Running windows on MacBook

jm240 · 4 Oct 2011 at 19:29

Hi all I have a quick question,

Is it possible to literally dual boot the new Macbook air / pro with Windows 7 and have it run windows 7 just as good as any other laptop or are their limitations?

Also what do you use to achieve this, is it boot camp? I'm guessing boot camp is just a boot manager and I take it you have to buy a full retail copy of Windows 7 to install it on the MacBook?

Thanks ever so much!

jm240 · 4 Oct 2011 at 19:57

Ok great, so what does that mean in real terms? Is there a specific piece of hardware on the macbook pro / air that has issues under windows? Or are you talking about more added peripherals?

I want a new laptop to do my college work on at home instead of having to use public computers.

I want to make sure that a Macbook can handle the primary task which will be to run Microsoft Office and word process.

jm240 · 4 Oct 2011 at 19:58

POB said:
Indeed I sent a Macbook Pro back as Apple don't support GPU switching in windows.

what's GPU switching?

jm240 · 4 Oct 2011 at 20:25

POB said:
Laptops can switch off the dedicated graphics cards and use the on CPU Intel HD graphics to save power.

So essentially, the lack of GPU switching means reduced battery life which is the reason for sending the MBP back?

jm240 · 4 Oct 2011 at 20:27

POB said:
Laptops can switch off the dedicated graphics cards and use the on CPU Intel HD graphics to save power.

Also, out of interest; what did you end up buying instead of a MBP?

jm240 · 4 Oct 2011 at 20:39

SiriusB said:
If all you want is Office why not get Office 2011 for Mac? Best version yet. Ribbon looks a bit weird in OS X, but I have used it since release and it's OK.

If it must be the Windows version of Office, then rather than Dual Boot, run Windows in a virtual machine. I have Windows 7 running in a VM nearly all the time, mostly to run Outlook and also let me do Windowsy things if/when I need to from my MBP. No need to worry about graphics switching or hardware drivers - plus you don't have to reboot.

I use Parallels for my VMs on my MBP. VMWare has Fusion which does much the same thing. Apples [ha!] and Oranges. There is also free VM software, such as VirtualBox. However, Parallels and Fusion have features that make the guest OS programs look like any other OS X program [you can move them between screens, minimise etc without needing to "go into" the guest OS].

Eventually I will need my MBP to do programming on, perhaps use disassemblers, various different compilers etc etc and I can't see virtualisation being sufficient for these kind of tasks.

I love the build quality of the MBP so much even though I know that really I should be buying a PC laptop. If the MBP can be dual booted to run windows properly then MBP should be a fine choice.