Bootcamp on MBP vs Windows laptop

Why don't you save some money and install a Boot Camp partition on your MBP? Boot Camp allows you to boot Windows directly. Performance will be equivalent to a Windows PC with similar hardware specifications.

Well, as long as you need to carry two computers why not just stick to your HP? However, if your preference is another MBP then it should accomplish what you want to do.

brett romero wrote:

I have an HP laptop to run specific Windows software and for travel. I also have a MBP with VMWare Fusion. But I can't run all the Windows software I need on the MBP because it would grind to a halt. However, I don't like Windows' laptops. I'd rather get another MBP and use Bootcamp. It would always be in Bootcamp running WinXP. With the MBP, I can than take advantage of the MBP's superior trackpad and hardware, among other things. I'd also be able to run WinXP, which you can no longer get on laptops.

For those using Bootcamp and Windows on a Macbook, have you noticed any disadvantages vs using a dedicated Windows laptop?

Price aside, is there any reason to get a dedicated Windows laptop vs a MBP running Bootcamp?

If you get a new MacbookPro it won't run windows XP from a Bootcamp partition. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4410

What application won't run in Windows 7?

brett romero wrote:

I have an HP laptop to run specific Windows software and for travel. I also have a MBP with VMWare Fusion. But I can't run all the Windows software I need on the MBP because it would grind to a halt. However, I don't like Windows' laptops. I'd rather get another MBP and use Bootcamp. It would always be in Bootcamp running WinXP. With the MBP, I can than take advantage of the MBP's superior trackpad and hardware, among other things. I'd also be able to run WinXP, which you can no longer get on laptops.

For those using Bootcamp and Windows on a Macbook, have you noticed any disadvantages vs using a dedicated Windows laptop?

Price aside, is there any reason to get a dedicated Windows laptop vs a MBP running Bootcamp?

Your MacBook Pro must be a little dated, likely a dual core 32 bit processor with 4GB RAM limit.

I can tell you these quad core I7's MacBook Pro's are awesome.

This is what I suggest you do based upon my expereince with this new machine:

1: Get a high end 15" or 17" anti-glare MacBook Pro and max out the RAM to 8GB.

2: Get the 7,200 RPM performance drive if your on power most of the time, if not, then the 5,400 RPM drive as it gives a bit more battery life. (you can set the drives to spin down when not in use as well to consever battery). Apple Stores only carry 5,400 drives in their computers, however online you can special order the 7,200 RPM drive. I don't recommend SSD, too expensive per GB, limited writes and not being erased. So you lose a important security option for Windows, completely erasing the drive of any malware. Also if you travel between countries some have more stringent rules concerning adult content than others. Technology exists to inhale all data off computers, smartphones etc. with plug and play ease.

3: Before setting up the new machine, c boot off the OS X installer disk and use Disk Utility to Secure Erase/Zero your boot drive. This will map off bad sectors ahead of time and greatly improve reliability. Install OS X when finished.

4: Setup your new machine, don't use your real info in the setup or Apple places it all over the place and Windows/Fusion copies that and displays it online for everyone to see (so and so's network and computer for instance). Use Apple's Bootcamp to install Windows 7 Pro 64bit. 32 bit is history, and Win 7 Pro (and above) will allow you to virtualizes XP so you can run your XP programs. You will need the FULL disk, not the upgrade disk natrually.

5: Once you got that all setup and your XP programs installed. Install VMFusion in OS X, have it use the Bootcamp partition as your virtual machine! Give Windows 7 Pro in VM (based upon my experience) 2 processor cores and half your RAM (either 2GB or 4GB) If you give Win 7 four cores (out of 8 hyperthreaded cores) your going to slightly better performance, but at a cost to stability with OS X. That might change with giving Win 7 Pro 4GB of RAM instead (I got only 4GB total right now so 7 gets only 2GB)

6: As you know, Mac video cards use OpenGL, not Direct X. So any 3D games not using OpenGL drivers is going to suffer performance loss either in Windows VM or Bootcamp.

I ran Cube 2 in both Windows 7 Pro in VM and directly in OS X, it uses OpenGL drivers. In OS X I get solid 200 fps. On Windows +100 fps constantly. Naturally the OS X version was more stable. But just goes to show the extereme performance of these new i7's and their video cards.

I get 6.0 scoring (out of 7.9 max) on Windows 7 Pro in VM with four cores and 3GB of RAM, but my drawbacks are the slow 5,400 RPM drive and the limited 4GB of RAM I have. I tend to upgrade to better quality drives later, also RAM from Crucial since Apple charges so much.

So now if you need full performance you can direct boot into Windows 7 Pro, run all your XP programs with maximum RAM and processsors cores (4, 8GB) or half that in virtual machine under OS X. Also I might add that I think VM Fusion 3 will be needing a update to work better with these new Sandy Bridge processors. Just a few glitches here and there, minor ones.

Oh, and the anti-glare will allow you to use the computer in nearly any condiiton. A small cost for 100% improvement in viewing the screen clearly.

Good Luck and hope this helps 🙂

17" MBP i7 2.3 Sandy Bridge 2820QM Radeon HD 6750, Mac OS X (10.6.7), VM-ed: Windows XP, Vista, 7, Linux Mint, MacBuntu, Like XP, Puppy, TinyCore, DSL