What should I buy?

Brikar · 03-01-2008, 10:19 PM

So here's my tax return dilemma. Because of all the money I don't make and various deductions and so forth that I don't really understand, plus this "stimulus package", I stand to get about $2,300 from Uncle Sam this year. Now, I obviously want to spend some (or all) of this ill-gotten government booty. I've got a couple major purchases I want to make, but I'm not sure which one to go for.

So here are my two lines of thinking:

1. Macbook Pro. I've wanted one of these babies for a long time, but I can't stand paying for things in monthly installments. I feel that if I have to set up a payment plan for something, then I really can't afford it. And interest can suck balls. But I'll be able to pay this off right away if I use the tax money - but I'll be using ALL the tax money for the configuration that I want. Still... I've wanted one of these babies for a long time. This one has the advantage of having actual productive use to it - I can do lots of things I want to do but can't when I'm away from my desktop (which is getting up there in terms of age). Also, I love Macs... Sure, Apple's making business decisions that bother me considerably lately, but so many of their products really are awesome.

or

2. Playstation 3. And "Rock Band", which, like "Guitar Hero" before it, is electronic crack-sex. This option has far less value in terms of productivity - it is, afterall, merely a game console / best Blu-ray player on the market. But it would mean spending only half of my tax return rather than the entire thing. But still... "Rock Band"... dude...

So... Thoughts? Opinions?

Closet Racist · 03-01-2008, 10:26 PM

The Mac is far more expensive. Get it while you can.

The game system is cheaper. You could probably catch it on sale, too, or get it cheap from some desperate slacker.

When I get my bribe from the Republicans I'm buying a 32" HD flat screen with inputs for my computer.

Cymro · 03-01-2008, 11:14 PM

Yeah, I have to agree with the French Hillary supporter. If you buy a state of the art PC it's never going to be state of the art for long, so now's a good a time as any, and they all tend to last about 5-6 years if you push them. The PS3 however will still be state-of-the-art a year from now, as well as cheaper.

Brikar · 03-01-2008, 11:17 PM

I've also been inclined to get the Mac over the PS3 for the simple reason that I don't have an HDTV that would make full use of the PS3's capabilities.

I just needed a few more opinions on the matter. Mac it is.

Cymro · 03-01-2008, 11:59 PM

I just looked at the Spec for the Macbook.

I don't know if you've got an XBox 360 or a Wii or something, but you can run Windows on the Mac, and for the time being the Mac should be able to run new PC games adequately for a couple of years. It's got an nVidia 8600 card, which as far as I can tell is DX 10 compatible, though not exactly the fastest chip on the market.

But COD 4, for instance, is only designed to work on DX 9 cards but it still looks like this:

(Oh, and the screens hardly do it justice - it's most impressive when you can see it in motion)

Brikar · 03-02-2008, 12:08 AM

Yeah COD4 I've been drooling over for a while. I can run it on my current PC, but I think I'm just over the minimum specs. I haven't upgraded this thing in like 2 years. It was awesome when I first built it, and it's still a solid machine now. Having the 64-bit Windows XP has turned out to be something of a miscalculation, but... -shrug-

Arik · 03-02-2008, 12:20 AM

Heh. I just ordered my 80 GB PS3 through Amazon (have the Hard Drive upgrade on the shelf behind me) & a high def TV.

I briefly considered buying a Mac, but then I came to my senses when I remembered that I can't stand OSX.

Brikar · 03-02-2008, 12:22 AM

There's a PS3 hard drive upgrade?

Arik · 03-02-2008, 12:28 AM

It's a laptop SATA hard drive. It'll take up to 250 GB.

It slides into a bay on the side, so it doesn't even void the warranty.

Brikar · 03-02-2008, 01:41 AM

So I can buy any PS3 and put any laptop HD into it?

03-01-2008, 10:19 PM	#1 (permalink)
Brikar The Dude Join Date: Jan 1970 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 3,585	What should I buy? So here's my tax return dilemma. Because of all the money I don't make and various deductions and so forth that I don't really understand, plus this "stimulus package", I stand to get about $2,300 from Uncle Sam this year. Now, I obviously want to spend some (or all) of this ill-gotten government booty. I've got a couple major purchases I want to make, but I'm not sure which one to go for. So here are my two lines of thinking: 1. Macbook Pro. I've wanted one of these babies for a long time, but I can't stand paying for things in monthly installments. I feel that if I have to set up a payment plan for something, then I really can't afford it. And interest can suck balls. But I'll be able to pay this off right away if I use the tax money - but I'll be using ALL the tax money for the configuration that I want. Still... I've wanted one of these babies for a long time. This one has the advantage of having actual productive use to it - I can do lots of things I want to do but can't when I'm away from my desktop (which is getting up there in terms of age). Also, I love Macs... Sure, Apple's making business decisions that bother me considerably lately, but so many of their products really are awesome. or 2. Playstation 3. And "Rock Band", which, like "Guitar Hero" before it, is electronic crack-sex. This option has far less value in terms of productivity - it is, afterall, merely a game console / best Blu-ray player on the market. But it would mean spending only half of my tax return rather than the entire thing. But still... "Rock Band"... dude... So... Thoughts? Opinions? __________________ "A million monkeys typing until the end of time will produce the complete works of William Shakespeare. Ten thousand monkeys typing for ten thousand years will write a Hemingway. Ten monkeys typing over Columbus Day weekend will give you a Dan Brown." http://olympusmans.blogspot.com http://benforrealz.blogspot.com

03-01-2008, 10:26 PM	#2 (permalink)
Closet Racist Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: With a side of fava beans and a nice chianti... Posts: 1,202 View Edit History:	Re: What should I buy? The Mac is far more expensive. Get it while you can. The game system is cheaper. You could probably catch it on sale, too, or get it cheap from some desperate slacker. When I get my bribe from the Republicans I'm buying a 32" HD flat screen with inputs for my computer. __________________ Last edited by Closet Racist; 03-01-2008 at 10:30 PM.

03-01-2008, 11:14 PM	#3 (permalink)
Cymro Religious Fanatic Join Date: Nov 1999 Location: Shitsville, CF63 Posts: 4,912	Re: What should I buy? Yeah, I have to agree with the French Hillary supporter. If you buy a state of the art PC it's never going to be state of the art for long, so now's a good a time as any, and they all tend to last about 5-6 years if you push them. The PS3 however will still be state-of-the-art a year from now, as well as cheaper. __________________ "Let me tell you something about humans, nephew: They're a wonderful, friendly people - as long as their bellies are full and their holosuites are working. "But take away their creature comforts, deprive them of food, sleep, sonic showers, put their lives in jeopardy over an extended period of time and those friendly, intelligent, wonderful people...will become as nasty and as violent as the most blood-thirsty klingon."

03-01-2008, 11:17 PM	#4 (permalink)
Brikar The Dude Join Date: Jan 1970 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 3,585 View Edit History:	Re: What should I buy? I've also been inclined to get the Mac over the PS3 for the simple reason that I don't have an HDTV that would make full use of the PS3's capabilities. I just needed a few more opinions on the matter. Mac it is. __________________ "A million monkeys typing until the end of time will produce the complete works of William Shakespeare. Ten thousand monkeys typing for ten thousand years will write a Hemingway. Ten monkeys typing over Columbus Day weekend will give you a Dan Brown." http://olympusmans.blogspot.com http://benforrealz.blogspot.com

03-01-2008, 11:59 PM	#5 (permalink)
Cymro Religious Fanatic Join Date: Nov 1999 Location: Shitsville, CF63 Posts: 4,912 View Edit History:	Re: What should I buy? I just looked at the Spec for the Macbook. I don't know if you've got an XBox 360 or a Wii or something, but you can run Windows on the Mac, and for the time being the Mac should be able to run new PC games adequately for a couple of years. It's got an nVidia 8600 card, which as far as I can tell is DX 10 compatible, though not exactly the fastest chip on the market. But COD 4, for instance, is only designed to work on DX 9 cards but it still looks like this: (Oh, and the screens hardly do it justice - it's most impressive when you can see it in motion) __________________ "Let me tell you something about humans, nephew: They're a wonderful, friendly people - as long as their bellies are full and their holosuites are working. "But take away their creature comforts, deprive them of food, sleep, sonic showers, put their lives in jeopardy over an extended period of time and those friendly, intelligent, wonderful people...will become as nasty and as violent as the most blood-thirsty klingon." Last edited by Cymro; 09-23-2010 at 01:41 AM.

03-02-2008, 12:08 AM	#6 (permalink)
Brikar The Dude Join Date: Jan 1970 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 3,585	Re: What should I buy? Yeah COD4 I've been drooling over for a while. I can run it on my current PC, but I think I'm just over the minimum specs. I haven't upgraded this thing in like 2 years. It was awesome when I first built it, and it's still a solid machine now. Having the 64-bit Windows XP has turned out to be something of a miscalculation, but... -shrug- __________________ "A million monkeys typing until the end of time will produce the complete works of William Shakespeare. Ten thousand monkeys typing for ten thousand years will write a Hemingway. Ten monkeys typing over Columbus Day weekend will give you a Dan Brown." http://olympusmans.blogspot.com http://benforrealz.blogspot.com

03-02-2008, 12:20 AM	#7 (permalink)
Arik Astro-Monkey Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Here, dumbfuck! Posts: 2,304	Re: What should I buy? Heh. I just ordered my 80 GB PS3 through Amazon (have the Hard Drive upgrade on the shelf behind me) & a high def TV. I briefly considered buying a Mac, but then I came to my senses when I remembered that I can't stand OSX. __________________ The writers of this post apologize for you being too stupid to understand it.

03-02-2008, 12:22 AM	#8 (permalink)
Brikar The Dude Join Date: Jan 1970 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 3,585	Re: What should I buy? There's a PS3 hard drive upgrade? __________________ "A million monkeys typing until the end of time will produce the complete works of William Shakespeare. Ten thousand monkeys typing for ten thousand years will write a Hemingway. Ten monkeys typing over Columbus Day weekend will give you a Dan Brown." http://olympusmans.blogspot.com http://benforrealz.blogspot.com

03-02-2008, 12:28 AM	#9 (permalink)
Arik Astro-Monkey Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Here, dumbfuck! Posts: 2,304	Re: What should I buy? It's a laptop SATA hard drive. It'll take up to 250 GB. It slides into a bay on the side, so it doesn't even void the warranty. __________________ The writers of this post apologize for you being too stupid to understand it.

03-02-2008, 01:41 AM	#10 (permalink)
Brikar The Dude Join Date: Jan 1970 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 3,585	Re: What should I buy? So I can buy any PS3 and put any laptop HD into it? __________________ "A million monkeys typing until the end of time will produce the complete works of William Shakespeare. Ten thousand monkeys typing for ten thousand years will write a Hemingway. Ten monkeys typing over Columbus Day weekend will give you a Dan Brown." http://olympusmans.blogspot.com http://benforrealz.blogspot.com

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