Computers for Law School 2011 Forum
-
- Posts: 132
- Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 7:43 pm
Re: Computers for Law School 2011
all new mac laptops have soldered everything (ram, hdd/sdd, processor, graphics)
none of them can be replaced/upgraded
you are stuck with what you get
(another 1 of the many many many many reasons not to buy a mac)
none of them can be replaced/upgraded
you are stuck with what you get
(another 1 of the many many many many reasons not to buy a mac)
-
- Posts: 1986
- Joined: Tue Jul 08, 2008 10:05 pm
Re: Computers for Law School 2011
PCs are going the same way. That said, when it comes to laptops most consumers would never replace any part themselves anyway.presidentk1 wrote:all new mac laptops have soldered everything (ram, hdd/sdd, processor, graphics)
none of them can be replaced/upgraded
you are stuck with what you get
(another 1 of the many many many many reasons not to buy a mac)
I'm not sure that alone is a reason not to buy a Mac. Rather, you should factor in the cost of Apple Care when comparing prices, as it is almost essential if you're buying an Apple laptop.
-
- Posts: 132
- Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 7:43 pm
Re: Computers for Law School 2011
apple care = paying sticker for cooley
- shredderrrrrr
- Posts: 4673
- Joined: Wed Aug 17, 2011 2:36 am
Re: Computers for Law School 2011
Lol the last 4 computers I have purchased, I have done so thinking "I'll buy the smaller components and just have them upgraded later if necessary." I have never had anything changed.presidentk1 wrote:all new mac laptops have soldered everything (ram, hdd/sdd, processor, graphics)
none of them can be replaced/upgraded
you are stuck with what you get
(another 1 of the many many many many reasons not to buy a mac)
- shredderrrrrr
- Posts: 4673
- Joined: Wed Aug 17, 2011 2:36 am
Re: Computers for Law School 2011
Seeing as how I am buying my computer tomorrow and deciding whether or not to get Apple Care, please explain (leaving out any opinions on why I should not get a mac in the first place).presidentk1 wrote:apple care = paying sticker for cooley
Want to continue reading?
Register now to search topics and post comments!
Absolutely FREE!
Already a member? Login
-
- Posts: 132
- Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 7:43 pm
Re: Computers for Law School 2011
Apple care is just an extended warranty, and like most extended warranties, its a total waste of moneyshredderrrrrr wrote:Seeing as how I am buying my computer tomorrow and deciding whether or not to get Apple Care, please explain (leaving out any opinions on why I should not get a mac in the first place).presidentk1 wrote:apple care = paying sticker for cooley
first off, they suck you into buying it because the computer only comes with 90 days (soon to be shortened to 30) of phone support.
so if after 3 months, something isn't working right, you can't even call them to ask a question.
If you try to call and ask, they charge you a one time $50(last i checked) fee to diagnose your problem.
furthermore, it doesn't cover the one thing that is poses the biggest threat to your laptop, accidental damage
so if you drop it, spill something on it, etc. you are shit out of luck
also, (this is according to a friend of mine who works as an apple genius + my first hand experience), if you bring your computer in which a hardware issue, like your logic board fried, your graphic card fails, 99.9999% of the time they will fix it regardless of whether or not you have apple care.
back in the day, before i realized that buying apple products = paying 2x the $ for half the specs, i owned a macbook pro and the nvidia card died. nothing would be displayed on the screen
i took the 4 year old computer in, and they replaced the graphics card, for free, no apple care, no nothing
all that aside, do yourself a favor and buy a windows machine
check out lenovo, you will get WAY MORE bang for your buck and you will have a machine that is both upgradable in every way (day 1 of owning my pc i put in 2 additional ram sticks and upgraded to an SSD) + you can take it with you to work and not have to worry about any compatibility issues.
dont be that tool that shows up for your first day at your new firm and have the IT people already hate your life because you came with a mac
you are only putting yourself at a disadvantage
- laxbrah420
- Posts: 2720
- Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 1:53 am
Re: Computers for Law School 2011
Apple care in my opinion is a waste of money because you'd really need to have two major calamities (after the first year), not caused by an accident, to justify the price (versus fixing the problems yourself). Fixing computers is incredibly easy and you can overnight parts for mad cheap. With AppleCare you'd have to leave the shit for 2-3 days if anything serious goes wrong.shredderrrrrr wrote:Seeing as how I am buying my computer tomorrow and deciding whether or not to get Apple Care, please explain (leaving out any opinions on why I should not get a mac in the first place).presidentk1 wrote:apple care = paying sticker for cooley
- shredderrrrrr
- Posts: 4673
- Joined: Wed Aug 17, 2011 2:36 am
Re: Computers for Law School 2011
Thanks for this information.presidentk1 wrote:Apple care is just an extended warranty, and like most extended warranties, its a total waste of moneyshredderrrrrr wrote:Seeing as how I am buying my computer tomorrow and deciding whether or not to get Apple Care, please explain (leaving out any opinions on why I should not get a mac in the first place).presidentk1 wrote:apple care = paying sticker for cooley
first off, they suck you into buying it because the computer only comes with 90 days (soon to be shortened to 30) of phone support.
so if after 3 months, something isn't working right, you can't even call them to ask a question.
If you try to call and ask, they charge you a one time $50(last i checked) fee to diagnose your problem.
furthermore, it doesn't cover the one thing that is poses the biggest threat to your laptop, accidental damage
so if you drop it, spill something on it, etc. you are shit out of luck
also, (this is according to a friend of mine who works as an apple genius + my first hand experience), if you bring your computer in which a hardware issue, like your logic board fried, your graphic card fails, 99.9999% of the time they will fix it regardless of whether or not you have apple care.
back in the day, before i realized that buying apple products = paying 2x the $ for half the specs, i owned a macbook pro and the nvidia card died. nothing would be displayed on the screen
i took the 4 year old computer in, and they replaced the graphics card, for free, no apple care, no nothing
No.presidentk1 wrote:all that aside, do yourself a favor and buy a windows machine
check out lenovo, you will get WAY MORE bang for your buck and you will have a machine that is both upgradable in every way (day 1 of owning my pc i put in 2 additional ram sticks and upgraded to an SSD) + you can take it with you to work and not have to worry about any compatibility issues.
dont be that tool that shows up for your first day at your new firm and have the IT people already hate your life because you came with a mac
you are only putting yourself at a disadvantage
- Paraflam
- Posts: 459
- Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2009 3:09 pm
Re: Computers for Law School 2011
If you want to buy a warranty for your Mac, Square Trade is hands down the best third-party warranty company. Their warranties cover spills, drops, and all kinds of accidental damage except loss and theft. I have it on my iPhone, and I dropped it on tile floor one day and shattered the screen. Called Square Trade, they said to just go to the Apple store by my house and buy a new one and send them the bill. They reimbursed me like $600 the next day.presidentk1 wrote:Seeing as how I am buying my computer tomorrow and deciding whether or not to get Apple Care, please explain (leaving out any opinions on why I should not get a mac in the first place).shredderrrrrr wrote:apple care = paying sticker for cooley
- laxbrah420
- Posts: 2720
- Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 1:53 am
Re: Computers for Law School 2011
AppleCare plus for iPhone covers accidents too
- Paraflam
- Posts: 459
- Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2009 3:09 pm
Re: Computers for Law School 2011
Only allows you to make two claims, and is not offered for Macs.laxbrah420 wrote:AppleCare plus for iPhone covers accidents too
-
- Posts: 1986
- Joined: Tue Jul 08, 2008 10:05 pm
Re: Computers for Law School 2011
The reason I recommended Apple Care is because you only get a single loan for a computer. If you can afford a replacement after 18 months because something breaks, then feel free to self insure. If you can afford to self insure, extended warranties will rarely make sense, since obviously they're supposed to be a profit driver for manufacturers and stores. In a situation where folk are borrowing to buy a computer that's essential for their studies and may not be able to borrow again if it dies and may not have the income to buy a replacement, the cost benefit becomes a lot more favourable towards buying the insurance.
I am an n of one, but I certainly was appreciative of my extended warranty when my logic board died in the middle of exam time last year. I had a backup laptop available, but still preferred using my newer, faster laptop with the better keyboard. Having it repaired and back to me quickly was a relief. I certainly could not have afforded a replacement.
As for getting parts, as was mentioned earlier - the RAM, hard drive and graphics are all soldered on a MacBook Air. Good luck replacing those yourself.
Square Trade is cheaper, but bear in mind that they only cover up to the insured value of the laptop. Say your screen dies. They replace it and charge $500 against your warranty. Next the logic board goes. They won't repair, but will send you a check for the balance remaining. I'm not saying it's bad, just different from Apple Care and you should be aware of what you're buying.
Accidental damage cover should be available as an option on your renters insurance.
I am an n of one, but I certainly was appreciative of my extended warranty when my logic board died in the middle of exam time last year. I had a backup laptop available, but still preferred using my newer, faster laptop with the better keyboard. Having it repaired and back to me quickly was a relief. I certainly could not have afforded a replacement.
As for getting parts, as was mentioned earlier - the RAM, hard drive and graphics are all soldered on a MacBook Air. Good luck replacing those yourself.
Square Trade is cheaper, but bear in mind that they only cover up to the insured value of the laptop. Say your screen dies. They replace it and charge $500 against your warranty. Next the logic board goes. They won't repair, but will send you a check for the balance remaining. I'm not saying it's bad, just different from Apple Care and you should be aware of what you're buying.
Accidental damage cover should be available as an option on your renters insurance.
- Opie
- Posts: 1353
- Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2011 1:27 pm
Re: Computers for Law School 2011
Nevermind, I was searching wrong. I found it now.
Last edited by Opie on Sun Aug 12, 2012 5:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Register now!
Resources to assist law school applicants, students & graduates.
It's still FREE!
Already a member? Login
- Opie
- Posts: 1353
- Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2011 1:27 pm
Re: Computers for Law School 2011
This is usually the case, but I'm not sure I would want to burn a deductible and have a claim show up on my CLUE report for this sort of thing. Also, if you do intend to cover this, talk to an agent in detail about your needs. I have additional coverage for my computers in the form of two addenda. One is for on premise only and the other is for on or off premise. I have three laptops and a desktop at home, but only one laptop ever leaves the house. In most cases though, the cost of having this kind of claim on your CLUE (like a credit report for insurance) is not worth the cost of a laptop.albanach wrote: Accidental damage cover should be available as an option on your renters insurance.
(I'm a licensed insurance agent)
- moneybagsphd
- Posts: 888
- Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2011 11:07 pm
Re: Computers for Law School 2011
tl;dr Is it stupid to switch OSs (Mac to W7) at the beginning of 1L?
-
- Posts: 20063
- Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2010 7:06 pm
Re: Computers for Law School 2011
Why would it be stupid? Most of your time will be spent inside Word/OneNote+Chrome/Firefox/IE and it's not like either OS is rocket science.moneybagsphd wrote:tl;dr Is it stupid to switch OSs (Mac to W7) at the beginning of 1L?
- moneybagsphd
- Posts: 888
- Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2011 11:07 pm
Re: Computers for Law School 2011
Yeah, that's what I figured. I went ahead and pre-ordered the x1c (through B&N gold rewards program) and I'm looking for affirmation...bk187 wrote:Why would it be stupid? Most of your time will be spent inside Word/OneNote+Chrome/Firefox/IE and it's not like either OS is rocket science.moneybagsphd wrote:tl;dr Is it stupid to switch OSs (Mac to W7) at the beginning of 1L?
Get unlimited access to all forums and topics
Register now!
I'm pretty sure I told you it's FREE...
Already a member? Login
-
- Posts: 132
- Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 7:43 pm
Re: Computers for Law School 2011
moneybagsphd wrote:Yeah, that's what I figured. I went ahead and pre-ordered the x1c (through B&N gold rewards program) and I'm looking for affirmation...bk187 wrote:Why would it be stupid? Most of your time will be spent inside Word/OneNote+Chrome/Firefox/IE and it's not like either OS is rocket science.moneybagsphd wrote:tl;dr Is it stupid to switch OSs (Mac to W7) at the beginning of 1L?
by x1c are you referring to the new lenovo carbon ultrabook?
- moneybagsphd
- Posts: 888
- Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2011 11:07 pm
Re: Computers for Law School 2011
yespresidentk1 wrote:moneybagsphd wrote:Yeah, that's what I figured. I went ahead and pre-ordered the x1c (through B&N gold rewards program) and I'm looking for affirmation...bk187 wrote:Why would it be stupid? Most of your time will be spent inside Word/OneNote+Chrome/Firefox/IE and it's not like either OS is rocket science.moneybagsphd wrote:tl;dr Is it stupid to switch OSs (Mac to W7) at the beginning of 1L?
by x1c are you referring to the new lenovo carbon ultrabook?
-
- Posts: 132
- Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 7:43 pm
Re: Computers for Law School 2011
good choice
-
- Posts: 73
- Joined: Tue Jun 12, 2012 11:34 am
Re: Computers for Law School 2011
Would buy if it was 11"moneybagsphd wrote:yespresidentk1 wrote:moneybagsphd wrote:Yeah, that's what I figured. I went ahead and pre-ordered the x1c (through B&N gold rewards program) and I'm looking for affirmation...bk187 wrote:
Why would it be stupid? Most of your time will be spent inside Word/OneNote+Chrome/Firefox/IE and it's not like either OS is rocket science.
by x1c are you referring to the new lenovo carbon ultrabook?
Communicate now with those who not only know what a legal education is, but can offer you worthy advice and commentary as you complete the three most educational, yet challenging years of your law related post graduate life.
Register now, it's still FREE!
Already a member? Login
-
- Posts: 130
- Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2011 12:36 am
Re: Computers for Law School 2011
So, I've been researching the current generation of laptops for a few weeks and am finding myself torn between two different approaches:
Some type of sleek ultrabook: 14 inch screen, i5 processor, 4gb of ram.
Some type of moderately sleek larger machine: 15.6 inch screen, i7 processor, 8gb ram, minor video card.
In the 1k-ish price range, the former comes in at a bit under 4 pounds and the latter at about 5.4. Were I just using the machine to take notes, it would be a clear call in favor of the ultrabook. But I'd presumably also be using it for real work (library, on campus paper writing), making the larger screen helpful. What do people think? I'm a relatively large person, so it seems silly to obsess over 1.5 pounds, but I know I might feel differently after lugging it around for a few months.
Some type of sleek ultrabook: 14 inch screen, i5 processor, 4gb of ram.
Some type of moderately sleek larger machine: 15.6 inch screen, i7 processor, 8gb ram, minor video card.
In the 1k-ish price range, the former comes in at a bit under 4 pounds and the latter at about 5.4. Were I just using the machine to take notes, it would be a clear call in favor of the ultrabook. But I'd presumably also be using it for real work (library, on campus paper writing), making the larger screen helpful. What do people think? I'm a relatively large person, so it seems silly to obsess over 1.5 pounds, but I know I might feel differently after lugging it around for a few months.
- gaud
- Posts: 5765
- Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2011 2:58 am
Re: Computers for Law School 2011
I like the i7, but 8gb of RAM seems like overkill
- ph14
- Posts: 3227
- Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2011 11:15 pm
Re: Computers for Law School 2011
My laptop is draining the battery after I close it (and it gets pretty hot). Is this a software or setting problem I can fix? a battery problem? I have a Thinkpad.
- kalvano
- Posts: 11951
- Joined: Mon Sep 07, 2009 2:24 am
Re: Computers for Law School 2011
ph14 wrote:My laptop is draining the battery after I close it (and it gets pretty hot). Is this a software or setting problem I can fix? a battery problem? I have a Thinkpad.
Call Lenovo tech support. I had to do it, there's a patch available and they can give you the link. It sort-of fixed it.
Seriously? What are you waiting for?
Now there's a charge.
Just kidding ... it's still FREE!
Already a member? Login