Top 5 Reasons I Purchased a Macbook Pro

I recently purchased a Macbook Pro (Penryn). I opted for the 15″ model with a 2.5ghz processor. Now technically this is my second Macbook Pro in a very short period of time. See this post on my personal blog to know more about that disaster.

I’ve made a list of the 5 reasons I chose a Macbook Pro over any other laptop this time around. I’ll preface this by saying this is the first Apple computer I ever felt compelled enough to buy. And beyond that, I am a Windows user / administrator.

5. Software.

- The Macbook Pro comes with a lot of great software to get you started. The key piece of included software for me is Boot Camp. Regardless of what laptop I chose, one requirement was that it HAD to be able to run Windows Vista. With Boot Camp allowing a dual boot enviornment, I could do just that and more. The reasons for this were for things like Steam, Windows Live Writer, and anything else I didn’t want to do / or couldn’t do in Leopard. There is other software I use that is Windows only as well including Fruityloops for music creation and Rhino, my choice 3D modeler (which actually is in an early beta version for Mac).

The rest of the software you get on the Mac side is beyond what is considered a great value. Unlike Microsoft offerings like Windows Live products, the iLife suite is just there the second you turn on your Mac. Another positive is that a Mac doesn’t come with any Bloatware or Trialware or Adware. And guess what? You don’t have to pay an extra 50$ for that option. Take that Sony! From day one, I’ve been using Mail, iCal, Garageband, and iPhoto. It’s all part of a great package.

4. Flexibility.

- To be a true geek, modern or otherwise, you really have to have your hands in everything. If you don’t have your hands in it, you need to be aware of it. Part of that everything for me is operating systems. In the past I liked keeping an old PC with a version of Linux on it just to “keep in touch”. Now, with Apple computers popping up all around me at work, I really like having one nearby to stay versed in OS X, not to mention I do like using it as an alternate operating system. An Apple laptop afforded me the option to run OS X or Vista exclusively, but I chose to make mine “bi-techtual”.

3. Power.

- Since Apple has updated their laptops to the Penryn architecture, they are finally up to “speed” with everyone else. While a 2.5ghz isn’t exactly a Core 2 Extreme processor that you can get as an option with an Alienware laptop, 2.5ghz is still technically more powerful than my rig at home which is still a “lowly” Core 2 Duo 1.8ghz. My Vista rig at home does everything I need it to, but one thing is interesting. My Macbook Pro runs World of Warcraft and Counterstrike as good and in some cases BETTER than my home rig. I have an XFX 8800 GTS video card in that machine. The 8600 GT video card you get in today’s Macbook Pro is not too shabby at all!

2. Design.

- When talking about design, I am referring to form factor, weight, and functionality. I tested out a Dell XPS 1530 before buying an MBP and it FEELS like a clunky machine with a cheap feeling keyboard. The Macbook Pro is considerably light at 5.4 pounds. The keyboard feels like what a “Pro” laptop keyboard would feel like, not to mention it’s backlit. The 1inch profile is second to none as is the beautiful glossy screen. The placement and size of the trackpad is also perfect.

1. Style.

- I used to be the guy who would chastise people for buying Macs because of the way they looked. That’s all changed for me. I am in love with the Macbook Pro’s sense of style. The simplicity. The look. When you compare the style factor of a Macbook Pro to an Alienware, Dell, Lenovo, Sony, or anything else, there is no contest for me. It screams classy, sexy, and professional all at the same time. The lack of extra buttons and displays add to it’s overall aesthetic.

While writing this, I was listening to “Mother Superior” by Coheed and Cambria