worth paying extra for then that's pretty much end-of-discussion.

[Fred Bloggs]

As for building your own PC, even the proper geek forums I hang out on are rarely recommending self-build these days. Sites that let you specify all your components are cool, but why build yourself? You save little at best, in fact if you consider bundled software it can work out more expensive, and really I value my time at much more than any potential savings Vs time spent building my PC.

Yes, I prety much agree. Last but one PC I bought ready assembled as it met my needs and I couldn't build it any cheaper. However, the latest one I did build as I wanted specific components used in the build. At the end of the day there's no simple answer, you pay your money etc... Personally though, if I wanted to use OSX I'd build a hackintosh (but I don't) using the same bog standard Intel/Nvidia hardware as Apple use.

[Fred Bloggs]

There's a lot more to designing and building quality hardware than sourcing the chips.

Ever seen Top Gear when they have some car that uses the same engine, gearbox etc. as some commodity car, but costs five times as much and goes like stink with superb handling?

Yes ofcourse I have. But really in your case I think you are proposing it's the software (the OS) rather than the hardware that discriminates in favour of Apple. I don't think your argument about hardware stacks up, as you say, same engine etc. In the case that I wanted to use OSX I'd use a hackintosh myself. But I don't want/need to. So I don't. I do agree that I think there used to be an argument in favour of a Mac as a platform for media use. But I really don't see anything that my PC can't do on CS4, Quark Express etc.... just as well as a Mac.

[voodooflux]

As for building your own PC, even the proper geek forums I hang out on are rarely recommending self-build these days. Sites that let you specify all your components are cool, but why build yourself? You save little at best, in fact if you consider bundled software it can work out more expensive, and really I value my time at much more than any potential savings Vs time spent building my PC.

I'm not sure that self-build has been for the budget conscious for some time now - not given the buying power that companies like Dell have these days. The only reasons I can see to self build are if you want specific components, or a high end system with *enthusiast* components, and want to eek every last bit of performance out of your kit by matching components for maximum overclocking potential.

[b0redom]

Oh, as an aside. Seriously look at upgrading the RAM yourself rather than buy from Apple. It's eyewateringly expensive, and compatible RAM can be bought from www.crucial.com.

I've not bothered upgrading my MBP, but for my imac it was literally a case of unscrewing 2 screws on a slot at the bottom and pulling a piece of plastic - didn't even need to take the case off. Cost IIRC was around £40 rather than £200 or so from Apple.

[realityhack]

Cheers Fred, will take a look at those. This may result in a 'pet project' for my next Linux box.

Talked this over with Mrs RH, and she compared this to buying cars:
Either you buy a kit car, a cheap car or an expensive car.

• The kit car requires some level of expertise and a lot of spare time to build properly, and may outperform all others if you put the right bits in - but may not be as reliable, or last as long. (And may require continuous tinkering)
• The cheap car will be pre-built, to a low build quality, and may be perfect in the short term, but quickly succumb to general wear and tear.
• The expensive car will also be pre-built, and contain some generic components, but where possible these will have been bespoked for that system, other parts created exclusively for that model. All parts will be optimised to work together perfectly, and over-engineered to do so.

This seems to tally with some opinions here.

[realityhack]

And cheers for the RAM tip-off.

I can't bring myself to pay £800+ for 8GB of RAM, which I know I can fit myself, easily.