MacBook/Linux/Windows XP

[marchcapital]

Im going to be going to my nearest Apple store tomorrow to most likley buy a MacBook for school. My last concern is whether or not when Linux and/or XP is installed on the MacBook, that the operating system runs just as fast on an Apple as it would on a pc?

Does anyone have experience with BootCamp and Paralells?

 

[purelithium]

Since the Macbook now uses the same hardware as most PC's except for the old BIOS is not there, it will run just as fast as anything else, Expecially considering that XP was designed to run on a Pentium 3 with 256mb of ram, you'll be fine.

As for linux, that's a little more difficult to even get installed on it. I would go ask around a linux forum like linuxquestions.org (great source for linux help) for that info.

 

[marchcapital]

whats about vista? has anyone installed that? how does it run?

 

[purelithium]

http://www.google.com/search?q=Vista+on+Macbook

 

[codo]

whats about vista? has anyone installed that? how does it run?

Vista will run perfectly with the classic theme, however the eye candy "Aero" interface will not work to a sufficient standard (if at all) because the MacBook uses an inferior graphics chip compared to the required standard at the launch of Vista next Jan/Feb.

If full Vista compatibility is important to you, don’t buy yet.

 

[purelithium]

Codo:

Not true. Intel confirms that the GMA950 is "Vista Ready"; whatever that means.

Plus, My Thinkpad that had a Mobility Radeon 9000 in it was fully Aero compatible.

 

[Mord]

Vista will run perfectly with the classic theme, however the eye candy "Aero" interface will not work to a sufficient standard (if at all) because the MacBook uses an inferior graphics chip compared to the required standard at the launch of Vista next Jan/Feb.

If full Vista compatibility is important to you, don’t buy yet.

nope, gma 950 works great with aero, perfectly smooth, you just need at least 1GB ram, the driver won't install with 512, you need to replace both 945G drivers with lakeport drivers in the device manager by manually updateing them.

 

[codo]

Codo:

Not true. Intel confirms that the GMA950 is "Vista Ready"; whatever that means.

Plus, My Thinkpad that had a Mobility Radeon 9000 in it was fully Aero compatible.

Almost,

Vista Ready means it can run Vista with basic requirements. What most people will be looking for is the Vista "Premium" stamp, which means it’s fully capable of running the aero interface. Current GMA does not have this, the next generation Intel is about to push out however, does.

 

[gloss]

Almost,

Vista Ready means it can run Vista with basic requirements. What most people will be looking for is the Vista "Premium" stamp, which means it’s fully capable of running the aero interface. Current GMA does not have this, the next generation Intel is about to push out however, does.

The current chipset works fine with Aero. We have video.

 

[codo]

The current chipset works fine with Aero. We have video.

Doesn’t have the stamp. I'm not claiming that it doesn’t work, read my original post.

The current GMA in use is simply not ideal; fabricate it all you like, but you’re not going to enjoy the same experience as people who wait and use the next generation in a few months.

Simple as, dress it up all you like.

 

[Mord]

macbooks when configured with 1GB ram are windows premium ready

1 GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor1.
1 GB of system memory.
A graphics processor that runs Windows Aero2.
128 MB of graphics memory.
40 GB of hard drive capacity with 15 GB free space.
DVD-ROM Drive3.
Audio output capability.
Internet access capability.

as for the graphics memory it varies under windows from 64MB to 224MB so it's covered.

the only bad side to gma 950 is games and heavy 3d apps.

 

[codo]

If you are happy with the current IG performance in Vista, great. You have no problem. Yes, on the surface the current GMA looks like it meets the requirements, but from experience I, and others, will know its not ideal. The IG Aero performance on my PC was less than satisfactory in comparison to the Radeon 9800 Pro (Which is starting to become an aging card in its self!) thus meaning I wouldn’t recommend it at the moment.

If, like me however, you feel that a few months is little time to wait for a new chip that is specifically designed to be compatible with this new operating system and all its graphics features, then wait. See GMA X3000.

If I was buying and wasn’t up on tech news, I'd want to know this information. The choice is then there.

 

[Subiklim]

Doesn’t have the stamp. I'm not claiming that it doesn’t work, read my original post.

The current GMA in use is simply not ideal; fabricate it all you like, but you’re not going to enjoy the same experience as people who wait and use the next generation in a few months.

Simple as, dress it up all you like.

I have vista installed on my Dell laptop with GMA950, and it works just as well as vista does on my iMac. First hand experience, dress that.